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In the hierarchy of essential things in America, it appears, cheeseburgers rank near the top. The presidents recent declaration that meatpacking plants are critical infrastructure and meat is essential under the Defense Production Act speaks volumes about this countrys attachment to an abundant supply of beef and pork even amid a pandemic.

That President Trump rushed to issue an executive order that aims to keep meat processors on the job, while hesitating to take similar action to ramp up the manufacturing of protective gear for medical workers, no doubt reflects the influence of lobbyists for the meat industry. But theres something else to consider. The perceived essentialness of cheeseburgers (and other meat products) is also a function of certain distinctly American food habits and beliefs.

Both have deep roots. Though strongly influenced by Britain, 19th-century American cuisine differed from the motherland in at least two important respects. In her 1832 travel book, Domestic Manners of the Americans, the English writer Frances Trollope describes the breathtaking quantities of food on American dinner tables. Even tea, she reports, is a massive meal, a lavish spread of many cakes and breads and ham, turkey, hung beef, apple sauce and pickled oysters.

Equally impressive to this foreign observer were the carnivorous tendencies of her American hosts. They consume an extraordinary amount of bacon, she writes, while ham and beefsteaks appear morning, noon and night.

Americans were indiscriminate in their love for animal protein. Beef, pork, lamb and mutton were all consumed with relish. However, as pointed out by the food historian Harvey Levenstein, it was beef, the form of protein preferred by the upper class, that reigned supreme in status. With the opening of the Western frontier in the mid-19th century, increased grazing land for cattle lowered beef prices, making it affordable for the working class.

Dietary surveys conducted at the turn of the 20th century by Wilbur Atwater, father of American nutrition, revealed that even laborers were able to have beefsteak for breakfast. As Atwater was quick to point out, a high-protein diet set American workers apart from their European counterparts. On average, Americans ate a phenomenal 147 pounds of meat a year; Italians, by contrast, consumed 24.

Doubtless, Atwater wrote, we live and work more intensely than people do in Europe. The vigor, ambition and hopes for higher things that distinguished the American worker, he argued, was fed by repeated helpings of T-bone and sirloin steak.

During World War I, the idea that American vitality was tied to a meat-heavy diet dictated how the troops were fed. To give them a fighting edge, tremendous quantities of beef and pork were shipped overseas, enough to provide soldiers with 20 ounces of beef a day or 12 ounces of bacon. The cost was staggering, but the Army refused to trim meat rations. As one newspaper reported: There will be no meatless days in the army. The Huns are going to find themselves up against beef-eaters and pork-fed fighters full of that savage strength that come from fried steak and boiled ham and crisped bacon.

Its no coincidence that the archetypal American hero, the cowboy, is a cattle herder, or that we claim hamburgers as the quintessential American food. Or that when Mr. Trump welcomed the 2019 football college champions to the White House, he offered them Big Macs and Quarter Pounders. Much of what has defined us as Americans is expressed through our meat consumption.

Mr. Trumps move places inexpensive meat over the health and safety of the workers who produce it. Ever since the publication of Upton Sinclairs The Jungle in 1906, we have known about those perils, and too often left them unchecked, our way of keeping meat prices down and profits up.

In more ways than one, our access to cheap meat has worked to our disadvantage. With a large piece of protein in the center of the plate, most often cooked in a frying pan, Americans never had to test their powers of culinary creativity.

We never developed preparations, so common in other cuisines, that turn humble, plant-based ingredients into high culinary art. A meat-rich diet also meant that Americans were disproportionately plagued by what people used to call dyspepsia, what we know today as indigestion.

For the benefit of all concerned, both workers and consumers, we should take this as our cue to rethink old eating habits and look at alternative traditions. We dont have to look far for inspiration. In fact, its all around us, in the many immigrant cuisines that rely chiefly on vegetables, starches and legumes, and use meat strategically, as a kind of condiment.

Think, for example, of Chinese-American stir fries in which a few ounces of beef, a one-person serving for some of us, is cut into bite-size morsels, flash-cooked with snow peas and used to feed a family of four. Or consider the magic that Italian-American home cooks produce with a handful of beans and some macaroni. We have options that dont require making workers risk their health.

Is a well-stocked meat freezer really more essential than a human life? Unfortunately, Mr. Trumps decision suggests that for Americans, it is.

Jane Ziegelman is a co-author, with Andrew Coe, of A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression.

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Coronavirus, Slaughterhouses and Americans' Love of Meat - The New York Times

Have you noticed grabbing an extra bag of chips at the supermarket? Or eating more frozen dinners than you used to? Or even eating snacks that you havent eaten since you were a little kid?

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly every facet of our daily lives, from how we dress, to how we work, to how we exercise.

Its also changing the way we eat. As a registered dietitian and nutrition researcher, Im fascinated by the types of food people are buying during this strange time.

One recent survey found that 42% of respondents indicated theyre purchasing more packaged food than they typically would and less fresh food.

Sales of frozen pizza have almost doubled. Sales of frozen appetizers and snacks think Bagel Bites are over a third, while ice cream sales have increased 36%.

According to Uber Eats, the most common food delivery order in the United States has been french fries, while the most popular beverage has been soda.

To me, these foods have one thing in common: Theyre the stuff we ate as kids.

Why might grown adults be reaching back into the pantry of their pasts? What is it about a pandemic that makes us feel like were teenagers at a sleepover?

