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Diet Drinks May Boost Risk of Dangerous Heart Condition by 20%, Study Says
Drinking two liters or more per week of artificially sweetened beverages — the equivalent of a medium-sized fast-food diet soda a day — raised the risk of an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation by 20% when compared to people who drank none, a new study found.
“This is the first study to report an association between no- and low-calorie sweeteners and also sugar-sweetened beverages and increased risk of atrial fibrillation,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at the Pennsylvania State University, in a statement. She was not involved in the new study.
While the study could only show an association between sweetened drinks and A-fib, the relationship remained after accounting for any genetic susceptibility to the condition. A 2017 study found people with European ancestry had about a 22% risk of inheriting the condition.
“We still need more research on these beverages to confirm these findings and to fully understand all the health consequences on heart disease and other health conditions,” said Kris-Etherton, who is also an American Heart Association nutrition committee member.
FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Six Brands of Ground Cinnamon Found to Have High Levels of Lead
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded its investigation into tainted cinnamon products, and its experts now say that the lead contamination extends beyond the cinnamon applesauce pouches that were recalled in October.
The agency said Wednesday that expanded testing has identified several brands of ground cinnamon with elevated levels of lead.
The FDA says that more than 460 confirmed and suspected cases of lead poisoning have been tied to applesauce pouches sold under the WanaBana, Schnucks or Weis brands that were flavored with cinnamon imported from Ecuador. Those cases, many of them in children, are still under investigation.
Why the Double Standards on Ultra-Processed Foods? Because Some Have Better PR Than Others
In the fevered world of diet and nutrition, the past year has been dominated by heated arguments about the evils (or not) of ultra-processed foods. These have not just been confined to the media but have, unusually, engendered equally fractious debate in academic circles. So what is the “truth” about UPFs? Are they as bad for health as many claim? And how are consumers, armed with this information, meant to navigate the supermarket aisles?
UPFs are a different beast — they are the products of industrial processing methods that we cannot replicate in a domestic situation. They include pretty much all carbonated drinks, ice cream, biscuits, margarine, pastries, cakes, breakfast cereals, stock cubes, infant formulas and mass-produced packaged bread.
It is intriguing, to me at least, that some UPFs have not only avoided being tarred by the same brush but also seem to be associated with an enlightened way of healthy eating. The menagerie of plant-based dairy replacements and faux-meat burgers, as well as many other “premium” ultra-processed foods that find their way into higher-end supermarkets and restaurants, are a case in point. In my view, these foods have escaped the kind of scrutiny saved for mainstream UPFs.
I fear that the UPF concept is too imprecise to be an arbiter of how healthy or unhealthy a particular food might be, and even worse, that it is currently being used as another cudgel to food-shame others; while at the same time, the privileged in society celebrate and congratulate themselves for eating similarly processed foods that simply have better PR.
Poland Sees Its Most Violent Protest yet by Farmers and Supporters Against Ukraine Imports, EU Rules
Poland saw its most violent protest by farmers and supporters yet Wednesday as some participants threw stones at police and tried to push through barriers around parliament, injuring several officers, police said.
Police used tear gas and said they detained over a dozen people and prevented the protesters from getting through to the Sejm, the Polish parliament.
Farmers are angry over European Union climate policies and food imports from Ukraine that they say threaten their livelihoods. Such protests have occurred across the 27-member EU in recent weeks, but this one was decidedly angrier than earlier demonstrations in the central European nation.
Farmers on tractors blocked highways leading into Warsaw while thousands of their supporters gathered in front of the prime minister’s office before marching to the parliament. Some trampled a European Union flag and burned a mock coffin bearing the word “farmer.”
Nanoplastics Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke and Early Death, Study Finds
People with microplastics or nanoplastics in their carotid artery tissues were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from any cause over the next three years than people who had none, a new study found.
Carotid arteries, which lie on each side of the neck and carry blood to the brain, can become clogged with fatty cholesterol plaques in a similar fashion as the arteries leading into the heart, a process known as atherosclerosis.
