Wine Drinkers Eat Healthier Foods Than Beer Drinkers

Copyright 2006 Daily News Central

Drinking wine is believed to provide greater health benefits than drinking beer. The additional benefits may be due in part to an associated healthier diet, researchers theorize.

Wine drinkers eat more olives, fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products, poultry and lean cuts of meat, according to a recent study. Beer drinkers were found to eat more pre-cooked packaged foods, sugar, chips, soft-drinks, cold cuts, sausages and fattier cuts of meat.

Shopping Habits Studied

Food and alcohol shopping habits were investigated by a team from the National Institute of Public Health in Denmark. Researchers analyzed 3.5 million transactions, chosen at random from 98 outlets of two major Danish supermarket chains over a six month period. They evaluated the link between the purchase of beer and wine together with various food items.

Customers were categorized as "wine only," "beer only," "mixed," or "non-alcohol" buyers. Details of items bought, the number and price of the items, and the total charge for each customer's transaction were recorded.

Wine Buyers Purchase Healthier Foods

The results indicate that people who buy and presumably drink wine purchase a greater number of healthy food items than those who buy beer, according to the authors. Wine buyers purchased more fresh, low-fat foods, while beer buyers bought more processed, high-fat foods.

The study results also support findings from the United States and France that indicate wine drinkers tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish -- and less saturated fat -- than persons who prefer other alcoholic drinks.

Other Lifestyle Factors

The health benefits of drinking wine may be due to a combination of specific substances in wine and different characteristics of people, researchers add.

Thus, it is crucial that studies on the relationship between alcohol intake and mortality adjust for other lifestyle factors besides eating habits, including drinking patterns, smoking, physical activity, education and income.

The Meditteranean Diet

If you want to enjoy a longer life, eat a Mediterranean diet: lots of vegetables, legumes, fruits and cereals, along with plenty of fish. Keep your intake of saturated fats low but your consumption of olive oil high. Avoid dairy products and meat -- and enjoy that glass of wine now and then.

Elderly Europeans who eat that way enjoy longer life expectancy, according to another study published online by the BMJ last year. The evidence suggests that such a diet may be beneficial to health.

Lower Death Rate

That study involved over 74,000 healthy men and women, aged 60 or more, living in nine European countries. Information on diet, lifestyle, medical history, smoking, physical activity levels and other relevant factors was recorded. Adherence to a modified Mediterranean diet was measured using a recognized scoring scale.

A higher dietary score was associated with a lower overall death rate. A two point increase corresponded to an 8 percent reduction in mortality, while a three or four point increase was associated with a reduction of total mortality by 11 percent or 14 percent respectively.

So, for example, a healthy man aged 60 who adheres well to the diet (dietary score of 6-9) can expect to live about one year longer than a man of the same age who does not adhere to the diet.

Plant Foods, Unsaturated Fats

The association was strongest in Greece and Spain, probably because people in those countries follow a genuinely Mediterranean diet, according to the authors.

Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet, which relies on plant foods and unsaturated fats, is associated with a significantly longer life expectancy, and may be particularly appropriate for elderly people, who represent a rapidly increasing group in Europe, they concluded.

Rita Jenkins is a health journalist for Daily News Central, an online publication that delivers breaking news and reliable health information to consumers, healthcare providers and industry professionals: http://www.dailynewscentral.com

Buying healthy foods at the grocery store

The local grocery store is a great place to find healthy, nutritious foods. Unfortunately, it is also a place to find less healthy foods and many junk foods. Learning how to follow a healthy lifestyle means learning how to shop for the healthiest foods, and learning how to avoid temptation.

Learning to read labels is an important skill for any healthy shopper. The information on nutritional labels is very valuable, providing complete information on the percentage of many vitamins and minerals a particular food contains. In addition, nutritional information labels provide valuable information on things like the amount of calories, number of at grams, percentage of total fat and amount of fiber each food contains. It is important to choose those foods that have the best nutritional qualities as you roam the local grocery store.

There are some important guidelines to follow to make sure that every trip to the grocery store will be a healthy experience. After all, you cannot have a healthy refrigerator or a healthy dinner table without first stocking your kitchen pantry with the healthiest foods available.

One of the best pieces of advice is probably something you have heard a million times, and that is to never go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Even if it means stopping for a quick snack on your way, it is important to not enter the supermarket while you are hungry. Hungry shoppers make bad choices, and those unhealthy choices will be around long after your hunger has abated.