The reasons are deeply rooted.

At its core, the purpose of food is to nourish. Of course food provides us with the necessary energy and balance of vitamins and minerals to power and fuel the body. But anyone whos reached for a pint of Ben and Jerrys after a particularly stressful day will know that nourishment is about more than nutrition.

During periods of stress, people tend to eat more and show a greater preference for higher calorie foods. The sweeter and saltier the better. Regardless of hunger, a tasty snack can feel comforting. Theres evidence to suggest that highly palatable foods, especially those high in fat and sugar, may elicit a response in the brain that is similar to the response from opioids.

Yes, a delicious slice of rich chocolate cake can be just as good as drugs.

We tend to call many of these foods comfort foods, but the definition of comfort food is a bit slippery. Food is deeply personal. The foods that comfort people depend on their cultural background, taste preference, and personal experience. We know, however, that food can induce feelings of nostalgia that transport us back to simpler times.

So perhaps its no surprise that, during a period of uncertainty that has many of us desperate for some relief and comfort, the foods of our childhood can act as a salve. For some of us, that bowl of Lucky Charms isnt just a sweet treat; its a reminder of days gone by, a time of safety and stability.

Theres nothing inherently wrong in finding temporary relief from chaos and uncertainty through food. But its probably best to view these changes in eating behavior as a temporary habit during a weird time. After all, a diet rich in macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets doesnt exactly set our bodies up for long-term success.

As peoples lives start to regain some sense of normalcy, diet can actually be a major part of the equation. Returning to a more health-conscious diet could be part of reestablishing your previous routines. And if youve never been able to find the time to prioritize healthy eating, now could actually be a good opportunity to start laying the groundwork for habits that become the new normal.

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Carli Liguori does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Coronavirus diets: What's behind the urge to eat like little kids? - Omaha World-Herald

With delectable flavours and fragrant spices, Indian cuisine is certainly popular around the world. In addition to its wide variety of rich flavours, a traditional Indian diet also boasts of a wide variety of nutrients in a balanced quantity. However, on the flip side, obesity and diabetes still continue to be a significant public health concern for India. According to the medical journal Lancet, the burden of diabetes is rapidly increasing in India and there is an estimated 72.96 million cases of diabetes in the adult population of the country as of now. Infact, India has been deemed as the worlds capital of diabetes. So, for a nation that boasts of lentils, fresh and fruits and vegetables as an integral part of its diet, where exactly did we go wrong? Is our growing inclination towards western food (pizza, burger, fries etc.) to be blamed or is there more to the Indian diet? We connected with a renowned cardiologist and famous author Dr Aseem Malhotra and asked him to shed light on the same. In this riveting conversation, Dr Aseem touched upon several eye-opening facts and misconceptions about the Indian diet that continue to plague our minds even today. Here is an excerpt from the conversation:

The role of comorbidity and death from COVID-19 Dr Aseem emphasized on the fact that even as the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the globe, it is the people with underlying chronic metabolic diseases including high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes which are affected the most. India has the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the world, which on an average reduced the life expectancy by up to 10 years.

The relationship between Indians and chronic metabolic syndrome In India, 43 per cent of people with normal BMI (Body Mass Index) are metabolically unhealthy. This means that a huge proportion of people are living in this illusion of protection thinking that they are not overweight or unhealthy.

Dr Aseem spoke at length about metabolic syndrome and how 1 in 3 adults in India are suffering from this syndrome. He defined metabolic health using these 5 parameters:

Your blood pressure should be ideally less than 120 over 80 mm Hg

You should not have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes

Your triglyceride levels should be less than 1.7 millimoles per litre

Your good cholesterol (HDL) should be greater than 1 millimoles per litre.

If you are a man your waist circumference should be less than 90 cms and for a woman, it should be less than 85 cms.

This essentially means that even if your BMI is ideal, if you have excess fat around your body or any of the above-mentioned parameters, you are probably not as healthy as you may think.

Extra sugar, fried snacks and refined carbohydrates: Everything wrong with the Indian dietQuite appropriately, when talking about the word ''diet", Dr Aseem linked it to its greek origin 'diaita', which essentially means 'lifestyle'. Surprisingly, 70 per cent of Indian diet calories come from consuming carbohydrates and most of them are not necessarily from the best quality of carbohydrates. These poor quality carbohydrates include a lot of sugar, flour-based products, snacks loaded with starch, loaves of bread, and white rice. Another shocking finding shared by Dr Aseem is that an average Indian consumes at least 15 teaspoons sugar in the form fruit juices, sweets, sugar-laden drinks and snacks. He underlined the fact that while one does not need any amount of sugar to stay healthy, the World Health Organization has drawn the upper limit on five teaspoons of sugar per day. This essentially means, Indians are probably consuming 3-4 times of sugar then they should.

Your diet can reverse type-2 diabetesContrary to popular beliefs, Dr Aseem explained that it is never too late to change your dietary habits as it can help you reverse type 2 habits within weeks. This can be done by carefully monitoring your diet and changing the needful. For the uninitiated, Dr Aseem has been working with type 2 diabetes patients and empowering them to reverse the same with the help of lifestyle and dietary changes.

While he did not advise the patients to instantly stop taking the medications, he did recommend dietary changes for type-2 diabetes patients. He stated that medications and insulin for type-2 diabetes do not work on increasing the lifespan or reducing the chances of a heart attack and they also come with their side-effects.

