Does Your Smoothie Need a Maca Boost? Maca Benefits, Explained

Image: Pond5

You may have noticed a new superfood in the aisles of your health food store or on the menu of your local smoothie bar. Hanging alongside spirulina and chia seeds is an unassuming brown powder—maca.

Not to be confused with matcha, maca is a native Peruvian plant that’s touted as an excellent source of antioxidants, iron, and calcium—and as a powerful hormone regulator, improving everything from PMS and menopause symptoms to your sex drive.

But do claims about this superfood have any roots? Read on to find out.

RELATED: Are You Eating Too Much Soy?

Meet your newest superfood

First things first, maca is a root vegetable that grows high in the mountains of South America. “It looks like a funky-shaped potato,” says Heather Mangieri, R.D. and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It’s very difficult to digest in its raw form. In the States, it’s sold as a powder or in a gelatinized version which makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb.”

Most often, maca is added to other foods such as smoothies or energy bars, where it adds about 20 calories per tablespoon. Taken alone, it has a bitter taste so the cocoa or banana in your favorite acai bowl can help mask the strong flavor.

But maca’s not a new discovery. It has been used medicinally in traditional Peruvian culture for years. According to Mangieri, a 10-gram (roughly two teaspoons) serving of maca has approximately 25 mg of calcium and 28 mg of vitamin C. “Prior studies have demonstrated that maca is abundant in amino acids, phytonutrients, healthy fatty acids, vitamins and minerals,” says Anita Mirchandani, R.D. and spokesperson for the New York State Dietetic Association. But Mirchandani notes that recent data on maca’s nutritional profile is limited.

RELATED: 21 Meal Prep Pics from the Healthiest People on Instagram

Maca benefits, explained

Many believe that maca’s power lies beyond just nutrition. Most notably, maca’s rise to fame rests on its reputation as a libido enhancer. “Based on prior studies, the relationship between maca and sexual libido and fertility is the strongest,” says Mirchandani. But the evidence is mostly anecdotal and definitely mixed.

“For people who truly believe that this root can increase libido, they’re using it regularly for this specific purpose. Other people who’ve tried it a few times say there’s no effect,” says Mangieri. “It’s not something you take once and have an increased sex drive. They use the product on a regular basis and this is their report of what happened. But there’s no scientific evidence.” Yet. It’s still a new topic of study and researchers are currently investigating how and why maca may make your romps in the bedroom more fun.

RELATED: The 3-Day Military Diet: Is It Legit?

More recently, maca has been promoted as a hormone regulator and adaptogen—a substance that helps the body manage and adapt to stress. “Maca’s phytonutrients and flavonoids are one reason it’s said to boost immunity but again, the specifics on how and how much are not clear,” says Mangieri.

Overall, the powerhouse root remains somewhat of a mystery—and claims that it helps ease symptoms of PMS and menopause like cramps, hot flashes and mood swings are largely unsubstantiated. “Unfortunately, there isn’t enough evidence to validate its efficacy on mood, PMS, and menopause,” says Mirchandani. “Most of the claims [about PMS and post-menopausal benefits] are going to come from the nutritional profile of maca and that it has calcium and vitamin C,” says Mangieri.

And maca’s power to boost workout performance and concentration? Some report feeling a boost of energy after consuming maca. “It’s a food that’s going to provide energy and carbohydrates,” says Mangieri. “And in that way, it could add some additional energy.” But again, there’s no concrete evidence.

RELATED: Could Eating Charcoal Help You Detox?

Should you add maca to your smoothie?

While maca has few known side effects, it’s smart to exercise caution. At two teaspoons, Mangieri says it’s not dangerous or harmful. “But I don’t know if there are dangers to having more than that,” she says.

Although maca does contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the amount contained in a two-teaspoon serving is small. Take calcium for example. The 25 mg of calcium in a typical serving of maca is only a fraction of the 1,200-mg recommended per day for women over 51, according to Mangieri. “Is it the best source of calcium? No. This isn’t a cure-all product,” she says. “There are other foods where you can get the same nutrients but this can be an easy way to add some nutrients to your diet.”