Another good trick is to hit the produce section of your grocery store first. Fill up your food basket with healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Not only will this allow you to stock the fridge and the pantry with healthy choices, but it will leave less room for all those less healthy foods.

It is also important to always make a detailed shopping list before hitting the grocery store. A well thought out grocery list keeps you from overspending, and also helps keep you from succumbing to the temptation of less healthy junk foods. To keep a detailed list of what you need on your next shopping list, try keeping a notepad by the fridge or on the dining room table. Write down each item as you think of it, and come shopping day, you will have a complete list of everything you need to buy.

As you shop around the grocery store, it is a good idea to take advantage of the many low fat foods that fill grocery store shelves. There are low at varieties of many foods, including milk and dairy products, meats and cheeses, even cakes and pies. Most of these products contain all the taste of the full fat products, without all the fat.

When shopping for low fat foods, however, be on the lookout for extra sugar content. This is not so much a concern with milk and dairy products, but it is sometimes a concern with low fat baked goods. Some manufacturers pack their low fat baked goods with extra sugar, so it pays to be a smart label reader.

As long as you watch sugar content, however, low fat desserts and sweets are excellent choices. When grocery shopping, try to choose naturally lower fat alternatives, such as angel food cake, fig bars and vanilla wafers. Buying smaller portion sizes is another smart strategy for enjoying sweets while limiting fat and calories.

Another smart strategy is to choose whole grain breads and cereals whenever possible. Whole grains contain more fiber and other nutrients than do more processed foods, so buying whole grains makes a lot of sense.

When shopping for the healthiest cereals in the grocery store, it is helpful to understand how the cereal aisle of the typical grocery store is arranged. Shelf space at a grocery store is in high demand and short supply, and cereal manufacturers take advantages of this fact in their store shelf marketing. In general, the less healthy, sugar laden cereals are arranged at kid height, while the more adult, healthier products are on the top shelves.

That is one reason why your kids are always trying to put those sugar cubes disguised as cereal in your cart as you shop. Choosing the healthier cereals from the top shelves is a good strategy, but it is still important to read the labels to make sure you are getting what you think you are.

Tony Robinson is a Company CEO, webmaster husband and dad. In his busy lifestyle he has placed importance on health and fitness. Visit http://www.eat-healthily.com for good eating tips and techniques to assist you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Fishing for Better Health: The Benefits of Fish and Other Food Sources High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Spring is well under way and summer is fast approaching. It's time for kids to take out their roller blades for carefree treks down boardwalks and sidewalks. Dads will rummage through closets for dormant baseball caps and to see if last year's uniform still fits. If not playing ball he'll watch from the sidelines, or from the comfort of his favorite chair. Moms, time to don old jeans, stock up on sunscreen, and get out the fishing poles. You heard me, ladies. Fishing poles! It's time to fight back!

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), stroke is the third leading cause of death in women. Every year an estimated 97,000 American women will die as a result of stroke. Statistically, every 53 seconds stroke will victimize someone in America. Of an estimated 600,000 stroke victims each year about 160,000 die as a result. There is, however, an easy way to drastically reduce these statistics.

Findings in a 14-year-long study of nearly 80,000 American women indicate that eating a 3.5 ounce serving of fish, two to four times a week, lowers stroke risk by 27 percent. The more fish consumed, the more impressive the percentages. Although few large-scale studies have examined this particular issue in men, experts say there is no biological reason results of such studies would differ.

The American Medical Association (AMA) published the study results in their January journal, 2001. There is conclusive evidence that consumption of fish high in omega 3 fatty acids hold significant health benefits, including reduced thrombotic infarction -- a type of stroke where a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain, resulting in destroyed brain tissue. (Blood clots are responsible for more than 80 percent of all strokes.)

Fish are a high source of omega 3 fatty acids, nutrients that help prevent the formation of clots, or "platelet clumping." They do this by making blood less "sticky." As a result, risk of thrombotic stroke is lessened, as well as risk of embolic stroke, where the clot forms elsewhere in the body before traveling to the brain.

Conducted at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, the study revealed that women who ate fish once a week reduced stoke risk by 22 percent; two to four times a week by 27 percent, and five or more times a week by 52 percent. Unfortunately, the average American woman only consumes about 1.3 servings of any type seafood weekly, at an average of 3.5 ounces per serving. Women are not eating enough fish!