When you work on reversing type-2 diabetes, you not only take away the immeasurable suffering of the patients and the impact this disease has on their nerves, eyes, kidneys etc but it also adds years to their lives, he added. Since the patients of type 2 diabetes tend to have a particular sensitivity to the sugars and refined carbohydrates, when they begin to cut down the sugar, rice, bread, potatoes etc, their blood glucose level may start to go down in a span of few weeks.

As a result, they may end up reducing the medication dosage when advised by their doctor. He pointed out that type 2 diabetes is a condition of carbohydrates intolerance, so shunning the glucose and carbohydrate-laden products like rice, breads, pasta, sugar etc can do wonders for the patient. Additionally, junk and processed food items should be replaced with whole foods including fresh fruits and vegetables. He also said that fruit juices should be avoided as they are full of sugar and whole fruits should be added to the diet instead.

The relationship between the Keto diet and managing type-2 diabetesThe cardiologist underlined that whole food-based Keto diet can be very beneficial for those battling type-2 diabetes. On the other hand low-sugar, low refined carbohydrate, a Mediterranean inspired diet with lots of vegetables or unprocessed meat like lamb, chicken and fish can also be a part of a healthy diet.

He also busted the prevalent myth of eating as frequently as every two hours and said that there is no legitimate need for the majority of the people to eat every two hours, no matter what is being propagated on the internet.

The goodness of Intermittent diet When you cut down the sugar and starch in the form of junk food, snacks and packaged food items, you actually eat to fullness and don't feel as hungry as before. Speaking about Intermittent diet, Dr Aseem agreed that there are emerging pieces of evidence which back the claim that it can be good for your metabolic health. He also underlined different methods of doing the intermittent diet and explained that for two or three times a week, he fasts for 16 hours a day and eats in a window between 12 to 8 pm.

The lack of protein in the average Indian diet As per a statement by the Indian Dietetic Association, a whopping 84 per cent of Indians are protein deficient! This is not surprising considering the fact that meat inadvertently remains one of the best sources of protein, which doesn't find its place in an average Indian thali. He pointed out that protein deficiency poses a big threat to the elderlies as they lose muscle mass and strength with age.

He listed down some of the best sources of protein which included eggs, paneer (cottage cheese), lentils etc and pointed out that Indians need to consume more of these protein-rich products in their diet instead of flour-based products and rice. Eggs remain one of the best sources of protein, including the yolk. The cardiologist reiterated the fact that the cholesterol present in egg yolks does not raise our cholesterol and will not give you a heart attack.

Move over vegetable oils, it is time to bring back desi gheeThe vegetable seed oils used for cooking in the Indian households including the sunflower oil, canola and soybean oil are not exactly healthy. Dr Aseem suggests swapping them with desi ghee, coconut oil and extra virgin oil. Since these oils remain quite stable even after they are heated up, they make for a healthier alternative to the vegetable oils that become toxic after heating.

He also reiterated that the adoption of the modern western diet through these fast food joints is actually increasing the consumption of toxic food items and should be avoided as much as possible.

Why you need to quit smoking and start walkingIt is important to note that the reduction in smoking remains one of the biggest reasons for lowering the death rate from heart disease in the UK and US. Infact, he points out that quitting smoking can be more powerful than all the medications given for reducing the risk of a future heart attack combined together.

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What is wrong with the Indian diet? Apparently a lot, claims UK-based cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra - Times of India

Maggie Guterl doesnt quit. Last October, she became the first female to win the Bigs Backyard Ultra, a last-man-standing race hosted by Gary Lazarus Lake Cantrell in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, where runners have to finish a 4.17-mile loop every hour on the hour for as long as they can. Guterl, 39, outlasted the field by running for 60 hours straightcovering 250 miles in the process.

When I finished, a woman came up to me and said, I didnt want to tell you this, but you were running for all of the women and an entire gender, Guterl told Runners World after the race. That was in my head the whole race, and it was so surreal when I was the last one standing.

After her historic win, the Durango, Colorado-based ultrarunner took a few weeks off from running, then began building her mileage back up to prepare for Cantrells best-known ultra, the Barkley Marathons. But when that race was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, Guterl laced up her running shoes for the next best thing: the Quarantine Backyard Ultra, a virtual race similar to Bigs, hosted by Cantrell on April 4.

Unfortunately, nine hours into the Quarantine Backyard Ultra, Guterl had to stop because of an intense pain in her low back. I couldnt walk without pain, she said. She believes the issue was caused by an inflamed sacroiliac (SI) joint, which is the joint that connects the base of the spine to the hips. Since the race, she has taken time off running to rest the joint. Luckily, she found another way to enjoy the trails near her home.

I have a fat bike, a gravel bike, and a hardtail mountain bike, and Ive been using them as much as I can, Guterl said. For me, its so important to get outside and move.

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Under normal (pre-coronavirus) circumstances, Guterl has to fit training around time in the office at Tailwind Nutrition, where she works as athlete and events manager. Even before joining the Tailwind team, she was a huge fan of their products, which aced the rigorous test of not upsetting her stomach during ultra training and racing.

When shes training for an ultra, Guterl typically runs between 70 and 90 miles per week, plus additional strength training. All of that work requires a serious amount of fueling, which sometimes means a sit-down meal or a quick Eggo waffle midrun. Here, Guterl shares how she typically fuels for a day of training.

