Latest news with #EatwellGuide
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Pharmacist's verdict on whether ice cold or room temperature water is best in heatwave
Staying hydrated during the fourth heatwave of 2025 is imperative – and a pharmacist has cleared up if it's better to drink cold or room temperature beverages when it's hot During spells of hot weather, it's so tempting to reach for a tall glass of iced water. But according to one health expert, this could actually end up making you feel even hotter. With the UK basking in another hot snap, heeding this pharmacist's advice could be an absolute game-changer. This sunny period will constitute the fourth heatwave of the summer so far. An official heatwave is declared when temperatures rise above the heatwave threshold for three consecutive days. That threshold varies from 25C to 28C across the country. So with that being said, it's important to stay hydrated with plenty of water. And apparently, room temperature is best. A Spanish pharmacist told his 3.7million followers: 'What is better when it is too hot? To drink cold or room-temperature water? Psychologically, it may seem that cold water refreshes you more, but it's not true. 'Because it is colder, it makes your body work more to regulate the temperature, and the body generates heat, so room-temperature water might be better. 'There are even African countries where people drink hot liquids in the summer, and say that it helps to sweat, and sweat helps to cool off, but I think that is a cultural issue that we will never accept here. Imagine how little you feel like drinking tea in the middle of a desert!' While hot water may not feel like the most appealing idea when it's scorching hot outside, opting for room temperature water could make all the difference. Room temperature water is closer to your body's natural temperature, so your body doesn't need to expend extra energy to warm it up or cool it down. This allows for quicker hydration. What's more, it helps to maintain your core body temperature, allowing your body's natural cooling process (sweating) to work efficiently. Cold water can sometimes trick your body into thinking it's cooler than it is, which may reduce sweating and slow down cooling. Some also believe that drinking room temperature drinks is much easier than sipping on ice cold water. For one, it doesn't give you a brain freeze! For that reason, you're actually more likely to glug the whole glass down rather than taking smaller sips. What does the NHS say about drinking water? The NHS advises: 'Most people should aim to drink enough during the day so their pee is a clear pale yellow colour. 'The Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. 'You may need to drink more fluids if you're: "pregnant or breastfeeding "in a hot environment "physically active for long periods "ill or recovering from illness.'
New York Post
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
You can double your weight loss by ditching this cancer-causing food from your diet: study
Looking to double down on weight loss? A new study suggests that eliminating one food group can significantly enhance weight loss and lower cancer risk. Participants lost twice as much weight when they adhered to a diet of minimally processed foods (MPFs) compared to one that included ultra-processed foods (UPFs). UPFs — billed as ready to eat or heat — typically undergo several processing steps, feature additives and preservatives and contain high levels of sodium, refined sugars and cholesterol-spiking fats. 3 Participants in a new study lost twice as much weight when they adhered to a diet of minimally processed foods (MPFs) compared to one that included ultra-processed foods (UPFs). beats_ – A recent study linked UPF exposure to 32 poor health outcomes, including a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Type 2 diabetes and even premature death. In this latest trial, the UPFs were relatively 'healthy.' Items included store-bought breakfast cereal, granola bars, fruit snacks, flavored yogurt cups, instant noodles and ready-made lasagna. By contrast, participants on the MPF diet were fed catered meals of overnight oats with fresh fruit, plain yogurt with toasted oats and fruit, handmade fruit and nut bars, freshly made chicken salad, homemade stir fry and spaghetti Bolognese. While processing levels differed wildly between the two diets, portions and nutritional content were similar. Researchers matched the diets for calories, sugar, fat, fiber and micronutrients. Both aligned with dietary guidance from the UK government, called the Eatwell Guide (EWG). Participants lost weight on both diets, but considerably more when they abstained from UPFs. At the end of the eight-week trial, participants on the MPF diet lost 2% of their body weight compared to a 1% loss from the UPF diet. 3 Participants lost weight on both diets but considerably more when they abstained from UPFs. ISO101 – The results were published this week in the journal Nature Medicine. While these numbers are small, the trial period was relatively short. When extrapolated over a year, participants on an MPF diet would lose between 9% and 13% of their weight, while those who adhered to the UPF diet would drop 4% to 5%. In addition to more pounds shed, the MPF diet also correlated to more fat loss, fewer cravings and lower triglycerides. 