As we noted earlier, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering updating what it will allow as a health claim related to calcium for osteoporosis. If you read that article you’ll recall my scepticism about their motivation and intentions. Nevertheless, they are correct in their acceptance of the critical role played by associated nutrients in the absorption and utilization of calcium.

Remember, for the calcium to benefit your bones, it must be ingested (you have to eat or drink it), absorbed (from you gastrointestinal tract into your blood stream) and finally assimilated (taken into the boney tissue where it can be utilized). You must also maintain a required amount of calcium circulating in your blood to meet the needs of cells throughout your body, notably skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. Failure to do so will prevent calcium from being used to build or rebuild bone because when blood levels drop you automatically draw calcium from bone to help ensure adequate cellular function.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to allow new claims on foods and dietary supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D to show their potential to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  The proposed rule would allow manufacturers to include new information on their food and supplement labeling and to eliminate certain other information, described below.

"This is important information for all citizens," said Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition. "All persons lose bone with age, and the loss can influence an individual’s risk of developing osteoporosis.  Maintenance of an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D in all stages of life can help lower one’s risk."

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It turns out vegetarians really are smarter. But maybe not because of what they eat. Bright children, evidently, are more likely to reject meat and opt to become vegetarians when they grow up, according to a study published in the BMJ (BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.39030.675069.55 published 15 December 2006).

Researchers from the University of Southampton who conducted the study suggest that vegetarians are more thoughtful about what they eat. But it remains unclear whether bright children choose to become vegetarians for the health benefits or for other reasons, such as a concern for animals, or as a lifestyle choice.

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Recent research in Northern Ireland suggests that high sugar intake does not directly affect insulin resistance and subsequent diabetes risk. Researchers from Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital and Queen’s University report in the American Diabetes Association’s journal Diabetes that no significant difference in the measures of insulin resistance was observed in their study.

Such findings are based on a small randomised, controlled, cross-over trial of 13 healthy men receiving either a high-sugar diet (providing 25 per cent of their energy) or a diet providing 10 per cent of their energy as sugar for 6 weeks (about average for a British adult).

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The good folk at the Organic Consumers Association are on the ball. Although only human, they have not been distracted at this busy time of year and have identified a potential (well, actually I would say ‘quite likely’ at the very least) threat to maintaining standards and regulations pertaining to organic foods in the USA. This may involve politics, but it’s health and nutrition politics and that means sensible people will pay careful attention. Hence, dear reader, the following is filed for you under nutrition.

We have previously noted that what passes for "organic" in the United States is quite a sham. One wonders just how bad things could become should a ‘Dracula in charge of the blood bank’ situation be allowed to develop. The risk is explained in the Organic Consumers Association press release as follows.

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