General Nutrition

Laboratory tests have revealed strik- ing variability in the active ingredi- ents in Chinese red yeast rice, a supple- ment touted as an alternative to statin drugs for improving cholesterol. Among 12 popular brands, levels of monacolin, which is related to the prescription cho- lesterol medication lovastatin, ranged from 0.31 mg to 11.15 mg per capsule. The type of monacolin (K) thats most similar to lovastatin varied from 0.10 mg to 10.09 mg per pill. Four samples also contained citrinin, which can dam- age the kidneys. Researchers noted that, as a dietary supplement rather than a drug, red yeast rice is largely unregulated and lacks the quality controls of pre- scription medications. Therefore, physi- cians should be cautious in recommend- ing red yeast rice to their patients. Long used in China, red yeast rice has recently soared in sales in the US, up 80% from 2005 to 2008.

A lpha-carotene, the often-overlooked cousin of more familiar beta-caro- tene, may help you live longer-and further explain the health benefts of eating vegetables and fruits. Researchers at the CDC, studying data on more than 15,000 adults from a national nutrition survey, report that people with the highest blood levels of alpha-carotene were 39% less likely to die from all causes over almost 14 years.

I f you want to eat a healthier diet, cut out the fat-right? Wrong, according to experts at the American Dietetic As- sociation (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, in a panel on The Great Fat Debate. If you replace dietary fat, even saturated fat such as butter and whole milk, with sugar and other carbohydrates, you could actually be increas- ing your risk of heart disease.

C ould a couple of glasses of tomato juice help you avoid osteoporosis? Thats the suggestion of a small new study at the University of Toronto that found lycopene-an an- tioxidant carotenoid that helps give tomatoes and some fruits their red color-reduces oxidative stress and bone resorption linked to osteoporosis.

I f you remember the great saccharin scare of the late 1970s, it may come as a sweet surprise to learn that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed the artifcial sweetener from its list of hazard- ous substances. The switch clears the last offcial blemish from saccharins reputa- tion, with the FDA having given it an OK in 2000. Following studies linking saccharin with cancer in rats, the EPAs Carcinogen Assessment Group listed the sweetener as a possible human carcinogen in 1980. Now, in response to a petition from an artifcial- sweetener trade group, the agency has reversed that listing, saying theres insuffcient evidence that saccharin causes cancer in humans. Although not as popular in the US in part because of lingering can- cer fears, inexpensive saccharin remains the largest-volume artifcial sweetener in the world, primarily used in Asia.

Can foods, beverages or dietary supplements really increase your mental energy? Scientists at the Life Sciences Research Organization (LSRO) recently reported the results of a review of the scientific evidence for such claims regarding ginkgo biloba, ginseng, glucose and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They defined mental energy as consisting of mood (transient feelings about the presence of fatigue or energy), motivation (determination and enthusiasm) and cognition (sustained attention and vigilance)

Consumers know that whole grains are good for you-but after that, knowledge tends to give way to confusion, according to a new General Mills study of 1,010 US adults. More than half of those surveyed said they specifically shop for whole-grain products

Americas farmers have built a better egg-and theyre hoping the payoff isnt just chicken feed. According to new research from the US Department of Agricultures Agriculture Research Service, todays eggs have less cholesterol and more vitamin D than they did just a few years ago.To update nutritional data last calculated in 2002, the USDA sent samples of large eggs from 12 locations nationwide to a laboratory for testing. The eggs averaged 186 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, down 14% from 212 milligrams in 2002. And a typical large egg, yolk plus white, now delivers about 41 IU of vitamin D-up 64% from the last measurement of just 18 IU

The good news from a new pooled analysis of 57 studies is that, despite some red flags from previous research, vitamin E supplements are safe and dont increase the risk of death. But neither do the once-highly touted supplements help you live longer, the review reports, despite hopes their antioxidant effects might fight chronic disease. Calling their meta-analysis the largest and most inclusive to date, scientists concluded in Current Aging Science that vitamin E supplementation cannot be endorsed as a means of reducing mortality

Could trans fats be making you blue-and not just because of their dangerous effects on your heart health? A new Spanish study of more than 12,000 men and women reports that those consuming the highest level of trans fats were 48% more likely to suffer from depression. People consuming the most healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats, on the other hand, saw a lower incidence of depression