'Choosing less processed options such as whole foods and cooking from scratch, rather than ultra-processed, packaged foods or ready meals, is likely to offer additional benefits in terms of body weight, body composition and overall health,' said senior study author Rachel Batterham from the UCL Centre for Obesity Research. Researchers believe some of the weight loss can be attributed to people eating less on the MPF diet since UPFs are 'hyperpalatable.' Despite the known risks, UPFs can be a tough habit to kick since they have been engineered for convenience and cravings, with a combination of flavors and additives designed to encourage addictive eating behavior. Comparatively, participants scored the MPF diet lower in taste and flavor ratings, suggesting that they ate less because the food was less compelling and addictive. 3 While processing levels differed wildly between the two diets, portions and nutritional content were similar. Allistair F/ – Still, researchers noted that people were able to lose weight on the UPF diet, contradicting previous claims that UPFs inhibit weight loss. Batterham maintains that this is owed in part to this particular UPF diet following nutritional guidelines. 'The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat and prioritizing high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts,' she said. One situation in which UPFs may edge out their whole food competition? Plant-based meat replacement products. The new study findings come as packaged foods and frozen meals persist in US diets, with recent research revealing that a shocking 60% of Americans' daily caloric intake comes from UPFs. While UPFs may not completely sabotage weight loss, they can contribute to a slew of health problems. A recent study suggested that some UPFs may contain a disturbing amount of microplastics, which are potentially harmful to respiratory, reproductive and mental health. UPF consumption has also been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Forget fad diets — new study says cutting processed food may be the real key to feeling your best
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Staying active and eating well are two of the most effective ways to support your health. Whether you are pounding the pavements in a pair of the best running shoes, cycling, walking, or working out at the gym, how you fuel your body plays a major role in your energy and performance. While regular exercise strengthens your body, the quality of your diet influences how well your metabolism functions and how your body manages weight. A new U.K. study has investigated how diets high in ultraprocessed foods compare to those rich in minimally processed whole foods. The research found that choosing less processed foods may encourage healthier changes in body weight and metabolic function, even when people are free to eat as much as they want. Get 27% off the women's version of this top-rated running shoe and the men's version is available at the same discount too. Known for its excellent cushioning, durable outsole, and breathable fit, it is a reliable choice for both beginners and seasoned Deal Minimally Processed vs Ultraprocessed Diets In the study, which was published in the Nature Medicine journal, researchers examined the effects of diets high in ultraprocessed foods on 55 adults in England over eight weeks. Participants followed two different eight-week diet phases based on the UK Eatwell Guide. One diet emphasized minimally processed foods such as fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Ultraprocessed foods like boxed macaroni and cheese, potato chips, and fast-food items dominated the other. Both diet periods led to changes in body weight, but participants experienced greater reductions during the minimally processed food phase. On average, they lost around 2% of their body weight compared to roughly 1% during the ultraprocessed phase. These differences occurred even though participants were allowed to eat freely in both phases. The study also found that the ultraprocessed diet was linked to slower metabolic responses and milder digestive symptoms such as bloating, compared to the minimally processed diet. Why food quality matters Ultraprocessed foods often contain more added sugars, unhealthy fats, and salt, while typically offering fewer nutrients compared to whole foods. These factors can affect how full you feel and how your body processes food. The study hints that paying attention to food quality, along with following general healthy eating advice, can support your metabolism and help you manage your weight more healthily. That said, ultraprocessed foods are often cheaper, quicker, and more convenient, which is why they play a big role in many of our diets. It's good to take findings like this with a pinch of salt, quite literally. You don't have to go to your pantry and throw out all your favorite snacks or ready meals to eat well. Instead, try to balance your meals by adding more fresh, minimally processed ingredients when you can. Simple swaps like cooking in batches, using frozen vegetables, or choosing whole grain versions of staples such as bread, pasta, and rice can make eating healthier easier and more affordable. It's about progress, not perfection, when it comes to leading a healthy and happy life. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. More from Tom's Guide Want to protect your brain as you age? Science says to start with this routine Sit-ups, shuttle runs, and pull-ups? Trump revives the presidential fitness test Hate sit-ups? Study shows this is the only activity you need to strengthen your core
