Recently, a study out of the Texas Women’s University looked at whether blueberries with their high polyphenol content could help in fighting obesity. Blueberries after all have already been cited as having positive health effects on other conditions like cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted in Petri dishes (not live animals) using a blueberry polyphenol extract and tissue cultures from mice. On the surface the findings look positive. The purpose was to examine the effect that the polyphenol in blueberries had in counteracting the development of fat cells. The result was a 73 percent reduction in the number of fat cells using the highest dose and a 27 percent reduction with the smallest dose. Positive but, what does this actually mean?
Dietitians are often asked if multivitamins are effective for supplementing or replacing a healthy diet. Brittany Glassett, a registered dietitian at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, says it is best to get vitamins and minerals by eating a variety of whole foods.
“Research has yet to conclude if supplements provide the same benefits as getting these nutrients from your diet,” Glassett says. Each day, think about including fruits and vegetables from all color families to provide your body with a rainbow of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, substances that protect the cells in your body. Aim for at least three different colors at each meal to obtain maximum health benefits.
Well, that certainly sounds like great advice to me – Valentine’s Day or not. In fact, Susan Ofria, clinical nutrition manager at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, who recommends those two wonderful food groups, says forget the oysters and the champagne as well - if you want to keep your true love’s heart beating strong.
“You are not even choosing between the lesser of two evils, red wine and dark chocolate have positive components that are actually good for your heart,” says Ofria, a registered dietician at the Loyola University Health System’s Melrose Park campus.