Search results

Weight reduction is a complex phenomenon. Dietary intervention is the most popular approach to reduce excess body fat. In this review, it has been tried to analyze the effect of individual nutrients on the weight reduction process. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Studies and review articles discussing role of individual nutrients on weight loss were collected for the purpose.

Diet high in protein and balanced in calories exerts a positive effect on weight reduction. Micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin C, A, D are also required for an effective weight reduction program.

The review tries to analyze the impact of both quantity and quality of various nutrients on weight reduction.

As the substantial contribution of resistant starch to food nutritional quality and disease prevention becomes more obvious, the challenge of incorporating it in the diet and increasing its intake remains. Western diets in particular, are estimated to have very low levels of resistant starch, and this has been linked to the prevalence of some of the non‐infectious diseases such as colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. There is a need therefore to increase the consumption of foods high in resistant starch. Resistant starch levels in food are determined by the nature of the starch and the processing techniques applied in production. Application of processes that optimize and stabilize resistant starch and its utilization as an ingredient in functional food product development will greatly contribute to its availability for consumption. This will enable attainment of the attendant physiological benefits of resistant starch, primarily in the area of disease prevention.

Beans have been a staple in man's diet dating back to the Bronze Age. Many varieties are native to America. Domesticated possibly by the Incas of Peru, beans were grown by Indians in South and North America. The native Americans soon came to believe that beans could be cultivated in poorer soil than corn, could be dried for storage, and contained a high energy content. The early settlers gained their knowledge of bean cultivation from the Indians — knowledge that held the settlers in good stead throughout the long, cold winters. The ancient Greeks consumed large amounts of pulses and even had a God of Beans and held a ‘bean feast’ in honour of Apollo. A similar tradition was followed by New England housewives in the nineteenth century, who had ‘bean festivals’ every Saturday night.

Every man has his King Charles's head, and the writing of English is mine. Some people imagine that you cannot write, or write about, good English unless you have a long list of impressive letters after your name. I have none at all, and for that very reason I am something of an authority on the subject. You see, I have never been able to assume that, having passed examinations in it, I've got rid of English once and for all and need no longer take an interest in it or give it my attention. When I read some of the slovenly English written to‐day, and observe the academic qualifications of the folk who write it, I feel glad I have no degree in the subject. My qualification for talking about English is the simple one that for nearly forty years I have earned my living and a little literary distinction by writing it, and have never stopped studying its complexities.

Addresses the use of special diabetic products in diabetes. These foods are currently available in health food shops and chemists and are often considered to be “slimming” or therapeutically beneficial. They are, however, no lower in fat or calories than their standard equivalents and they are expensive. Such products have no place in the current management of diabetes and it is recommended that a wide variety of low‐fat, high‐fibre and low‐sugar foods is selected instead.

Argues that consumption of lunch frequently leads to a drop in alertness and reduced ability to perform tasks involving sustained attention, with corresponding shifts in mood. These effects of lunch may be modified by the nature of the meal, characteristics of the person eating the meal and consumption of caffeinated beverages. There is less information on the effects of breakfast but what data there are show that it produces different effects from those seen after lunch. Indeed, recent research suggests that one of the most reliable effects of breakfast is to improve memory. Evening meals also require further study but, again, their effects appear to differ from those of lunch or breakfast.

In this shortened version of Dr. Ashwell's paper, evidence that a genetic ‘tendency to fatness’ could exist is examined and possibilities which might account for the weight gaining potential of an individual are suggested

This study aims to evaluate the effect of oat meal on the quality characteristics of restructured spent hen meat blocks. Spent hen meat is considered as poor because of comparatively higher toughness and less juiciness.

Oat meal (1:1 hydration, w/w) was incorporated at the levels of 4, 6 and 8 per cent by replacing the lean meat in prestandardized restructured spent hen meat blocks formulation and assessed for physico-chemical and sensory quality.

The product yield and pH of restructured spent hen meat blocks (RSHMB) were significantly higher at 8 per cent oat meal as compared to control. Shear force values of RSHMB with various levels of oat meal incorporation were significantly lower than control. There were no significant differences in the general appearance, texture, binding, juiciness and overall acceptability scores of RSHMB with different levels of oat meal and control. However, there was a marginal increase in binding and juiciness of RSHMB with increase in the level of oat meal. The optimum incorporation level of oat meal in RSHMB was adjudged as 8 per cent, which also resulted in reduction of production cost by Rs. 14.4/kg as compared to control.

The trials can be further carried to evaluate the storage stability of developed RSHMB.

The paper has demonstrated potential of oat meal as an extender in the development of RSHMB, which also reduced the cost of production.

Chronic feeding with thermoxidized palm oil causes tissue damage. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether chronic feeding of oxidized and fresh palm oil affects biliary secretion.

Albino Wistar rats were divided into three groups of ten rats each. The first group was the control and were fed on normal rat chow, while the second (FPO) and third group (TPO) were fed diet containing either fresh or thermoxidized palm oil (15per cent (w/w)) for 14 weeks. Biliary secretion, bilirubin, electrolytes, cholesterol and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes were measured.

Biliary secretion in TPO was significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared with the control or FPO. Electrolytes (Na⁺, Cl⁻ and HCO₃⁻) content of bile were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in TPO compared with control or FPO group. Conjugated and un‐conjugated bilirubin levels were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in TPO compared with control or FPO. The levels of serum liver enzymes were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in TPO than control or FPO. The cholesterol level in the TPO was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in control or FPO.

The non‐clinical approach and use of experimental animals present limitations to the study.

These results suggest that long‐term feeding of thermally oxidized palm oil alters bile composition and decreases biliary flow due to its hazardous free radicals.

At their 57th annual conference, held at Torquay from 28–30 May, the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions successfully moved a resolution that the body should seek affiliation to the TUC forthwith. Thus the ATTI become the first teachers' organization to realize its responsibilities as a trade union body. Its 24 000 members may look with some amusement at the antics of the NUT (whose membership rights they also hold) at whose Easter conference a similar motion was in effect rejected. Perhaps an interchange of initials is indicated and in future one should talk of the NAT and the UTTI. Quite rightly it was put that not only the future power of the organization, but the strength of further education depended on such a move. Indeed the non‐partisan wing of the TUC will itself be strengthened by affiliation.