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Business Standard
05-08-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Weight loss doubles with minimally processed foods, new study finds
A new study has found that people who eat minimally processed foods, such as home-cooked meals made with whole ingredients, lose twice as much weight as those consuming diets high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs), even when given nutritionally matched diets. The findings come from a randomised controlled trial involving adults with overweight or obesity, conducted by researchers at the University College London (UCL) and the University College London Hospitals (UCLH). The study, published in Nature Medicine, is the first to compare ultra-processed and minimally processed diets in real-world settings and is also the longest experiment of its kind so far. What the study found The trial involved 55 adults split into two groups. One group followed an eight-week minimally processed food (MPF) diet, with meals like overnight oats or homemade spaghetti. Then the group took a four-week break before switching to an UPF diet, including items like oat bars or ready-made lasagne. The other group followed the diets in reverse order. Both diets were nutritionally balanced and based on the UK's Eatwell Guide, with similar levels of fat, protein, carbs, salt, and fibre. Participants received more food than they needed and were free to eat as much or as little as they liked. Dr Samuel Dicken, first author of the study from the UCL Centre for Obesity Research and UCL Department of Behavioural Science & Health, said, "Previous research has linked ultra-processed foods with poor health outcomes. But not all ultra-processed foods are inherently unhealthy based on their nutritional profile. The main aim of this trial was to fill crucial gaps in our knowledge about the role of food processing in the context of existing dietary guidance, and how it affects health outcomes such as weight, blood pressure and body composition, as well as experiential factors like food cravings." After each eight-week diet, both groups lost weight, likely due to eating better than usual. However, weight loss was greater on the MPF diet, with an average reduction of 2.06 per cent, compared to 1.05 per cent on the UPF diet. The extra weight loss seen on the MPF diet came mainly from losing fat and body water, without affecting muscle or fat-free mass, suggesting a healthier overall body composition. Commenting on the effects of the MPF diet, Dr Dicken said, "Though a 2 per cent reduction may not seem very big, that is only over eight weeks and without people trying to actively reduce their intake. If we scale these results up over the course of a year, we'd expect to see a 13 per cent weight reduction in men and a 9 per cent reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4 per cent weight reduction in men and 5 per cent in women after the ultra-processed diet. Over time this would start to become a big difference." What are UPFs and MPFs? Ultra-processed foods are industrially processed and contain additives. UPFs include many of the things you find in the freezer aisle or store shelves such as: Packaged snacks and ready meals Sugary cereals, breakfast bars Fast food Ready-to-eat meals Items with long ingredient lists and additives In contrast, minimally processed foods include: Fresh fruits and vegetables Whole grains Lean meats and legumes Homemade meals with limited added salt or sugar "The global food system at the moment drives diet-related poor health and obesity, particularly because of the wide availability of cheap, unhealthy food. This study highlights the importance of ultra-processing in driving health outcomes in addition to the role of nutrients like fat, salt and sugar. It underlines the need to shift the policy focus away from individual responsibility and on to the environmental drivers of obesity, such as the influence of multinational food companies in shaping unhealthy food environments," said Professor Chris van Tulleken from UCL. What does this mean for you? Researchers suggest that UPFs may lead to: Overeating due to low satiety Disrupted hunger hormones Faster eating pace, which contributes to excess intake before the body registers fullness Meanwhile, the minimally processed diet helped participants feel fuller longer, eat more slowly, and naturally reduce calorie consumption without intentional restriction. The takeaway from the study is simple: it's not just about eating less or moving more. It's about getting back to basics with meals made with whole ingredients. Professor Rachel Batterham, senior author of the study explained that choosing less processed rather than ultra-processed ones is likely to offer additional benefits in terms of body weight, body composition and overall health. 'The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and prioritising high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts,' she said. Professor van Tulleken further explained that the real problem lies in a food system dominated by cheap, highly processed products with lower costs. He said, 'Stakeholders across disciplines and organizations must work together and focus on wider policy actions that improve our food environment,' highlighting the need for warning labels, marketing restrictions, and subsidies to make healthy food more accessible.
