A recent study has revealed that eating a daily handful of almonds or equivalent almond containing foods improves the Healthy Eating Index in both adults and children.
The complementary medicine research study published in December 2015 in the Journal of Nutrition Research carried out a trial where parents were instructed to eat 1.5 ounces of almonds per day and simultaneously give their children 0.5 ounce of almond or equivalent foods with the minimal almond content e.g. almond butter.
The researchers found that this daily intake over a 14-week period resulted in a significantly improved ‘ Health Eating Index’ component scores for total protein and decreased intake of empty calories.
As parents we are often challenged by barriers in promoting healthy eating to our children. Strategies we can utilise to promote good lifestyle advice for us and our children include basic guidelines such as:
Many Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners promote almonds as part of their regular diet as 1 ounce of almonds delivers 170 calories and has a low GI index. It also contains best quality vitamins and supplements such as:
We know that obese children tend to have more muscle. A recent review by Kindler et al in the recent publication of Current Opinion in Endocrinology concluded that muscle is a strong contributor to bone growth in childhood and adolescence. However, the excess fat that accompanies obesity can be deposited in the muscle thus affecting bone growth erroneously which can then lead to chronic health conditions.
Therefore, lifestyle advice for children should always include exercise and standard healthcare food and nutrition advice.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies such as Ayurveda have advocated the use of lime as valuable food and nutrition advice for treatment of obesity and high cholesterol.
Is there any scientific evidence that backs this age-old treatment?
Limonoids, is the constituent which causes of bitterness in citrus juice, and has previously been reported to possess substantial antioxidant and anticancer activities.
A 2013 complementary medicine research study by Boshtam et al studied the antioxidant activity and atherosclerosis progression in rabbits using the antioxidant rich lime peel. The study revealed that the presence of fatty streaks in coronary arteries and aorta of the treated animals (lime juice peel) were significantly reduced compared to the hypercholesterolemic control group.
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) peel and juice is known to increase plasma antioxidant capacity in rabbits, and also reduces the process of atherogenesis. However, lime peel was shown to be more effective than lime juice. This observation may be due to the fact that lime peel and juice have different types of flavonoids. For example, hesperidin, naringenin and eriocitrin are found in lime juice, whilst polymethoxylated flavones (PMF), limonoid, and diosmin are found in the peel.
The higher ascorbic acid content of fresh lime juice results in significantly higher serum antioxidant capacity than lime peel, but the latter caused significantly more reductions in fatty streak grade in rabbits. The researchers concluded that this difference may be related to the effects and absorption of each type of flavonoid.
Whilst this research study has only been carried out in rabbits, there is an indication that the age old Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapeutic advice may be useful in the acute treatment of hypercholesterolameia. It goes without saying that this food and nutrition advice is only a treatment component in the integrative healthcare solution for the treatment of obesity and high cholesterol.
