Scientific researchers have formulated a new type of sugar that might help prevent heart disease, according to latest research from The University of Melbourne, in Australia. Dr Corin Storkey and Professor Carl Schiesser from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology at The University of Melbourne, together with Professor Michael Davies from the Heart Research Institute, in Sydney, have formulated promising heart disease preventatives based on sugar and selenium. Their... ...Read more »

For years doctors have warned that too much salt is bad for your heart. Now, new research from the McMaster University, in Canada, suggests that both high and low levels of salt intake may put people with heart disease or diabetes at increased risk of cardiovascular complications. This is the second major scientific study this month that has questioned the health benefits of reducing the dietary intake of sodium. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) today,... ...Read more »

New Danish research published today in the American Journal of Hypertension claims that, contrary to previous findings, reducing the amount of sodium in one’s diet may not have an overall positive impact on heart health. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that the general recommendation of reducing dietary sodium as a preventative heath measure should be re-evaluated. The study titled ‘Effects of Low-Sodium Diet vs. High-Sodium Diet on Blood Pressure’ was undertaken by researchers... ...Read more »

Representing some of Australia’s leading health groups, the Alcohol Policy Coalition (APC) released a paper today challenging a commonly-held belief that red wine is beneficial for preventing cardiovascular disease. According to the ACP’s paper, titled Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease and Alcohol Consumption the potential for any benefit to the heart from red wine is “misunderstood”. The APC paper says that, although red wine contains antioxidants, it is “not a good source of antioxidants... ...Read more »

Scientists at the University of Cambridge, in the UK, have found high levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one-third reduction in the risk of developing heart disease. The research findings, published in the British Medical Journal this week, confirm results of existing studies that generally agree on a potential beneficial link between chocolate consumption and heart health. However, the authors, led by Dr Oscar Franco, stress that further studies are needed to test whether... ...Read more »

A Heart Foundation investigation into margarine and butter has shown that butter has, on average, 20 times the trans fat levels of margarine. “This news will come as a big surprise to many people who choose butter believing that it’s ‘natural’ and therefore healthier – but it simply isn’t the case,” said Susan Anderson, the Heart Foundation’s National Director Healthy Weight “Butter is mostly made of the fat that raises your bad cholesterol levels – saturated fat at... ...Read more »

This month, the natural health beverage company Odwalla introduces Heart Health Superfood, a berrylicious new blend that contains 0.4g of plant sterols per 8 fl oz serving. The plant sterols — naturally sourced plant extracts — may help to reduce cholesterol and support cardiovascular health when you drink two 8 fl oz servings per day with meals as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This new smoothie contains a mix of juices and purées: apple, peach, banana and strawberry.... ...Read more »

The National Heart Foundation of Australia today congratulated the Victorian Government on its commitment to introduce mandatory provision of kilojoules on menus of large fast food chains and called on other Australian Governments to follow the move. “If accepted nationally, we believe this initiative will not only make it easier for Australians who eat out to make healthier choices, but will also encourage food companies to improve the nutritional profile of foods on offer”, Ms Susan... ...Read more »

A study of twins has shown that men eating a Mediterranean-style diet had lower risk factors for coronary artery disease, even after accounting for genetic risks. Using data from the Emory Twins Heart Study, researchers found that men eating a Mediterranean-style diet had greater heart rate variability (HRV) than those eating a Western-type diet. Heart rate variability refers to variation in the time interval between heart beats during everyday life – reduced HRV is a risk factor for coronary artery... ...Read more »

Scientists from the Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, presented at the HealthGrain (http://lund2010.healthgrain.org/) conference in Lund, Sweden, new findings which confirm that a diet rich in whole grains can be beneficial for heart health. In the study, 17 healthy subjects received either a wholegrain-rich diet or a diet with refined (white flour-based) grains for two weeks. Results showed that even after such a short intervention, the wholegrain-rich diet tended to lower subjects’... ...Read more »