HEALTH
Super tomatoes that can combat cancer
London: British researchers claim to have developed new “super tomatoes” fortified with minerals which can improve your immune system and help prevent cancer.
The new varieties, which have hit shelves across the UK, have been enriched with selenium, a powerful anti-oxidant which the researchers believe could not only boost the immune system but also help prevent cancer. The mineral, found naturally in foods, such as Brazil nuts, shellfish and liver, is also important for the thyroid gland, which determines how quickly the body uses energy and also produces proteins, the Daily Mail reported.
Food scientists for Marks & Spencer, the company which has developed the new variety, turned their attention to the mineral because it is lacking in UK diets. Low concentrations in farm soil mean little of the mineral finds its way into home-grown foods. There is evidence that a deficiency may lead to heart disease and, while it does not tend to directly cause illnesses, it can make the body more likely to catch infections. Dr Carina Norris, of the Nutrition Society, said the tomatoes were a great way to get the nutrient into our diets. “Selenium plays an important role in supporting the immune system.
Red wine and chocolate sharpen your mind
London: Red wine and chocolate make for a deadly combination to keep your mind sharp and alert, a study suggests, reports IANS.
Polyphenols, plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate and wines, dilate blood vessels, speeding the supply of blood to the brain.
This provides it with a rush of oxygen and sugars, making complex calculations easier and quicker. Besides polyphenols are more effective in combination than alone, the Daily Mail reports.
The theory follows two Northumbria University studies into the effects of polyphenols on the mind. In the first, healthy adults were set a series of tests after taking a capsule packed with resveratrol, the ‘wonderful ingredient’ in red wine.
Scans showed a marked increase in blood flow to their brains after taking the supplement.
Greater improvements may be seen in the elderly, said doctoral researcher Emma Wightman from Northumbria, because blood flow to the brain naturally decreases with age.
Unfortunately for wine lovers, the quantities of resveratrol used in the study would equate to drinking crates of the stuff. But it is easy to get the same amounts from supplements sold in health food stores. And with resveratrol credited with abilities from extending life to burning off junk food, Wightman says there is nothing to stop people from stocking up. “There is research showing quite a lot of health benefits and there is nothing to suggest there are any adverse effects. You are not going to come to any harm,” she said
London: British researchers claim to have developed new “super tomatoes” fortified with minerals which can improve your immune system and help prevent cancer.
The new varieties, which have hit shelves across the UK, have been enriched with selenium, a powerful anti-oxidant which the researchers believe could not only boost the immune system but also help prevent cancer. The mineral, found naturally in foods, such as Brazil nuts, shellfish and liver, is also important for the thyroid gland, which determines how quickly the body uses energy and also produces proteins, the Daily Mail reported.
Food scientists for Marks & Spencer, the company which has developed the new variety, turned their attention to the mineral because it is lacking in UK diets. Low concentrations in farm soil mean little of the mineral finds its way into home-grown foods. There is evidence that a deficiency may lead to heart disease and, while it does not tend to directly cause illnesses, it can make the body more likely to catch infections. Dr Carina Norris, of the Nutrition Society, said the tomatoes were a great way to get the nutrient into our diets. “Selenium plays an important role in supporting the immune system.
Red wine and chocolate sharpen your mind
London: Red wine and chocolate make for a deadly combination to keep your mind sharp and alert, a study suggests, reports IANS.
Polyphenols, plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate and wines, dilate blood vessels, speeding the supply of blood to the brain.
This provides it with a rush of oxygen and sugars, making complex calculations easier and quicker. Besides polyphenols are more effective in combination than alone, the Daily Mail reports.
The theory follows two Northumbria University studies into the effects of polyphenols on the mind. In the first, healthy adults were set a series of tests after taking a capsule packed with resveratrol, the ‘wonderful ingredient’ in red wine.
Scans showed a marked increase in blood flow to their brains after taking the supplement.
Greater improvements may be seen in the elderly, said doctoral researcher Emma Wightman from Northumbria, because blood flow to the brain naturally decreases with age.
Unfortunately for wine lovers, the quantities of resveratrol used in the study would equate to drinking crates of the stuff. But it is easy to get the same amounts from supplements sold in health food stores. And with resveratrol credited with abilities from extending life to burning off junk food, Wightman says there is nothing to stop people from stocking up. “There is research showing quite a lot of health benefits and there is nothing to suggest there are any adverse effects. You are not going to come to any harm,” she said
Comments