Share on PinterestLight exposure during sleep may increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Gregor Prelog/EyeEm/Getty Images
Researchers recently investigated the health effects of light exposure during sleep.
They found that light exposure during even one night of sleep increases heart rate while sleeping and impairs glucose metabolism the following morning.
They say that sleeping without exposure to light is likely beneficial for cardiometabolic health.
Researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago recently investigated the biological effects of different light exposure levels while sleeping.
They found that exposure to moderate ambient light during one night of sleep can impair glucose and cardiovascular regulation and increase risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Another study, published in 2019, found that artificial light at night (ALAN), such as from a nightlight or television, is linked to obesity in women. These findings suggest that light exposure during sleep may negatively affect metabolic regulation.
Other research indicates that blue-enriched light exposure in the morning and evening alters glucose metabolism and increases insulin resistance compared with dim light exposure.
Another study found that higher levels of ALAN are linked to higher rates of type 2 diabetes among older adults.
The mechanisms underlying ALAN’s impact on metabolic functioning are poorly understood.
The scientists recruited 20 young adults for a 3-day and 2-night laboratory stay. A week before the study, they measured participants’ sleep habits using actigraphy and sleep diaries.
The participants were then randomized to partake in one of two sleeping conditions:
The room light condition: Participants slept with a dim light of less than 3 lux (lx) on the first night and an overhead room light at 100 lx on the second night.
The dim light condition: Sleeping with a dim light of less than 3 lx on both nights
On Days 1 and 2 of the experiment, the participants provided blood samples before and after food intake to assess melatonin and blood glucose levels. They also underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) to assess their sleep quality.
The participants also filled in surveys every 2 hours that they were awake to evaluate their subjective sleepiness, hunger, and mood changes.
Meanwhile, nurses collected blood pressure readings every hour, alongside heart rate readings every 4 hours.
The researchers found that exposure to a single night of 100 lx room lighting increased heart rate during sleep and insulin resistance the following morning.
Compared with the dim light condition, participants exposed to 100 lx lighting during sleep had more N2 sleep — one of the deeper stages of sleep — and less slow-wave sleep — which is important for memory consolidation. They also had less REM sleep — the dreaming phase of sleep.
The researchers noted no changes among PSG-derived measures of cortical arousal, sleep fragmentation, or wake-sleep stage stability and no difference in melatonin levels between the two groups. They say this might be because only 5-9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of light is transmitted through closed eyelids.
When asked what may explain the link between ALAN and the observed effects on heart rate and glucose metabolism, Phyllis C Zee, MD., Ph.D., the correspondent author of the study, told Medical News Today:
“There are potentially three possibilities. [The first is that light] can cause awakening or arousal. We found small changes [in these measures, but they did not] correlate with an increase in insulin resistance. So this is unlikely to be a primary mechanism.”
“Secondly, light can affect the circadian clock and affect melatonin secretion. However, we found no significant difference in melatonin levels,” Dr. Zee added.
“[We thus hypothesize] that light activates brain regions that regulate the autonomic nervous system because there was a relationship between the changes in heart variability and insulin resistance,” she explained.
Dale Sandler, Ph.D., is a senior investigator and chief of the Epidemiology Branch of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS), who was not involved in the study. Dr. Sandler agreed with Dr. Zee but added that “subtle shifts in sleep stages could [also] play a role.”
The researchers concluded that avoiding ALAN may benefit cardiometabolic health.
When asked what limitations there may be to this research, Yong-Moon (“Mark”) Park MD, MS, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Arkansas, who was not involved in the study, toldMNT:
“The findings came from a study of 20 healthy young adults. So the results might not apply to people with different age groups and people with comorbidities. [Also], the effect of ALAN on cardiometabolic health may differ by sex and race/ethnicity, which was not addressed in this study.”
“As the authors mentioned, the effects of altering light intensities, duration, and wavelengths on cardiometabolic health were not assessed in this study. The [link between blue light and cardiometabolic dysfunction] may be important to look at in the future as the use of smartphones, tablets, and laptops have increased dramatically in the bedroom at night,” he added.