I like to run first thing in the morning before work, so Ill set my alarm for 5:00 or 5:30 a.m. Ill make some coffee, then head out the door with a 24-ounce bottle of a caffeinated Tailwind drink mix. Basically, Im all caffeine in the morning. I park at my office, then leave from there to do my workout, which usually takes about an hour and a half. Afterward, Ill have a Tailwind recovery drink and head into work.

For breakfast, my go-to meal is a breakfast burrito from the food truck that parks outside of our office. I order mine loaded with spinach, potatoes, and eggs, and it is so massive that I usually eat half for breakfast and half for lunch. If I dont get a burrito, Ill bring something from home, like scrambled eggs or oatmeal with peanut butter, banana slices, honey, and walnuts.

My lunch is usually a big salad with all of the veggies my husband and I keep in our fridge. Ill do a mix of greens, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, and smoked salmon. I am obsessed with the salmon from Honey Smoked Fish Co., which is based in Denver. I would eat it all day if I could.

My coworker and I usually do weight training after work, and I always have an afternoon snack so that Im not starving at the gym. Ill munch on a bag of nuts or tortilla chips, or Ill have hummus with cut up veggies. My office is also crazy about candy, so if theres a bowl of Reeses Cups or M&Ms, Ill grab some of those.

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My husband and I are pretty laid-back when it comes to dinnera lot of times, well do pasta or a frozen pizza. But if were in the mood to cook, one of my favorite things to make is a big stir-fry with whatever vegetables we have on hand. In a big pan, Ill throw in yellow squash, zucchini, portobello mushrooms, onion, peppers, lime juice, and soy sauce, then serve that over rice noodles.

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The night before an ultra, I dont eat a ton of veggies, to limit the amount of fiber in my system. I usually eat Pad Thai thats not very spicy with eggs as my prerace meal. Then the morning of the race, Ill have oatmeal with peanut butter and honey. For the first few hours of the race, Ill just have Tailwind sports drink mix. Once I start craving real food, Ill rotate through Uncrustables sandwiches, chips, mashed potatoes, noodles, pierogies, and Eggo waffles. At Bigs, Lazs [Cantrells] wife made potato soup, which was awesome midrace.

I love a big bowl of cereal for dessert. After Bigs Backyard Ultra, I indulged with Lucky Charms. Now, I usually have Honey Nut Cheerios or Honey Nut Chex in the cupboard.

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Breakfast Burritos Are the Ultimate Recovery Fuel for Ultrarunner Maggie Guterl - runnersworld.com

Scientists from USC and the IFOM Cancer Institute in Milan have found that a fasting-mimicking diet could be more effective at treating some types of cancer when combined with vitamin C.

In multiple studies on mice, researchers found that the combination delayed tumor progression in multiple mouse models of colorectal cancer; in some mice, it caused disease regression. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.

For the first time, we have demonstrated how a completely nontoxic intervention can effectively treat an aggressive cancer, said Valter Longo, the studys senior author and the director of the USC Longevity Institute at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and a professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. We have taken two treatments that are studied extensively as interventions to delay aging a fasting-mimicking diet and vitamin C and combined them as a powerful treatment for cancer.

The researchers said that, while fasting remains a challenging option for cancer patients, a safer, more feasible option is a low-calorie, plant-based diet that causes cells to respond as if the body were fasting. Their findings suggest that a low-toxicity treatment of fasting-mimicking diet plus vitamin C has the potential to replace more toxic treatments.

For the first time, we have demonstrated how a completely nontoxic intervention can effectively treat an aggressive cancer.

Valter Longo

Results of prior research on the cancer-fighting potential of vitamin C have been mixed. Recent studies, though, are beginning to show some efficacy, especially in combination with chemotherapy. In this new study, the research team wanted to find out whether a fasting-mimicking diet could enhance the high-dose vitamin C tumor-fighting action by creating an environment that would be unsustainable for cancer cells but still safe for normal cells.

Our first in vitro experiment showed remarkable effects, Longo said. When used alone, fasting-mimicking diet or vitamin C alone reduced cancer cell growth and caused a minor increase in cancer cell death. But when used together, they had a dramatic effect, killing almost all cancerous cells.

Longo and his colleagues detected this strong effect only in cancer cells that had a mutation regarded as one of the most challenging targets in cancer research. These mutations in the KRAS gene signal that the body is resisting most cancer-fighting treatments, and they reduce a patients survival rate. KRAS mutations occur in approximately a quarter of all human cancers and are estimated to occur in up to half of all colorectal cancers.

The study also provided clues about why previous studies of vitamin C as a potential anticancer therapy showed limited efficacy. By itself, a vitamin C treatment appears to trigger the KRAS-mutated cells to protect cancer cells by increasing levels of ferritin, a protein that binds iron. But by reducing levels of ferritin, the scientists managed to increase vitamin Cs toxicity for the cancer cells. Amid this finding, the scientists also discovered that colorectal cancer patients with high levels of the iron-binding protein have a lower chance of survival.

In this study, we observed how fasting-mimicking diet cycles are able to increase the effect of pharmacological doses of vitamin C against KRAS-mutated cancers, said Maira Di Tano, a study co-author at the IFOM, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan. This occurs through the regulation of the levels of iron and of the molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress. The results particularly pointed to a gene that regulates iron levels: heme-oxygenase-1.

