Vegetables News and Research

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What’s missing in plant-based nutrition research? A new review explains

A new scoping review reveals major inconsistencies in how plant-based diet diversity is defined, measured, and linked to health outcomes in high-income countries. The findings highlight a critical need for standard definitions and validated assessment tools in future research.

30 Apr 2025

Processed blueberry bars provide polyphenols as effectively as raw fruit, research reveals

A randomized controlled trial from North Carolina State University found that food processing minimally affects the bioavailability of (poly)phenols from blueberries and blueberry-enriched protein bars. Both processed and raw forms delivered comparable levels of bioavailable phytochemicals.

28 Apr 2025

Ultra-processed foods make up nearly half of US grocery purchases, raising public health concerns

A 2025 study of nearly 60,000 US households found that almost half of grocery purchases were ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with major disparities based on income, education, and race. Non-Hispanic white households led in UPF purchases, especially in beverages, reversing earlier trends.

28 Apr 2025

Perspective shows Brexit exposed vulnerabilities in the UK’s food system

A new perspective article in Foods analyzes how Brexit disrupted the UK's food standards, security, and agricultural policy. The authors argue that emerging neoliberal frameworks like neo-developmentalism and eco-extractivism are reshaping the UK’s food system and national resilience.

27 Apr 2025

Traditional African diet can protect against chronic diseases in just two weeks

A traditional African diet rich in vegetables, fibre, and fermented foods can reverse inflammation and protect against chronic diseases in just two weeks, while Western diets exacerbate these conditions, researchers say.

25 Apr 2025

Turning to kelp for sustainable lab-grown meat

Researchers are growing the food of the future in this laboratory: meat that uses kelp as an alternative to animal-based ingredients.

25 Apr 2025

Mediterranean diet helps manage rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s, study shows

The Mediterranean diet shows promise in managing both systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroiditis. Its anti-inflammatory and microbiota-modulating properties may reduce disease activity and improve metabolic outcomes.

23 Apr 2025

UK public backs food tax, if it makes healthy food more affordable

A nationally representative UK survey found that 48% of adults support taxing unhealthy foods, with support rising to 72% if revenues make healthy foods cheaper. Public backing was strongest among non-manual workers and Londoners, and weakest among lower-income and unemployed groups.

23 Apr 2025

DASH diet and salt reduction work together to reduce cardiovascular risk

Reducing dietary sodium and following the DASH diet each lower 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with the greatest benefit when combined. This effect is especially strong for women, Black adults, and those with stage 2 hypertension.

23 Apr 2025

Can a plant-based diet help prevent breast cancer?

A case-control study in Iranian women found that higher adherence to a healthy plant-based diet significantly reduces breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women and those with a BMI under 25. In contrast, high intake of unhealthy plant-based foods raised risk in premenopausal women.

22 Apr 2025

Plastic additives found in 85% of foods raise concern for infant health

Researchers assessed plasticizer levels in foods typical of the Spanish diet and found widespread contamination, with infants showing the highest exposure. Certain additives, like DEHP, exceeded safety thresholds in high-exposure scenarios.

21 Apr 2025

Why “eat 1 more” boosts fruit and vegetable intake more than “5 a day”

Setting specific goals, especially achievable ones like "Eat 1 more", significantly increased fruit and vegetable intake in both controlled and real-world environments. However, whether the goal was framed around current or future benefits had little impact on consumption.

18 Apr 2025

What sauerkraut can do for your gut

Fermented cabbage metabolites play a crucial role in maintaining gut barrier function, suggesting potential health benefits for inflammatory disorders.

16 Apr 2025

Modified Japanese diet shows promise for lowering blood pressure, study finds

A study of 12,213 Japanese workers found no link between hypertension and the traditional Japanese diet, but a modified version emphasizing whole grains, fruits, and dairy showed a potential protective effect. The findings highlight how modernizing traditional diets with nutrient-rich foods may combat high blood pressure.

16 Apr 2025

EAT-Lancet planetary diet shows no dementia risk, may protect against Alzheimer’s

In a large Swedish study, researchers found that the environmentally sustainable EAT-Lancet diet does not increase dementia risk and may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and all-cause dementia, particularly in people without the APOE ε4 gene. The findings support the integration of sustainable diets into dementia prevention strategies.

15 Apr 2025

Fermented cabbage could help protect the gut, study suggests

Is sauerkraut more than just a tangy topping? A new University of California, Davis, study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggests that the fermented cabbage could help protect your gut, which is an essential part of overall health, supporting digestion and protecting against illness.

15 Apr 2025

Want lower blood pressure? Pass the bananas, not the salt

Research shows that dietary potassium plays a vital role in blood pressure regulation, emphasizing the need for a balanced intake of sodium and potassium.

15 Apr 2025

Eating more potassium-rich foods may be effective for lowering blood pressure

New research from the University of Waterloo suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for lowering blood pressure than simply reducing sodium intake.

14 Apr 2025

Low vitamin K intake may adversely affect cognition as people get older

As scientists seek to unravel the intricate potential connections between nutrition and the aging brain, a new study from researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University is shedding light on how insufficient consumption of vitamin K may adversely affect cognition as people get older.

11 Apr 2025

Six early life factors found to influence obesity risk in South Asian children

Researchers at McMaster University have identified six key factors in the first three years of life that influence the trajectory of obesity in South Asian children.

10 Apr 2025