Clinical trial reaffirms diet beverages play positive role in weight loss

A new study published today in Obesity, the journal of The Obesity Society, confirms that drinking diet beverages can help people lose weight.

"This study clearly demonstrates that diet beverages can in fact help people lose weight, directly countering myths in recent years that suggest the opposite effect -- weight gain," said James O. Hill, Ph.D., executive director of the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center and a co-author of the study. "In fact, those who drank diet beverages lost more weight and reported feeling significantly less hungry than those who drank water alone. This reinforces that if you're trying to shed pounds, you can enjoy diet beverages."

The 12-week clinical study of 303 participants is the first prospective, randomized clinical trial to directly compare the effects of water and diet beverages on weight loss within a behavioral weight loss program. Conducted simultaneously by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Center for Health and Wellness in Aurora and Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education in Philadelphia, the study shows that subjects who consumed diet beverages lost an average of 13 pounds -- 44 percent more than the control group, which lost an average of 9 pounds. More than half of the participants in the diet beverage group -- 64 percent -- lost at least five percent of their body weight, compared with only 43 percent of the control group. Losing just five percent of body weight has been shown to significantly improve health, including lowering the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. The study was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from the American Beverage Association.

"There's so much misinformation about diet beverages that isn't based on studies designed to test cause and effect, especially on the Internet," said John C. Peters, co-author of the study and the chief strategy officer of the CU Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. "This research allows dieters to feel confident that low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages can play an important and helpful role as part of an effective and comprehensive weight loss strategy."

Study participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those who were allowed to drink diet beverages, such as diet sodas, teas and flavored waters, or those who were in a control group that drank water only. With the exception of beverage options, both groups followed an identical diet and exercise program for the duration of the study.

In addition to losing 44 percent more weight than the control group, the diet beverage group also:

Reported feeling significantly less hungry;

Showed significantly greater improvements in serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) -- the so-called "bad" cholesterol; and

Saw a significant reduction in serum triglycerides.

Both diet soda and water groups saw reductions in waist circumference, and blood pressure.

This latest study adds to the body of research demonstrating that diet beverages do not hinder, but in fact help, with weight loss. In particular, two studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by researchers from the University of North Carolina in 2012 and 2013 randomly assigned non-dieting participants to drink either water or diet beverages. While both groups cut their food intake significantly, after six months the diet beverage group had a greater likelihood of reaching a meaningful (5 percent) amount of weight loss compared to the control group. The diet beverage group also experienced a greater reduction in dessert consumption than the water group. Overall, the findings suggest that diet beverages do not fuel a preference for sweet foods and drinks.

Additional research published in 2009 on weight loss maintenance, drawn from the National Weight Control Registry, found that successful weight loss maintainers drank three times more diet beverages than those who had never lost weight.

The study was supported by the American Beverage Association (ABA), a trade association in Washington, DC.It was peer-reviewed and posted on www.clinicaltrials.gov. Neither ABA, nor any of its members, was involved in any part of the study, its analysis or the writing of this paper.

Spicy Insect Crunch Roll, Sushi Made from Crickets and Worms

To many palates, raw fish is a big ol’ nasty no-no. But buried in sriracha, cream cheese, teriyaki sauce, and panko flakes? Even the pickiest eaters can be persuaded.

Maybe it’s time we applied the same logic to bugs. That’s what Texas sushi chef Peter Yung is thinking, anyway. At Austin’s How Do You Roll, the co-founder and executive chef partnered with edible insect company World Ento to create a new kind of sushi filled and topped with two kinds of crunchy creepy crawlies. A “Spicy Insectopia Roll,” he calls it, and it’s made by dressing a whole bunch of crickets in sesame oil and teriyaki, setting them atop a bed of rice, seaweed, cucumber, and jalapeño, rolling them into sushi form, topping the rice with marinated mealworms, and then drizzling the whole mess in enough sauce so that the insects are nearly unrecognizable. You know, until they wriggle. (Totally kidding.)

According to Prevention Magazine, mealworms in particular carry significant health and eco-benefits, such as containing 50% protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and only requiring 1/1000th of the amount of water needed to raise cows.

If that isn’t enough to sway you to the buggy side, Prevention writer Mandy Oaklander claims the roll was not at all slimy and actually retained a nice, sweet crunch.

Chili Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza Now Available at Pizza Hut New Zealand

Pizza Hut is basically stuffing their crusts full of anything these days. The original cheese isn’t good enough anymore, now it’s all about cream cheese and fish eggs and friggin’ cheeseburger stuffed crust pizzas. Now Pizza Hut is taking their original hot dog stuffed crust concept and spicing it up with some chili.

To make things even more crazy delicious the franks are cheesy hot dogs with bits of cheese inside. Are you kidding me?! In case you’re someone who prefers their hot dogs topped with some condiments, Pizza Hut is happy to accommodate you with a side of ketchup and mustard packets. Whether you eat it backwards or forwards you’re still getting two meals for the price of one.

Though this mouthwatering pizza is only available at Pizza Hut New Zealand locations we have to wonder how something as american as a hot dog isn’t being pushed here in the states.

Wake and Bake at Colorado’s ‘Bud and Breakfast’

With recreational marijuana now legal in Colorado, businesses both in and out of state have been inspired to create such offerings as weed and sushi pairings and melty weed pizza. Now, the owners of the Adagio Bed and Breakfast signed a one-year lease with a company that will soon be known as “The MaryJane Group, Inc.” Ahem.

According to a press release, the soon-to-be MJG plans to transform the quaint bed and breakfast into a “pilot project in the marijuana-friendly lodging industry.”

The all-inclusive “Bud and Breakfast” will include unlimited food, drinks, and “the best marijuana and marijuana edibles Colorado has to offer.” Let us repeat: all-inclusive marijuana. Oh, and there will be an in-house chef on deck to prepare gourmet meals cooked to order. Insert heavy breathing here.

If the concept Bud and Breakfast proves successful, Joel C. Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pladeo (aka The MaryJane Group), says they plan to “expand through the leasing or acquisition of additional inns and Bed and Breakfast establishments.”

While Schneider did not disclose the room rates and the date the transformation will take place, we hope it’s very very soon.

By: Charisma Madarang

Are you willing to pay up to $100 for chocolate flavored toothpaste? Theodent thinks so. The oral care company’s toothpaste is made with a patented substance derived from the cacao plant.  The substance, called rennou, is supposedly non-toxic, safe for kids, and not harmful if swallowed. Best of all, since it’s derived from cacao, it makes your tooth-brushing taste like dessert.

The toothpaste is fluoride free, using theobromine, calcium, and phosphate to create a natural alternative. Theodent also claims that these compounds not only clean teeth, but actually build up your enamel, making your pearly whites even stronger. Oh boy, ma!

As for why it costs such a steep price remains to be seen. The classic toothpaste claims to only cost $10, but is currently unavailable for purchase on Theodent website. Conveniently, the Theodent 300 — the extra strength paste with extra high doses of rennou — costs $99.99. Packs quickly raise the price even higher.

So what do you think? Is it worth it to have your breath taste faintly like chocolate all the time?

Theodent Toothpaste $99 and up

H/T  RocketNews