Adding ginger to asthma medications may improve their effectiveness, according to new US research. A new study from New York’s Columbia University found that components of the peppery root spice ginger may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily. Asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, which is a tightening of the bronchial tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Among the most common types of asthma medications are beta-agonists, which work by relaxing the... ...Read more »

Fish oils and omega-3s may minimise the detrimental effects that ‘junk food’ has on the brain, according to a new research review by researchers at the University of Liverpool and published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Researchers found that diets rich in omega-3s could prevent the negative effects of high-fat diets by stimulating the area of the brain that controls feeding, learning and memory. Research over the last 10 years has indicated that high-fat diets could disrupt neurogenesis,... ...Read more »

Many weight loss plans focus on striking a balance between caloric intake and energy output, but the timing of meals could be just as important, according to new research published in the April 2013 edition of the International Journal of Obesity from the US has shown that timing of meals. The study, undertaken by researchers from Boston healthcare centre the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in collaboration with the University of Murcia in Spain and Tufts University in Boston, found that people... ...Read more »

There has been a widespread rollout of products containing Stevia in recent times, with new products containing the natural sweetener increasing by 400 per cent globally between 2008 and 2012, and 158 per cent between 2011 and 2012, according to new research from global market research organisation Mintel. Europe is experience “phenomenal growth” and is now a key market driver for Stevia, according to Mintel. It accounted for a quarter of global new product launches containing Stevia in 2012,... ...Read more »

Eating even small amounts of foods containing edible nicotine, such as capsicums and tomatoes, may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease, according to new US research from the University of Washington. The research, published 9 May 2013 in the Amercian Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society’s journal Annals of Neurology, found that people who ate plants belonging to the ‘solanaceae’ family showed a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s Disease is... ...Read more »

An Australian study which addresses the benefits of education about nutritional information in fast food is being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Liverpool on Monday 13th May. Professor Ian Caterson, of the Boden Institute of Obesity Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders at the University of Sydney, is presenting the paper to the ECO delegates. The study concludes that information in fast food outlets helps improve awareness of and reduce energy intake amongst consumers. According... ...Read more »

Global soft drink company Coca-Cola has said it will work to make its beverages lower-calorie, and make nutrition information more widely available on its products globally. The US-based Company already has diet drinks available in most markets around the world, but they are not always as readily available in emerging markets such as China. Coca-Cola said the goal is to have diet options available wherever regular versions are sold, and to have cans and bottles of its soft drinks display nutrition... ...Read more »

Confectionary manufacturer Wrigley has taken its new caffeine-added chewing gum, launched in the US in April 2013, off the market after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began an investigation into the safety of caffeine-added foods. Wrigley, which is a subsidiary of Mars Inc, said that it will temporarily stop sales and marketing of its ‘Alert’ caffeine-added gum after discussions with the FDA. Casey Keller, Wrigley President, said in a statement to US media that the Company made the... ...Read more »

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will investigate the safety of caffeine in food products, particularly its effects on children and adolescents. The investigation is a response by the food safety authority to a growing trend in the US for caffeine-added food products, and the announcement came just weeks after confectionary company Wrigley’s began promoting a new chewing gum that contains caffeine. Launching the new caffeine-added gum, Alert Energy Caffeine Gum, in... ...Read more »

Australia has suspended live exports of cattle to Egypt and proposed “major reforms”, after video footage of animal cruelty at two Egyptian abattoirs was given to the Australian Government on Wednesday 1 May 2013. The video footage, recorded by animal rights group Animals Australia, showed instances of animal cruelty, one from October 2012 and one from April 2013. It is believed that the cattle came from Australian in July 2012. The footage presented to the Australian Government’s Department... ...Read more »