Penny Kris Etherton, Ph.D., a heart disease researcher at the State University in Pennsylvania, has long extolled the virtues of eating fish for health purposes. "I clearly tell people to eat fish and shellfish regularly to lower the risk of heart disease."

National Fisheries Institute (NFI) President, Richard E. Gutting, Jr., agrees. "The benefits of eating fish continue to mount as more studies are conducted," he noted. Gutting also said that women of all ages "should enjoy the variety and great taste of fish and seafood on a regular basis."

How the fish is prepared is important, as omega 3 fatty acids can be destroyed by heat, air, and light. NFI recommends not overcooking the meat and the use of low fat cooking methods: baking, broiling, poaching, steaming, stir-frying, grilling, or saut?ing. Cook just until the point of doneness for maximum benefit. Avoid deep-frying, as it not only destroys more omega 3, but also adds to the total fat content.

If eating fish isn't your cup of tea, you might try fish oil supplements. Most experts do not advise the routine use of fish oil supplements, however, for two reasons: 1.) possible side effects -- fishy breath, gastrointestinal upset, and easy bruising. 2.) a false sense of security derived from taking fish oil for heath purposes, when the diet itself may be unhealthy.

Besides fish and fish oil supplements, other good omega 3 fatty acid sources include canola oil, flaxseed oil, soybean oil, certain nuts and vegetables, and tofu. However, one would have to eat at least several times the normal amount of any of these other sources to gain the same benefit from one regular size serving of fish.

Institute of Food Technologist, Joyce Nettleton, D. Sc., R.D. suggests that because eating fish alone won't compensate for unhealthy eating habits, "fish and other shellfish should be eaten as part of a low fat diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables."

Besides boasting stroke resistant benefits, the fatty acids of omega 3 act as "health heroes" against hypertension, breast cancer, and depression. Other benefits include: less chance of developing heart disease, lower risk of heart attack even where heart disease does exist, lower blood pressure, possible improvement of kidney function in severe diabetes, and possible improvement of certain inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, psoriasis, and kidney disease.

In addition, nutrients found in healthy, uncontaminated fish help to insure proper development of fetal brain, eye, and nervous tissue during pregnancy. But, caution should be taken.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a recent consumer advisory, pregnant women should not consume shark, swordfish, or king mackerel or should limit consumption to not more than once a month.

These large predator fish could contain higher levels of methyl mercury than the FDA limit for safe human consumption -- 1 part per million (1ppm). Over consumption risks damage to the fetal nervous system. Even fresh water predator species such as pike and walleye have been found to have methyl mercury levels in the 1ppm range.

While it's true nearly all fish contain trace elements of mercury, larger, older and predator fish accumulate the highest levels and pose the greatest threat, while younger fish caught after only one season in polluted water have less. Even so, a variety of fish and other seafood that offer a naturally low fat source of protein can be an important part of a balanced diet for mothers-to-be.

According to one FDA advisor, pregnant women can consume up to 12 ounces of cooked fish each week: shellfish, canned fish, smaller ocean fish or farm raised fish. Farm raised rainbow trout are most likely fed high protein foods containing a combination of soy and fish meal which make them an even better source of omega 3 fatty acid. Seven ounces of canned tuna can be safely consumed each week by pregnant women and nursing mothers if no other fish containing mercury is eaten.

Despite FDA warnings for pregnant women, the results of the survey hold wonderful news, and women should be greatly encouraged. We now have scientific proof that there is a positive step available toward reducing the risk of stroke. Even if you don't like fish, consuming just one 3.5 ounce serving one or two times a month can reduce risk of stroke by 7 percent.

Certain kinds of fish are more beneficial than others. For instance, because Alaska is relatively unpopulated there is little industry to pollute the streams and ocean. Lack of pollution combined with the earth's water and air circulation patterns make Alaska's pristine waters, and consequently its seafood among the cleanest in the world.

Numerous studies support this assertion. In 1998 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did a survey of seafood from the waters of Cook Inlet, located near Anchorage, Alaska. Results indicate that fin fish and shellfish caught in Cook Inlet were cleaner than any the EPA had ever tested. In addition, plentiful Alaska Salmon, one of the richest natural sources of omega 3 fatty acid available, are not among the publicized "endangered" varieties of salmon.

Although light meat fish such as perch, flounder, and whiting have only about 0.5 grams of omega 3 fatty acid per 4 ounce serving, fish varieties with dark meat such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and bluefish contain roughly three times the amount of protective stroke reducing omega 3 fatty acid. Fresh tuna, striped bass, and rainbow smelt are also rich sources. So if you're going to limit fish intake, a dark meat fish is your best choice.