“The experiment only involved one night of sleep in room light for the exposed group,” added Dr. Sandler, “Obesity and diabetes do not develop overnight. What may be most important is long-term exposures, and it is possible that some effects that were not observed after one night could develop over constant longer-term exposure.”
“There are many things that contribute to risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiometabolic dysfunction. Many of these factors are difficult for individuals to control. But turning off the lights at bedtime may be a simple thing that people can do to lessen the chances of developing these conditions.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin provides a speech at a concert marking the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on March 18, 2022.
Alexander Vilf /POOL/AFP via Getty Pictures
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Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech at a live performance marking the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on March 18, 2022.
Alexander Vilf /POOL/AFP via Getty Photos
A designer coat President Vladimir Putin wore final week all through a scarce public physical appearance has turned the Russian leader into a meme and a source of derision at a time when Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s understated manner decisions have assisted rework him into a wartime hero.
The blue coat underscores how Putin is out of touch with normal Russians and is yet a different example of the information war he is engaged in, style professionals and historians contend.
The coat, which was reportedly fabricated in Italy and expense approximately $14,000, is section of the thoroughly curated way Putin makes an attempt to current himself to the planet, explained Marlen Komar, a trend historical past journalist.
The coat is a strategic element of Putin’s propaganda machine which operates day and night time to combat experiences portraying Russia “as a poor, struggling country that is on the brink of collapse behind its exterior image,” Komar explained to NPR more than e-mail.
Zelenskyy, on the other hand, knows exactly what he’s doing in his straightforward green T-shirts and other military garbs, explained Dr. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, a fashion historian and author of “Crimson, White, and Blue on the Runway: The 1968 White Home Fashion Show and the Politics of American Design and style.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures as he speaks throughout a push meeting in Kyiv on March 3, 2022.
Sergei Supinsky/AFP by means of Getty Illustrations or photos
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures as he speaks for the duration of a press convention in Kyiv on March 3, 2022.
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All clothes choices are a form of communication and the two leaders are “really acutely aware of the political energy of impression, even if they use that ability in extremely various techniques,” Chrisman-Campbell informed NPR about e mail.
“By sporting T-shirts and hoodies, the youthful, egalitarian uniform of Silicon Valley, relatively than satisfies, Zelenskyy is projecting self-confidence and competence in a present day way, to a youthful, world-wide viewers that recognizes it as these types of,” Chrisman-Campbell said. “He is almost certainly a lot more at ease than Putin on digicam, too, equally as an actor and as a digital indigenous. … I feel equally of them want to come across as relatable, not aloof or untouchable, while Zelenskyy is surely accomplishing a improved task balancing authority with accessibility.”
When you direct a region, a shirt is more than just a shirt
Zelenskyy is much from the to start with entire world chief to undertake a sartorial combat stance in wartime.
These sorts of vogue choices are not just acceptable they are acceptable and even beneficial, Chrisman-Campbell claimed.
Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin at the Yalta Conference, February 1945.
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Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin at the Yalta Meeting, February 1945.
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“Winston Churchill went all-in on the siren match, a one particular-piece romper you could zip on quickly in situation of an air raid, in the course of Entire world War II,” she said. “He had his tailor make them in luxury materials like pinstriped wool and velvet, but he wore them to formal venues which include the White Property and the Kremlin. Like Zelenskyy’s Army inexperienced T-shirts and flak jackets, they were visible reminders of the ongoing war, aimed at a world wide viewers.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt wore a Navy boat cloak to the Yalta Conference in February 1945, supplying him a army overall look at a time several People were in uniform, she stated.
Putin’s decision bucks the craze
When put in historical context, it’s odd to see Putin sporting a coat from an Italian designer, explained Dr. Virginia Olmsted McGraw, a viewing assistant professor at Colby Higher education and who research Soviet society and style.
Throughout times of austerity, most govt leaders are very careful to have on domestically generated apparel. Regardless of the cost of those people garments, purchasing domestic manufacturers displays pride in nearby output and that the leader is involved about trying to keep funds inside the country, McGraw explained to NPR over Twitter.
For instance, whilst Nikita Khrushchev, who led the Soviet Union from 1953-1964, wore Italian satisfies, significantly like Putin does, Leonid Brezhnev, just one of Khrushchev’s proteges, experienced a private Soviet designer, McGraw explained.
