Charlyn Fargo, Contributor
A NEWLY PUBLISHED study suggests that asthma in adults is associated with a low intake of vitamin C and the mineral, manganese. The low intake of vitamin C appears to be primarily associated with a diet deficient in fruit. The study supports a growing body of science that links antioxidant intake, particularly vitamins C and E, to the incidence of asthma. Highlights of the study found:
Moderate consumption - the equivalent of half an orange or less per day decreased the risk of asthma by 12 per cent.
High consumption - more than half an orange or 1/4 grapefruit per day decreased the risk by 41 per cent .
The study was conducted by researchers at the Medical Research Council at Cambridge and published in the scientific journal Thorax. According to the American Lung Association, 24.7 million people in the United States suffer from asthma, with 7.7 million of those children under the age of 18. To read an abstract of the study, go to http://thorax.bmjjournals.com/ and type "asthma, antioxidant" into the keyword portion of the search.
WINNING QUESTION
Q: Can drinking too many soft drinks leach calcium from your bones?
A: The risk, if any, is slight, according to editors of Consumer Reports on Health. It's true that some soft drinks, particularly colas, contain phosphoric acid, an ingredient that can impair calcium absorption. But, the amounts are modest compared with those in many common foods. Other dietary sources or calcium supplements should easily offset any potential loss. The greater risk is from soda that contains caffeine. Too much caffeine might contribute to bone loss.
WINNING RECIPE
Even in warmer weather when thoughts turn to grilling, dinner in a crockpot can be a lifesaver. Here's a recipe from Prevention magazine for Cranberry-Apricot Pork Roast. The cranberries lend a sweet-tart flavour and increase the antioxidants in the dish. The roast also can be cooked on a grill (to an internal temperature of 155 F) and the sauce made separately.
CRANBERRY-APRICOT PORK ROAST
1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 large shallot, chopped
2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 pounds boneless pork loin
roast, well trimmed
Snipped chives
Yields 6 servings.
METHOD
1. Mix cranberry sauce, apricots, orange zest and juice, shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and ginger in a four quart or larger slow cooker. Add pork and spoon some of cranberry mixture on top. Cover and cook on low seven to nine hours or until pork is tender.
2. Remove pork to cutting board.
3. Spoon off any fat from top of cranberry mixture in slow cooker. Slice pork into six thick slices. Serve topped with sauce. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 450 calories, 32 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fibre, 470 mg sodium.
Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.