The research teams prior studies showed that fasting and a fasting-mimicking diet slow cancers progression and make chemotherapy more effective in tumor cells while protecting normal cells from chemotherapy-associated side effects. The combination enhances the immune systems anti-tumor response in breast cancer and melanoma mouse models.

The scientists believe cancer will eventually be treated with low-toxicity drugs in a manner similar to how antibiotics are used to treat infections that kill particular bacteria but can be replaced by other drugs if they prove ineffective.

To move toward that goal, they needed to first test two hypotheses: that their nontoxic combination interventions would work in mice, and that results would look promising for human clinical trials. In this new study, they said theyve demonstrated both.

At least five clinical trials including one at USC on breast cancer and prostate patients are now investigating the effects of fasting-mimicking diets in combination with different cancer-fighting drugs.

Additional authors include Franca Raucci and Claudio Vernieri of IFOM, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan; Irene Caffa and Alessio Nencioni of the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy; Roberta Buono, Maura Fanti and Sebastian Brandhorst of the Longevity Institute, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and Department of Biological Sciences; Giuseppe Curigliano of the University of Milan, Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology and Division of Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan; Filippo De Braud of the University of Milan, Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, and Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan.

The study was funded by Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro grant number 21820 and by NIA/NIH Grant # PO1 AG055369.

Longo is the founder of and has an ownership interest in L-Nutra; the companys food products are used in studies of the fasting-mimicking diet. Longos interest in L-Nutra was disclosed and managed per USCs conflicts-of-interest policies. USC has an ownership interest in L-Nutra and the potential to receive royalty payments from L-Nutra. USCs financial interest in the company has been disclosed and managed under USCs institutional conflict of interest policies.

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Fasting plus vitamin C proves effective for hard-to-treat cancers - USC News

In recent weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has created massive direct and indirect fall-out for U.S. pork producers. Primarily, this has been a consequence of supply chain disruptions and the loss of packing plant capacity. As such, producers are having to adjust pig flows and growth of finishing pigs to accommodate altered marketing strategies. Typically, producers aim to optimize grow-finish pig growth rates and feed intake to maximize pig performance and profitability.

However, the current supply chain issues are requiring producers to slow growth rates and/or reduce feed intake. Although this is specific to COVID-19, other situations could occur in the future. These scenarios could include response to feed supply interruptions for an extended period of time and also when the movement of animals to market is delayed or impaired due to an animal movement standstill, such as could occur during a suspected outbreak of a foreign animal disease, or in situations when access to harvest facilities is temporarily suspended or delayed.

In lieu of the current predicament of reduced capacity, slowing or holding pig growth, many articles have been written but lack clear empirical evidence of what may work with today's lean, high-growth-rate genetics. Thus, data, tools and support are immediately needed by the pork production and packing industries to address the logistical, economic and management scenarios currently brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, this information can be used for potential future supply chain issues.

To address the surprising lack of reliable and science-based information available to the industry on the use of nutrition to attenuate finishing pig growth performance, our team has responded to produce such data in a timely manner. In late-March, we started a project with the objective of evaluating three different options involving alternative dietary formulations to slow pig growth rates and reduce feed intake. Preliminary results of this small body of work are presented herein.

To address our study objective, 46 barrows and gilts (166 13.5 pounds bodyweight; Camborough (1050) X 337) were blocked by body weight and sex, individually penned and assigned to one of eight dietary treatments (n=5-6 pigs per treatment). The dietary treatments included:

These eight dietary treatments are detailed in Tables 1 and 2. The CON diet was formulated as a traditional corn-soybean meal diet that met or exceeded National Research Council (2012) nutrient requirements for this size finishing pig and is consistent with a commercial production diet. These dietary treatments represent three experimental approaches to slow finishing pig growth rates. The first approach increased NDF content of the diets from approximately 8.5% (CON) to 15%, 20% and 25% by increasing the inclusion rate of soy hulls (12.5-33.2% of diet in diets 2-4, respectively). Amino acids were kept the same as the CON, but dietary ME was allowed to float downwards as dietary fiber increased.

Table 1: Diet ingredient, as fed

Table 2: Diet energy and nutrient composition, calculated

The second approach simply and practically tested the effects of reducing dietary essential amino acid concentrations (treatments 5 and 6). This was achieved crudely by the complete or 50% removal of soybean meal from the CON diet formulation and adding this quantity back as corn. Thus, diet 5 was 97% corn and diet 6 consisted of 89% corn. Both these diets, ME, vitamins and minerals were formulated to be the same as the CON diet. Amino acid ratios were allowed to float in order to antagonize efficient use of essential amino acids for lean growth.

The third and final diet formulation approach was the most technically challenging and involved increased concentration of an acidogenic salt (dietary treatments 7 and 8). These two diets explored the effects of calcium chloride, an acidogenic salt and is known to reduce feed intake. These diets were formulated to contain 4% and 2% anhydrous calcium chloride. This resulted in a six- and three-fold increase in chloride, respectively from the CON diet. Nutritionists use an equation called dietary undetermined anion or dUA to formulate such diets. For those interested, the equation looks like this:

dUA (mEq/kg) = (Na+1 + K+1 + Ca+2 + Mg+2) + (Cl-1 + P-1.8 + Sinorganic)-2).

