Diet and nutrition Archive

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Ask the doctor

Q. My doctor says the Mediterranean diet is not only good for my health in general, but that it is particularly good for my brain. That got my attention. Anything to it?

A. I think there is. The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole-grain bread, root vegetables, green vegetables, fish, poultry, fruit, and olive oil. It includes relatively little red meat, butter, and other foods rich in saturated fats and trans fats. As is often the case with research into a medical question, not all studies come to the same conclusion. But many studies have found that people who regularly adhere to the Mediterranean diet are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. And many studies also find that people with diets rich in saturated fats (including from red meat and processed meat) and trans fats are more likely to develop dementia of some type, along with other brain disease, particularly strokes.

Yes, you can find convenient fast-cook meals, but you'll have to do your homework.

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Ever notice how nutrition takes a back seat when you're hungry? Packaged and prepared foods somehow don't seem unhealthy when you need a meal in a hurry. But is there such a thing as a nutritious convenience food? "Yes, there are some healthy options out there, but you really have to look for them," says registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Typical convenience foods

Packaged, prepared foods come in several forms: boxed, dry goods such as quick-cook pasta and rice mixes; canned foods, such as soup or ravioli; or frozen foods, such as a single frozen dinner or a "family-sized" lasagna.

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News briefs

Here's another reason to take sweetened drinks out of your diet: a study published online Nov. 2, 2015, by the journal Heart suggests that drinking sweetened beverages each day is linked to an increased risk for heart failure in men. Heart failure is a gradual decline in the heart's ability to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Researchers tracked the dietary information of 42,000 middle-aged or older men in Sweden from 1998 to 2010. They made no distinction between types of drinks or how they were sweetened, whether it was with sugar, fructose, or artificial sweetener. However, coffee, tea, and fruit juice were not included in the study. After excluding potentially influential factors, researchers noted that men who drank at least two daily servings of sweetened drinks had a 23% heightened risk of developing heart failure compared with men who didn't drink sweetened beverages. The study didn't prove that sweetened drinks caused heart failure. In fact, the researchers pointed out that drinking a lot of sweetened beverages is usually an indication of a poor diet, which is a risk factor for heart failure in itself. But they also noted that sweetened drinks are associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are risk factors for heart failure, too. Best advice: avoid sweetened beverages or at least limit them to occasional consumption.

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With a focus on whole grains, berries, and fish, Northern European cuisine has some heart-friendly features.

If you've never heard of the Nordic diet, you might imagine a plate of those Swedish meatballs sold at Ikea. In fact, this eating style focuses on healthier fare, including an abundance of the plant-based foods nutritionists always encourage us to eat. And while the data are limited so far, some studies suggest that following a Nordic eating pattern may foster weight loss and lower blood pressure—both of which are good for the heart.

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Research we're watching

Drinking as little as one sugar-sweetened beverage a day is linked to a slightly greater risk of high blood pressure, a new analysis suggests.

Researchers pooled findings from six studies that included a total of more than 240,000 people. They found a 12% higher risk of high blood pressure among people who drank one or more sugary drinks daily compared with those who drank none. Serving sizes of the beverages varied from 7 to 12 ounces among the different studies.

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Plan now to help prevent overeating, trips to the hospital, and depression.

The winter holidays are supposed to be a joyous time, filled with celebration. But they come with health risks, such as loneliness and depression, overeating, weight gain, falls in icy weather, foodborne illness, and heart problems. Here are ways to protect yourself while enjoying the season.

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News briefs

Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a good idea for many reasons, and weight control is one of them. But some vegetables are associated with weight gain, according to a Harvard study published Sept. 22, 2015, in PLOS Medicine. Researchers analyzed weight and diet changes in about 118,000 people over 24 years, at roughly four-year intervals. On average, people who increased their intake of fruits (especially berries, apples, and pears) and most vegetables, especially high-fiber, low-glycemic-load vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, lost a little weight. In contrast, people who ate more starchy vegetables—peas and corn, for example—tended to pack on more pounds over time. This didn't prove that certain vegetables caused weight gain. "But we suspect the association may have something to do with the fact that starchy vegetables have a high glycemic load, meaning they spike blood sugar more than other foods," says Dr. Monica Bertoia, a Harvard Medical School instructor and lead author of the study.

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Cholesterol in the foods you eat generally has little effect on levels in your bloodstream. But your overall diet does.

Cholesterol has a bad reputation, thanks to its well-known role in promoting heart disease. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream is a key contributor to artery-clogging plaque, which can accumulate and set the stage for a heart attack. But if you're like many people, you might not understand cholesterol's other key functions—or the connection between the cholesterol you eat and that in your bloodstream.