SAY ‘YES PLEASE’ TO CHEESE
It may be high in fat and often rather salty but now it seems eating 40g a day of cheese may help reduce the risk of developing some coronary heart diseases by up to 14 per cent.
So say researchers from Soochow University in China who have been evaluating 15 studies from Europe and the US which tracked the diet and health outcomes of more than 200,000 people[i].
The reason? It’s thought that although cheese has high levels of saturated fat, the calcium it contains stops much of that fat being absorbed by the body, while at the same time raising levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. It’s also thought cheese contains an acid that can help prevent the clogging of arteries.
MAGNESIUM CAN HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
If you have pre-diabetes, insulin resistance or a chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes, it’s vital to keep blood pressure down. In a recent study from Indiana University’s School of Public Health[ii], people with these conditions who take a magnesium supplement had significantly lower blood pressure after just three months.
VITAMIN D MAY HELP PREVENT ARTHRITIS
Essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscles, vitamin D may also help prevent the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, which affects more than 400,000 people in the UK according to a study led by the University of Birmingham[iii].
It’s not known exactly how much vitamin D is needed. Due to the lack of sunlight in the UK, the Department of Health recommends everyone should have a minimum of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day to help protect against bone and muscle conditions. Food sources of vitamin D include eggs, salmon and sardines.
[i] Chen G, Wang Y, Tong X, et al. Cheese consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of prospective studiesEuropean Journal of Nutrition. Published online August 16 2016
[ii] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28724644
[iii] sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171121123308.htm
