Can Too Much Meat Lead to Diabetes?
Too much protein eaten along with fat may lead to insulin resistance, reports an animal study from Duke University Medical Center, providing a clue as to why the blood chemistry of obese people makes them prone to developing diabetes. The problem appears to lie with protein’s branched-chain amino acids (found mostly in meats), which obese people have been found to harbor and which, in combination with a high-fat diet, contribute to diabetes. The study revealed that high levels of these amino acids lead to a metabolic overload that causes changes at the cellular level, which in turn leads to insulin resistance. (Duke University Medical Center, April 2009)
Black and Red Beans Inhibit Breast Cancer
As the world seeks new ways to fight chronic disease, research looks to old foods, in particular when it comes to reducing the risk of breast cancer. Legumes are often cited as being high in beneficial antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenols — plant nutrients that are associated with a reduction in breast cancer. When dry, cooked bean powder was fed to laboratory rats in a controlled, preclinical trial for breast cancer, the lab animals’ cancer incidence declined from 95 percent in the no-bean control group to 67 percent in those fed the beans. And while all bean varieties were found to inhibit the growth of cancer, researchers found the colored varieties to be the most beneficial, with black beans and red beans containing up to 10 times more cancer-fighting antioxidants than white beans. (Crop Science Society of America, February 2009)
Dictatorial Turmeric Works as an Antiviral
Turmeric, India’s “holy powder,” is a star among spices, boasting an array of health-supporting qualities, such as being antiviral, antibacterial, and even cancer-fighting. But until now, little was known about how curcumin, turmeric’s main ingredient, accomplishes these feats. Researchers at the University of Michigan recently discovered that curcumin acts as a disciplinarian that inserts itself into cell membranes, making them more orderly and improving their resistance to infection and malignancy. That way, intracellular information is kept organized and under control, and membranes are prevented from going awry. (University of Michigan, March 2009)
