FASEB.org - Everyone knows virgin olive oil and a Mediterranean diet are associated with a lower cardiovascular disease risk, but a new research report published in the July 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal offers a surprising reason why: These foods change how genes associated with atherosclerosis function.
“Knowing which genes can be modulated by [...]

The researchers decoded a complete cascade of signals within breast tumor cells activated by virgin olive oil, and concluded that benefits include decrease in the activity of the oncogene p21Ras, changes in protein signaling pathways, stimulation of tumor cell death and prevention of DNA damage. The study was carried out in an experimental model and [...]

For people with hypertension, eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medicine combined the results of 15 studies into the effects of flavanols, the polyphenol-type compounds in chocolate which cause dilation of blood vessels, on blood pressure.
Dr Karin Ried worked with a team of researchers from [...]

QMUL.ac.uk - The nitrate content of beetroot juice is the underlying cause of its blood pressure lowering benefits, researchers from Queen Mary University of London have revealed.
The study, published online in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, found that blood pressure was lowered within 24 hours in people who took nitrate tablets, and people who [...]

USDA.gov - Health conscious consumers have long known that virgin olive oil is a good choice when it comes to preparing meals and dipping breads. Now, a team of researchers, including one with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), has found that phenolic components, or phenolics, in olive oil actually modify genes that are involved in [...]

UCalgary.ca - Fifty three percent of food products specifically targeted to babies and toddlers in Canadian grocery stores have an excessive proportion - more than 20 per cent - of calories coming from sugar, according to a new study by University of Calgary professor Charlene Elliott.
The study, funded by the Centre for Science in the [...]