Category: Food Products
Drinking diet soda may increase the risk of heart problems
Most regular soda drinkers preferred having diet drinks because they believed that these drinks helped in weight control. Another misconception that soda drinkers have is that their zero calorie soda did not have any harmful side-effects. However, a recent study has found that these zero calorie drinks may not be the perfect health solution as they were perceived to be.
The study has found that the risk of heart attack or stroke increases by 43 percent among people who drank at least one diet soda a day when compared to people who did not drink any diet soda. Even though diet drinks have fewer calories when compared to normal soda, these drinks have certain unhealthy side-effects.
The study was conducted by Columbia University and University of Miami. For the study, the researchers followed more than 2500 men and women for a period of 10 years. Out the 2500 people, 591 people had a stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. Of the 591 people who had heart problems, 163 people drank diet soda at least once a day.
Even though researchers have found association between drinking diet soda and heart problems, they have not pointed out the exact cause of problem. However, when rats were given artificial sweeteners it increased their overall food intake and also their weight.
Some health experts are of the view that some soda drinkers may have lead an unhealthy lifestyle which could cause health problems. They believe that it is wrong to blame diet drinks for heart problems in people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle.
Precautions that people suffering from Nut Allergies must take
People, who are allergic to nuts, must avoid eating nuts as reaction to nuts can put their life in danger. Peanut allergy is a lifelong problem and only a few people grow out of this problem.
Even thought manufacturers have improved product labeling, there are some products that may belong to nut family which may not be mentioned in the product labels. Nuts belong to LEGUME family and people who are allergic to nuts must avoid eating foods like lentils, peas, beans, cashews and other food items that are member of the legume family. If you want to eat products that belong to legume family, it is important that you consult your doctor before you introduce them in your diet.
Some people, who are allergic to nuts, may only react to one type of nut while other may react to several types of nuts. Therefore, it is best that you have a nut free diet unless you know what is causing the reaction. At times, foods may get contaminated when touched by other foods that contain nuts. It is in your interest to avoid eating loose foods as it increase the risk of reaction.
To reduce the risk of allergies, it is important that you read the label before you buying a product. If you are unable to identify products that are nut free, you can contact the local store or the manufacturer to check if the product is nut free. If you love eating confectionery products like biscuits and cakes, you can make them at home using corn or sunflower oil.
If you are planning to attend a party or go out with family and friends to a restaurant, it is in your interest to eat safe foods. Make sure the organizer is aware of the foods that you cannot eat. If you are unsure of the products used by the chef, it is best that you eat plain foods like salads and fruits.