Whether for purposes of hobby or health, fishing is relaxing and something the whole family can enjoy together. This fun "sport" has the potential to enhance your health and your marriage.

So, go ahead! Get a fishing license, grab a pole, and hit the shoreline. Eat "the fruits of your labor" five times a week to reduce stroke risk by as much as 52 percent. Then brag about the "big one" that got away!

Visit Susan's website http://health.learninginfo.org for more information on health, nutrition, longevity, beauty, fashion and fitness.

This article can be freely used as long as a link to "A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness" http://health.learninginfo.org is provided.

Healthy eating at fast food places - are you kidding me?

Is it possible to eat healthfully at a fast food restaurant? The big name chains, such as McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell want you to think so. All of these restaurants offer some type of "healthy" alternative on the menu to entice those who are watching their weight or simply wanting better options. But how healthy are these options? It depends on what you order, of course.

Aside from some options that can be quite healthy, such as salads, other options that may seem like wise choices may not be as great as they seem. Also avoid ordering anything in a large size, as this quickly adds extra calories and fat. Many foods also include extra sugars that quickly add calories.

McDonalds

Salads and salad dressings at McDonalds are quite low in calories and fat. A salad with dressing can go as high as 500 or more calories, but this is much lower than other choices. Salads do not necessarily mean that the nutritional value is high, however. Many salads are made with iceberg lettuce, which is primarily water. However, if you're trying to watch your weight, and find yourself with no other options, a salad can be a good choice. It won't likely make you feel full, so snacking ahead of time may be a good option to avoid other temptations while there.

Other options that seem like healthy alternatives can be deceiving. Whether a food is fried or grilled will also have a huge effect. But simply choosing between beef and chicken, for example, may not be enough. The Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich has 680 calories compared to the Big Mac's 560. The key is to look for grilled alternatives and avoid the tempting sides, such as fries or desserts.

Wendy's

If you're opting for a salad, choose wisely. Just because a menu item includes the word "salad" does not mean it's healthy. Wendy's Taco Salad, for example, comes with almost 400 calories if you only look at the basic salad ingredients; add in the extras that come with it, and the total is nearly 700 calories. This is about a third of a day's totals on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Even a seemingly healthy broccoli and cheese baked potato comes with 340 calories.

If you're hungry, it can be very difficult to avoid the temptations of the fast food restaurant. This can be dangerous from the sense of added fat and calories. Should you give into temptation at Wendy's and order a "biggie" fries, you'll be taking in an extra 590 calories and 28 grams of fat.

What about alternatives such as the low fat strawberry flavored yogurt? The yogurt itself is 200 calories, and the granola topping that comes with it is an extra 110 calories. In comparison, an average cup of low fat yogurt from the grocery store will have around 100 calories.

Burger King

Burger King provides an array of eating options through its website for those who are watching carbs, fats, or calories. Many salads listed have from between 10 and 13 grams of fat, or 90 to 117 calories from fat. Salads fall in the 400 total calorie range. The dressings will add another 70 to 270 calories, for a total of up to almost 700 calories. Again, this is almost a third of a day's total caloric intake. The original Whopper sandwich with everything on it has about the same amount of calories. Depending on the salad and dressing chosen, the salad option can actually have more total fat than the Whopper. In other words, eating a "healthy" salad instead of a sandwich may not provide you with the benefits you're looking for.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell offers "Fresco Style" options that have fewer than ten grams of fat per serving. This translates into the cheeses and sauces being removed from the item. This style can reduce total fat and caloric intake. Many items on the Fresco Style menu are under 400 calories. The key to ordering through this method is to know which items are available Fresco Style and which are not. Most items offer this option, but many do not. Ask prior to ordering.

One final word of caution when it comes to fast food: even when the options are low fat and low calorie, many are still very high in sodium content and low in fiber content. The total nutritional value is an issue. Cooking methods, such as deep-frying or leaving foods under hot lamps for extended periods can dramatically reduce a food's nutritional value. So what's the bottom line? While the occasional visit to a fast food restaurant can be enjoyable and will not create too many negative side affects, the idea that 'healthy' alternatives at fast food chains are in fact 'healthy' is questionable.

Mike Singh is a fitness instructor, who writes about health & fitness products reviews,elliptical trainers reviews,low carb diet recipes online!