Can we admit that the last decade of nutrition trends left us confused AF? From the time when kale was hailed the miracle leaf to when everyone and their mother were doing Atkins. We’ve seen the emergence of lab-grown meat and ‘impossible’ plant-based burgers, the rise of cauliflower pizza crusts and nut milk. From bone broth to a hundred delicious ways to eat chickpeas to intermittent fasting — we were all really confused about what to eat and when to eat it. But is the next decade of nutrition any better? The experts weigh in.

Plant-based on the rise

2020 Got off to a pretty green start with the Golden Globes serving their first-ever plant-based dinner at this year’s awards — which honestly isn’t much of a surprise. Globally, we’ve seen the phenomenal rise of more plant-based eating amongst the privileged who easily can afford a high consumption of meat.

SA Registered Dietitian and Association for Dietetics in South Africa spokesperson, Kelly Scholtz says: “An affordable diet in the average SA household is already very much plant-based, with small amounts of meat, chicken or fish used when possible, with beans, peas, lentils and foods like milk and eggs providing alternative and good sources of protein. It is already clear that restaurants and retailers in South Africa are stocking more meat alternatives and vegetarian and vegan products in support of this trend, which suggests that there is more demand for plant-based options from consumers.”

Finger on the pulse(s)

It feels like every year there’s a ‘new’ food source that everyone just can’t get enough of, and this year it seems like pulses are where it’s at. ADSA spokesperson, Cath Day, explains that pulses are great from a nutritional and sustainability point of view. “Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. They grow in pods and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and include dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas, chickpeas, cowpeas, pigeon peas and lentils,” she says. Pulse crops help decrease greenhouse gases, increase soil health, and use less water than other crops. Alow-fat source of protein with high levels of protein and fibre, pulses also contain important vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium and folate.

One less glass of bubbly

Everyone loves a glass (or three) of wine but according to studies we slowly saying no to alcohol. Research shows that alcohol consumption is on the decline with any of us opting for alcohol-free options. But given that South Africans are some of the heaviest drinkers in the world, could this be a trend we’ll catch on to? Registered dietitian, Retha Harmse hopes so, “With alcohol being a non-nutrient and high in kilojoules, a whopping 29 kilojoules per gram, it is no secret that alcohol abstinence is a good thing for your health and waistline. With the worldwide focus on moving towards healthier behaviours and habits, I do hope that alcohol consumption in the country will decrease in the new decade.”

READ MORE: What Is Dry January — And What Are The Health Benefits? Experts Weigh In

Giving up the exclusionary diets

The last two-three years saw the rise of the gluten-free and dairy-free lifestyle, it seemed like everyone grew intolerant to some food or the other. But are we actually intolerant or is it a case of jumping onto the bandwagon? Registered dietitian, Retha Harmse says that many people self-diagnose intolerances and implement unnecessarily restrictive diets without professional advice. “Besides being a lot of trouble, dietary exclusions can be very expensive, possibly cause nutrient deficiencies, and might be the origin of an eating disorder or disguise one. Studies have also found that exclusionary diets are socially isolating,” she explains. Rather than going online or starting the latest fad diet, ask your dietitian, you will get a better, sustainable plan that takes your whole person, your medical history and lifestyle into account.

READ MORE: What’s The Point Of An Elimination Diet — And Should I Try It?

Sustainability is a must

Not that sustainability is anything new but this year and the year beyond we’re going to have to do more to help the planet. Extreme weather conditions and species extinction aside, the greatest impact of a disrupted climate will be on human food production and food availability. The world’s agricultural system as it is depends on the stability of the earth’s climate.

“I think that there will be a combination of active and passive consumer behaviour change. Individuals who care about sustainability will make conscious choices, such as more plant-based eating; more careful water use; less plastic packaging and more recycling. These consumer choices prompt businesses to produce foods with sustainability in mind. There is also likely to be a passive or unavoidable change in behaviour in future because many food products will likely become more expensive if they are not sustainably produced, or if extreme drought and other climate change makes production more challenging for farmers,” explains Kelly.

