Thursday, May 20, 2010
Pistachio nuts, eaten as part of a healthy diet, can increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood of adults with high cholesterol, according to an international team of nutritional scientists. "Our previous study showed the benefits of pistachios in lowering lipids and lipoproteins, which are a risk factor for heart disease," said Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition, Penn State. "This new study shows an additional effect of pistachios so now there are multiple health benefits of eating pistachios." (more)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Antioxidants are often touted for their anti-aging effects. However, little is known about how antioxidants from foods actually work inside the body. A new study being conducted in the College of Health and Human Development is testing how much our bodies actually benefit from eating one group of high-antioxidant foods: spices. (more)
Monday, August 17, 2009
You've probably seen the supermarket tabloid articles with titles like, "The 12 Foods Everyone Should Eat" or "Four Foods for Peak Performance." Every week there's another berry, grain or bafflingly-named compound that is the key to better health, longer life and peace in our time. Do these "superfoods," as they are called, deserve the hype or is the moniker just a marketing tool to sell us food and supplements we don't really need? It's a little of both, said Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State. (more)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Blueberries, pomegranates, green tea, and dark chocolate -- these are just some of the antioxidant-rich "superfoods" found in almost any supermarket today. As well as improving our general health, there is growing evidence that diets high in antioxidants may confer some protection against a long list of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and even HIV. Given their increasing popularity, the fundamental question bears asking: What exactly are antioxidants, and how do they work in our bodies? (more)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
For serious chocoholics, the best health-related news in the past decade had to be that dark chocolate is good for you. A recent Yale study concluded that eating dark chocolate can mean better cardiovascular health, with short-term improvements in blood pressure and arterial function. Even better news is that milk chocolate also may have some health benefits. So which one is the healthier snack? It depends, said Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State. (more)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A handful of pistachios may lower cholesterol and provide the antioxidants usually found in leafy green vegetables and brightly colored fruit, according a team of researchers led by Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State. "Pistachio amounts of 1.5 ounces and 3 ounces -- one to two handfuls -- reduced risk for cardiovascular disease by significantly reducing LDL cholesterol levels, and the higher dose significantly reduced lipoprotein ratios," said Sarah K. Gebauer, graduate student in integrative biosciences, Penn State, to attendees at the Experimental Biology meeting recently held in Washington, D.C. (more)
