Quick Reads
Dietary benefits of water For people who want to control their weight or reduce their intakes of sugar, sodium and saturated fat, tap water may be the answer. A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 18,300 U.S. adults found the majority of people who increased their consumption of plain water by 1% reduced their total daily calorie intake as well as their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol. A paper issued by researchers at the U. of Illinois stated those who increased water consumption by one, two or three cups daily decreased their total energy intake by 68 to 205 calories daily and their sodium intake by 78 to 235 milligrams. — U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics)
Babies at mealtime: more than eating At the dinner table, new research suggests babies do a lot more than play with their sippy cups; they pay close attention to what food is being eaten around them, and especially who is eating it. The study adds evidence to a growing body of research suggesting even very young children think in sophisticated ways about subtle social cues. The authors found 1-year-olds expect people to like the same foods, unless those people belong to different social or cultural groups, such as those that speak a different language. The study underscores just how tightly our food choices are coupled with our social thinking. “Kids are sensitive to cultural groups early in life,” said the study’s coauthor Katherine Kinzler. “When babies see someone eat, they are not just learning about food – they are also learning about who eats what with whom. An ability to think about people as being ‘same versus different’, and perhaps even ‘us versus them,’ starts very early in life.” — Cornell University (published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Don’t drink the (warm) water, study says Americans can take a warning from a U. of Florida study of bottled water in China: don’t drink the liquid if you’ve left it somewhere warm for a long time. Plastic water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate. When heated, they release the chemicals antimony and bisphenol A, commonly called BPA. A research team examined 16 bottled water brands at 158 degrees for four weeks. The study found that as bottles warmed over the fourweek period, antimony and BPA levels increased. Some health officials, including those at the Mayo Clinic, say the chemical can cause negative effects on children’s health. The U. of Florida scientist warned against leaving bottled water in a hot garage for weeks on end or in your car all day during the summer. — U. of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science 6
October 2016 | www.primemontgomery.com