Body positivity for the win

The last 5 years saw everyone becoming a bit more body-positive which has also changed the way in which many people approached nutrition. People are slowly shifting towards mindful and practising intuitive eating, thanks to the fact that we’re embracing our current physical state. “The spotlight is on eating healthy and living well because you love yourself and your body, rather than only an attempt to start loving your body. That links so perfectly with the body positive movement,” says Retha Harmse.

Cath Day agrees wholeheartedly that we all deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size, and appearance. “It is not just about challenging how society views people based upon their physical size and shape, but it also recognizes that judgments are often made based on gender, race, sexuality, and disability,” she says. “It is always vitally important to be body positive and to focus on living a healthy life which includes making sure you exercise most days, choose healthy meals and snacks, sleep enough, manage your stress, refrain from smoking and have purpose and love in your life for your social and emotional wellbeing.”

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Chandré Davids

More than 10,000 people get sepsis each year in Wales and about 2,000 die, according to a charity.

They are linked to the UK’s third case of the virus, a man who tested positive in Brighton.

Sex drive foods, you say? A myth, you say? Not so fast. These 34-plus edibles are not only good for you, they’ll rev up your libido and boost blood flow to the genitals, taking sex from ordinary to extraordinary… Just in time for Valentine’s Day. Wink.

Sex drive foods: spinach and other green veg

Spinach is a potent source of magnesium, which helps dilate blood vessels, according to Japanese researchers. Better blood flow to the genitals creates greater arousal for men and women. Spinach and other green veg, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, Swiss chard and bok choy, are also good sources of our favourite sex nutrient — folate. Extra insurance for good reproductive health, folate may lower blood levels of homocysteine (high levels are a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease).

Unsweetened tea

The antioxidant catechin found in tea promotes blood flow all over the body for sex power and brainpower; it enhances memory, mood and focus. One particularly potent catechin, a compound called ECGC prevalent in green tea, is thought to increase fat burn. Drink freshly brewed green or black tea every day — hot or iced.

Peaches and other fruits

One study shows that vitamin C may increase libido in women. Another finds that people who eat foods high in vitamin C report better moods and have more sex. It also helps boost blood flow, meaning that both sexes can get friskier, faster. Note: men who consume at least 200mg of vitamin C a day improve their sperm counts and motility, according to research at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Grapefruit contains 120 percent of the recommended daily allowance of 90mg of vitamin C for men. Other excellent sources are kiwi, mango, oranges, spanspek, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens and ascorbic acid supplements. And… watermelons. They’re filled with high concentrations of lycopene, beta carotene, and, the big one, citrulline, which is particularly exciting for its ability to relax blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has.

READ MORE: These Libido-Boosting Foods Amp Up Blood Flow Where It Counts *Wink*

Eggs

Their nutrients, including folate, iron, phosphorus and selenium, are heart healthy and also known to maintain the health of epithelial tissues, which line the vagina and uterus in women. Eggs are rich in vitamins B6 and B5, which help balance hormone levels and ease stress, and are important for a healthy libido.

Red wine and meat

Italian researchers found that women who drink red wine in moderation enjoy higher levels of sexual interest and respond with more lubrication than women who don’t drink or drink less. The researchers believe that the antioxidants and alcohol in the wine may trigger the production of nitric oxide in the blood, which helps artery walls to relax, increasing blood flow to the genitals. Just limit yourself to a glass or two. More alcohol than that can put a damper on sexual performance.

Worth noting: even teetotallers can benefit from the red grape. Dark grape juice contains antioxidant polyphenols that protect the cardiovascular system and help keep skin flexible and elastic.

That brings us to the meat of this entry. Red meat. Lean cuts are great sources of zinc, a mineral that curbs production of a hormone called prolactin, which, at high levels, can cause sexual dysfunction, according to Berman.

Seeds and nuts

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, walnuts and other nuts all contain the necessary monounsaturated fats with which your body creates cholesterol — and your sex hormones need that cholesterol to work properly.