Though his outfits was custom produced and significantly increased high quality than almost anybody else in the nation, Brezhnev understood it was important domestically and internationally to say that his clothes was designed in the USSR, McGraw added.
“Since Soviet consumer products were regularly mocked on the intercontinental industry, it was crucial that Brezhnev present his determination to Soviet creation,” McGraw claimed. “Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife Raisa Gorbacheva also built a mindful exertion to dress in Soviet-created and manufactured outfits. This historical past tends to make Putin’s option of not only an high-priced jacket, but a jacket from his favored Italian manufacturer, that significantly much more hanging and tone-deaf. A Russian-created coat would have superior reinforced his concept of Russian nationalism and undercut substantially of this criticism.”
Former Household Depot CEO Bob Nardelli on Home Depot getting backlash from activists for not getting involved in Georgia voting law protests.
The House Depot became the subject matter of controversy on the web this 7 days in excess of an staff teaching pamphlet discovered at a Canadian place that was leaked on social media, sparking accusations that the corporation has long gone “woke.”
The Household Depot dwelling advancement shop in Mount Prospect, IL, a suburb of Chicago. (istock / iStock)
The flyer that was reportedly posted in a break area at a Calgary, Alberta, Property Depot showed the household improvement giant’s logo and was titled, “Leading Techniques: Unpacking Privilege.” It asks personnel to practically “examine” their “privilege,” no matter if it be “white privilege,” class privilege,” “Christian privilege,” “cisgender privilege,” “able-bodied privilege,” or “heterosexual privilege.”
The two-pager goes on to inspire workers to discuss white privilege and race with their colleagues, and presents tips on how to do so.
Debate raged for days immediately after the doc was posted to Twitter on Sunday, and by Wednesday the words “Property Depot” had been trending on the system.
LOWE’S RAISES Entire-Calendar year FORECAST AS Residence Improvement Demand Retains Continual
On just one side of the discussion, critics slammed House Depot in excess of the flyer.
“I arrived for a hammer and some mulch, not a woke eduction,” 1 unique tweeted. “Get in your lane Residence Depot.”
On the other facet, men and women defended the training about privilege and stated that individuals criticizing it have been “the issue.”
1 individual wrote, “Visualize wondering a corporation helping their personnel assume about issues from a number of distinctive perspectives, rising empathy for their fellow humans, is something to get upset about.”
Customers are noticed at a Home Depot retailer in Hyattsville, Maryland, on February 22, 2022. (https://twitter.com/catcradle8/position/1506632330953297935 / Getty Images)
In the meantime, the U.S.-centered firm confirmed to FOX Organization that the pamphlet experienced been posted for workforce up north, but stated the contents were not cleared by corporate.
GET FOX Organization ON THE GO BY CLICKING Here
“Although we thoroughly help range throughout our firm, this substance was not established or permitted by our corporate variety, equity and inclusion office,” a Property Depot spokesperson claimed in a assertion. “This was a source in our Canadian division and not section of any expected programming.”
Walt Disney Co. staff at corporate destinations throughout the U.S. obtained up from their desks and headed to the exits Tuesday to protest CEO Bob Chapek’s reaction to Florida laws that LGBTQ advocates have dubbed the “Don’t Say Homosexual” monthly bill.
Hundreds of protesters marched outside the house Disney’s headquarters in Burbank on Tuesday afternoon, with some toting symptoms (#DisneyDoBetter) and other people chanting slogans such as “Say gay!”
“It was wonderful to see all people out right here in assist of all of our queer employees and their families,” stated Nora Rogers, a production supervisor at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Through the day, numerous Disney staff also expressed solidarity with the protesters on social media.
In current weeks, Chapek has occur beneath powerful interior criticism and general public scrutiny for not getting taken a more forceful stand from HB 1557, a bill that would prohibit instruction about “sexual orientation or gender identification” in kindergarten through the 3rd grade in Florida.
Chapek drew pointed criticism for stating in a companywide memoMarch 7 that the company can make the “most important effects” by “building a much more inclusive planet through the inspiring articles we create.”
