Study of first-graders shows fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevalent in US communities

Study of first-graders shows fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevalent in US communities

February 6, 2018 – Philip A. May, PhD, research professor at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, led NIH-funded research that examined over 6,000 children to determine prevalence of FASD ranged from 1.1 to 5 percent.
A new study of more than 6,000 first-graders across four U.S. communities has found that a significant number of the children examined, as many as 5 percent in one community sample, may have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, the new findings may represent more accurate prevalence estimates of FASD among general U.S. communities than prior research. Previous FASD estimates were based on smaller study populations and do not reflect the overall U.S. population.

February 2018

Whole Foods and Nutrient Synergy January 29, 2018 – Have you ever wondered why we eat certain foods together? What is it about pork that demands applesauce? Wouldn’t a lovely piece of hard cheese go well with that glass of red wine? Is beef and broccoli just a dish or...
Why a Fly?

Why a Fly?

January 29, 2018 – The genome of a fruit fly is strikingly similar to that of a human — so much so that scientists have been studying these tiny insects for over 100 years, in search of treatments for diseases like spinal muscular atrophy and neurological disorders. UNC geneticist and director of the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences Bob Duronio, PhD is one of those scientists. “It begins with curiosity. Curiosity about a process. And then a question about that process. And then a hypothesis that will lead to an experiment that will provide results and data to interpret. What I love about this process is that my hypotheses are often wrong. And that’s really exciting — because no human being is smart enough to understand biology at a level of molecular detail where their hypotheses are always right.”

Whole Foods and Nutrient Synergy

Whole Foods and Nutrient Synergy

January 29, 2018 – Have you ever wondered why we eat certain foods together? What is it about pork that demands applesauce? Wouldn’t a lovely piece of hard cheese go well with that glass of red wine? Is beef and broccoli just a dish or might there be a benefit to eating those together? It is difficult to trace how these traditional pairings got started. Apples with pork dates back to the time of Christ when an Ancient Roman named Apicius wrote down a recipe, but where did he get the idea? We find a clue in the story of why we eat mint with lamb. In an attempt to decrease the consumption of lamb and thereby increase wool exports, Queen Elizabeth I declared it unlawful to eat lamb without mint sauce, presumably because people disliked the taste of mint sauce (basically mint and vinegar). As it turned out, mint sauce was a great compliment to lamb. So, yes. Your first instinct was correct – we eat certain foods together because they taste good together!

January 2018

Quinoa Compounds Slow Aging, Improve Metabolic Health in Animal Study December 27, 2017 – In a collaboration between Rutgers University and the N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) at the NC Research Campus (NCRC), scientists used an animal...
Caramelized Pear, Roasted Tomato and Lentil Salad

Caramelized Pear, Roasted Tomato and Lentil Salad

December 29, 2017 – This fresh New Year salad combines the natural sweetness of caramelized pear and roasted tomato, with earthy lentils and tender butter lettuce. Finished with lemon zest, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, this elegant salad lends starts the New Year off on a healthy note.

Quinoa Compounds Slow Aging, Improve Metabolic Health in Animal Study

Quinoa Compounds Slow Aging, Improve Metabolic Health in Animal Study

December 27, 2017 – In a collaboration between Rutgers University and the N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) at the NC Research Campus (NCRC), scientists used an animal model to show for the first time that quinoa phytochemicals, such as ecdysteroids, may slow the effects of aging and improve metabolic health. Their study was published in the October 2017 edition of the Journal of Functional Foods.