nutritionnews

Curcumin for Metabolism (new study!)

What you need to know ⬇️


Curcumin is the biologically active compound in turmeric (the yellow spice used in curry).


It’s a polyphenol known for its beneficial effects on metabolic health—including blood sugar, insulin, inflammation, and weight.


But curcumin is not well absorbed from the digestive tract, so there have always been questions about its bioavailability and whether it’s worth taking.


A new research review (PMID 39062953) reveals that curcumin may not need to be well absorbed to still have metabolic effects 🙌


The reason is because curcumin acts directly in the gut to shift the gut microbiota in favor of beneficial bacterial strains, like Bifidobacteri, Lactobacilli, and butyrate-producing bacteria.


👉 This shift in gut microbiomes translates into a cascade of events that influences metabolic health.


The thing about natural compounds is that they always have multiple effects on many pathways in the human body. This is what makes them more challenging to study and to explain but so powerful for our health.


If you want to explore ways to add more turmeric into your diet, you can try out:

🫚 Golden Milk (warm milk with turmeric and spices)

🫚 Yellow Rice (add a dash of turmeric while cooking)

🫚 Scrambled Eggs or Tofu (mix turmeric in when cooking)

🫚 Smoothies (sprinkle into your smoothie)


Do you have a favorite way to use turmeric? Let me know in the comments.


Servida S, Piontini A, Gori F, et al. Curcumin and Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Overview with Focus on Glycemic Control. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(14):7710. [link]

Nutrients Missing from Low-Carb Diets?

💥 🗞️ New Study!!


When compared with diets not restricting carbohydrates, low-carb diets may lead to nutrient depletions—especially of some B vitamins and magnesium.


This recent study found that some of the nutrient requirements not being met by low-carb diets included thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.


Red blood cell levels of thiamine were lower and low levels of magnesium were more common in people following a low-carb diet.


This is not medical advice.

This is just something to be aware of if you have chosen to follow a low-carb diet.


It is always best to make dietary changes under the guidance of a practitioner who understands nutrition, metabolism, and supplementation.


This is our specialty.


🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!


REFERENCE:
Churuangsuk C, Catchpole A, Talwar D, et al. Low thiamine status in adults following low-carbohydrate / ketogenic diets: a cross-sectional comparative study of micronutrient intake and status. Eur J Nutr. Published online July 5, 2024. [link]

Artificial Sweeteners: Yes or No?

The truth about artificial sweeteners ⬇️

In case you haven’t heard, there was this huge study run by Harvard School of Public Health of more than 30,000 middle-aged female nurses in the US called the Nurses Health Study II.

The women submitted info about their eating habits every 4 years for 15 years.

One finding was that women who ate more processed foods were more likely to develop depression, but now…

A more detailed analysis looked at specific components of their diets and found the only thing significantly associated with a greater risk of depression….

Was artificial sweeteners ❌

This study does not prove causation (it only shows association), but my question is this:

Is it worth the risk?

Reference

Samuthpongtorn C, Nguyen LH, Okereke OI, et al. Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food and Risk of Depression. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(9):e2334770. [link]

Best Diets for 2023: What You Need to Know

🫒The Results are In for the Best Diets in 2023 🫒

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

and the Mediterranean Diet wins again 🎉

U.S. News and World Reports released its annual rankings of the best diet plans in January, and here’s how they landed:

Best Overall:

1️⃣ Mediterranean Diet (focused on fruits, veg, olive oil, and fish)

2️⃣ DASH (aimed to stop high blood pressure)

3️⃣ Flexitarian Diet (focused on fruits, veg, and occasional meats)

No single diet is best for everyone, so rankings were also done for the best diets in 10 specific categories:

✔️ Weight Loss

✔️ Fast Weight Loss

✔️ Healthy Eating

✔️ Heart Healthy

✔️ Diabetes

✔️ Joint Health

✔️ Family Friendly

✔️ Plant Based

✔️ Easiest to Follow

✔️ Diet Programs

Which category are you most interested in?

REFERENCE: U.S. News & World Report: "2023 Best Diet Rankings." [link]