The corporation’s situation on the monthly bill appeared to be especially galling to some of the tens of countless numbers of Disney employees in Florida, residence to the sprawling Walt Disney World topic park and resort in Orlando.
Chapek, who ascended to the throne of the Magic Kingdom in 2020, apologized directly to workforce in a letter produced March 11.
“It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but as an alternative yet yet another obstacle to fundamental human rights. You essential me to be a more powerful ally in the struggle for equivalent legal rights and I let you down,” Chapek said in the letter. “I am sorry.”
He also introduced that the business would pause all donations to elected officials in Florida.
But the letter did not close the outcry.
LGBTQ personnel started producing strategies for a sequence of protests for the duration of breaks, culminating in the normal walkout Tuesday. They introduced their strategies on a web site (whereischapek.com) and an Instagram account known as disney_walkout.
“The current statements and absence of motion by TWDC [The Walt Disney Co.] leadership concerning the ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill have completely failed to match the magnitude of the danger to LGBTQIA+ basic safety represented by this legislation,” the workers explained.
“We have been compelled into an extremely hard and unsustainable posture. We ought to now consider action to persuade TWDC to defend personnel and their people in the experience of such open and unapologetic bigotry.”
Advocates march at a rally at the Walt Disney Organization in Orlando, Fla., spearheaded by advocates from AIDS Healthcare Basis on March 3, 2022.Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Illustrations or photos for AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Chapek tried using to rectify the predicament in a digital city hall Monday, in accordance to The Wall Road Journal, telling workers that he and other prime executives have been “determined to use this instant as a catalyst for additional meaningful and lasting improve.”
The Journal, citing individuals who attended the event, documented that Chapek reported he and other senior leaders would go on a worldwide listening tour of workers.
In a assertion Tuesday, a Disney spokesperson reported: “We know how important this challenge is for our LGBTQ+ personnel, their families and allies, we respect our colleagues’ regard to specific their sights, and we pledge our ongoing guidance of the LGBTQ+ community in the struggle for equal rights.”
The furor underscores a new truth for company titans, particularly in the media and entertainment industries: Employees are increasingly unafraid to thrust again versus policies they watch as offensive or wrongheaded.
The backlash has also amounted to a public relations crisis for Chapek, who is making an attempt to navigate the corporation by the streaming revolution and pandemic-era business enterprise difficulties.
We have been pressured into an not possible and unsustainable placement.
— assertion from disney staff organizing a walkout tuesday
Bob Iger, Chapek’s predecessor, arrived out from Florida’s Parental Rights in Education invoice on Feb. 24 — weeks ahead of Chapek apologized.
In an emailed reaction to a list of questions, the staff powering the walkout claimed their primary objective is stop the corporation from donating to elected officials who sponsor “weaponized and hateful laws.”
The organizers said they predicted the organization to take a stand versus a equivalent “Do not Say Gay” monthly bill in Ga, a critical production hub for films and television shows.
“We believe that TWDC’s current statements about their determination to our group means that any time laws like this arrives up all over again, they will acquire a far more obvious stand, and we program to maintain them accountable for that,” the organizers claimed.
The walkout’s organizers are different from the numerous company worker resource teams (BERGs, in corporation parlance) and Disney-sponsored Pleasure organizations.
In the hrs right before the protests, many units of the empire expressed solidarity with the LGBTQ group.
The confirmed Instagram account for Disney’s concept parks vowed to “oppose any legislation that infringes on primary human legal rights.” ESPN, the Disney-owned sports large, tweeted in portion: “We stand with our LGBTQIA+ colleagues, pals, households, and supporters.”
Republican legislators in Florida who advocated for the bill have contended that dad and mom — not academics — really should be the individuals conversing to young children about sexuality and gender concerns.
Democrats argue that the bill demonizes LGBTQ people today and efficiently bars college students from talking freely about sexual orientation and gender id. President Joe Biden known as the invoice “hateful.”
The evaluate has passed both properties of the Legislature and now heads to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has expressed support for it.
Daniel Arkin is a reporter for NBC Information who focuses on popular tradition and the amusement industry, specially film and tv.