Ultimately, adding maca to your next smoothie may be a nice-to-have addition, but it’s not a miracle supplement. “Taking two teaspoons of maca in your smoothie and then eating crap the rest of the day isn’t going to make you healthier overall,” Mangieri reminds.

More from Daily Burn:

7 Delicious Protein Smoothie Recipes

The Beginner’s Guide to Using Protein Powder

14 Must-Try Matcha Recipes You’ll Drool Over

Life by Daily Burn is dedicated to helping you live a healthier, happier and more active lifestyle. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain strength or de-stress, a better you is well within reach. Get more health and fitness tips at Life by Daily Burn.

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Drug Used for Preemie Eye Disease Tied to Disabilities

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A drug used to treat an eye disease in premature infants may be linked to serious disabilities such as cerebral palsy and hearing loss, a new study suggests.

The drug in question is Avastin (bevacizumab), a cancer drug that fights tumors by cutting off their blood supply. In the past few years, doctors have also been using it to treat retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP. Avastin isn’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically to treat ROP, but doctors still use the drug for what’s known as an “off-label” indication.

The current findings do not prove that Avastin is to blame, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Julie Morin of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, in Montreal, Canada. They only show an association between the drug and serious complications in babies treated for ROP.

ROP is a potentially blinding disease that mainly affects tiny preemies born before the 31st week of pregnancy, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI). It’s caused by abnormal blood vessel development in the retina, the part of the eye that receives light and sends messages to the brain.

Each year in the United States, 14,000 to 16,000 infants develop some degree of ROP, according to the NEI.

The standard treatment for more severe ROP is laser surgery, which burns away the periphery of the retina, where there are no blood vessels. That usually causes a regression in the abnormal blood vessel growth, the NEI says.

But a 2011 study found that injections of Avastin might offer a simpler, even more effective treatment.

Since then, a growing number of doctors have been using the drug to treat severe ROP, said Dr. Graham Quinn. He’s a pediatric ophthalmologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“A lot of people were really sold on this, because it seems like an easy treatment for a very serious disease,” explained Quinn, co-author of an editorial published with the new study in the March 17 issue of Pediatrics.

The 2011 trial, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that injections of Avastin into the eyes appeared more effective than laser surgery. Babies were less likely to need a repeat treatment over the next year.

And on the surface, the drug seems safer than surgery, Quinn explained: It takes just a few minutes, and there’s no need for general anesthesia, which can be risky for preemies.

But now the new findings point to a potential risk in the long run. Researchers found a higher rate of serious neurological disabilities, including severe cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss and significant problems with movement.

The study looked at 27 infants whose ROP was treated with Avastin, and 98 treated with laser surgery. Of those treated with Avastin, 52 percent had developed a severe disability by the age of 18 months, the study found. That compared with 29 percent of infants treated with laser surgery.

However, the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect link between the drug and the complications.

The researchers did not conduct a clinical trial, but used information from the babies’ medical records — which leaves open a number of questions. It’s possible that the Avastin infants were at greater risk of disability for other reasons, the researchers said. Doctors may choose the drug when infants are sicker and surgery risks are greater, for example.

Dr. Jane Edmond, a professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, agreed.

“The Avastin kids were sicker on arrival, and had more severe ROP — both of which have been associated with poorer developmental outcomes,” said Edmond, who was not involved with the study. She’s a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

That said, Edmond called the findings “compelling and worrisome.

“This will very likely cause a lot of conversation among ophthalmologists,” she said.

Both Edmond and Quinn said it’s plausible that Avastin raises the risk of neurological disabilities. That’s because the drug inhibits a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which promotes the growth of new blood vessels.

Preemies with severe ROP have too much VEGF in their eyes, Edmond explained. But, she said, the protein is also important for babies’ brain, lung and kidney development — and it’s known that Avastin injected into the eyes also gets into the bloodstream.

So there have been concerns that the drug could affect the development of other organs, Edmond said.

For now, Quinn said he believes that whenever possible, laser surgery is the “way to go” in treating ROP.

To parents, he noted, a drug might seem like a “quick fix,” and less scary than laser surgery. But, he said, they should talk to their doctor about all the pros and cons — including the possible long-term risks — of the ROP treatment options.

