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Does Low Carb Shorten Life Expectancy? Study Reveals Surprising Things

Low-carb diets are trending. But not only the kilos disappear with the diet, but also the life expectancy. In a study, US researchers found that people on the low-carbohydrate diet die up to four years earlier.

Diet: Carbohydrates are not the problem

The result of the study: It is not the few carbohydrates that lead to increased mortality, but the alternative diet and the resulting increased consumption of animal proteins and fats. So if you eat them instead of pasta, bread and potatoes, you can die up to four years earlier.

But low-carb can also be positive: If you eat more vegetable fats and proteins than animal fats, mortality falls. You live longer. According to the researchers from Boston, the amount of carbohydrates is also decisive for life expectancy: “Our results show a relationship between life expectancy and carbohydrate intake. Life expectancy is greatest in people with 50 to 55 percent carbohydrate intake,” the scientists conclude.

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health

Surprising Study: Vegetarians Are Shy

Everyone knows that nutrition affects health. But how do animal products change our personality? The Max Planck Institute examined 9,000 people – with an interesting result.

Vegetarian or meat eater: How are diet and character related?

It turned out that vegetarians had a lower average body mass index than people who consumed animal products. So they were usually slimmer. There can be many reasons for this: On the one hand, the plant-based diet is richer in fiber. This means that vegetarians get full faster, even though they consume less energy. Another reason could be that vegetarians, in general, pay more attention to their diet and fitness, or physical well-being.

It is also interesting that the body mass index also differs within non-vegetarians when it comes to the type of animal products. A distinction is made between primary (mainly meat, sausage and fish) and secondary (eggs, dairy products, cheese and butter) animal products. People who ate more primary products, or even both, had on average a significantly higher BMI than people who ate less or nothing at all. On the other hand, people who still consumed animal products, but mainly secondary ones, had a lower BMI value.

But the personality of the subjects also seems to be influenced by their diet. The study found that people with a vegetarian diet appear significantly less extroverted. “It’s hard to say why that is,” says Veronica Witte, who headed the study. Maybe the vegetarian eating behavior goes hand in hand with a social demarcation or it comes about because introverts in particular tend to have a rather restrictive eating behavior. All just guesses. This is where the study reaches its limits. Because even if she has shown that a difference can definitely be observed, she cannot explain why this is the case. A follow-up study would be needed here.

Diets – which is the best?

While the list of diets continues to grow, the basic principle should be to listen to your own body and find out for yourself which diet works best for you. A familiar body feeling is ultimately still the key to a healthy body.

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Food

Are Vegetarians Really Healthier? Study With a Surprising Finding

Many people take Lent as an opportunity to let bad habits rest – also in terms of nutrition. One possibility is, for example, not eating meat. But how healthy is it to give up meat? A detailed study provides surprising insights into the question.

Long-term study on meat abstinence: data analysis of more than 48,000 people

The medical journal reviewed vegetarian and vegan diets in a July 2019 in-depth study by the University of Oxford. In the course of their surveys, the researchers evaluated the data of around 48,000 subjects who had neither heart disease nor stroke in the past.

About half of all participants reported eating meat. The other half was divided into vegetarians, vegans and pescetarians, i.e. people who do not eat meat but eat fish.

Over a research period of 18 years, 2,820 cases of heart disease and 1,072 strokes were recorded among the subjects.

Meatless diet: Lower risk of heart disease

It was striking that meat eaters showed a significantly higher susceptibility to heart disease. Compared with the pescetarians, the risk of heart disease was increased by 13 percent. Compared to vegans and vegetarians, it was even 22 percent. According to the researchers, this could be due to the significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and elevated blood cholesterol levels.

In contrast to the heart diseases, the subjects with a meatless diet performed significantly worse when it came to the risk of a stroke. According to the study, a plant-based diet increases the risk of stroke by more than 20 percent.

The scientists at the University of Oxford attribute this to the low levels of vitamin B12 in vegetarians and vegans. The vitamin is mainly found in animal products such as fish, meat and cheese. Despite the lengthy study, the researchers said more research is needed to definitively confirm the results.

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Food

Does Caffeine Help With Lack of Sleep? – Study With a Clear Result

A recently published study examined how caffeine counteracts the loss of performance caused by lack of sleep. The result is clear and underlines the importance of sleep.

How caffeine affects cognition during sleep deprivation

It is well known that sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognition. The research team led by psychology professor Kimberly Fenn therefore investigated to what extent the increase in caffeine can counteract this.

The 276 subjects were initially asked to complete a simple task that required little attention. There was also a difficult task to solve in which the participants had to complete several steps in a specific order – no steps could be skipped or repeated.

