Monthly Archives: March 2022

Honey for eye health? 👀 

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From some of my previous posts you may already know that honey has numerous health benefits. This post will explore the evidence behind honey for good eyesight.

Eyesight is an incredibly important sense which unfortunately worsens with age. Honey is known for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which have the potential to help in several eye conditions.

High-quality honey such as locally sourced, honeycomb or Manuka honey has been researched for eye health improvement.

In a double-blind clinical trial with 60 volunteers, saline drops containing honey were applied to treat keratoconjunctivitis (inflammation of the cornea). The results indicated that topical honey eye drops may be an adequate treatment of this inflammation due to dryness.

In animal models, honey’s antimicrobial properties have demonstrated that they may accelerate the healing of corneal ulcers (abrasions in the outer layer of the eye). Although, more human trials are needed to confirm this effect.

All in all, evidence supports the role of honey in several eye conditions.

Stay tuned for more posts on the benefits of honey!

Myth busting: Does chicken contain hormones?

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For many years, it has been rumored that chicken may contain hormones and eating large quantities of it should be avoided. But what is the real evidence behind this, if any?

Chicken is an incredibly versatile food for cooking recipes such as this one ☝️.

A survey in the U.S. indicated that almost 80% of Americans believe that chickens are given hormones and steroids to make them grow faster and bigger. In reality, NO CHICKEN SOLD OR RAISED IN THE U.S., AUSTRALIA OR EUROPE IS GIVEN HORMONES OR STEROIDS. Unfortunately, most people don’t have first-hand experience of life in farms and therefore there are many common misconceptions such as this one.

Hormones and steroids have been banned in poultry since the 1950s.

These days, chickens are bigger and may grow faster thanks to proper care from veterinarians, good breeding, better living conditions and the best nutrition.

Stay posted for more myth-busting posts!

A glass of milk before bedtime…

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We have all heard at least once in our lives: “have a glass of warm milk before bed, it will help you sleep”. Does it really work though? What is the evidence behind this advice?

Well, for those of you who like milk or have trouble sleeping, keep reading…

Sleep is essential for good health and development. The average adult should sleep 7+ hours each night, but research shows up to one third of us do not.

Milk (and other dairy products) contain tryptophan, an amino acid that plays a key role in the production of serotonin and melatonin (also known as the sleep hormone).

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that impacts mood, cognitive reasoning and memory. Melatonin is a hormone released by your body in response to darkness, in order to help you feel like sleeping at night.

Studies have suggested that consuming milk before bed promotes less restless sleep in both young and old populations, although the mechanisms remain unclear. There is a body of evidence emerging that supports the association between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and disrupted sleep. Hence, milk being nutrient-rich would improve serum concentrations of low vitamins and minerals.

There may also be a psychological element when drinking warm milk. Experts say it could subconsciously remind you of having milk at bedtime during your early childhood years. There’s no research comparing the effects of hot versus cold milk before bed, although warm beverages generally have more of a calming effect than cold ones. More well-designed human studies are needed to confirm this benefit of milk.

Therefore, a glass of milk before bedtime may be a simple home remedy to improve sleep quality.

Are eggs and egg-derived foods safe to eat?

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Eggs confer numerous health benefits thanks to their nutritious value. However, in the past, eggs have worried consumers for their supposed risk of foodborne illness, such as salmonella.

What is salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterial agent responsible for the disease salmonellosis. It is found in the intestine of a wide range of domestic and wild animals and, as a result, some foods may be a potential source of infection.

This short video by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) explains how salmonella has decreased drastically.

In the last few years, salmonellosis cases in humans have reduced by over 50%, mainly thanks to control programmes and monitorisation, particularly of laying hens. Moreover, strict vaccination in farms against Salmonella enteritidis (the full name of the organism!) has helped in the fight against salmonella.

Additionally, with basic kitchen hygiene and by cooking foods (such as eggs) properly, the risk of salmonellosis reduces to next to 0%.

Annual reports are conducted to keep track of the improvement of salmonellosis cases and stricter targets are regularly set.

Biosafety measures in hen farms, vaccination of hens against S. enteritidis and hygiene in food processing have radically reduced the presence of this disease in our society.

So, can we confidently say that Salmonella is a thing of the past?

With the right prevention measures in place, the answer is certainly yes.