Reducing Synthetic Chemicals Increases Milk Nutrient Content!
Researchers from the Newcastle University in the UK have established a link between synthetic chemical use and declines in the nutrient content of milk.
The study found that low input non-organic and organically produced milk contained significantly higher levels of beneficial fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants compared to higher chemical use systems.
The non organic low input farming had reduced use and some cases no chemical-based fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides in the food supply.
Source: Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture, Published online ahead of print
“Fatty acid and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations in milk from high- and low-input conventional and organic systems: seasonal variation”
Authors: Gillian Butler, Jacob H Nielsen, et al.
Flavonoid Antioxidant Protect Against Cancer!
The recent report by the Organic Center in the USA gave overwhelming evidence that organic foods have higher levels of antioxidants, particularly in the Flavonoid group (Flavonoids include Anthocyanidins, Flavan-3-ols, Flavanones, Isoflavones, Flavones and Flavonols etc). The report “New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Planted-Based Organic Foods” is available at http://www.organic-center.org
Numerous scientific studies are finding that diets high flavonoids help in the fight against cancer. Below is a list of some of the published scientific studies showing that having higher levels of flavonoids in a diet increases the protection from a range of cancers and also the survival rates of those with the diseases.
Flavonoids Linked to Lung Cancer Protection!
The risk of lung cancer amongst smokers may be decreased by as much as 50 per cent by an increased intake of antioxidant flavonoids.
The flavonoids, epicatechin, catechins, and quercetin, found in tea and vegetables were associated with significant risk reductions, according to a study involving 558 patients with lung cancer and 837 healthy people published in the journal Cancer.
Source: Cancer, 15 May 2008, Volume 112, Issue 10, Pages 2241-2248
“Dietary flavonoid intake and lung cancer - a population-based case-control study”
Flavonoids Linked to Breast Cancer Survival!
Researchers from the University of North Carolina have found that an increased intake of flavonoids may increase breast cancer survival by over 30 per cent.
1,210 women with breast cancer were surveyed. The researchers found that individuals with the highest intake of flavones and isoflavones prior to diagnosis had a 37 and 48 per cent lower risk of mortality.
Source: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, November 2007, Volume 16, Number 11, Pages 2285-2292 “Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Breast Cancer Survival among Women on Long Island”
Flavonols Lower Pancreatic Cancer Risk!
A study of 183,518 residents of California and Hawaii has found that people with the highest consumption of flavonols from the diet had significant risk reductions, compared to the lowest consumption.
Source: Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 2007, Abstract 856 “Flavonols and pancreatic cancer risk: The Multiethnic Cohort Study”
Flavones and Flavonols Lower Kidney Cancer Risk!
Italian researchers have found that an increased intake of flavonoids lowers the risk of kidney cancer by 31 per cent.
The study surveyed 767 renal cell cancer patients and 1,534 controls. The researchers found that the biggest protective effect was associated with high intake of both flavones (32 per cent risk reduction) and flavonols (31 per cent risk reduction).
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, Volume 16, Number 1, Pages 98-101 “Flavonoids and the Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma”
Flavonoids Linked to Colorectal Cancer Protection!
Italian researchers have found that a flavonoid rich diet could lead to a 40 per cent reduction in colorectal cancer. The study from the Università degli Studi di Milano, recruited 1,953 cases of colorectal cancers and 4,154 hospital controls.
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention (Vol. 15, pp. 1555-1558), a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Trans fats harm may pass from mother to infant in breast milk: study!
Researchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro have found that baby rats from mothers fed a diet with trans fats had decreased heart function for glucose transport and had signs of insulin sensitivity.
The researchers stated “Our data strongly suggest that trans fats ingestion during early life is particularly related to insulin resistance and to the consequent impairment of cardiac glucose metabolism in adulthood.”
Source: Nutrition (Elsevier) Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2008.03.006
“Trans fatty acids in maternal milk lead to cardiac insulin resistance in adult offspring”
Authors: F. Silveira Osso, A.S.B. Moreira, M.T. Teixeira, R.O. Pereira, M.d.G. Tavares do Carmo, A. Sanchez Moura