Pasta doesn’t make you fat, says Italian study paid for by Barilla

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Carb lovers rejoiced when a new study out of Italy found that pasta wasn't really the fat-causing dish it's been vilified as for years.

The study, published in the journalNutrition and Diabetesthis week, claims pasta does not contribute to obesity and is associated with a lower body mass index.

Tacked onto the bottom of the news release promoting the findings was a more sobering note: Barilla, the Italian pasta maker with a definite interest in people eating more spaghetti, partially financed the research.

SEE ALSO: Artist whittles wood into food and fools us all

Barilla was pleased by the study's findings, but notedin a statement sent to Mashable they weren't involved in the research nor were they the sole backer.

For their part, the study authors also said Barilla had "no role in study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data," and added several caveats to the claim that pasta doesn't make you fat.

Don't get too excited

First, many of the participants who ate pasta were following a Mediterranean diet, which calls for reduced meat consumption, more plant-based foods and exercise. That means it could be the Mediterranean diet as a whole, not just pasta consumption, which is trimming waistlines. Researchers didn't find that pasta directly makes you skinny. Rather, it is associated with a lower body mass index.They also called for analysis of the foods typically eaten with pasta, such as tomatoes, olive oil and garlic.

Secondly,the largest amount of pasta participants in the study ate was 86 grams, or 3 ounces. That's less than a fifth of your typical 16-ounce box of Barilla's rigatoni.

Lastly, due to incorrect data provided by some participants, especially women, when either describing their body type or recalling their meals, the researchers at first linked pasta with obesity during a "crude analysis." When they corrected for underreporting, eating pasta was found not to contribute to obesity.

The authors analyzed the diets and body composition of two groups: More than 14,000 people over 35 from the Molise region of Italy and roughly 8,900 people over 18 from across the country.

Eat like an Italian

The study's bottom line: You can eat pasta and maintain a healthy weight if you eat like an Italian.

"We're talking about a fundamental component of Italian Mediterranean cuisine, and there is no reason to do without it," Licia Iacoviello, head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology at Neuromed Institute, which conducted the study, said in a statement translated from Italian to English.

Following "the Mediterranean diet, moderation in consumption and the variety of all its elements, pasta in the first place, is a benefit to your health."

UPDATED July 6 at 2 p.m. PT with Barilla's comment.

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Read more: http://mashable.com/2016/07/06/pasta-doesnt-make-you-fat-study/

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Will Sipping a Simple Aloe Juice Drink help Us lose weight?

This summer, people aren't just slathering aloe vera on their sun-scorched skin.

They're chugging it in hopes of losing weight, too.

Aloe juice or aloe water, which can be found at health food stores, isn't as goopy or neon green as the stuff from the drugstore, but it's marketed as being equally magical.

Proponents claim that drinking aloe juice speeds up metabolism, promotes proper digestion, and helps you burn extra fat and calories. And thats after it does wonders for your skin, according to Goop founder, Gwyneth Paltrow.

RELATED: THE 5 HEALTHIEST GREEN JUICES YOU CAN BUY, ACCORDING TO A NUTRITIONIST

And while juicing aloe is a relatively new concept in the U.S., people in Latin America and the Arabian Peninsula have been using the stuff to relieve symptoms of diabetes, including high blood sugar, for a long time, according to a review published in Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.

Whats in the Green Stuff?

Inside every green aloe vera succulent, you'll find about 75 potentially active compounds, including antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E), enzymes, minerals, sugars, fiber, and amino acids, according to the Indian Journal of Dermatology.

Some research even suggests, that the goo has anti-inflammatory benefits, according to the Herbal Medicine review.

And since inflammation is linked to weight gain and metabolic problems, it makes sense why some people would think this leads to weight loss.

However, if you look at the nutrition label on the back of an aloe juice bottle, you probably won't find much of anything, said NYC-based dietitian Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S.

For instance, many brands contain only carbohydrates and sodium. Often, the nutrition labels list zero calcium, iron, protein, fat, or vitamins A and C.

Some contain more vitamins, either from the aloe itself, or other ingredients like lemon juice and honey. Plus, an eight-ounce serving of some brands, contains up to 15 grams of sugar and no fiber.

Its basically just sugar water, Matheny said.

However, he notes that thicker, gloppier aloe juice varieties generally contain more actual aloe and nutrients than the thinner, tastier ones.

Will It Help You Lose Weight?

So how did glorified sugar water get a rep for weight loss?

