healthbriefs


No Benefit to Cutting Fat in Cheese


A


nyone that has struggled to reduce their intake of low-density lipopro- tein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) may have considered avoiding saturated fat in their diets, although the latest meta-study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine now refutes this. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, conducted a test to determine if consuming low-fat versus regular cheeses impacts LDL cholesterol levels.


The study divided 139 people into three groups. One ate regular fat cheese, one consumed reduced-fat cheese and one didn’t eat any cheese at all for 12 weeks. Both LDL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) levels were tested at the beginning and end of the period. Researchers found no signifi- cant difference in the LDL levels of any of the groups and no difference between the HDL levels of the reduced-fat and regular cheese groups, suggesting that con- suming low-fat versions has no measurable metabolic benefit. An increase in HDL levels among those that abstained from eating cheese


altogether was noted.


The Five-Second Rule Debunked T


Kids Going Online at Bedtime Sleep Poorly A


new study from King’s College Lon- don has found that children’s use of electronic devices close to bedtime can reduce their chances of a good night’s sleep. Researchers examined 20 existing studies encompassing 125,000 children between the ages of 6 and 19. They found that youngsters using a device within 90 minutes of falling asleep had an increased likelihood of poor and inadequate sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness. Study author Ben Carter, Ph.D.,


he five-second rule is a belief that food that falls to the floor can be safely eaten as long as it’s picked up quickly. Research- ers from Rutgers University, in New Bruns- wick, New Jersey, sought to test its veracity. Four different food items were tested, including watermelon, bread and butter, plain bread and gummy candy, using four different surfaces—stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood and carpet. Each surface was contaminated by bacteria and completely dry before the


scientists dropped each item for one second, five, 30 and 300 seconds. A total of 128 separate scenarios were repeated 20 times each and 2,560 measurements were taken and analyzed for contamination. The results proved that longer contact time resulted in more bacterial contam- ination, but there were also cases of instantaneous contamination, which disproves the five-second rule. The wet surface of a watermelon yielded the most contamina- tion and gummy candy the least. The surface tests yielded surprising results, with carpet transferring significantly fewer bacteria than tile and stainless steel, while wood floors exhibited varied results.


The secret of getting ahead is getting started. ~Mark Twain


says, “Sleep is an often undervalued, but important part of children’s devel- opment, with a regular lack of sleep causing a variety of health problems.” These can include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, reduced immune function and poor diet. Poor food choices and exces- sive eating can start young, as illustrat- ed in a study from Colorado University, in Boulder, which found a link between sleep deprivation and poor diet choices in preschool children. The Colorado study followed five


girls and five boys, ages 3 and 4, that were regular afternoon nappers. They were deprived of their naps for one day, during which their food and bever- age consumption was monitored and compared with their choices on a day when their sleep routine remained in- tact. During the sleep-deprived day, the children ate 20 percent more calories than usual and their diet consisted of 25 percent more sugar and 26 percent more carbohydrates.


natural awakenings March 2017 9


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