That’s something the ancient Romans didn’t know when they tossed walnuts at newlyweds for good breeding luck. Long linked to fertility — the shell, of course, resembles a man’s cojones; the inside meat is vulva-like in form — nuts make a perfectly sexy snack. Packed with muscle-building protein and filling fibre, they are a heart-healthy, albeit kilojoule-dense, treat.

READ MORE: 6 Superfood Powders That’ll Give Your Body A Boost

Extra protein

How do you eat more protein without going overboard on eggs and meat? Beans. Many studies show that bean eaters are leaner and healthier than people who don’t eat beans. According to one study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, people who eat three quarters of a cup of beans or legumes a day have lower blood pressure and smaller waists than people who get their protein from meat. Beans are also full of cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre. A quarter cup of red kidney beans delivers three grams of fibre, plus more than 6 000 disease-fighting antioxidants.

Fatty fish

If, as doctors like to say, what’s good for your heart is good for your love life, oily cold-water fish, like salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna, should figure heavily into your weekly meal rotation. The omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA found in fish help to raise dopamine levels in the brain that trigger arousal, according to sexologist Dr Yvonne Fulbright. Fish contains the amino acid L-arginine, which stimulates the release of growth hormones and is converted into nitric oxide in the body. It’s worth repeating: nitric oxide is critical for erections and it can help women’s sexual function as well by causing blood vessels to open wider for improved blood flow.

Oats and other whole grains

Eating oats is one of the few natural ways to boost testosterone in the bloodstream. The male hormone plays a significant role in sex drive and orgasm strength in both men and women. Oats (as well as seeds, ginseng, nuts, dairy and green vegetables) contain L-arginine, the amino acid that enhances the effect nitric oxide has on reducing blood-vessel stiffness. Like Viagra, it helps relax muscles around blood vessels in the penis. When they dilate, blood flow increases so a man can maintain an erection. Studies show that L-arginine also improves blood flow to the clitoris and tissue surrounding the vulva.

READ MORE: 7 Ways To Make Overnight Oats Way, Way Better

Oysters and other shellfish

In addition to their reputation as the ultimate aphrodisiac (thanks to their resemblance to female genitalia), raw oysters actually do have a connection to sexual function. Oysters hold more zinc than most other foods and it is believed that this mineral may enhance libido by helping with testosterone production — higher levels of the hormone are linked to an increase in desire. Zinc is also crucial to healthy sperm production and blood circulation. While Casanova reportedly ate 50 raw oysters a day, about six will provide double the recommended daily allowance of 15mg of zinc. Other good sources of zinc are shrimp, red meat, pumpkin seeds, poultry and pork, eggs and dairy products.

Dark chocolate

Devouring something gooey and decadent is incredibly sensual. Dark chocolate, in particular, contains a compound called phenylethylamine that releases the same endorphins triggered by sex and increases the feelings of attraction between two people, according to research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. In fact, brain scans in a British study showed that eating chocolate causes a more intense and longer brain buzz than kissing does.

Chocolate does also appear to boost heart health. Scientists at the Harvard University School of Public Health examined 136 studies on cocoa and found heart-health benefits from increased blood flow, less platelet stickiness and reduced bad cholesterol. What’s the “healthiest” chocolate? The disease-fighting flavonols that make dark chocolate good for the body also cause the bitterness. To balance flavour and health benefits, try dark chocolate with 70 percent cacao, recommends Dr Jeffrey Blumberg, who directs the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University in the US. A five-centimetre square chunk, at about 400kJ, will deliver a healthy treat without messing with your weight-management efforts.

Strawberries and other berries

Red is sexy. But strawberries are sex drive foods for another reason besides their sensual colour: they are high in the B vitamin, folate, which helps prevent birth defects, and vitamin C, a potential libido booster. Blueberries (and blackberries) are just as sexy. Ideal for a great morning-after breakfast in bed, so you have energy for round two, both berries contain compounds that are thought to relax blood vessels and improve circulation for a natural Viagra-like effect.

