FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — As one of the trendiest foods in the produce aisle, microgreens are known for adding a splash of color to a dish, a spicy kick to a salad – and a chunk of change to a grocery bill. Known for a variety of flavors, textures and aromas, microgreens originated as a product of the California restaurant scene in the 1980s. Smaller than baby greens, they are harvested just one to two weeks after germination – typically later than sprouts, which don’t have leaves. They usually are 1 to 3 inches tall and often are sold with the stems attached. Most microgreens are rich in concentrated vitamins and antioxidants. A 2012 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry looked at 25 commercially available microgreens and found they contained nutrient levels up to 40 times higher than more mature leaves. Other research also has shown microgreens contain a wider variety of antioxidants and micronutrients called polyphenols. Nutrient content aside, microgreens are not a replacement for leafy and other greens in one’s diet, said Christopher Gardner, director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in California. Instead, they serve a better purpose as a way to add variety to a regular salad or other healthy meal. According to the federal dietary guidelines, an adult consuming…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — As one of the trendiest foods in the produce aisle, microgreens are known for adding a splash of color to a dish, a spicy kick to a salad – and a chunk of change to a grocery bill. Known for a variety of flavors, textures and aromas, microgreens originated as a product of the California restaurant scene in the 1980s. Smaller than baby greens, they are harvested just one to two weeks after germination – typically later than sprouts, which don’t have leaves. They usually are 1 to 3 inches tall and often are sold with the stems attached. Most microgreens are rich in concentrated vitamins and antioxidants. A 2012 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry looked at 25 commercially available microgreens and found they contained nutrient levels up to 40 times higher than more mature leaves. Other research also has shown microgreens contain a wider variety of antioxidants and micronutrients called polyphenols. Nutrient content aside, microgreens are not a replacement for leafy and other greens in one’s diet, said Christopher Gardner, director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in California. Instead, they serve a better purpose as a way to add variety to a regular salad or other healthy meal. According to the federal dietary guidelines, an adult consuming…  read on >  read on >

A widely used class of antibiotics has been linked to an increased risk of a potentially fatal blood vessel condition — even in younger, healthy people. In a study of millions of antibiotic prescriptions made in the United States, researchers found that one class was associated with a small increase in the risk of aortic aneurysm. The drugs — called fluoroquinolones — have been a mainstay of antibiotic therapy for decades. They include medications such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Factive (gemifloxacin). Several previous studies have linked fluoroquinolones to a heightened risk of aortic aneurysm — a weakened area in the wall of the body’s largest artery. If that weakened tissue ruptures, it can cause fatal bleeding. Based on those earlier findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2018, saying people at high risk of aortic aneurysm should avoid fluoroquinolones. “High risk” included the elderly and people with high blood pressure or a history of blockages or aneurysms in any arteries. The new study, published Jan. 6 in JAMA Surgery, suggests a much broader swath of the population might want to be cautious. It found a link between fluoroquinolones and aortic aneurysm in all adults age 35 and up — including those without high blood pressure, diabetes or elevated cholesterol. “I’d personally like to see the FDA broaden its warning,”…  read on >  read on >

A widely used class of antibiotics has been linked to an increased risk of a potentially fatal blood vessel condition — even in younger, healthy people. In a study of millions of antibiotic prescriptions made in the United States, researchers found that one class was associated with a small increase in the risk of aortic aneurysm. The drugs — called fluoroquinolones — have been a mainstay of antibiotic therapy for decades. They include medications such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Factive (gemifloxacin). Several previous studies have linked fluoroquinolones to a heightened risk of aortic aneurysm — a weakened area in the wall of the body’s largest artery. If that weakened tissue ruptures, it can cause fatal bleeding. Based on those earlier findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2018, saying people at high risk of aortic aneurysm should avoid fluoroquinolones. “High risk” included the elderly and people with high blood pressure or a history of blockages or aneurysms in any arteries. The new study, published Jan. 6 in JAMA Surgery, suggests a much broader swath of the population might want to be cautious. It found a link between fluoroquinolones and aortic aneurysm in all adults age 35 and up — including those without high blood pressure, diabetes or elevated cholesterol. “I’d personally like to see the FDA broaden its warning,”…  read on >  read on >

A widely used class of antibiotics has been linked to an increased risk of a potentially fatal blood vessel condition — even in younger, healthy people. In a study of millions of antibiotic prescriptions made in the United States, researchers found that one class was associated with a small increase in the risk of aortic aneurysm. The drugs — called fluoroquinolones — have been a mainstay of antibiotic therapy for decades. They include medications such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Factive (gemifloxacin). Several previous studies have linked fluoroquinolones to a heightened risk of aortic aneurysm — a weakened area in the wall of the body’s largest artery. If that weakened tissue ruptures, it can cause fatal bleeding. Based on those earlier findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2018, saying people at high risk of aortic aneurysm should avoid fluoroquinolones. “High risk” included the elderly and people with high blood pressure or a history of blockages or aneurysms in any arteries. The new study, published Jan. 6 in JAMA Surgery, suggests a much broader swath of the population might want to be cautious. It found a link between fluoroquinolones and aortic aneurysm in all adults age 35 and up — including those without high blood pressure, diabetes or elevated cholesterol. “I’d personally like to see the FDA broaden its warning,”…  read on >  read on >

A widely used class of antibiotics has been linked to an increased risk of a potentially fatal blood vessel condition — even in younger, healthy people. In a study of millions of antibiotic prescriptions made in the United States, researchers found that one class was associated with a small increase in the risk of aortic aneurysm. The drugs — called fluoroquinolones — have been a mainstay of antibiotic therapy for decades. They include medications such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Factive (gemifloxacin). Several previous studies have linked fluoroquinolones to a heightened risk of aortic aneurysm — a weakened area in the wall of the body’s largest artery. If that weakened tissue ruptures, it can cause fatal bleeding. Based on those earlier findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2018, saying people at high risk of aortic aneurysm should avoid fluoroquinolones. “High risk” included the elderly and people with high blood pressure or a history of blockages or aneurysms in any arteries. The new study, published Jan. 6 in JAMA Surgery, suggests a much broader swath of the population might want to be cautious. It found a link between fluoroquinolones and aortic aneurysm in all adults age 35 and up — including those without high blood pressure, diabetes or elevated cholesterol. “I’d personally like to see the FDA broaden its warning,”…  read on >  read on >