Avastin manufacturer Genentech could not be reached for comment.

More information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

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Why Crunchy Food Might Help You Lose Weight

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A new study has revealed a weight-loss trick that couldn’t be simpler: Turn down the volume in your environment (or your earbuds), and listen to yourself chew. Seriously, that’s it!

The findings of the study suggest that you’ll eat less if you’re more aware of the noise your food makes while you’re chomping away—a concept the researchers have coined the crunch effect.

RELATED: 49 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Feeling Full

Listening to yourself chew may seem odd at first, because most of us don’t pay much attention to the cacophony in our mouths. Noise is a sensory cue we tend to overlook when we’re eating, the study authors explained in a news release. According to Ryan Elder, an assistant professor of marketing at Brigham Young Univeristy’s Marriott School of Management, sound is known as “the forgotten food sense.”

To learn more about its potential impact on our eating habits, Elder, together with his colleague Gina Mohr, an assistant professor of marketing at Colorado State University, conducted a series of experiments.

In one trial, one group of participants wore headphones playing loud music while they snacked on pretzels, and another wore headphones playing quiet music while they grazed. The result: The louder music disguised the sounds of mastication, and people in the first group ate more pretzels on average. In another experiment, the researchers found that when the participants simply imagined chewing noises they consumed less.

RELATED: How Putting a Mirror in Your Dining Room Might Help You Lose Weight

The takeaway? Being mindful of your munching could lead you to have fewer chips, or cookies, or nuts. And that so-called crunch effect can make a difference in the long-term. As Elder put it, “over the course of a week, month, or year, it could really add up.”

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Exercise May Extend Lives of People With COPD

FRIDAY, March 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Regular exercise could help boost the survival of people who’ve left the hospital after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study finds.

“We know that physical activity can have a positive benefit for people with COPD and these findings confirm that it may reduce the risk of dying following hospitalization,” study lead author Dr. Marilyn Moy, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a news release from ERJ Open Research.

Her team published the findings in the journal on March 16.

COPD includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis or a combination of the two, and is often related to smoking. Common symptoms include difficulty breathing, chronic cough, wheezing and phlegm production. Over time, the condition can prove fatal.

One expert, Dr. Alan Mensch, noted, “COPD is estimated to affect up to 7 percent of adults and is a leading cause of death worldwide.”

He explained that “difficulty breathing often leads to a sedentary lifestyle in COPD patients, resulting in deconditioning of multiple organ systems, including the heart and muscles.

“Improving muscle function with exercise has been demonstrated to decrease the use of health services in patients with COPD,” said Mensch, who is chief of pulmonary medicine at Northwell Health’s Plainview Hospital in Plainview, N.Y.

The new study’s authors also said that the risk of hospital readmission and death is especially high after a person has been hospitalized for COPD.

Could exercise help lower that risk? To find out, Moy’s team looked at the medical records of almost 2,400 people in California who were hospitalized for COPD.

The researchers found that those who did any amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity were 47 percent less likely to die in the 12 months after hospitalization than inactive patients.

In fact, low levels of physical activity reduced the risk of death by 28 percent, the researchers report.

Because of the observational nature of the study, the findings can’t prove cause and effect. However, the researchers believe that tracking physical activity levels might be a good way for doctors to pinpoint those COPD patients at high risk for death after hospitalization.

According to Mensch, “COPD has now joined other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, where exercise has been shown to decrease mortality and prolong life.”

He says the finding is especially valuable in regards to COPD, because doctors have little to offer patients to help lower disease-linked death risk.

“It is gratifying to learn that we can now offer therapy in the form of exercise, which will prolong the lives of patients with COPD,” Mensch said.

Dr. Len Horovitz is a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He noted that in the study, even patients who were “minimally active” still gained a 28 percent reduction in their odds of dying within the study period.

“It is widely known that activity can avoid microscopic lung collapse,” Horovitz said, “and that sedentary patients have a greater risk for developing blood clots and fatal pulmonary embolism [clots].”

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on COPD.

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Psychological Disorders Affect 1 in 7 U.S. Kids Under 9: CDC

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — One in seven American children aged 2 to 8 suffers from a mental, behavioral or developmental problem, federal health officials report.