“To date, our study is the first that associated plastic contamination with human diseases,” said Raffaele Marfella, lead author of the study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nestle’s Perrier Water Doesn’t Meet French, U.S. Standards, Lawsuit Claims
A New York man sued Nestle USA on Monday, claiming the company is misbranding its Perrier brand of bottled water because the French spring it comes from is contaminated and must be treated and filtered, violating French and U.S. regulations governing mineral water.
Kevin O’Rourke filed a proposed class action against Nestle in New York federal court, claiming it was misleading customers by selling Perrier as a mineral water when the company knew the naturally carbonated underground spring in Vergeze, France, where it comes from contains bacteria and pollutants. The filtration and treatment that the water requires means it no longer qualifies as natural mineral water under either U.S. or French rules, the lawsuit claimed.
The lawsuit follows a stir in France over mineral water bottling processes that began when a whistleblower came forward in 2020, alleging the companies’ manufacturing methods did not conform with French regulations.
Shift Away From Ultra-Processed Foods Likely to Take Some Time: Circana
The consumer shift away from so-called ‘ultra-processed foods’ (UPFs) is likely to take some time due to consumer confusion surrounding the category, according to Circana.
According to sales data for Europe’s six largest markets — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the U.K. — there has been ‘no notable decline’ in demand for UPFs over the past year, however, some consumers are reducing their purchases in certain categories due to affordability concerns, Circana said.
Circana was responding to findings published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)last week, which claimed that UPFs — including cereals, fizzy drinks, ready meals, protein bars and fast food — have been directly linked to more than 30 harmful health effects.
At the same time, however, awareness about UPFs is ‘still developing’, Circana noted, with consumers finding it difficult to distinguish between varying levels of food processing. Rather, purchase decisions around UPFs tend to be influenced more by pricing and health concerns, instead of the content of said foods.
This Is Oscar Mayer’s Newest Hot Dog
For the first time, the Kraft Heinz-owned brand is going plant-based with two new versions of its hot dog and sausage it says offer a “smoky, savory taste and thick, juicy bite” that mirror its regular versions. The products, called Oscar Mayer “NotHotDogs” ($5.99) and “NotSausage” ($7.99), roll out nationwide later this year.
It’s a continuation of its partnership with the plant-based foods company NotCo. to expand Kraft’s plant-based portfolio in response to the growing hunger among American consumers for “better-for-you” products. In the past year, the company rolled out a vegan boxed Mac & Cheese, mayonnaise and vegan cheese slices.
The brand is doubling down on a segment, however, that isn’t as popular as plant-based dairy: Plant-based meat sales fell 9% in 2023 to nearly $886 million, according to figures provided to CNN from research firm NIQ.
Sinking sales have sparked troubles for pioneers, like Beyond Meat (BYND), which also has sausage products. The once-trendy plant-based meat company has faced falling demand and ballooning costs in recent years.
Mexico’s Precaution on GM Corn Safety Is Justified
A Presidential decree has banned the use of genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) corn for food in Mexico. But the governments of the United States and Canada are using the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement (USMCA) to challenge Mexico’s actions.
The purpose of Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn is to safeguard the integrity of native corn from GM contamination and to protect human health. The purpose of the U.S. and Canadian challenge is to defend the interests of the biotechnology industry.
The U.S. and Canada want to force Mexico to open its market to all genetically modified foods and seeds. Canada is supporting the U.S. challenge (as a third party in the dispute) even though Canada does not export any corn to Mexico. The U.S. and Canada essentially argue that if they have decided a genetically modified food is safe, then Mexico should agree.
In early March, Mexico’s formal defense of the GM corn ban will be published as part of the trade dispute process. Soon after, we’ll hear arguments from eight non-governmental groups who have permission to send comments. Those documents should make it clear that Mexico’s corn restrictions are backed by science and are justified in order to defend the future of corn and protect food safety.
