KTK-Nutrition

Who doesn’t love chocolate — that rich, velvety treat that feels like a hug for your taste buds? But what if your favorite indulgence could also help slow the aging process? Emerging research suggests that certain compounds in chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may play a role in supporting healthier aging. Let’s look at the science behind it. 🌟 What’s in Chocolate That May Slow Aging? Dark chocolate and cocoa naturally contain a compound called theobromine , a bitter alkaloid found in cacao beans. Researchers at King’s College London published a study in Aging examining 509 women and 1,160 older adults around age 60. Their findings: People with higher levels of theobromine in their blood — typically from eating chocolate — showed signs of slower biological aging. Why? Cocoa is rich in flavanols and antioxidants, and theobromine appears to be one of the stars of the show. 🧬 What Does “Slower Aging” Actually Mean? The researchers looked at DNA methylation patterns and telomere...

There may be no fountain of youth but there seems to be some heart-healthy habits that may slow biological aging.    Medical News Today has an interesting article , “8 heart-healthy habits may slow biological aging by up to 6 years, researchers say”.   What study did researchers do and what did they find? Researchers looked at 6500 adults (average age of 47) to study the American Heart Association’s recommendations of Life’s Essential 8 checklist to see if following the 8 essentials would slow biological aging.   They found that adults “with high cardiovascular health were about six years younger biologically than their chronological age.”    Why would high cardiovascular health extend life? Researchers surmise that good heart health reduces one’s risk of heart disease but also other age-related diseases.   What are the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 ?   AHA notes their 8 lifestyle steps not only lead to better he...

Last week we discussed 2 anti-aging supplements many people choose to take, calcium and collagen.   This week’s focus is on another anti-aging supplement that is popular, fish oil. Many commercials push fish oil supplements.   Consumer Reports offers some good guidance on supplements in their article   “7 Anti-Aging Supplements to Try”.      Fish Oil Why do so many people focus on fish oil supplements?   Because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish have so many health benefits: Heart Health:   Omega-3 fats can help lower total cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, and prevent the formation of plaques that can block arteries.   Brain Function:   NIH notes that omega-3 fatty acids “increases learning, memory, cognitive well-being, and blood flow in the brain.   Eye Health:   WebMD notes that “results from some early studies suggest that eating higher amounts of omega-3s could lower your chances of deve...

How can what you eat help you fight off disease?   What foods will help boost your immune system and keep you healthier?   Many of my students know we should be “eating healthy foods” but when asked, many have a hard time describing what those “healthy foods” are.   (My husband said to him a longevity diet would be chocolate and IPA beer.   Not sure that would be the way to a longer life.)   Can you name 5 foods that would help you fight diseases and lead to a longer life?   Yahoo has an interesting article, Add These Disease-Fighting Foods to Your Diet to Live a Longer Life .   Basically, what you are adding are foods that contain the healthy antioxidants that I have written about many times.   (See:   Antioxidants and good health .)    Focus on fruits and vegetables:   I tell my students to focus on at least 5 A Day – at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day.   Why?   Because eating fruits and vegetables lowers your...

How would you like to have dinner with a longevity expert?   What questions would you ask about how to live a longer life?    Well, a New York Times reporter did have dinner with the longevity expert, Dan Buettner.   So what advice does a longevity expert offer?          1.    Coffee – according to Buettner, coffee is “one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the American diet”,   He notes Greeks living on the Greek island, Icaria, drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day.   These are people who often live to 100.            2.   Focus on veggies and herbs – to prepare an evening meal, Buettner purchase fennel, broccoli, celery, carrots, chickpeas          3.    Add Honey – local honey, and Tofu, coconut milk, frozen berries         4.   Walk – exercise is important to a long li...

In the nutrition class I teach, I always emphasized how important it is to eat “5 A DAY”, five fruits and vegetables a day.    Then I had a student that LIMITED her fruits and vegetables to 5 a day thinking more was harmful.   So now I emphasize eating AT LEAST 5 fruits and vegetables a day.   But the Canadians do us one better and recommend 7-8 servings for women and 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables for men.    New research supports the Canadians as more fruit and vegetables can lead to a longer life.   Research:   An English study looked at 65,000 adults over 7.7 years.   Those who ate more fruits and vegetables lived longer with the greatest benefit seen in those eating seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.    Participants who ate 7 or more fruits and vegetables a day were 42% less like to die than those who ate less than one serving of fruits and vegetables a day.   (Hard to believe there are peopl...