Researchers analyzed data supplied by parents in the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, looking for reported speech and language problems, learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, anxiety and more.

“Based on the number of kids affected, this is something we need to pay attention to,” said lead researcher Jennifer Kaminski, team leader for child development studies at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The researchers found that young children with mental, behavioral or developmental disorders were less likely than others to have access to medical care that was family-centered, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate and culturally effective.

Parental mental health problems and child-care problems were also commonly associated with mental, behavioral and developmental disorders in young children, the researchers said.

Incidence of disorders varied widely by state, “which suggests that there are things states can do to improve the health of these kids,” Kaminski said.

Prevalence of disorders was lowest in California — at 10.6 percent — and about double that in Arkansas and Kentucky, the findings showed.

Fair or poor parental mental health was highest in Washington, D.C., and lowest in Kansas, according to the study.

Neighborhood support also varied widely, with a fourfold difference between the highest (North Dakota) and lowest (Arizona) rates among the states.

Children living in poverty, or in homes where English is not spoken, were at the highest risk for these problems, Kaminski said. “Speaking English is either an indicator of assimilation into the culture and/or a sign of better access to health care,” she said.

“We are not able to say if these risk factors are caused by or causing the disorders, but they are important for children’s health,” Kaminski added.

Moreover, this snapshot cannot reveal if more children are suffering from these problems than in years past, she explained.

The report, based on more than 35,000 children, was published March 11 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The full range of childhood problems also included depression, developmental delay, Tourette syndrome and intellectual disability.

Dr. Andrew Adesman is chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park. He said that “this most recent analysis is neither the first nor the last to make the case that mental, behavioral and developmental disorders in young children are linked to a variety of health care, family and community factors.” Adesman was not involved with the new study.

“Unfortunately, it is far easier to identify risk factors than to remedy them,” Adesman added.

Governmental agencies need to redouble their commitment to address longstanding societal problems that adversely affect children, such as poverty and lack of access to health care, he said.

Another expert, Dr. Eugene Grudnikoff, said the finding that access to health care and parental mental health predict the health of young children is critically important.

Traditional interventions primarily target the signs and symptoms of illness, said Grudnikoff, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at South Oaks Hospital in Amityville, N.Y. Underlying social stressors and parental dysfunction are always harder to address and often overlooked by clinicians and policymakers, he said.

It is critical that communities and legislators heed the recommendations of this report to invest in more “effective collaboration among governmental, private and other agencies responsible for providing services to children,” Grudnikoff said.

More information

For more on children’s mental health, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Flu Season Hasn’t Peaked Yet

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — This flu season continues to be the mildest in the past three years, U.S. health officials say.

But flu is still cropping up in new areas of the country, and flu season isn’t over yet, the experts cautioned.

In most years, flu season peaks in February or early March, but as of this week, flu is still spreading and the peak is not in sight yet, according to Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influenza division.

“Flu activity is still going up,” she said. “It’s going to be a later peak.” Brammer is still expecting the season to peak in March, but it could linger on until April.

On the plus side, this year’s flu vaccine is a good match for the circulating flu viruses. The vaccine is about 59 percent effective this year, the CDC said. That’s much better than last year when the vaccine didn’t contain the most common circulating virus, according to the CDC.

“This means that getting a flu vaccine this season reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor because of flu by nearly 60 percent,” Dr. Joseph Bresee, chief of CDC’s Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, said in a statement. “It’s good news and underscores the importance and the benefit of both annual and ongoing vaccination efforts this season.”

Since the season hasn’t peaked, Brammer is still advising people who haven’t had a flu shot to get one. “There is still value to getting vaccinated,” she said.

This flu season is a welcome change from last year, which saw a particularly early and nasty flu season. By this time last year, flu was already severe and sending thousands of Americans — especially older ones — to the hospital, Brammer said. In fact, she added, “By this time last year, we had peaked and were coming down.”

Despite this year’s mild season, 20 children have died from flu complications so far, Brammer said. Depending on the severity of a flu season, the CDC has reported anywhere from 40 to more than 300 deaths in babies and children. So, the number of deaths in children this year is comparatively low, she said.