Share on PinterestThe so-called green Mediterranean diet may benefit human health and the planet’s health. Vera Lair/Stocksy
People who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But new research suggests that a “green” Mediterranean diet — which avoids all meat and provides extra greens — may be even better for human health. If the diet catches on, the benefits for planetary health could be equally impressive.
Climate scientists believe that one of the most impactful things that people can do for the environment is to reduce their consumption of meat and dairy products.
Research notes that global production of animal-based foods — including livestock feed — accounts for 57{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, whereas production of plant-based foods accounts for only 29{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.
Another study estimates that if everyone became vegan, this would reduce the amount of land worldwide that farmers need to grow food by 3.1 billion hectares or 76{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.
In addition to cutting emissions from food production, say the authors, rewilding the freed-up land would remove around 8.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year for the next 100 years.
Of course, the idea that billions of people worldwide would voluntarily give up their steaks, sausages, and cheeseburgers simply to curb climate change may seem far-fetched.
But perhaps they would think twice if they knew how much it would benefit their own health.
Recent research suggests that people who eat little or no meat tend to have a lower risk of cancer, in particular colorectal cancer and prostate cancer in men.
Diets that combine a reduction in meat and dairy consumption with increased intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, bring further health benefits.
People who eat a typical Mediterranean diet, for example, have a lower overall mortality rate and a lower risk not only of cancer but also cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
A series of clinical trials now suggests that eating a “green” Mediterranean diet, or green Med diet, may provide additional benefits on top of those provided by the regular Mediterranean diet.
The diet, which adds extra plant foods rich in polyphenols and aims to avoid meat completely, is also better for the planet.
“[E]liminating meat intake — beef, pork, lamb — is by far the most important single way to reduce the carbon footprint from diet,” said Dr. Meir Stampfer, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and one of the authors of the green Med studies.
“The contribution of meat to greenhouse gas emissions is enormous compared with other foods,” he told Medical News Today.
Dr. Stampfer pointed out that the total area needed for meat production includes a lot of land for growing crops to feed livestock.
So by reducing the amount of land around the world that is devoted to producing meat, the green Med diet could play a major role in the preservation of biodiversity.
In its 2020 report “Biodiversity for Nutrition and Health”, the World Health Organization (WHO) describes a virtuous circle that links varied, plant-based diets, human health, biodiversity, and sustainability.
“The significance of pressures generated by human activity on both climate change and biodiversity loss, and their impacts on nutrition and health outcomes, cannot be overstated,” the authors conclude.
A traditional Mediterranean diet contains the following elements:
vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
sources of healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil
moderate amounts of dairy and fish
less red meat than a traditional western diet
fewer eggs
red wine in moderation
The diet provides an abundance of polyphenols, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and plant fiber.
Importantly, the classic Med diet also avoids refined grains, highly processed foods, and products with added sugars.
Scientists believe that, in combination, these features help lower levels of bad cholesterol, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, and improve insulin sensitivity.
Scientists in Israel, Germany, and the United States reasoned that replacing all the remaining meat in the diet with plant-based proteins could supercharge these health effects.
Over the past few years, they have conducted three clinical trials of their green Med diet on a cohort of 294 people with abdominal obesity. Participants’ average age at the start of the trials was 51 years.
Over the course of their studies, they were all given free gym membership and advice about physical activity.
The researchers randomly assigned them to three diets:
Healthy dietary guidance — basic advice on how to achieve a healthy diet.
A calorie-restricted traditional Med diet, with advice to reduce red meat consumption, plus 28 grams (g) of walnuts each day.
A calorie-restricted green Med diet, which incorporated 28 g of walnuts per day, plus 3–4 cups of green tea, and 100 g of Mankai duckweed in a shake. They were asked to avoid red and processed meats completely and discouraged from consuming poultry.
People in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries eat Mankai as a “vegetable meatball.” Previous research by the same scientists showed that Mankai provides all the essential amino acids plus vitamin B12, making it an ideal meat substitute.
Cardiovascular benefits
In the first study, the researchers examined possible extra heart health benefits of eating a green Med diet.
They report that after 6 months, both Med diets led to greater weight loss and metabolic benefits than standard dietary advice.
However, the green Med diet led to a greater reduction in waist circumference and several other measures of cardiovascular risk.
