Todays Newsbites

Scientists whove succeeded in sequencing the 25,574 genes of a leading variety of coffee plant say their breakthrough could improve taste, boost coffees health benefits and even lead to naturally decaffeinated coffee. The international project mapped the genome of Coffea canephora, which accounts for 30% of the worlds coffee crop. This knowledge can be used to breed varieties that meet the demands of growers, processors and consumers, such as resistance to leaf rust disease, said the Biodiversity International research group, a partner in the project. Identifying the genes responsible for caffeine production could make it possible to grow caffeine-free coffee beans, it added, noting that 12% of the 2.2 billion cups of coffee consumed daily worldwide are decaf.

Would you be less likely to guzzle that 20-ounce cola if the bottle pictured a pyramid of 26 sugar cubes-an amount equal to the 65 grams of sugar in the soda? A new study published in the journal Appetite suggests that such visual representations can help consumers avoid added sugars, and that the effect lasts beyond the initial drink-or-no-drink decision. In a series of four experiments, researchers tested participants ability to understand representations of sugar in grams (one sugar cube equals 2.5 grams) and reactions to seeing those quantities pictured as stacks of sugar cubes. After seeing the sugar cubes, participants rated sugary drinks as less attractive and reported they would be less likely to consume them. In an ostensibly unrelated experiment, those whod learned to think of grams in terms of sugar cubes were later less likely to select sugar-sweetened beverages.

If you grew up being taught to clean your plate-and still mostly follow that motherly admonition-youre not alone. A new analysis of 14 studies on portions and consumption habits finds that US adults eat almost 92% of the food we put on our plates. And the drive to eat everything on your plate isnt just an American habit: Researchers found almost identical patterns in Canada, France, South Korea, Taiwan, Finland and the Netherlands.

Patients with celiac disease can now buy products labeled gluten free with confidence that the foods really do have no more than trace amounts of the protein found in wheat and some other grains. US Food and Drug Administration rules requiring gluten-free products to contain fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten, originally published in 2013, are now binding on manufacturers. The agency says most people with celiac disease, which affects an estimated 3 million Americans, can tolerate those tiny amounts-the lowest level that can be consistently detected in foods using current scientific tools.

Responding to health concerns and anticipated voluntary sodium-reduction targets from the FDA, many food companies are cutting down on the salt in their products. But salty-snack producers arent boasting about such steps for fear of alienating potential customers, according to the Tate & Lyle market-research firm. Overall, the percentage of new US products making label claims about sodium reduction has risen from 2.1% in 2010 to 4.5% in 2014. Stealth sodium reductions far exceed overt changes, however, according to Tate & Lyles Nancy Gaul, especially in the snack-food aisle. Only 2% of new products in crackers, potato chips and tortilla chips feature such claims, with packagers preferring softer language such as a hint of salt.

If youve shelled out for pricey cactus concoctions in hopes of relieving inflammation and other ills, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says you got taken. TriVita, the maker of Nopalea cactus drink, agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle false-advertising claims. (The FTC regulates advertising, while the FDA governs product safety and labeling.) Nopalea infomercials, featuring former supermodel Cheryl Tiegs, made unsupported claims that the beverage improves breathing and relieves sinus infections and other respiratory conditions, and provides relief from pain, swelling of the joints and muscles, and psoriasis and other skin conditions. These claims were purported to be backed by clinical studies, which was false. People who appeared in the ads as supposedly ordinary consumer endorsers were in fact TriVita sales people.

Nutrition and health benefits have helped make almonds the nations new favorite nut, with sales topping shelled and unshelled snack peanuts (not counting peanut butter). Annual almond consumption has soared from about 4 ounces per capita in the 1970s to more than 32 ounces. Driving the trend, analysts say, are studies linking almond consumption to cardiovascular and other health benefits. At the same time, Americans are realizing that the mostly unsaturated fats in nuts are not to be avoided, and seeking alternative protein sources: Red-meat consumption is down, and more than 3% of US adults say they are vegetarians.

An independent panel of health experts that advises the federal government says theres not enough evidence to recommend for or against screening healthy adults for vitamin D levels. The US Preventive Services Task Force weighed more than a dozen studies before issuing its draft recommendation.

How hard do you exercise? Its probably not as vigorously as you think, suggests a new Canadian study published in PLOS One. Researchers tested 129 sedentary volunteers, ages 18 to 64, and found that most overestimated how intensely they were exercising. When asked to walk at the lowest intensity they thought qualified as moderate, only 25% got their heart rates high enough; most barely exceeded a leisurely stroll. Few hit 65% of their maximum heart rate (in beats per minute, 220 minus your age) when told to exercise moderately. Even fewer achieved more than 75% when instructed to amp up to vigorous exercise.

This summer, the New York City Department of Health and the American Heart Association brought together 34 of the worlds leading nutrition scientists and epidemiologists to tackle the link between dietary sodium and heart disease. The experts issued a joint statement concluding that the evidence is clear. Population-wide reduction of sodium intake is an integral approach to reducing cardiovascular disease events and mortality in the United States. They cited a compelling body of evidence from laboratory, clinical and population research.