Unlike last year, the most common flu strain circulating this season is the H1N1 strain. Last year, it was the H3N2 strain, Brammer said. “But H3N2 is still hanging in there, it’s not going away,” she said. “We’ve got a little bit of everything out there.”

Both of these strains, and a third one, are included in the current flu vaccine, Brammer said, making this year’s shot a better match than last year’s vaccine. Last year, the flu vaccine was only 23 percent effective overall, according to the CDC.

Milder weather may be one factor affecting this flu season, Brammer said. But it’s only one factor of many that can determine the severity of a flu season. Another big factor is how many people are immune because they’ve been vaccinated.

Flu activity is widespread throughout most of the country. However, in the Southwest it appears to have peaked and may be declining, Brammer said.

In a typical season, flu complications — including pneumonia — send more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. Death rates linked to flu vary annually, but have gone as high as 49,000 in a year, the CDC said.

Virtually everyone older than 6 months of age is advised to get a flu shot. Exceptions include people with life-threatening allergies to the flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine, according to the CDC.

Pregnant women are considered at high risk and should get vaccinated. Women with newborns also need their flu shot to help protect their infants, who can’t be vaccinated until they are at least 6 months old. Also considered at high risk for flu and prime candidates for a vaccine are seniors and people with chronic health problems, such as lung and heart disease, the CDC said.

More information

For more information on flu, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Late Night? Here’s How to Help Your Body Bounce Back

Photo: Getty Images

While a good undereye concealer may help mask the damage of staying up into the wee hours of the morning, it won’t give you the energy you need to make it through the day (nor will three lattes!). Recover the right way with these tips.

RELATED: 30 Sleep Hacks for Your Most Restful Night Ever

1. Don’t hit snooze

Falling back asleep for an extra few minutes can throw off your circadian cycle, making you feel extra groggy.

2. Find the light

Go outside or brighten your lights; exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from your eye to areas of the brain that kick-start energizing functions, like increasing body temperature.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast

A sugary muffin is a recipe for a crash. Eat a balance of unrefined carbs for energy and lean protein and healthy fats to keep you full.

RELATED: These Are the Best and Worst Foods for Sleep

4. Delay coffee

Research has shown that levels of the energizing hormone cortisol are elevated right after waking up. Save your java for later in the morning, when cortisol dips.

5. Nap smartly

Getting just 20 to 30 minutes of shut-eye can help boost short-term alertness without messing your upcoming night’s sleep.

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3 Vegetarian Meals That Are Packed With Protein

Myth, busted: Animal products aren’t the only source of dietary protein, nor are they the best. In her new book Whole Protein Vegetarian ($20; amazon.com), Rebecca Miller Ffrench eloquently answers the classic question, “How can you get enough protein if don’t eat meat?”

The quick version: Vegetables, legumes, and whole grains can provide all the protein a person needs to function optimally. What’s more, plant-based proteins offer two big perks animal products do not—fiber and disease-fighting phytochemicals.

So why all the skepticism about going vegetarian? Unlike meat, eggs, and dairy, most plants do not contain all nine of the essential amino acids that form complete protein, which means you need to eat a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day to make sure you get enough of each and every one of those amino acids, Ffrench explains. Cooking with fresh, whole ingredients makes the task much easier (not to mention yummier), which is why she has packed her book with delicious, veg-heavy recipes for every meal. Here, three ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, each with 20 grams of protein or more.

RELATED: 14 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Sources

Classic egg and cheese sandwich

Photo: Joshua Holz

Serves: 4

Protein per serving: 25g

4 whole-grain ciabatta rolls or other hearty rolls, cut in half

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 oz. white Cheddar cheese, thickly sliced

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and coarsely chopped

Kosher salt

1 large tomato, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

4 large eggs

1 avocado, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly butter the rolls and place them flat side up on the prepared baking sheet. Top with the cheese slices. Place the rolls in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of the olive oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds, then add the spinach, sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt, and sauté until wilted, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove the spinach from the pan but keep the heat on.
3. Next, lightly fry the tomato slices in the pan for about 1 minute on each side, again sprinkling each with salt and pepper. Remove them from the pan.
4. Check your rolls if you haven’t done so already, and pull them out of the oven so you can slide a tomato slice directly onto each of the bottom rolls.
5. Add the remaining 2 tsp. olive oil to the pan and continue to heat over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry sunny-side up until the whites start to set, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove the eggs from the pan when the yolks are runny but whites are completely cooked, about another minute or so.
6. To assemble your sandwiches, lay a slice or two of avocado on top of the tomato, then add an egg and top with a spoonful of sautéed spinach and the top bun. Serve immediately.

