Dessert Trash Can Nachos

Kit of ingredients to make the dessert

The sweet and savory dessert starts with crispy cannoli chips, which are stacked with mini pretzels, chocolate toffee pieces and brownie pieces and layered with whiskey dark chocolate and whiskey salted caramel.

The kit, which feeds 4-6 people, is available from Goldbelly in the U.S. for US$79.95.

Food with Flavonoids May Reduce Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

Sari Harrar wrote . . . . . . . . .

Regular consumption of food and drinks high in cell-protecting flavonoids—plant-based compounds found in fruit, vegetables, chocolate, and beverages such as red wine and tea—has been linked to fewer deaths among people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a study published in Neurology in March 2022. In an analysis of 599 women and 652 men with Parkinson’s who were tracked for an average of 33 years, those who consumed flavonoid-rich food and beverages three times a week were 26 to 40 percent less likely to die from any cause compared with those who had them less than once a month.

The subjects were enrolled in two long-running studies—the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study—that have been tracking the health of middle-aged and older adults across the United States. Since the 1970s and 1980s, participants have completed questionnaires every two to four years about diet, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle habits. For the Neurology report, researchers identified those who developed Parkinson’s disease, then analyzed their answers on food questionnaires to assess their intake of six major types of flavonoids. To determine deaths in this group, the researchers reviewed government records and reports from next of kin.

In addition to a lower death risk for those who ate the most flavonoids after their Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, the study found that men who consumed the most flavonoids before a Parkinson’s diagnosis also had a lower risk of death. This analysis joins an expanding pool of research uncovering promising associations for people with Parkinson’s disease.

“Adopting a healthy diet, high in colorful fruits and veggies, even after a Parkinson’s diagnosis, could slow disease progression and improve survival rates,” says lead author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, chair of the department of nutrition and food hygiene at Fudan University’s School of Public Health in Shanghai (and previously on the faculty at Penn State). In a 2012 Neurology study, Dr. Gao and others found that higher flavonoid intake, particularly in men, reduced risk for developing Parkinson’s.

Flavonoids may protect the brain and body, and by extension reduce early death risk, in several ways, according to the Neurology study’s authors. They may tamp down the inflammation that contributes to the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells in Parkinson’s by mopping up cell-damaging free radicals. “In animal studies, polyphenols [beneficial plant compounds including flavonoids] have been shown to reduce the formation of alpha-synuclein, the sticky protein that clumps in the brains and bodies of those with Parkinson’s disease,” says Kellyann Niotis, MD, a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. Flavonoids also can help protect against high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, depression, and cognitive decline—all of which contribute to the risk of dying in people with or without Parkinson’s disease.

The fact that food choices may influence the risk of Parkinson’s disease and end-of-life outcomes is significant, says Dr. Niotis, who focuses on risk-reduction strategies for patients with a family history of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. “So many risk factors are nonmodifiable, such as age, sex, and genetics. This is an element that is potentially modifiable,” she says. “It is well known that both the Mediterranean and the MIND [Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay] diets are associated with lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” she says, referring to two mostly plant-based diets. “But emerging research now supports their potential benefit in preventing and delaying the start of Parkinson’s. These diets may have a beneficial effect on brain health overall.”

While Dr. Niotis thinks the new study adds to existing knowledge, she notes some key limitations. It didn’t consider subtypes of Parkinson’s that lead to faster progression and more severe disease. It also didn’t look at diet and specific causes of death. People with the disorder are at higher risk for an earlier death for many reasons, including falls due to movement problems, pneumonia related to swallowing problems, and overall frailty, which can make even minor medical problems more serious. Reducing early mortality should be meaningful, Dr. Niotis says, but the study didn’t provide any information about the participants’ quality of life, which is an important component.

“There’s no magic bullet for preventing neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, but we all can make brain-healthier choices,” she says. “Adhering to a diet rich in antioxidants and flavonoids may positively affect Parkinson’s disease risk, trajectory, and related complications.”

The best way to add more flavonoids to your diet is through food, not supplements. “We don’t have enough evidence to support the consumption of flavonoid supplements to lower Parkinson’s disease risk or mortality,” Dr. Gao says.

These tips from Nicole Shuckett, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in Toronto who specializes in nutrition and movement disorders, can help you increase your flavonoid intake.

Eat the rainbow. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables in different colors to get a range of beneficial flavonoids, says Shuckett. In the analysis published in Neurology, people who got the most anthocyanins (from foods such as blueberries, cherries, cranberries, and red cabbage) and flavonols (found in apples, tea, bananas, peaches, and pears) had a 66 to 69 percent higher survival rate than those who ate the least. Add in flavonoid-rich ingredients by sprinkling chopped parsley on soup or squeezing lemon, lime, or orange juice into water.

Juice it up. “Smoothies can be loaded with berries, high-quality cocoa, and green leafy vegetables,” Dr. Niotis says. They are convenient for people with Parkinson’s disease or anyone else who has difficulty chewing, swallowing, or handling eating utensils, she adds.

Buy frozen versions. Frozen strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries may be less expensive than fresh berries and keep for months, Shuckett says. The same is true for frozen spinach, kale, and other leafy greens, which can be added to soups and stews.

Sip a cuppa. Black and green tea come from the same plant—camellia sinensis—and both deliver flavonoids called epicatechins. Steeping the tea in boiling water for five to 10 minutes increases the amount of antioxidants, according to a study published in Food Chemistry by researchers at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY.