“We found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both task types and that caffeine intake helped people successfully complete the easier task,” study author Fenn said in a Michigan State University news release. However, the intake of caffeine mostly had little effect on the more difficult task.

Conclusion: Caffeine cannot replace sleep

While caffeine can help you stay awake and get a task done, it does little to prevent procedural errors that can lead to medical errors or car accidents, for example. “Caffeine increases energy, reduces drowsiness, and may even improve mood, but it certainly doesn’t replace a full night’s sleep,” says Fenn.

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Food

Study: Junk Food Increases Appetite For Unhealthy Food – and Damages The Brain

Researchers report that junk food not only harms body weight, but also our brain’s performance. Other foods, on the other hand, can promote concentration and memory skills.

Unhealthy food only increases the craving for it

The Macquarie University scientists studied 105 young, healthy volunteers who normally ate a balanced diet and divided them into two groups. One group ate junk food, i.e. foods high in sugar and saturated fat, for eight days. So there was toasted sandwiches and milkshakes or Belgian waffles for breakfast, later a main meal from a fast-food chain. The control group ate their usual meals.

Both groups could choose unhealthy snacks before and after breakfast on the first and last day of the experiment. It was to be tested how great their desire for it was and – after trying it – how good they had tasted it.

Other environmental influences also affect the hippocampus

Factors that occur primarily in the western world – insomnia, stress, environmental toxins, depression and type II diabetes – have a negative effect on the hippocampus. Combined with an unhealthy diet, this could mean both acute and long-term damage to this brain region.

Fish, nuts, and whole grains are better choices

In order to promote the ability to concentrate and memory through nutrition, long-chain, complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grain products, should be used. Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, nuts and rapeseed and walnut oil are said to have a beneficial effect on the nerve cells and their interaction. Proteins from fish, seafood, lean dairy products, legumes, and whole grains are also considered beneficial.

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health

Daily White Flour Products? A Study Reveals Shocking Results

A warm roll from the bakery can sweeten the morning for many. But experts now advise caution, because the white flour rolls that many of us like to eat are not healthy for us in the long run. We explain what the concerns about the white flour diet are all about.

Higher blood pressure from white flour

According to the analysis, people who ate more than 350 grams of white flour products per day had a 27 percent higher risk of premature death than those who ate less than 50 grams of refined grains per day. Higher refined grain intake was also consistently associated with higher blood pressure.

Although white rice is also a refined grain, the researchers could not find any increased risk here.

Even in the group with the highest consumption of more than 450 grams per day, there was no increased risk of premature mortality or a heart attack.

Replace white flour products with whole grain products

The study only demonstrated an association but did not examine the underlying causes of the association. For this reason, the analysis provides only indications, but no definitive causality. However, there are good possible reasons for this association.

The researchers advise replacing white flour products with whole grain cereals. With whole grain products, the whole grain is processed, making the products more nutritious. They are richer in protein, fiber, B vitamins, and many other nutrients that may help lower blood pressure, reduce gum disease, boost the immune system, and help manage weight.

White flour products contain mostly simple carbohydrates and are very starchy. After consumption, blood sugar rises rapidly and leads to high glucose concentrations in the blood. Over time, these fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to weight gain and, in the worst case, diabetes.

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health

Beer, Wine and Schnapps: Study Shows at What Age Alcohol is Particularly Harmful

People like to drink alcohol after work, at the weekend or in a relaxed atmosphere. The results of a study now show at what age beer, wine & Co. is particularly harmful to us.

Alcohol more or less harmful? Age matters

However, there are phases in life when you should urgently avoid alcohol consumption. A study has identified three phases in which beer, wine, schnapps and the like are particularly harmful. The British-Australian study was published in the medical journal British Medical Journal

Heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy, for example, can cause enormous brain damage in infants. “Around 10 percent of pregnant women worldwide consume alcohol, with rates in European countries being significantly higher than the global average,” said Louise Mewton, who led the study.

Alcohol greatly reduces the brain volume of the newborn and can lead to cognitive impairment. This is also known as fetal alcohol syndrome.

Alcohol during pregnancy: How consumption affects the baby

But according to the study, even small amounts of alcohol are harmful: at a sensitive point in time, such as during the development of the brain in the embryo, even a few milliliters of alcohol are dangerous for the brain structure of the child.

The second highly sensitive phase is between the ages of 15 and 19. Heavy alcohol intoxication has serious consequences for adolescents. According to the study, about one in five young people would regularly consume 60 grams of pure alcohol. The result:
decreased brain volume
Deficits in cognitive performance
slower white matter development
According to the scientists, the delayed development of brain mass would result in an increased risk of traffic accidents and a higher affinity for suicidal thoughts.