RELATED: 10 Myths About Vegetarian Diets, Busted

Vegetable noodles with hemp seed basil pesto

Photo: Joshua Holz

Serves: 4

Protein per serving: 24g

Pesto

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup hemp seed hearts

¾ cup (about 2¼ ounces) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ cup garlic-infused olive oil, plus slightly more if needed (or use olive oil plus one minced clove of garlic) 

Noodles

3 medium yellow squash

3 medium zucchini

3 carrots (at least 2 inches in diameter), peeled

1 tsp. garlic-infused oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 pint heirloom grape tomatoes, cut into quarters

Hemp seeds, several fresh basil leaves, and shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Make pesto: Put the basil, hemp seeds, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and garlic (if using) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse again until combined and the desired texture is achieved. Use immediately or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
2. Using a spiralizer, turn each squash and zucchini into noodles. Do the same with the carrots, keeping them separate from the squash and zucchini. Cut any of the noodles that are extremely long.
3. Heat the garlic-infused oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the squash and zucchini and sauté for another 30 seconds, until just slightly softened. Sprinkle with the salt and transfer the cooked noodles to a fine-mesh colander to drain.
4. Dry the noodles between paper towels, place them in a large bowl, and toss gently with the pesto and tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle the pasta with hemp seeds, basil leaves, and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

RELATED: 43 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes We Love

Spicy three-bean chili

Photo: Joshua Holz

Serves: 4

Protein per serving: 20g

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 1 3/4 cups)

2 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)

1 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch dice

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. chipotle powder

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

8 ounces beer

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

2 tsp. hickory liquid smoke

1 Tbsp. molasses

3 cups cooked or canned mixed beans, such as black beans, red beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas

Fresh cilantro leaves, sour cream, and grated Cheddar cheese, for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are softened (but not mushy) and charred on the edges. Next add the green pepper, jalapeño, garlic, and spices including coriander, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and stir well until all the vegetables are coated. Lastly add the tomatoes and their juices, beer, vegetable stock, and tomato paste, raise the heat, and bring to a boil stirring a few times to prevent sticking. Lower the heat and continue to simmer slowly.
2. Meanwhile, toast the mustard seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, shaking the pan while they toast, and stop when they start popping, after about 3 minutes. They will darken slightly. Remove the seeds and grind them in spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
3. Add the ground mustard seeds, liquid smoke, molasses, and beans to the chili, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, sour cream, and Cheddar.

Excerpted from Whole Protein Vegetarian: Delicious Plant-Based Recipes With Essential Amino Acids For Health And Well Being, by Rebecca Miller Ffrench, Countryman Press 2016.

 

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Will a Sit-Stand Desk Make You Healthier?

THURSDAY, March 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Sit-stand desks are fixtures in many offices today. But new research finds little proof of health benefits associated with their use.

Experts warn that long periods of sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. Adjustable desks that let you stand or sit while working are among the approaches being tried to reduce time spent seated on the job.

“It is important that workers who sit at a desk all day take an interest in maintaining and improving their well-being both at work and at home,” said study co-author Jos Verbeek, from the Cochrane Work Review Group in Kuopio, Finland.

“However, at present, there is not enough high-quality evidence available to determine whether spending more time standing at work can repair the harms of a sedentary lifestyle,” he added.

The report was published March 17 in the Cochrane Library.

“Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure, so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight. It’s important that workers and employers are aware of this, so that they can make more informed decisions,” Verbeek added in a journal news release.

The findings stem from a review of 20 studies that assessed sit-stand desks and other methods of improving health behaviors at work, such as taking walking breaks. Nearly 2,200 people were involved in all.