As it turns out, lots of common aloe juices contain aloin, a potent natural laxative. That might explain why many people who drink aloe juice swear that it's helped them lose weight, Matheny said.

"The aloe is probably not speeding up their metabolism, or resulting in any real weight loss," he said. "Laxatives, like aloin, don't result in fat loss, just loss of water weight, through going to the bathroom."

Whats more, aloin has been linked to abdominal cramps, diarrhea, red urine, hepatitis, electrolyte imbalances, and rebound constipation.

Lovely!

Sip Safe

OK, so it's probably not the magic weight-loss drink you'd hoped for. But does it have other health-boosting benefits?

That depends on the nutrients in the exact bottle you're buying (Matheny recommends looking for lots of fiber, vitamins, and other minerals on your nutrition label).

But, it's important to outline out a few times when you should never drink aloe.

RELATED: 5 WAYS DRINKING MORE WATER CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT

 According to a review published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, women should never consume aloe while pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Theoretically, aloe can spur uterine contractions, and, in breastfeeding mothers, could cause GI issues in infants.

Plus, some people are actually allergic to aloe.

If you've experienced skin irritation after applying aloe gel to sunburns, or have a known allergy to aloes cousins, onion and garlic, dont sip aloe juice.

Unless you absolutely loooooove the taste of green goo, you're better of sipping these drinks that are more effective for weight loss.

This article originally appeared on WomensHealthmag.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/06/01/can-sipping-aloe-juice-help-lose-weight.html

Read full article here: Will Sipping a Simple Aloe Juice Drink help Us lose weight?

Is It Possible To Eat Too Much Fruit? | Fox News

You've been told since you were a kid how important it is to eat fruit. But is there such thing as too much?

As a nutritionist, I've worked with clients on both ends of the fruit-eating spectrum: Some shunned fruit completely, due to its carb and sugar content, while others loaded up on fruit because it's rich in nutrients.

The reality is, the ideal amount lies somewhere in between these two extremes, and it varies from person to person.

To help you figure out your own sweet spot when it comes to fruit, here are four important things to keep in mind.

RELATED: Juice or Smoothie: Which One is Healthier?

Stick with two to four servings

As a general rule, you probably need somewhere between two to four servings of fruit a day.

What's a proper serving?

Either one cup, or a piece of fruit about the size of a baseball.

But, if your activity level varies from day to day, your fruit needs might change as well.

For example, many of my female clients eat one serving of fruit with breakfast, and another as part of a daytime snack (a good go-to strategy!).

But on days they have a tough workout, they may add a third serving, such as a small, pre-exercise banana.

However, for active men, teens, and tall, younger women with active jobs, four servings a day tends to be about right.

Some of my pro athlete clients need more than four servings a day, but that's not the norm for most of us.

RELATED: How to Make Refreshing Fruit-Infused Water

Your fruit needs are based on your fuel needs

Here's why you shouldn't eat an unlimited amount of fruit, or even overdo it:

While it may be packed with nutrients, fruit is also a major source of carbs. One medium apple, a cup of blueberries, and a small banana each contain about 20 grams.

It's important to get a healthy amount of carbs in your daily diet, to fuel the activity of your cells. But when you eat more carbs than you can burn after a meal or snack, the surplus can either feed existing fat, or even increase your body fat stores.

For this reason, your total carb intake including nutrient-rich foods like fruit, should correspond to your fuel needs, which are based on your height, ideal weight, sex, age, and physical activity level.

The taller you are, and the higher your ideal weight, the more of you there is to fuel, and therefore the more carbs you need.

Men generally need more than women, younger people more than older adults, and active folks more than inactive individuals.

Men are on average taller than women, and even at the same height, they have more muscle mass. Two reasons they require extra fuel.

For example, if you're a petite woman, who mostly sits at work and exercises for 45 minutes, five days a week, you don't need as many servings of fruit per day, as a tall, muscular man with a physically demanding job.

RELATED: 12 Summer Fruit and Veggie Recipes

Timing matters

Since the carbs in fruit, fuel the activity of your cells, when you eat berries, apples, and the like makes a big difference.

Downing a huge fruit plate late at night, while youre watching TV or surfing the web (i.e., when your fuel demand is low) may be healthier than eating cookies or candy. But, if you dont burn off all those carbs, then yep, you guessed it ... Surplus City!

So, try to eat fruit before you're going to be more active, so you'll use the carbs for fuel.

If you really enjoy eating fruit in the evening, at least try to limit your portion to, say, one cup of grapes, as opposed to three big handfuls.

