Depressed Eaters

It’s well known that binge eating and bulimia often occur in women with serious depression. But it now appears that even mild depression might cause dangerous eating behaviours. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from a Cancer Research Center surveyed 2,147 women about their state of mind and eating habits and found that those who had unhealthful eating practices were more depressed. Mildly depressed women ate an average of 118 more calories a day than those who reported no depression. Female dieters with moderate depression were two-and-a-half times more likely than those who weren’t depressed to engage in an unhealthy dieting practice such as taking diet pills or laxatives or going more than 24 hours without eating. And while women who weren’t depressed ate an average of 3.6 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, those with moderate depression ate only 2.9 servings. Researchers concluded that they don’t know whether depression causes poor eating habits or vice versa, but they are certain that they “are strongly associated.”

Cheese for Teeth

Dairy products can protect the appearance of teeth by helping to prevent decay, according to a review by dental researchers in Boston, of 60 research studies. The analysis found that milk and cheese can reduce the effects of acids formed by plaque bacteria and restore tooth enamel that’s been deteriorated by eating. (Doctors believe that casein, the principal protein in cow’s milk, promotes remineralization.) Evidently cheese is more effective at cavity protection than milk, given its higher concentrations of calcium and proteins, but processed or low-fat cheeses are just as beneficial as aged or higher calorie kinds. One or two ounces of low-fat cheese [daily] may be sufficient, but some people may require more or less depending on their health status and their risk for cavities.

Pizza Glut

Pizza is a universal food: it pleases meat eaters and vegetarians and contains four food groups (vegetable, grain, dairy, and protein). But its fat and calorie content can climb to extremes, according to medical reports particularly given the trend toward stuffed-crust and multimeat creations. (Two slices of stuffed-crust pizza filled with pepperoni, ham, beef, pork, bacon, and Italian sausage contain all 19 grams of saturated fat recommended for a day.) The researchers find that while most people wouldn’t order a second chicken sandwich, many people reach for two, three, or even four slices of pizza. One slice with pepperoni contains 280 calories, the equivalent of a large chocolate brownie. Dietitians advise ordering cheese- or vegetable-only pizza, asking for half the cheese, blotting up the grease, and adding a fresh salad to fill you up.

55 %of 700 people surveyed overestimated the recommended serving size, which is half a cup, of cooked pasta or rice.

Red-Wine Cure?

A regular glass of red wine might keep the common cold away, according to a study by Harvard University and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The subjects—4,272 men and women, aged 21 to 69—kept daily diaries for a year about cold symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, congestion, chill, cough, and malaise. Those who drank more than 14 glasses of wine weekly had 40 per cent fewer colds than non-drinkers. (The study took into account other risk factors, such as exposure to children, cigarette smoke, and stress.) Redwine drinkers—of 8 to 14 glasses a week—caught about 27 per cent fewer colds than white-wine drinkers, while beer and mixed drinks had no effect on the number of colds. Researchers speculate that resveratrol (a powerful antiinflammatory) and flavonoid antioxidants, both plentiful in red wine, have something to do with the lowered risk. Leading researchers say that drinking as little as one weekly glass of red wine can provide antiviral benefits.