Six studies focused on popular sit-stand desks. People who used these desks sat between 30 minutes and two hours less during the work day than those who used conventional desks, the researchers found. Sit-stand desks also reduced total sitting time at and away from work, and the length of sitting sessions that lasted 30 minutes or more.

Additionally, increased standing did not lead to varicose veins, musculoskeletal pain or a lower productivity, the researchers said.

Based on these results, it’s too soon to recommend buying a sit-stand desk, the researchers concluded.

“We think that people who are considering investing in sit-stand desks and the other interventions covered in this review should be aware of the limitations of the current evidence base in demonstrating health benefits,” lead author Nipun Shrestha, of the Health Research and Social Development Forum in Thapathali, Nepal, said in the news release. “There is also low-quality evidence of modest benefits for other types of interventions.”

For instance, taking a walk during work breaks was not found to lower the amount of time spent sitting at work.

Many of the studies reviewed were small and poorly designed, said the authors, noting more research is needed to draw firm conclusions.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers a guide to physical activity.

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Acetaminophen Won’t Help Arthritis Pain, Study Finds

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Acetaminophen — commonly known as Tylenol in the United States — isn’t an effective choice for relieving osteoarthritis pain in the hip or knee, or for improving joint function, a new study finds.

Although the drug rated slightly better than placebo in studies, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or diclofenac are better choices for short-term pain relief, the researchers said.

“Regardless of dose, the prescription drug diclofenac is the most effective drug among painkillers in terms of improving pain and function in osteoarthritis,” said lead researcher Dr. Sven Trelle. He’s co-director of clinical trials at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

However, even diclofenac comes with side effects.

“If you are thinking of using a painkiller for osteoarthritis, you should consider diclofenac,” Trelle said, but also keep in mind that like most NSAIDs the drug increases the risk for heart disease and death.

Tylenol manufacturer McNeil Consumer Healthcare took issue with the new study. “We disagree with the authors’ interpretation of this meta-analysis and believe acetaminophen remains an important pain relief option for millions of consumers, particularly those with certain conditions for which NSAIDs may not be appropriate — including cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and renal [kidney] disease,” the company said in a prepared statement.

“The safety and efficacy profile of acetaminophen is supported by more than 150 studies over the past 50 years,” the company added.

The new report was published March 17 in The Lancet.

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of pain in older people. It can impair physical activity, and that increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and general poor health, the study authors said.

One expert said it’s “not surprising” that acetaminophen won’t help arthritis pain.

“Osteoarthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints, and acetaminophen is not meant for inflammation,” explained Dr. Shaheda Quraishi, a physiatrist at Northwell Health Pain Center in Great Neck, N.Y.

The current research included information from 74 trials published between 1980 and 2015. These trials included more than 58,000 patients. The studies compared how well various doses of acetaminophen and seven different NSAIDs relieved arthritis pain.

The researchers found that acetaminophen was slightly better than an inactive placebo. But they added that taken by itself, acetaminophen has no role in treating osteoarthritis, regardless of dose.

The maximum daily dose of diclofenac — a prescription pain reliever — was the most effective treatment for pain and disability, the new study showed. The researchers also found diclofenac was better than the maximum doses of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, naproxen (Aleve) and celecoxib (Celebrex).

In addition to not helping with pain, one expert pointed out that acetaminophen can also be dangerous.

“Acetaminophen may not be as safe as most people would believe: it is known to be toxic to the liver, and acetaminophen overdose is a leading cause of liver transplantation,” said Dr. Nicholas Moore. He’s from the department of pharmacology at the University of Bordeaux in France. Moore is also the co-author of an accompanying journal editorial.

“NSAIDs are much more effective painkillers, and avoiding them puts patients at risk of overdosing with acetaminophen,” he said.

New painkillers are needed, but “narcotics are not a good choice,” Moore added. Prescription narcotic painkillers — drugs such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and Percocet — are not as effective as NSAIDs for inflammatory pain, he explained. And the risk of dependency or overdose with narcotics is considerable, he added.

“We should look also at older drugs that may have been discarded, and perhaps work more to understand the mechanism of action of acetaminophen to develop a new, more effective and less toxic drug of the same class, or develop new classes of painkillers,” Moore suggested.

More information

For more information on osteoarthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.

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