Too soon to tell if chocolate is brain food, experts say
27 October, 2014Recent research suggesting that compounds found in cocoa can improve memory in older people makes old age seem not quite so bad. But is it too soon to start plying grandma with a family-sized block of chocolate every time you go to visit?
Cherries that keep their cool travel better
24 October, 2014How do you keep cherries fresh when exporting? The secret's in the cooling, according to Canadian agrifood research. Just a few degrees can have a big impact on cherries that are transported via ocean container.
Older consumers need educating about protein
24 October, 2014Consumers are becoming aware of how important protein is in the diet - but most of them aren't eating enough of it and don't fully understand its benefits. According to research firm Canadean, this presents an opportunity for manufacturers.
Facebook could be making children fat, study shows
23 October, 2014Despite bans on television advertisements of energy dense, nutrient poor (EDNP) food brands to children, many companies are circumventing these laws by promoting their brand through Facebook, University of Sydney researchers say.
Could grapefruit juice be the new weapon against Type 2 diabetes?
22 October, 2014Grapefruit diets have been around since the 1930s and are often dismissed as fads. But new research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that a closer look at grapefruit juice is warranted.
I was going to have celery but my brain wanted chocolate!
22 October, 2014Choosing healthy snacks instead of junk food might be more difficult than we realised. Scientists have found that, as we read a menu or scan the shelves at the supermarket, our brains are making decisions based on a food's calorie content.
Farm fresh milk keeps kids healthy
22 October, 2014A European study has shown that infants fed on fresh, unprocessed milk rather than UHT milk are less prone to infection.
Frozen meals trump QSR meals for nutrition
21 October, 2014What's healthier: a frozen meal or a meal from a quick-service restaurant (QSR)? According to new research, the frozen meal wins out in terms of dietary fibre, potassium, calcium and protein - and it has fewer calories and less saturated fat.
Energy drinks pose public health risk
21 October, 2014Researchers from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe have warned that increased consumption of energy drinks may pose danger to public health, especially among young people.
Waging war on a grapevine epidemic … with maths
21 October, 2014A University of Sydney researcher has returned to his home town in Italy to help save century-old Italian grapevines currently being ravaged by an aggressive insect-borne disease. His weapon of choice: mathematical modelling.
Walk this way: calorie information signage encourages healthier purchases
20 October, 2014Researchers have found that teenagers who saw printed signs outlining how many miles they'd need to walk to burn off the calories in a sugar-sweetened beverage were more likely to select a lower-calorie beverage, a healthier beverage or a smaller-sized beverage.
Big junk vs people power: how we can fix our collective weight problem
16 October, 2014 by Jane Martin, University of MelbourneIt's clear that much more needs to be done about the obesity epidemic, but where should we best focus our efforts? Educating people to eat better and do more exercise? Or policy changes that will pull the levers to promote behaviour change at the population level?
Coffee compounds shown to protect the liver - even in decaf
16 October, 2014Chemical compounds in coffee have been found to be beneficial to liver health - and they're present even in decaffeinated coffee.
Healthy food really is more expensive than unhealthy food
14 October, 2014The often-heard complaint of "I just can't afford to buy healthy food" may just have some truth to it. A new study in the journal PLOS One has found that healthy foods are three times more expensive per calorie than less healthy food.
Litmus testing to detect E. coli - and maybe even cancer
14 October, 2014The good old litmus test has been adapted to detect pathogens such as E. coli in liquids. A research team set out to make testing liquids faster, easier and more affordable by using litmus dyes and paper to detect the presence of bacteria.