READ MORE: Vegan Strawberry Smoothie Bowl, Plus More Breakfast Recipes

Avocado

The ancient Aztecs called them testicles. Hanging in pairs from trees, the fruit is so suggestive that Catholic priests in Spain once forbade parishioners from eating them. But beyond their shape, avocados have a strong connection to the testes, the production centre of sperm, due to their high folate content. Men planning to have children should consider loading up on avocado (as well as leafy greens) because folate may protect sperm from mutations. A study at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in a 2008 issue of the journal Human Reproduction analysed the sperm of 89 men for chromosome abnormalities and then compared the results to a food frequency questionnaire the men completed. The researchers found that men with the highest folate intake had the lowest frequency of sperm with extra chromosomes compared with men who had lower consumption.

Asparagus

This phallic vegetable has been associated with sex since the first hunter-gatherer spotted shoots popping out of the forest floor and cried, “Hey, you know what those remind me of?” The springtime shoots are loaded with B vitamins that increase levels of histamine, a neurotransmitter that facilitates orgasm. Green asparagus spears are rich in rutin, a potent scavenger of free radicals. The crowns also have high levels of the chemical protodioscin which may improve sexual function. “Protodioscin has been shown to boost arousal and even help combat erectile dysfunction in some men,” says Dr Lynn Edlen-Nezin, co-author of Great Food, Great Sex.

Bananas

If you suffer from a bit of sexual anxiety, eat a banana before you hook up. Bananas deliver the feel-good neurochemical serotonin into the blood stream, which elevates mood and calms the nervous system. “Bananas contain potassium, a mineral that increases muscle strength, an element crucial to orgasm,” says Lou Paget, author of The Great Lover Playbook.

READ MORE: Should You Avoid Bananas If You’re Trying To Lose Weight?

Breakfast cereal

Fortified breakfast cereals and breads contain niacin, a vitamin that’s essential for the secretion of histamine, a chemical our bodies need in order to trigger explosive sneezes — and orgasms. They are high in thiamin and riboflavin too, vitamins that help you use energy efficiently and that are important for proper nerve function, which translates into more stimulation and pleasure during sex.

Celery

Every stalk of this Bloody Mary swizzle stick is packed with androstenone and androstenol, two pheromones that can help men attract women. “When you chew a stalk of celery, you release androstenone and androstenol odour molecules into your mouth. They then travel up the back of your throat to your nose,” says Dr Alan Hirsch, author of Scentsational Sex: The Secret to Using Aroma for Arousal. “Once there, the pheromones boost your arousal, turning you on and causing your body to send off scents and signals that make you more desirable to women.”

Cheese

One of the first body parts the opposite sex looks at when scoping out a potential date: the teeth. Keep them bright and healthy by eating cheese. Cheese is a good source of calcium, to keep your teeth strong, plus it can lower the levels of bacteria in your mouth and keep teeth clean and cavity-free. The American Dental Association recommends eating at least two servings of block cheese every week to maintain tooth health.

Chillies

Smokin’ sex drive foods! Chillies contain the chemical capsaicin, which triggers the release of endorphins. It also stimulates nerve endings, increasing metabolism, raising your heart rate, causing flushed cheeks, sweating and other physical effects that mimic arousal.

Coffee

While coffee’s association with sex drive foods is tenuous, caffeine has been shown to have health benefits. After a sip of a caffeinated beverage, the brain releases dopamine, a neurochemical that stimulates areas of the brain responsible for alertness, problem solving and pleasure. A cup before a workout has been shown to help athletes exercise longer and harder. And although researchers don’t know exactly why, they speculate that the large amounts of antioxidants in coffee and other compounds in caffeine may be responsible for improved insulin resistance and reduced diabetes risk.