Make it a meal. Look for recipes that use tofu, black beans, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, and sweet peppers, either raw or cooked. They are all good sources of flavonoids, says Shuckett.

Savor red wine. Drinking three glasses of red wine per week was associated with lower mortality risk in the study, but alcohol’s not right for everyone. “A glass of red wine a couple of times a week is fine, as long as your doctor doesn’t advise against it,” Shuckett says.

Don’t forget dessert. Get flavonoids even in dessert by choosing one that includes dark chocolate or fruit, says Shuckett, who suggests pairing them for a sweet treat.

Source: Brain&Life

In Pictures: Food of The Clove Club in London, UK

Fine Dining Modern British Cuisine

No.32 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021

Could Milk Raise a Man’s Odds for Prostate Cancer?

Denise Mann wrote . . . . . . . . .

Men who drink lots of milk may be more likely to develop prostate cancer than men who don’t, new research finds.

When compared to men who consumed just 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk every day, men who drank about 1-3/4 cups of milk daily were about 27% more likely to develop prostate cancer, a new study showed.

What’s more, they had about a 60% increased risk for developing prostate cancer compared with men who steered clear of dairy altogether.

The new study wasn’t designed to say how, or even if, milk consumption ups the risk for prostate cancer, but researchers have their theories.

“Insulin-like growth factor-1 is known to be a risk factor for prostate and breast cancer, and it turns out that dairy consumption raises the level of this hormone,” said study author Dr. Gary Fraser. He is a professor of preventive medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and School of Public Health in California.

Prostate cancer needs hormones to grow, and there are other hormones found in cow’s milk, too, he said. Fraser and colleagues previously published similar findings linking dairy to breast cancer.

“This issue needs a little more clarity before we conclude that there is a causal link, but there could be, and if you had a bad family history of prostate cancer, I would be inclined to go on a plant-based diet now,” Fraser said.

Plant-based alternatives to cow’s milk include soy, oat, almond, cashew and other nondairy milks. These nondairy calcium sources did not increase prostate cancer risk in the new study.

For the study, the researchers asked more than 28,700 men about their diets. A handful of men were also asked to recall all the food and drinks that they consumed in the previous 24 hours.

None of the men had prostate cancer when the study began, but 1,254 men developed prostate cancer after about eight years of follow-up. Researchers created a statistical model to control for other factors that could affect the results, including family history of prostate cancer, race or age.

Milk consumption increased the risk for all types of prostate cancer, including the more aggressive form.

The increase in risk for prostate cancer was directly tied to low- or regular-fat milk, not yogurt or cheese, and this increase plateaued after about two-thirds of a cup of milk each day, Fraser said.

The study did have its share of limitations. Asking people to recall what they ate isn’t always the most reliable method of gathering information.

The research is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Outside experts aren’t ready to say that milk increases prostate cancer risk.

It’s too early to draw that conclusion, said Dr. Otis Brawley, a professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

“We do know that obesity, consuming too many calories, and not getting enough exercise increases the risk of aggressive prostate cancer,” Brawley said.

The best way to stay one step ahead of prostate cancer is to maintain a normal body weight, exercise regularly, and eat a balanced diet with five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day, he said.

Dr. Andrew Laccetti, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Montvale, N.J., agreed.

“Although this study does not definitely suggest that dairy directly causes an increase in prostate cancer risk, it does fit with the broader understanding that prostate cancer is a disease of Western nations,” he said.

“A Western lifestyle, including diets rich in saturated fats, sedentary behavior and obesity, exhibits convincing evidence to support an association with the development of prostate cancer,” Laccetti noted.

Source: HealthDay

Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, with skin on
1 lb 2 oz unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 thyme sprig
sea salt and black pepper

Salad

1/2 small white loaf, crusts removed
8 quail’s eggs
8 crispy pancetta slices
2 Boston lettuce, trimmed
8 freshly marinated anchovies
Parmesan shavings

Dressing

3 medium egg yolks
4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
generous 1-1/2 cups pomace or light olive oil
1-2 tbsp warm water (if required)

Method

1. First, wrap the loaf of bread for the salad in a freezer bag and freeze for an hour until firm.
2. Remove the skins from the chicken breasts.
3. Melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic, thyme, and seasoning. Turn off the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes. Spoon out 3 tbsp of the butter and set aside for the toasts.
4. Bring the pan of butter to a bare simmer. Add the chicken breasts and poach gently for about 30 minutes until just cooked, turning halfway. Let cool in the butter.
5. Preheat the oven to 265°F (130°C).
6. Remove the bread from the freezer and cut into very thin slices. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle or brush over the reserved butter. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until completely dry and crisp.
7. Make the dressing. Whiz all the ingredients, except the oil, in a blender or food processor to a smooth paste. With the motor running, slowly blend in the oil until it emulsifies to the consistency of mayonnaise. If the dressing is too thick, let it down with 1-2 tbsp warm water until you obtain the desired consistency. Season well with salt and pepper.
8. Make the salad. Gently lower the quail’s eggs into a pan of simmering water and cook for 2-1/2 minutes. Refresh under cold running water, then peel off the shells.
9. Fry the pancetta in a dry skillet until golden and crispy on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
10. Separate the lettuce leaves and thinly shred the hearts. Toss them in a large bowl with some of the dressing, then divide between serving bowls.
11. Remove the chicken breasts from the butter and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into slices and arrange over the lettuce.
12. Scatter over the anchovies, pancetta, quail’s eggs, crispy shards of toast, and Parmesan shavings. Drizzle over a little dressing and serve with a sprinkling of crushed pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Jason Atherton

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