The calculation, carried out in mEq/kg, is really counting charges from each electrolyte and that is why the valence (charge) is used in the equation. Note that the sulfur in sulfur amino acids is not included in the equation. Briefly, metabolism in any animal tends to generate acid which it eliminates from the body through respiration and urination. But the diet plays a role, too. When dUA is numerically high, it tends to help the pig deal with this acid load from metabolism. But as dUA declines, it provides less assistance to the pig to handle the acid load. When the acid load reaches a certain level, feed intake declines. Adding calcium chloride to the diet lowers dUA and in this manner, discourages feed intake in the pig.

Further study is required with this option, especially as it relates to feeding for more than three or four weeks.

In the above study, we kept the calcium to available phosphorus ratio constant across all treatments. This greatly adds to the cost of the diet, due to the high cost of phosphorus. We believe we can substantially reduce the amount of added phosphorus and thus lower the cost of this option. A study is currently underway to help us answer this question.

All pigs were ad libitum fed and had free access to water at all times. This was important, especially in the calcium chloride diets. Over a 28-day test period, pig body weights and feed disappearance were recorded and feed efficiency (G:F and F:G) calculated. On Day 28, all pigs were ultrasound scanned for determination of backfat depth and muscle loin eye area. All data were analyzed statistically (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C.) with pen considered the experimental unit and block used as a random effect. Least square means of treatment (diet) were determined using the LS means statement and differences in LS means were produced using the pdiff option. All data are reported as LS means with a pooled SEM. Differences were considered significant when P 0.05 and a tendency when P 0.10.

Over this 28-day test period, one pig was removed from the 15% NDF diet due to health reasons. In Week 4, all pigs were placed on sodium salicylate due to an outbreak of swine influenza virus. The LS means data examining the effectiveness of our three key dietary approaches to reduce growth performance are shown in Table 3 and Figure 1. Although highly variable week to week, increasing the NDF content of the diets from 15 to 25%, were only marginally effective in reducing average daily gain and average daily feed intake in pigs compared to the CON pigs.

Table 3: Overall pig performance (day 0-28) and body ultrasound data

Figure 1: Body weight changes over time

In the second strategy, soybean meal was replaced with corn. This resulted in dietary amino acids being lower than requirement for optimal lean growth. Consequently, the 97% corn diet significantly reduced ADG by 57% over the 28-day period compared to CON (P 0.05). In this strategy, pigs gained 30 and 57 pounds body weight on the 97% corn and 89% corn diets, respectively, compared to the CON pigs' 73 pounds body weight gain (Figure 1). Compared to the CON pigs ADFI, the ADFI of the two corn dietary treatments were not statistically different (P > 0.05).

The final strategy assessed the use of anhydrous calcium chloride. In the present study, anhydrous calcium chloride added at 4% and 2%, decreased dietary undetermined anion concentrations (see above) compared to the CON diet (-138, 15.8, and 173 mEq/kg, respectively; Table 2). As a result, only the 4% calcium chloride diet reduced ADFI by CON pigs (Table 3). However, only the 4% calcium chloride diet significantly reduced ADFI by 51% CON pigs (P 0.05).

Uncertainty remains as to how dietary strategies to reduce finishing pig growth rates may impact carcass and pork quality. In particular, feeding high corn diets could promote excessive adipose tissue deposition that would result in packing grid penalties. Further, the impact of high calcium chloride diets on pork quality is largely unknown. Would these diets alter muscle post-mortem metabolism and color or increase the incidence of pale, soft, exudative pork? These questions need further evaluation.

To address how our diets might influence carcass characteristics, on Day 28 we ultrasound scanned all pigs for determination of backfat and loin eye area. Surprisingly, no differences in backfat were reported between dietary treatments (P = 0.292, Table 3). However, the 97% corn and 4% calcium chloride diets significantly reduced loin eye area by approximately 24% compared to the CON pigs (P = 0.001, Table 3). This reduction in loin eye area is most likely reflective of the decreased growth rates and lean accretion. These ultrasound data, although small in number of observations, suggest only moderate impact of these growth rate intervention diets on body carcass composition.

In conclusion, this small dataset aims to provide producers and allied industry with information on what is possible in reducing growth rates in finishing pigs. We express caution with this dataset as it is an ongoing study with small numbers of pigs per treatment. Pigs may metabolically adapt to their respective diets over time or pigs may behave differently during group pen situations. The impact of these three diet strategies on pig behavior, potential for negative vices during group housing, and the effect on carcass and pork quality need to be determined. However, the key take home points for this body of work are:

Additional information regarding nutritional strategies to regulate growth performance of market pigs can be found on our website. This project was funded by the Iowa Pork Industry Center Rapid Research Fund and by the authors. Anhydrous calcium chloride was donated by Nutra Blend (Neosho, Mo.).

Sources: Nicholas Gabler, John Patience, Laura Greiner and Jason Rossa, who are solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly own the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

Continued here:
Nutritional approaches to reduce growth rates and feed intake - National Hog Farmer

Its popular to take dietary supplements without a prescription, but does this heath trend work?

Health experts say no.

For example, Vitamin C is found in many foods and is good to have in your diet. Thats why Vitamin C supplements are touted as a great way to boost your immune system and fight off infection.

But they dont actually work, and high doses can cause a number of side effects including nausea, cramps, and an increased risk of kidney stones

Why? Our bodies can only absorb a few hundred milligrams of Vitamin C at a time.

So how can you boost your immune system?Superfoods like chia seeds and coconut oil? Nope again.

Todays Healthy Living separates fact from fiction on how some at-home habits can help you keep your health in tip-top shape. Watch the video above to learn more.

