I’ve written about Omega-9 oils previously, but if you’d like more info, I just found out that Dow Agrosciences has created a website solely about Omega-9 Canola and Sunflower Oils. Some pdf files that may be of interest to you:
• Omega 3-6-9 Fact Sheet: What are the differences among omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fats, and how do they add up for better health?
• Frequently Asked Questions: Answers to questions about Omega-9 Oils, what restaurants are using them, their health benefits, and more!
• Oils Comparison Chart: Not all fats are created equal! Click on the chart to compare the profiles of …read more

Looking for something natural to help your kid’s coughs and colds? Try a dose of buckwheat honey just before bedtime. According to a study that has been published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine it might work even better than an over-the-counter cough medicine in relieving cough to help your child sleep better.
Ian M. Paul, M.D., M.Sc., Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, and team carried out a study on 105 children – they were aged 2-18, and all were suffering from upper respiratory tract infections. They were ill for up to seven days and experienced symptoms during …read more

Are you still using corn oil? You might want to switch to canola, according to a recent study on the effects of these oils on breast cancer risks.
In this study, researchers fed one group of mice a diet containing corn oil and another group a diet containing canola oil, then recorded the incidence of breast cancer and changes to breast cancer regulating genes in the offspring. All offspring were fed a diet containing corn oil after weaning.
While both groups of offspring were about the same weight, the total tumor weight, number of glands with tumors and fraction of mice with …read more

Time to kit out your spice rack! Research say spices are loaded with antioxidant-rich compounds known as phenols that can help prevent the formation of compounds that contribute to damage caused by diabetes and aging.
Hargrove explained that when blood sugar levels are high, a process known as protein glycation occurs in which the sugar bonds with proteins to eventually form what are known as advanced glycation end products, also known as AGE compounds. The acronym is fitting because these compounds activate the immune system, resulting in the inflammation and tissue damage associated with aging and diabetes.
The researchers found a strong …read more

As I was researching herbal remedies for sore throat, I came across this article on South Asian home remedies which recommends a tea made of holy basil, black peppercorns, crushed cloves and a bit of crushed ginger, to relieve symptoms of common colds and flu.

Basil? Apparently, aside from its antibacterial and other health benefits, basil contain volatile oils that has anti-inflammatory properties, which basically act the same way as your over the counter aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen (source). Want more scientific proof? Check out this animal trial published in Fitoterapia.

The past few days, I’ve been suffering from sore throat. It started as some allergies, I suspect to pollen or dust mite, and while the itching has already subsided, I’m left with a scratchy throat. I know that ginger is a well-known home remedy for sore throat but I’m not particularly fond of ginger (though ginger-cola does sound interesting), so I surfed the web for alternatives.

I’ve found an article that cites 20 alternatives to ginger for curing sore throat! The options range from something as simple as salted water gargle to herbs I’m not that familiar with, such as Goldenseal …read more

It turns out that there’s a reason you sweat when you eat a lot of red hot chilli peppers: that compound responsible for the fire in your mouth called capsaicin can directly induce thermogenesis.
And although the studies used relatively high amounts of capsaicin (probably more than even a Thai-food addict can tolerate) to demonstrate this, researchers are looking into the structure of capsaicin as a model to design more potent compounds that might have clinical use such as treating hypothermia.

In a study published recently in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, researchers found out that among several food items tested, konjac gum and sesame seed extract may protect against, or reduce severity of gastro-intestinal infections caused by different E. coli and Salmonella strains.
In the lab study which also included negative controls, the scientists looked at 18 food-related products including coffee beans, carrot, mango, fermented soya, and food stabilizers such as locust bean gum and konjac gum. All were subjected to in-vitro exposure to various bacteria which were allowed to attach themselves to the test products. The …read more

Just last week, I wrote an entry about Truvia, a novel sweetener from the stevia plant. Little did I know that while Cargill and Coca-Cola are still doing trials to ascertain its safety, beverage rival Pepsi is already one step ahead, already planning to release a beverage called “SoBe Life“, which uses PepsiCo and Whole Earth Sweetener Company’s version of stevia-based sweetener called PureVia.
The two companies are partnering to introduce a breakthrough, zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener from the stevia plant. It’s called PureVia™ and will debut in a new nutritionally enhanced PepsiCo beverage called “SoBe Life,” to be launched in Latin …read more

Agricultural Research Service experts say that herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, cinnamon and clove may have antimicrobial properties that are strong enough to fight foodborne pathogens as Escherichia coli O157:H7.

In the future, ready-to-eat- spinach leaves may be coated with thin, pliable, edible film containing substances such as carvacrol, an antibacterial compound found naturally in oregano.
Photo Credit: thomas pix