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A new study reports that some types of beer contain a lot of silicon, which may counter some age-related bone degeneration. The study, carried out by the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California, resulted in the kind of simplistic " beer is good for you " headlines and lazy reporting we've all come to expect. The truth is more complex -- and interesting. Beer is an ancient beverage, dating back at least 9,000 years. By definition, beer is a drink made primarily from water and grass seeds (otherwise known as grains). Alcoholic beverages always need a source of sugar. In the case of beer, that sugar is normally supplied by the grain, which has starch that's converted into sugar during the brewing process. Most beers are made with malted barley. The malting process is little more than taking whole barley grains, and sprouting them -- starting the growing process, called germination -- then drying the grains in an oven once the sprouts ...

A new, nine-year study by the Mayo Clinic found that even relatively thin people can suffer the ill effects of obesity. They even came up with a name for it: " normal weight obesity ." Researchers believe as many as 30 million Americans may fall into that category. The problem stems from a body-mass index out of whack. When people have low muscle mass, and some fat, their muscle-to-fat ratio can mirror someone with much more muscle mass and a lot more body fat. And the health effects can be similar, including increased risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of familiar lifestyle diseases including high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and so on, as well as an increased risk of heart disease. The Mayo researchers pointed out that dieting to lose weight can make you lose both fat and muscle, and leave your muscle-to-fat ratio largely unchanged. That's why the Spartan Diet is so perfect for anyone who wants total health. It's not a fad weight loss diet. In...

Amira Elgan, the main creator of the Spartan Diet and co-author of the upcoming Spartan Diet book has been working with the owners of an innovative eatery to introduce menu items that adhere to Spartan Diet principles. The restaurant is called Backyard Bowls , and its one location is in Santa Barbara, California. Backyard Bowls has introduced Spartan Muesli , and will soon roll out other Spartan Diet foods. (We'll keep you posted as new items are added to the menu.) Backyard Bowls itself is a wonderful place to eat. If you live in, visit or even find yourself passing through Santa Barbara, you must experience Backyard Bowls. If you can imagine an entire menu where just about every item and even every ingredient is a fresh, whole superfood, then you can imagine Backyard Bowls. Most items on the Backyard Bowls menu are cold, blended fruits and/or other ingredients in a bowl, topped by fresh fruit, nuts, fresh-ground flax seeds, bee pollen, and other ingredients. They also have smooth...

Consumer Reports will publish a ground-breaking study in the December issu e showing that many canned foods, and other packaged foods, contain a synthetic estrogen called Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA, which was invented in the 1930s as a synthetic estrogen, is used to make the plastic and epoxy resins used in all kinds of food containers, including the lining of food cans. Consumer Reports found the substance in canned foods of all kinds, including those labeled "BPA Free" and "Organic." The human body responds to BPA as if it were estrogen, which feminizes men and increases the risk of breast cancers in women. It disrupts the body's hormonal system in other, less predictable ways as well. Some studies have linked BPA to obesity, heart disease, early puberty in girls, aggression in toddlers and other problems. Another study found an association between the presence of BPA in the bloodstream and the both the quantity of sperm production and the amount of DNA damage to...

Recent science has discovered healthful properties in cocoa, which has lead media organizations that cover health, fitness and diet to proclaim chocolate as a health food. One of the better articles summarizing the health benefit of chocolate was published on the Huffington Post: " 7 Healthy Reasons To Enjoy Chocolate--Without the Guilt !" Those seven reasons are: 1. High in antioxidants 2. Helps with cholesterol 3. Reduces inflammation 4. Lowers blood pressure 5. Helps with mood 6. Improves blood flow 7. It's delicious! Sounds great! Here's the problem. Nearly all these reasons benefit only those who eat poor diets, or who don't get enough exercise or both. Conventional medical and health reporting assumes that you're overweight, undernourished and suffer from some level of cardiovascular disease. In fairness, those are pretty safe assumptions when writing for the general American public. Given those assumptions, chocolate can help make up in some small way f...

A new study published in the FASEB Journal found that rats fed higher-fat content diets took longer to finish a maze, and made more mistakes in memory than rats on a lower-fat diet. The study suggests what we already know intuitively: High-fat diets can make us mentally slower. We believe this is especially true with lower quality fats, including trans fats. Another recently published study has found that a Mediterranean diet, low in meat, dairy, processed foods and high in nuts, fish, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, is associated with lower rates of mental illness and depression. And a recent study at Tufts University looked at low-carb diets, such as Atkins, and their effect on cognition and memory. They found that performance on memory tests started declining measurably compared with subjects on a moderate-carb, low-fat diet. We have found in our own experiences, and in the experiences of others on the Spartan Diet, that all this is very true. The Spartan Diet is bo...

Quinoa is a grain-like seed that originates in the South American Andes. It's not an actual grain because it doesn't come from a species of grass. Quinoa has been cultivated and eaten by the Incas in what is now Peru and Bolivia for 6,000 years. Quinoa is fantastic because it's so flexible -- it goes with just about everything -- can be made in just a few minutes, and it has quite a lot of complete protein. It's a great idea to always keep prepared quinoa in the fridge. You can quickly and easily create a wonderful meal with it thanks to its nutty and delicious flavor. Add it to just about any cold or hot meal including soups and salads. It also goes well with any type of cuisine including Mexican, Italian, French and Indian. Quinoa is a powerhouse food that provides complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. INGREDIENTS 2 cups dried quinoa (red, white or black, rinsed) 4 cups water or vegetable stock (or 1 cup water, 1 cup stock) 1 tablespoon olive oil Sea s...