RELATED: 30 Summer Snacks Under 100 Calories

The nutrients in fruit are worth the carbs (if you dont overdo it)

While carbs are a consideration, it's also important to remember that fruit is chock-full of other key nutrients.

Natural substances in fruit, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and prebiotics, do wonders for your health. And the nutrients found in one fruit family, like berries, differ from those in apples and pears, stone fruits, melon, or citrus.

So rather than limiting yourself to apples and berries only, aim for variety, and work in seasonal options.

Another thing: Don't freak out about the sugar!

Even the strictest nutrition guidelines, zero in on "added sugar", not "naturally-occurring sugar" from whole, fresh fruit.

That's because sugar found in fruit, is unrefined, far less concentrated, and bundled with a number of other key nutrients.

For example, one whole orange, provides about 17 grams of carbs, around 12 of which, are natural sugar.

But that orange also supplies fluid, 12 percent of your daily fiber, nearly 100 percent of your vitamin C needs, B vitamins, potassium, and compounds like Herperidin, which has been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and act as an anti-inflammatory.

In comparison, one level tablespoon of table sugar, contains 16 grams of carbs, all from refined sugar, and is devoid of nutrients.

In other words, fruit and refined sugar don't belong in the same category.

RELATED: The 4 Most Confusing Things About Added Sugar

So please, enjoy fruit as part of a balanced diet.

If youre strategic about the timing and amount, you won't have to worry about these healthy plants causing weight gain, or preventing weight loss, and at the same time, you'll better protect your health.

"Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with masters degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, shes Healths contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Yankees, previously consulted for three other professional sports teams, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Sass is a three-time New York Times best-selling author, and her newest book is Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Real Food, Real Fast. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest."

This article originally appeared on Health.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/06/02/is-it-possible-to-eat-too-much-fruit.html

Read full article here: Is It Possible To Eat Too Much Fruit? | Fox News

6 'Healthy' Foods Nutrition Pros Refuse to Put in Their Bodies

These supposedly good-for-you products are actually the worst, experts say. 

We know nutrition pros load up on wild salmon, ancient grains, and kale, but what virtuous-seeming fare will you never find on their plates? Here are the health-halo items they leave right on the shelves.

Flavored Yogurt
"I love Greek yogurt, but I only purchase plain, and then I add my own naturally sweetened fruit, seeds, and nuts. I will not eat flavored yogurts, as they are loaded with sugar. Some flavored yogurts contain as much sugar as a candy bar!" —Isadora Baum, Health Coach, Founder of Live for You Now Coaching


Puffed Veggie Chips
"I stay away from puffed veggie chips like Pirate's Booty and Veggie Straws. When you look at the ingredient list you'll generally find not just veggies, but a long list of additives such as potato starch, corn starch, white rice flour, and soy flour. And they often pack around 130 calories per serving, only about 20 less than potato chips. If you have to have a veggie chip, go with the Terra ones instead." —Cynthia Sass, RD, author of Slim Down Now and Health contributor


Powdered Peanut Butter
"People think powdered peanut butter is healthier because it has fewer calories and less fat. But one of the best things about peanut butter is that it's loaded with healthy fats, which also help make it satisfying. So I only buy the real stuff." —Christy Harrison, RD, MPH, a certified intuitive eating counselor and host of Food Psych podcast


Most Commercial Salad Dressings
"They can contain highly processed oils or partially hydrogenated oils, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colors. Choose one with ingredients you can pronounce like olive oil, sea salt, lemon, apple cider vinegar, herbs, spices. My go-to homemade dressing is: 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 fresh lemon juiced, 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, a pinch of salt and pepper. " —Megan Roosevelt, RD, founder and host of The Healthy Grocery Girl Cooking Show on YouTube


Whole-wheat bread
"This is one of the ultimate cons and deceivers. The glycemic index of wheat bread is 69. This load causes extreme blood sugar elevations, which results in high insulin response, and ultimately in inflammation and fat accumulation." —Mark Sherwood, NO, and Michele Sherwood, DO, founders of the Functional Medical Institute in Tulsa and authors of The Quest for Wellness


Cold-Pressed Juices
"While these juices often contain a great deal of fruits and/or vegetables, the amount of sugar is extremely high. Also, the juicing process destroys much of the beneficial fiber in the produce. Lastly, your body can only absorb so many vitamins and minerals at one time. So a great deal of the nutrients are not absorbed." —Natalie Rizzo, RD, a nutritionist in New York City