Eating more blueberries, apples and pears may be linked to lower risk of diabetes, according to a new U.S. study. These fruits are loaded with flavonoids, a natural compound present in certain fruits, vegetables and grains, which some research has tentatively tied to heath benefits such as a lower risk of heart disease or cancer. "People who ate a higher amount of blueberries or apples, they tended to have a low risk of type 2 diabetes," … full story

Coffee drinkers have no more risk of getting illnesses such as heart disease or cancer, and are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a German study involving more than 40,000 people over nearly a decade. The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, came in the wake of many previous studies that produced conflicting results, with some tying coffee drinking to an increase in heart disease, cancer, stroke and … full story

People who eat lots of magnesium-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts and beans have fewer strokes, according to an international analysis covering some 250,000 people. But the authors of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, stopped short of recommending people take a daily magnesium supplement because their analysis focused on magnesium in food -- and it may be another aspect of the food that is responsible … full story

A large new European study finds that simply eating a lot of fruits and vegetables may not be enough to stave off the weight gain that often comes with age -- except for people who recently quit smoking. Researchers found that of nearly 374,000 adults in 10 European countries, who were followed for five years, those who ate the most fruits and vegetables were no less likely to gain weight once other factors -- like calorie intake and exercise habits … full story

Normal weight adults, including those who had lost a lot of weight and kept it off, ate more often than overweight people in a new study looking at factors that may help in preventing weight gain. Researchers following about 250 people for a year found that overweight individuals ate fewer snacks in addition to meals than people in the normal body weight range, but the overweight still took in more calories and they were less active over the course … full story

Walnuts, the brain shaped nuts, cut down cholesterol and may also help fight stress and reduce blood pressure. Those with high levels of bad cholesterol had lower blood pressure during stressful moments after following a diet rich in walnuts for three weeks. Study participants were told to deliver a three-minute speech or sink one foot in cold water – both of which trigger stress. Those who ate walnuts had lower blood pressure, said Professor … full story

Dietary protein reduces hunger and increases fullness in overweight men during weight loss programmes, a study says. Diets “containing 18 to 35 percent of daily calorie intake from dietary protein, are associated with reductions in hunger and increased fullness throughout the day and into the evening hours,” said Heather Leidy, study author and professor in nutrition at the University of Missouri. “In our study, the two groups ate either 25 or … full story

Avoid coffee during a fast food meal because it could have dangerous repercussions for your wellbeing as it causes a spike in blood sugar levels. A healthy person’s blood sugar levels shoot up after eating a high-fat meal, but that spike doubles after having both a fatty meal and caffeinated coffee – jumping to levels similar to those of people at risk of diabetes, says Marie-Soleil Beaudoin from University of Guelph. “The results tell us that … full story

One way of prompting physical activity among children is to promote them duringleisure time, tailored to the specific gender. Researchers found children’s perceptions of what constituted play included both physically active and sedentary behaviours. Rowan Brockman from the University of Bristol Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, who led the study, said: “Contemporary children do engage in active play and value both the physical … full story

Boys seem to get a greater kick out of caffeine than girls, according to the results of a double-blind study. Boys also credited caffeine with having a positive effect on their athletic performance, not so girls. The study, conducted by Jennifer L. Temple, neurobiologist and assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University at Buffalo in the US, is the first to show how genders respond to caffeine consumption. “We are hoping that our … full story