Read the original here:
Healthy Living: Myths vs. Facts on 'Boosting' The Immune System - 9 & 10 News - 9&10 News

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Andre Drummond has been one of the best rebounders in the NBA since his rookie season. Being a great rebounder isnt easy, though. Hard work, in addition to being almost seven-feet-tall, has made Drummond a great rebounder. However, his diet also keeps him in tip-top shape. Surprisingly, his diet used to consist of drinking beer every day.

The Detroit Pistons selected Andre Drummond with the ninth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Despite never really being on any great teams, Drummond has been a great player ever since coming into the league.

Drummond earned All-Rookie honors in 2012-13 after averaging 7.9 points per game and 7.6 rebounds. He continued to get better and better after that, though. He averaged over 13 points per game and over 13 rebounds in each of the next two seasons. Then, starting in 2015-16 through this season (before the league suspended play), Drummond has led the league in rebounds per game four out of five seasons. He averaged as much as 16 rebounds per game in 2017-18.

This season, for the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Drummond was averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game to go with 15.2 rebounds.

The Pistons traded Drummond to the Cavaliers at the trade deadline after he spent seven-and-a-half seasons there.

In Aug. 2019, the Detroit Free Press did a story on Drummond and how he had been doing a one beer-per-day diet. He had recently eliminated red meat from his diet, and to get the necessary amount of calories, Drummond drank a beer per day. Miller Lite is reportedly his beer of choice, according to the Free Press, and Corona is second.

He does not still do this every day, however. He explained it more in an interview with GQ in Dec. 2019.

I went through a phase where I did that to make sure that I was getting in the calories I needed, Drummond said, according to GQ. If I drink a beer, its usually a Miller Lite or Corona. Sometimes, that one beer would get me to the right place, and especially in the summer, its nice. Now its not always the same routine.

Outside of beer, Drummond told GQ that his breakfast typically consists of an omelet with some potatoes and veggies. He said that his diet is a lot of fish and leafy green veggies now after he cut out red meat and processed foods. Drummond also said that he does not like to feel weighed down on the court. Because of this, his food intake is actually pretty low.

Some days its just a bunch of fruit, plus the omelet with potatoes and veggies in it, Drummond said, according to GQ. Ill maybe have a cup of tea. I also take fish oil and vitamin D supplements. The natural sugar in the fruit plus some coffee before go-time acts as a natural pre-workout. I also usually drink Essentia Water and my chef makes his amazing homemade peanut butter chocolate chip protein bars. Thats pretty much it.

Drummond also typically eats pasta after games.

Whatever Drummond has been doing, though, he needs to keep it up. He is one of the greatest rebounders in the NBA, so his diet has been working for him.

The Detroit Pistons traded Andre Drumond to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline. They traded him for John Henson, Brandon Knight, and a second-round pick, according to Yahoo Sports. The move gets the Pistons ready for a rebuild while the Cavaliers like how Drummond fits on their team.

Drummond has a $28.75 million player option for next season, according to Yahoo Sports. In an interview with SBNation in April, Drummond said that he had not decided if he is going to opt-in or not.

For me I havent really thought too deep into my next decision yet because obviously we cant really do anything yet, Drummond said, according to SBNation.

Drummond is expected to opt-in, though, according to Yahoo Sports. This is due to the uncertainty around the NBA salary cap because of COVID-19, and because not many teams have a lot of cap space this summer.

Whether it is on the Cleveland Cavaliers or another team, Andre Drummond will most likely be one of the top rebounders in the NBA again next season. When that season will take place, though, is one of the biggest question-marks Drummond and his peers face right now.

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Andre Drummond's Diet Used to Consist of Drinking Beer Every Day - Sportscasting

We're all looking for easy ways to boost the nutrition of our meals as we remain safely at home during the coronavirus outbreak. So, youve heard chia seeds have superpowers. But, how exactly, does this little seed work wonders for your health? First up, theres their omega-3 fatty acid content, which is a veritable boon for your body: Chia seeds are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that plays a key role in heart health, explains vegan nutritionist Tiffany Ma, RDN. Diets high in ALA may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, increase healthy cholesterol and improve blood pressure, she continues, noting that the ALA content in chia seeds exceeds the recommended Dietary Reference Intake for Americans, which is 1.6 grams per day for adult males and 1.1 grams per day for adult females. Just one tablespoon of chia seeds provides 1.32 g of ALA, surpassing the recommended daily amount for women and providing 83% recommended for men.

Monica Nedeff, RDN, echoes Mas praise of the tiny superfoods,pointing to a 2019 research article on the health benefits of chia seeds. [The scientific review found the] high omega-3 content of chia seeds to be helpful in reducing inflammation, decreasing cholesterol, and lowering blood pressuregreat in supporting a healthy heart, says Nedeff. Additionally, the study discussed the benefits of antioxidants in chia seeds for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as cancer, as well as the protective benefits in preventing diabetes, Alzheimers, and Parkinsons Disease. Its also worth noting that chia seeds, especially for vegans, are a great choice for protein and calcium. For a seed smaller than a piece of couscous, well certainly take benefits this big.

Unfortunately, however, when we think of chia seeds, many of us can think of few uses beyond put them in your smoothie. Prior to being enlightened, I could think of a few uses for them beyond watching them collect dust and march towards their expiration date in that overlooked drawer in the fridge. No more! Below, nutritionists weigh in on fun and creative ways to add chia seeds to your diet. Grab your trusty tablespoons and read on.