STV News
05-08-2025
- Health
- STV News
Eating fewer ultra-processed foods could boost weight loss, trial suggests
Eating minimally processed foods and avoiding ultra processed foods (UPFs) could help people lose twice as much weight, a new trial has found. Sticking to meals cooked from scratch could also help curb food cravings, researchers suggest. UPFs include the likes of processed meals, ice cream, crisps, some breakfast cereals, biscuits and fizzy drinks. They tend to have high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar, as well as additives and ingredients that are not used when people cook from scratch, like preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours. The trial, led by experts at University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), involved 55 people split into two groups. Half were given an eight-week diet plan comprising minimally processed foods, such as overnight oats and spaghetti bolognese, while the other half were given foods like breakfast oat bars or lasagne ready meals. After completing one diet, the groups then switched. Researchers matched the two diets nutritionally on levels of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt and fibre using the Eatwell Guide, which outlines recommendations on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Dr Samuel Dicken, of the UCL Centre for Obesity Research and UCL department of behavioural science and health, said: 'Previous research has linked ultra-processed foods with poor health outcomes. 'But not all ultra-processed foods are inherently unhealthy based on their nutritional profile.' He said the main aim of the study was to explore the role of food processing and how it impacts weight, blood pressure, body composition and food cravings. Some 50 people completed the trial, with both groups losing weight. However, those on the minimally processed diet lost more weight (2.06%) compared to the UPF diet (1.05% loss). The UPF diet also did not result in significant fat loss, researchers said. Dr Dicken said: 'Though a 2% reduction may not seem very big, that is only over eight weeks and without people trying to actively reduce their intake. 'If we scaled these results up over the course of a year, we'd expect to see a 13% weight reduction in men and a 9% reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4% weight reduction in men and 5% in women after the ultra-processed diet. 'Over time this would start to become a big difference.' Those on the trial were also asked to complete questionnaires on food cravings before and after starting the diets. Those eating minimally processed foods had less cravings and were able to resist them better, the study suggests. However, researchers also measured others markers like blood pressure, heart rate, liver function, glucose levels and cholesterol and found no significant negative impacts of the UPF diet. Professor Chris van Tulleken, of the UCL division of infection and immunity and UCLH, said: 'The global food system at the moment drives diet-related poor health and obesity, particularly because of the wide availability of cheap, unhealthy food. 'This study highlights the importance of ultra-processing in driving health outcomes in addition to the role of nutrients like fat, salt and sugar.' The Eatwell Guide recommends the average woman should consume around 2,000 calories a day, while an average man should consume 2,500. Both diet groups had a calorie deficit, meaning people were eating fewer calories than what they were burning, which helps with weight loss. However, the deficit was higher from minimally processed foods at around 230 calories a day, compared with 120 calories per day from UPFs. Professor Rachel Batterham, senior author of the study from the UCL centre for obesity research, said: 'Despite being widely promoted, less than 1% of the UK population follows all of the recommendations in the Eatwell Guide, and most people stick to fewer than half. 'The normal diets of the trial participants tended to be outside national nutritional guidelines and included an above average proportion of UPF, which may help to explain why switching to a trial diet consisting entirely of UPF, but that was nutritionally balanced, resulted in neutral or slightly favourable changes to some secondary health markers. 'The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and prioritising high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts. 'Choosing less processed options such as whole foods and cooking from scratch, rather than ultra-processed, packaged foods or ready meals, is likely to offer additional benefits in terms of body weight, body composition and overall health.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
