Vegetarians may be at lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke

Vegetarians experience a 36 percent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than non-vegetarians, suggests new research. Because metabolic syndrome can be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the findings indicate vegetarians may be at lower risk of developing these conditions.

Short-term, high-fat diet may initiate protection during heart attack

A new study shows that short-term, high-fat “splurges” within one’s diet could elicit cardioprotective properties during a heart attack.

Food Safety In Canada Is Lax And Needs Better Oversight, Says CMAJ

Canada needs better regulation and oversight of food safety to protect Canadians as the current system is lax, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) “Canada’s public and private sectors are not doing enough to prevent food-borne illnesses,” writes Dr. Paul Hébert, Editor-in-Chief with coauthors…

Ghrelin Enhances Sense Of Smell

An appetite-stimulating hormone causes people and animals to sniff odors more often and with greater sensitivity, according to a new study in the April 13 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest ghrelin may enhance the ability to find and identify food…

Tart Cherries May Reduce Inflammation, Risk Factors For Heart Disease

Tart cherries have a unique combination of powerful antioxidants that may help reduce risk factors for heart disease, according to new research presented at the Experimental Biology annual meeting in Washington, DC…

Food Safety Researchers Target Lesser-Known E. coli Types

Almost everyone knows about Escherichia coli O157:H7, the culprit behind many headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States. But the lesser-known relatives of this pathogenic microbe are increasingly of concern to food safety scientists.

Fluorescent Test System To Hunt For Deadly Bacteria

You can’t see them, or smell them or taste them. They can be in our water and in our food, multiplying so rapidly that conventional testing methods for detecting pathogens such as E.coli, Salmonella and Listeria come too late for the tens of thousands of Canadians who suffer the ill effects of these deadly bacteria…

‘Apples A Day’ Advice Rooted In Science

Everyone has heard the old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” We all know we should eat more fruit. But why apples? Do they contain specific benefits?

Omega-3 Consumed During Pregnancy Curbs Risk For Postpartum Depression Symptoms

Fish has long been considered in myriad cultures to be “brain food,” but only recently has bona fide science begun to support this deep-rooted belief. Researchers now know that the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon and herring may play a critical role in both development and maintenance of the brain and nerves…