Figs

Considering their resemblance to female genitalia (when sliced in half), it’s no surprise figs are historically lauded as sex drive foods. The ancient Greeks are said to have celebrated the arrival of the fig crop with wild sex rituals and the great seductress Cleopatra loved to eat them from the fingers of buff young male attendants. Nutritionally, figs make sense as a sex snack. Like blueberries, they contain more soluble and insoluble fibre than most fruit and vegetables and they are rich in many nutrients important to good sexual health, including potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, calcium and antioxidants. High in simple sugars, a quarter-cup serving will boost your serotonin levels and provide a quick energy lift.

READ MORE: 7 Health Benefits Of Spicy Food Every Hot Sauce Lover Needs To Know About

Flaxseeds

Sprinkle flaxseeds on your cereal, yoghurt or ice cream for a shot of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are the major building blocks of all sex hormones. One tablespoon of the nutty-tasting seeds helps increase testosterone, the chemical with the most direct libido-boosting effect, according to sexuality researcher Dr Helen Fisher. Another good plant-based source of these essential fatty acids is walnuts.

Garlic

Garlic may be the last thing you want on your breath when you’re ready to have sex. But it may be something you want to get more of on other occasions due to its high concentration of the compound allicin. Numerous small clinical studies suggest that regular garlic consumption may reduce cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of certain cancers and work against peripheral artery disease, improving blood flow particularly to the lower extremities.

Honey

Honey’s B vitamins aid the production of testosterone and its boron content helps the body use oestrogen, which is a key factor in proper blood flow and arousal. In the kitchen, drizzle it on your oats. In the bedroom, drizzle it on any warm, lickable surface.

Fat-free milk and probiotic yoghurt

The calcium in milk is essential for bone building. The vitamin D in fortified milk helps calcium keep your muscles, heart and nervous system humming. Studies show that calcium also influences fat metabolism. Yoghurt is another great source of calcium. But when choosing your yoghurt, reach for the probiotic kind. Hint: the label will read “live and active cultures.” This yoghurt contains beneficial organisms that work with the bacteria in your gut to boost your immune system. What’s more, yoghurt is one of the few foods with conjugated linoleic acid, a special type of fat that some studies show can reduce body fat.

Pomegranate juice

There are a lot of reasons to eat and drink more of this fruit. When scientists at the University of California studied the pomegranate, they found that it is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that allow blood to flow through your veins — a key component of good sex. And Israeli researchers discovered that men who drank 60ml of pomegranate juice a day for a year lowered their systolic blood pressure by 21 percent and dramatically improved blood flow to their hearts.

Sweet potatoes

Your skin is your largest sex organ. Keep it soft, supple and wrinkle-free by limiting exposure to the sun, one of the primary reasons men and women age prematurely. In addition to applying sunscreen, ingest some SPF by eating sweet potatoes. European researchers found that pigments from beta-carotene-rich foods — like sweet potatoes and carrots — can build up in your skin, helping to prevent damage from ultraviolet rays.

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Women’s Health

When it comes to parts of your brain, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Experts long believed that a bigger hippocampus meant better memory. But new research finds that the size of this seahorse-shaped structure deep in the brain doesn’t always predict learning and memory abilities.

Markers of memory decline

Researchers looked at more than 330 older adults in Germany and found that a larger hippocampus is only an advantage in people who also have more white-matter circuitry intact to link the hippocampus to the rest of the brain.

“Our findings highlight the need to measure not just the size of the hippocampus but also how well it’s connected to the rest of the brain when we look for physical markers of memory decline in older adults,” said study lead author Andrew Bender. He’s an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine.

It’s normal for the hippocampus to shrink as we age, but this loss is greater in people with mildly impaired thinking or Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers said this study could help lead to earlier diagnosis of such age-related memory disorders.

Mental decline in some older adults whose brain scans show a larger hippocampus could be missed if doctors don’t also consider their white-matter connectivity, researchers explained.

Change in older adults’ brain structure

“Our findings reinforce a growing perspective that studying age-related changes in learning and memory from a systems perspective appears far more informative in understanding different patterns of brain and cognitive declines than focusing on any single brain region,” Bender said in a university news release.

His team will continue to track study participants.