Alcohol at retirement age: Even small amounts accelerate deterioration

The third critical phase of life concerns the older generations. According to the study, anyone who continues to drink alcohol regularly from the age of 65 upwards must expect a reduction in brain volume. Even moderate alcohol consumption would reduce the size of the brain. However, it is unclear whether this structural change in the brain also affects cognitive abilities. However, the authors of the study strongly believe that this is not the case.

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Food

French Fries Just as Healthy as Almonds? New Study With Crazy Results

French fries are a popular food for young and old. However, they are generally considered unhealthy. But are they really? A new nutrition study surprises with its results.

French fries are unhealthy fattening foods – what is the truth of the claim?

In the research literature, regular consumption of fries has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. According to the researchers, however, there is little evidence for this assumption. Research leader David Allison and his team therefore wanted to carry out a study that would establish a clear connection between physical health and regular consumption of French fries.

The researchers compared two randomly divided groups of 90 adults each. In one group, the test persons consumed a portion of fries with 300 calories as a snack every day for one month. The control group received a 300-calorie serving of almonds instead. Otherwise, the subjects did not change their lifestyle or diet. Almonds were chosen because they are considered healthy and are not associated with any negative health risks.

The researchers focused their attention on changes in the subjects’ body fat mass and weight. Blood sugar and insulin production were also monitored. At the end of the month, the values ​​in both groups were “comparable and not clinically significant”.

Result: French fries contain more carbohydrates than almonds

At the end of the month, the researchers were able to determine that the group that ate French fries every day had no values ​​outside the normal range. Almonds and fries therefore showed no differences in terms of the health of the subjects. In the French fries group, there were only higher temporary peak values ​​for blood sugar and insulin. According to the research team, this is due to the different proportion of carbohydrates in the two foods.

Study co-author Daniel Smith therefore sees the demonization of fries – and individual foods in general – as unjustified. It makes much more sense to take a close look at a person’s entire diet in relation to their health risk and also to take factors such as daily exercise into account. According to this, fries are no more unhealthy than almonds and you can shake off the guilty conscience with the next portion of fries.

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Lifestyle

Use Cheat Sheet as Study Sheet

A cheat sheet contains the most important information. for the upcoming exam or presentation. Therefore, use a cheat sheet as a study sheet instead of cheating. Thus, the learning success increases enormously. We have collected the most important tips for creating learning slips.

Use cheat sheets to learn

It may seem strange at first, but in fact, a well-constructed cheat sheet encourages learning. So instead of breaking your child’s habit of writing cheat sheets, simply set up new rules for using the cheat sheet. Thus, the cheat sheet becomes a useful learning sheet. Consequently, we show how your child can learn better and more effectively, making cheating unnecessary.

1) Brainstorm and structure the topic

If the topic of a work or exam is known, then brainstorming on the most important points of the topic will help. Your child can then create a detailed and structured learning sheet. Accordingly, numbers, data and facts on the subject of the exam can be easily learned. If your child has difficulties formulating the topics or with spelling, these areas should of course be practiced and trained separately. But that also works great with the creation of a learning sheet.

2) Instructions for a cheat and cheat sheet

To ensure that learning with the cheat sheet is a success, it makes sense to first create a comprehensive learning sheet. Your child will learn the important things. In the course of the learning phase, your child should keep reducing this learning sheet so that it gradually becomes a cheat sheet. Consequently, the most important tips for orientation:

  1. Bring all the content of the exam to one or more DIN-A-4 pages. Blank sheets or checkered sheets are good for this.
  2. Write everything down by hand so that you can remember it better.
  3. Mark individual subject areas with different colors to create a kind of “map”.
  4. Try to capture only essential points in bullet points, tables or formulas.
  5. Only write down long sentences and quotations in exceptional cases.
  6. From now on, always carry the cheat sheet or learning sheet in your trouser or jacket pocket.
  7. Read the cheat sheet at every opportunity, i.e. on the bus, while waiting, before going to bed and so on.
  8. You can then make a shorter learning sheet.

3) Use the cheat sheet on the day of the exam?

Ideally, your child will have a crumpled cheat sheet with them on exam day. But this can safely stay in your pocket during work or exams. Because the majority of the information is already firmly imprinted in the brain through the handwritten reproduction, the concise summary and the regular reading. In addition, also note brain games to stimulate the brain and tips to learn better vocabulary.

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Food

Study: Market for Milk Alternatives is Growing Rapidly

Plant-based milk alternatives have been experiencing rapid market growth for several years. According to the market research company Nielsen, plant-based milk from soy, oats, almonds and the like increased by a full 47% between August 2019 and August 2020. It is thus well above the annual growth rates for alternative milk drinks of almost 10% forecast worldwide in 2019.

