A recent study has shown that there may be a link between low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol and memory loss.

The researchers measured HDL cholesterol levels and gave short-term verbal memory tests to 3,673 British civil servants, with 25% being women, between 1995 and 1997 and again between 2002 and 2004.  Participants whose HDL levels decreased during the five years between tests had a 61% increased risk of a decreased ability to remember words.

The researchers found a 27% increased loss of memory on a word test at the age of 55 among those with the lowest HDL levels, compared to those with the highest levels.  By the age of 60, the rate of memory loss had increased to 53%.

Study author Archana Singh-Manoux states that, “our results shown HDL cholesterol to be important for memory.”

The researchers found no link between total cholesterol and memory loss and also found that using statins to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol had no effect on memory loss.

Several other researchers, including Dr. Ronal Peterson, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the May Clinic, have cautioned that these results should not be taken too serious yet.  Dr. Anatol Kontush, research director at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), says “the biochemistry underlying HDL and brain function is completely unclear.”

I think that even if low levels of HDL are not detrimental to memory, people should be taking steps to raise HDL and lower LDL, which has been associated with good health.

Reference:  MedLine Plus

Many people avoid nuts, believing they are too high in calories; however research now suggests that nuts can help with weight control.

Nuts, with the exception of chestnuts, contain 160 to 200 calories per ounce. Most of these calories come from unsaturated fats. Populations studies have shown that people who eat nuts regularly are likely to weigh less than those who don’t. For example, a Spanish study of almost 9,000 people found that those who ate nuts at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight over 28 months than those who never or rarely ate nuts.

A small study by Purdue University last year found that women who added 344 calories worth of almond a day to their diets, without purposefully cutting back calories or exercising more, did not gain weight after 10 weeks. Few studies have looked at whether or not nuts actually help people lose weight, but one study found that a low-calorie diet that included almonds led to more weight loss than a nut free diet.

A 2007 study from Australia basically summarizes these findings. The researchers found that when nuts are added freely to a diet, they cause less weight gain than what would be predicted, and when added to a calorie-controlled diet, they don’t cause weight gain and sometimes make weight loss easier.

Researchers believe that the fiber and protein contained gives them their benefits by making people fell full longer. Also, some studies suggest that nuts may slightly increase calorie burning. It has also been shown that nuts may reduce the risk of heart disease, because of their positive effects on blood cholesterol. Furthermore, nuts contain heart-healthy B vitamins, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, arginine, sterols, and several phytochemicals.

The following is some advice for adding nuts to your diet:

• Limit yourself to 1 to 2 ounces of nuts each day. A small handful is approximately one ounce.
• Nut butters, including almond, cashew, and peanut, have the same nutritional advantages as nuts themselves.
• Try to eat low or unsalted nuts. Many of the mixed nut varieties contain an large amount of sodium.
• Nuts are a great source of protein for vegetarians or those that eat very little amounts of meat.

I have had an ounce of nuts each day for the past couple years, so it’s nice to know that this is a healthy habit as I suspected. I eat a Planters mix of almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts. They are lightly salted and the package has the South Beach Diet printed on it. I actually weigh them on a food scale, and I eat them as a mid morning snack. I do find that they keep me full until lunchtime.

Reference: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

Tip #13
Unhealthy ‘Health Foods’
by Dr. John Berardi Products that claim to be ‘Cholesterol Free’ and ‘Low in Saturated Fat’ often have the most trans-fatty acids. Unfortunately these are the products that most of the public thinks are ‘healthy.’ Remember, trans fats have absolutely no place in the diet! They’re the only type of fat highly associated with very negative health outcomes.

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Research at the University of Illinois has shown that eating chocolate lowers cholesterol levels.

The researchers recruited 49 participants with slightly elevated cholesterol and normal blood pressure. Each of the participants followed the American Heart Association’s “Eating Plan for Healthy Americans” two weeks before the study started. They remained on this diet for the entire study.

While on the diet, the participants ate one CocoaVia bar with plant sterols twice daily for four weeks, then switched to a chocolate bar that does not contain plant sterols for the next four weeks. Blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body weight, and other cardiovascular measures were tracked throughout the 8 week study.

Several of the participants started to lose weight during the study; however, the researchers encouraged them to eat more because weight loss lowers cholesterol. Each bar contained 100 calories.

The results were that the CocoaVia bars noticeably lowered blood cholesterol, with the sterol-containing chocolate performing better than the chocolate without sterols. They also found that the chocolate lowered systolic blood pressure.

John Erdman, professor of University of Illinois food science and human nutrition, believes that the drop in cholesterol (total cholesterol by 2% and LDL cholesterol by 5.3%) to the plant sterols and the drop in blood pressure to the flavanols found in dark chocolate.

The benefits of chocolate have been becoming more apparent recently, and this study reinforces that evidence. However, chocolate is very calorically dense, and people should be careful not to eat too much. I think that chocolate can be incorporated into a healthy diet, and I’m sure there are some healthy recipes that use it.

Reference: EurekAlert

Eggs get a bad rap because they have a high amount of cholesterol. Many people have recommended to not eat eggs because of this, and eggs have also been blamed for heart disease and obesity. However, despite their high cholesterol content (210 milligrams – all from the yolk), eggs do not raise blood cholesterol in most people.

Dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol in only about one-third of people. Studies done at the University of Connecticut have shown that eating three eggs a day for 30 days increased cholesterol only in susceptible people; however, their LDL particles were larger and there was no change in the LDL/HDL ratio.

A Harvard study performed in 1999 of nearly 120,000 men and women, found no association between eggs and heart disease. A Japanese study of over 90,000 middle-aged people and a study from the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey both found no link between regular egg consumption and heart disease.

Egg yolks are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are similar to beta carotene and may be beneficial for the eyes and have been shown to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. A 2006 study found that women who ate six eggs a week for 12 weeks had increased macular pigment, which is thought to protect the retina from the damaging effects of light.

There also exists some indication that eggs promote the feeling of being full. A study of overweight women found that those who had two eggs for breakfast felt fuller afterwards and ate significantly fewer calories at lunch than women who had a bagel-based breakfast with the same amount of calories.

One large egg (yolk and white) contains 6 grams of protein. The yolk is a source of zinc, B vitamins (including riboflavin and folate), vitamin A, iron, and other nutrients.

Egg yolks provide the essential nutrient choline, which is especially important for fetal brain development. Researchers have also identified other compounds in eggs that may have anti-cancer, immune-boosting, and antioxidant properties.

Eggs from chickens that are fed special diets, usually contain more lutein, vitamin E, and/or heart-healthy omega-3 fats. However, they rarely provide a great deal of extra nutrients.

Brown eggs are not more nutritious than white. Different breeds lay eggs with different shell colors—even blue and green. Yolk color depends on what the chicken ate: wheat and barley produce a light yolk, corn a medium-yellow yolk, and marigold petals a deep yellow.

I have eggs for breakfast several times each week. I typically scramble them with a dash of milk and low-fat cheese. I also usually add chopped Canadian bacon, which has much less fat than standard bacon. This makes a great low-carb breakfast. I do notice that I feel full for longer when I eat eggs; however, this meal probably has higher calories than when I have cereal for breakfast. I usually buy the “special diet” eggs, such as Eggland’s Best; however, this apparently does not provide me much extra nutrition.

Reference: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, March 2008