Chia seeds dont need to be relegated to the AM smoothie aisle. I love using chia seeds in baked goods, concedes Ma. Sneaking them into freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies, banana bread, and homemade bread loaves is a great way to get your daily dose of chia seeds. The addition of chia seeds also adds an extra bite to baked goods, making it fun to eat, she adds. Try our healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with chia seeds and youll never look back.

Pancake day is always the best day, and given these trying times, well take pancakes just about any day of the week. Add them into the batter of pancakes before [cooking], suggests Nedeff. (If youre making waffles, its the same deal.) We dare you to find pancakes you love more than these fluffy vegan banana pancakes.

We promise that even self-proclaimed non-cooks can execute this recipe. Chia seeds can absorb nine-to-12 times their volume in liquid, so try making a chia seed pudding by mixing 1 tablespoon chia seeds in a cup liquid such as juice, almond milk or another plant-based milk, says Nedeff. Stir every few minutes and within 15 minutes youll have a chia seed pudding, she continues. For more flavor, try jazzing up your chia pudding with Nedeffs favorites like vanilla extract, honey (if you eat it) or maple syrup, berries, and granola. Another smart tip: If you dont like the texture of the seeds, put the chia pudding in a blender and the seeds will be finely ground so that theyre less noticeable, Nedeff suggests.

Another savvy tip of Nedeffs? Sprinkle chia seeds on top of bagels and breads for extra texture and a no-effort nutrition boost without changing the flavor profile of a dish (your late-night PB&J will still taste just as delicious, we promise). If youve whipped up a batch of homemade granola, you may also want to spoon some chia seeds into the finished product before eating. Crunchy cinnamon granola for an afternoon procrastination session, nothing better.

Ma is a fan of slipping chia seeds into homemade jam recipes, experimenting with different types of berries like strawberries and blueberries. Chia seeds have a unique ability to gel due to [their] soluble fiber content, contributing to the overall texture of jams, she notes. All youll need to make a chia jam is a fruit, a sweetener like maple syrup or agave, and chia seeds. To fancy things up, consider adding a squeeze of citrus like lemon or lime juice, or even zesting a bit of these fruits rinds into your jam.

Read the rest here:
5 Genius Ways to Use Chia Seeds, According to Nutritionists - The Beet

Heres yet another reason to try the Mediterranean diet, which is actually not a strict diet at all but a pattern of eating that focuses on fresh, whole foods and avoids highly processed foods.

New research finds it may support healthy aging. And who among us doesnt want to live a long, healthy life? Research published in The BMJ in February 2020 found that the Mediterranean lifestyle helps alter gut bacteria, which, in turn, helps reduce frailty and promote healthy aging.

The gut microbiota of more than 600 people in five European countries were profiled before they began a one-year-long Mediterranean diet. When their gut bacteria were checked at the end of the year, they had better bacterial diversity in the gut, and the bacteria that increased in volume were associated with reduced frailty (improved walking speed, hand strength and cognitive function, and less inflammation).

Just what is a Mediterranean diet? It is based on the dietary habits of people in Italy and Greece. Much of the diet consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, herbs, nuts, seafood and olive oil. Poultry, eggs, cheese and red wine are consumed in moderation. Red meat, refined grains, processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages are only consumed in small amounts.

How can you get started? Start the day with a bowl of oatmeal with fresh berries. Have some tuna over a leafy green salad for lunch and a piece of salmon over brown rice with vegetables for dinner. Enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner, too.

Think fresh, whole foods. As you age, youll be happy you did.

Q: Is it better to eat a bigger breakfast or bigger dinner?

A: It turns out eating a big breakfast compared with eating a big dinner has a significant effect on metabolism, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in February 2020.

Researchers used a process called diet-induced thermogenesis, which is a marker for metabolism, to measure how the body uses energy after eating. When people ate more for breakfast than dinner, their diet-induced thermogenesis was more than twice as high as when they ate the same number of calories for dinner. A bigger breakfast resulted in lower peaks in blood sugar and insulin.

Researchers found a smaller breakfast was associated with increased sugar cravings throughout the day. Go ahead; have that omelet and whole-wheat toast in the morning. Then go lighter in your evening meal to burn more calories.

We all know whole grains are good for us (and part of the Mediterranean diet plan), but how do you incorporate them into meals? Heres a tasty breakfast using wheat berries. Its from Food & Nutrition magazine.

1 cup raw wheat berries, rinsed

1 cup red pear, diced

1 cup red grapes, diced

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups vanilla yogurt

Rinse wheat berries in strainer and place in a pot with 2 cups water. Bring to boil, and then cover and simmer until wheat berries are tender and most water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and drain any remaining water.

Place wheat berries in a medium bowl. Mix in pear and grapes. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. To serve, place cup wheat berry blend in bowl, and top with cup vanilla yogurt.

Serves 10 (Serving size: cup wheat berry blend with cup yogurt)

Per serving: 140 calories; 6 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fat; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 4 grams fiber; 12 grams sugar; 38 milligrams sodium

Charlyn Fargo Ware is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Contact her at [emailprotected], or follow her on Twitter: @NutritionRd, or click here for additional columns. The opinions expressed are her own.

Link:
Charlyn Fargo Ware: Heres Another Win for the Mediterranean Diet - Noozhawk

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