The proportion of oat milk rose particularly sharply in Germany during this period. According to Nielsen, with 115% it is not only one of the growth winners, but also one of the most popular plant-based milk drinks in Germany. Already more than half (53%) of the total sales in the milk alternatives category in Germany are made with oat milk.

The Society for Consumer Research (GfK) also confirms the “extremely dynamic” growth of milk alternatives. In their monthly report on the GfK household surveys, the market researchers from Nuremberg even describe this market as “crisis-resistant”.

Growth drivers are diverse and sustainable

The reasons for the strong and crisis-independent growth are manifold – just like the consumers themselves: “There are concerns about the ongoing climate change, the knowledge of the influence of one’s own diet, the desire to eat healthier and the horror at the conditions in factory farming several strong reasons. Apart from that, the milk alternatives also taste very delicious,” says Anna-Lena Klapp, an expert on plant-based milk alternatives and editor-in-chief of the plant-based milk report by the international nutrition organization ProVeg.

The environmental and climate balance of alternative products is pleasing. Plant-based milk alternatives are up to 95% better than cow’s milk in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and land and water use. Oat milk is particularly good at this. It also benefits from the short transport routes of the oats, because the grain can be grown well in our latitudes.

State punishes more climate-friendly milk alternatives

Despite the good balance in terms of health, climate, animal welfare and the environment, plant-based milk alternatives are still disadvantaged by politics. They are subject to the increased VAT rate of 19%. Cow’s milk, on the other hand, is only taxed at 7%: an indirect subsidization of a foodstuff that is harmful to the climate and the environment, which was recently criticized by the WBAE, the scientific expert committee of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food, as inappropriate for environmental and climate policy reasons. The committee calls for lower taxation for environmentally and climate-friendly, specifically plant-based foods. Food of animal origin, on the other hand, should no longer be subsidised, but taxed at 19%.

Rapid growth without the dairy industry?

Despite these hurdles, manufacturers of alternative dairy products are expecting rosy times: “Plant drinks currently still have a share of a good 10 percent of the entire milk market in Germany. However, we assume that there will be a drastic change in consumption in the next 10 years and that significantly more plant-based drinks will be consumed than cow’s milk,” says Helge Weitz, DACH manager at Oatly, the market leader for oat milk.

The classic dairy industry is still holding back with its own milk alternatives despite the good market prospects. So far, Alpro has dominated the German market, followed by the food trade with a large number of own brands in second place and the Swedish oat milk manufacturer Oatly in third place in the sales ranking. Although the market leader Alpro, which was taken over by global player Danone in 2017, is experiencing enormous growth, its competitors in the dairy-processing food industry are not following suit with dairy alternatives.

Possible reasons for the reluctance: Dairy companies fear pressure from their suppliers, the dairy farmers, who have been complaining about falling milk prices for decades and are keeping their heads above water, above all, with EU agricultural subsidies. Dairy processing companies themselves also benefit from the low milk prices because they increase the margins of their dairy products.

Consumption of cow’s milk is declining

The sale of both fresh milk and UHT milk is declining in Germany. In the past year alone, sales of fresh milk have fallen by 3.5% and UHT milk by 6%. However, instead of taking up the trend towards promising, climate-friendly and animal-friendly milk alternatives and bringing vegan milk alternatives onto the market, the dairy industry resorts to well-known defense mechanisms.

With the help of an online portal, the dairy industry is planning to regain control of information about cow’s milk and milk-like products. According to the Lebensmittelzeitung, several million euros are currently being collected from those involved in the dairy industry. At the same time, lobbyists from the agricultural and dairy industries in the EU Parliament have achieved that plant-based dairy products can no longer be called plant-based “milk” or vegan “cheese”. What is new is that designations such as “Yoghurt type” or “Butter” alternative are no longer permitted. The argument of the agricultural and dairy industry lobby, which wants to avert unwanted competition with the campaign: Otherwise, consumers would not be able to distinguish plant-based milk alternatives from cow’s milk products.

No customer confuses scouring or coconut milk with cow’s milk

Advocates of a sustainable diet see this argument as a pretense. They argue: Nobody would think of cow’s milk when they saw scouring milk or coconut milk. Jasmijn de Boo, Vice-President of ProVeg, cannot understand the action of the EU Parliament: “It is in direct contradiction to the declared goals of the European Union in the international Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork strategy, the turnaround towards a more sustainable and healthier food system.” Livestock farming is responsible for around 16% of all greenhouse gas emissions generated worldwide. Alternatives to animal products should therefore not be blocked, but encouraged.

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