For example, participants who ate this diet had improved insulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure, lower levels of bad cholesterol, and less inflammation compared with those on a standard Med diet.
Fat storage in the liver
For their next study, the researchers compared the amount of fat in the liver of subjects after 18 months on the three different diets.
They discovered that people who ate the green Med diet lost more fat in their liver than those on the regular med diet.
This may reduce their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects around 25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people worldwide and can lead to potentially fatal cirrhosis and liver failure.
Brain atrophy
Finally, the researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effect of the three diets on loss of brain volume over 18 months.
Brain atrophy in a region called the hippocampus vital for memory formation is an early marker of cognitive decline in aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers report that in subjects 50 years or older, both med diets were associated with significantly reduced shrinkage of the hippocampus.
But the green Med diet appeared to provide the greatest protection against brain atrophy.
Polyphenols can cross the blood-brain barrier, where they help to reduce inflammation and promote the growth of new nerve cells in the hippocampus.
So it makes sense that the green Med diet — which the researchers say doubles the polyphenol content of the classic Med diet — was associated with a greater reduction in brain atrophy.
It is important to note that 88{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of participants were middle-aged males who all had obesity. The results may therefore not apply to females, younger age groups, or people without obesity.
In addition, the number of people in the studies was relatively small.
The researchers believe that a combination of reduced red and processed meat consumption and increased polyphenol intake is responsible for the health benefits of the green Med diet.
For example, levels of Mankai-derived polyphenols in participants’ urine were significantly associated with reduced shrinkage of the hippocampus.
But eating less red and processed meat was also independently and significantly associated with reduced shrinkage of this region.
Mankai is relatively expensive and not widely available in stores.
MNT asked senior author Iris Shai, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel, whether other high protein plants may be equally beneficial as meat substitutes.
“Mankai was just a test case,” she replied. She said other plant sources of protein would work just as well.
“You don’t need to get the polyphenols within the same food source as protein,” pointed out Prof. Stampfer.
“For example, numerous studies show the benefits of berries, which have little protein but lots of phenols,” he said.
However, he said further studies would be needed to evaluate the benefits of different food sources because polyphenols are a large, varied group of compounds.
“As for protein, you can easily get all the protein you need without eating any meat, or without eating any animal products,” he added.
Nutritionists told MNT that several alternatives to Mankai are widely available.
“For the protein and mineral content as well as a boost of omega-3 fatty acids, ground flax, hemp, and chia are good alternatives to include in the diet,” said Katie Cavuto, MS, RD, a nutritionist and executive chef of Saladworks.
“Quinoa is also a complete protein that is rich in polyphenols,” she added.
Unusually for a plant, Mankai also provides vitamin B12, which is often lacking in vegan diets. But Cavuto said edible algae, such as spirulina, and seaweeds, such as nori, are also good sources of this vitamin.
Dr Donald Hensrud, MD, associate professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN, recommended vegan cereal or plant-based milks fortified with vitamin B12.
“It is sometimes easiest to take a supplement of vitamin B12,” he told MNT.
“Vitamin B12 is nontoxic, so taking too much is not an issue,” he added.
There are also alternatives to walnuts as sources of polyphenols, as detailed in the Mayo Clinic Diet plan.
“If somebody isn’t a fan of walnuts, there are plenty of other options to include polyphenols,” said Prof. Hensrud.
Each type of nut has a different nutrient profile, he pointed out. For example, almonds are relatively high in calcium, and Brazil nuts are high in magnesium.
“Therefore, if you like mixed nuts, they would provide the widest variety of nutrients,” he said.
Plant-based foods have a much smaller impact on the environment, in particular in terms of carbon emissions.
However, not all plant sources are equal. For example, huge quantities of water go into growing almonds and cashews, often in areas where water is in short supply.
To minimize environmental harm, therefore, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and peanuts may be better choices.
Avocados, which are popular among vegans and vegetarians, may be among the worst offenders in terms of sustainability.
Most avocados on supermarket shelves originate in Central and South America, so they have a large carbon footprint for customers in Europe, for example.
They are usually grown as a monoculture, which means little or no biodiversity, and require a lot of water.
It takes 320 liters of water to grow a single avocado.