“By following people over time,” Bender said, “we can see if there is actually change in older adults’ brain structure and whether that is linked with observable declines in learning and memory.”

The study was recently published online in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

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Who ever said bioengineers can’t get their groove on? The Rice University team led by Antonios Mikos says otherwise with its development of a groovy method to seed sophisticated, 3D-printed tissue-engineering scaffolds with living cells to help heal injuries.

Significantly reducing dietary levels of the amino acid methionine could slow onset and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis in high-risk individuals, according to findings published today in Cell Metabolism.

A daily baby aspirin helped first-time mothers lower their chances of delivering too soon in a new clinical trial, though it’s not clear the practice should become routine everywhere.

The trial, which was run in six lower-income countries, found that giving first-time mothers a daily low-dose aspirin reduced their risk of preterm birth by 11%. Their chances of a very early delivery – before the 34th week of pregnancy – were cut by one-quarter.

Readily available

“This is a very important finding,” said Dr Rahul Gupta, chief medical and health officer for the non-profit March of Dimes.

Low-dose aspirin is readily available, cheap and safe, noted Gupta, who was not involved in the trial. That means it could have a real impact in low-income countries, where infant deaths from preterm birth are particularly common.

But whether the findings would extend to the United States and other high-income countries is not yet known, Gupta added.

He said it could be worthwhile to conduct a similar trial in the United States – with special attention to enrolling groups with higher rates of preterm delivery, such as black women.

In 2018, the rate of preterm birth was 14% among black women, versus 9% among white women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s about a 50% difference.

In the United States, low-dose aspirin – 81 milligrams per day – is already recommended for pregnant women at high risk of preeclampsia, a condition marked by dangerously high blood pressure and protein in the urine. One of its potential consequences is preterm birth, and studies on aspirin and preeclampsia had suggested the drug might help prevent those early deliveries.

Premature birth less likely

That led to the latest trial, which recruited nearly 12 000 women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia. All were first-time mothers-to-be; half were randomly assigned to take a daily low-dose aspirin, while half received placebo pills.

The women started on aspirin or placebo as early as the sixth week of pregnancy and continued through the 36th week or until delivery.

In the end, women using aspirin were less likely to give birth prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy): 11.6% did, versus 13.1% of women in the placebo group. Their rate of early preterm birth (before week 34) was cut, too – with 3.3% delivering that early, versus 4% of placebo users.

The findings are strong enough to support routine use of low-dose aspirin in low- to mid-income countries, said study co-author Dr Marion Koso-Thomas.

Like Gupta, she pointed to the pros of aspirin’s low cost and simplicity. It’s also safe, said Koso-Thomas, who is with the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch at the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Her team found no increased risks of problems, such as bleeding, for moms or babies.

And when preterm births are prevented, Koso-Thomas said, the consequences of it – including infant deaths – can be, too.

Common in low-income countries

In the trial, perinatal deaths – which include stillbirths and newborn deaths within the first week of life – were reduced in the aspirin group. Among women who took aspirin, there were just under 46 perinatal deaths per 1 000 pregnancies, compared with just under 54 per 1 000 in the placebo group.

The findings were published in The Lancet.

Whether the findings can be translated to the United States or other high-income countries is not clear, however.

Since preterm births are more common in low-income countries, it’s not clear that the same “statistically meaningful universal benefit” would be seen elsewhere, said Dr Julie Quinlivan, of the University of Notre Dame Australia.

She wrote an editorial published with the study.

Pregnant women should always talk to their doctor before using any medication, including low-dose aspirin, Quinlivan said.

And when it comes to lowering the risk of preterm birth, there are some other proven measures, she said: quitting smoking; getting the flu vaccine; treating anaemia or any genital or urinary infections before pregnancy; eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, or considering a fish oil supplement.

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Heralded as a genetically modified crop with the potential to save millions of lives, Golden Rice has just been approved as safe for human and animal consumption by regulators in the Philippines. The rice is a beta carotene-enriched crop that is intended to reduce Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a health problem in very poor areas.