It’s not just what you eat that can make you gain weight – it’s also HOW you eat. New research published in the British Journal of Medical Research Online First has shown that people who eat fast treble their risk of being overweight. Scientists have suggested that eating on the run and the couch potato lifestyles of fast food, larger portions and TV dinners and the demise of family mealtimes may be significant factors in growing levels of obesity. Eating fast can make you fat even if the calories consumed are less than people who eat slower. It is thought that the joint impact of eating quickly and until full overrides brain signals which encourage more self control.

Researchers from Osaka University Japan carried out a study of 3,200 Japanese men and women aged 30 to 69 between 2003 and 2006. Everyone was sent a diet history questionnaire. Half of the men and 58 per cent of the women said they normally ate until they were full; just under half of men and a third of women said they ate quickly. The people who said they ate until full and quickly had higher levels of body fat than those who did not eat until full and did not eat quickly. In fact both men and women in this group were three times more likely to be overweight than those who said this was not the way they ate.

We have always known the importance of chewing food for a long time and eating slowly and I have always urged my patients to take the time to chew their food when eating a meal. If you eat slowly then there is feedback from the brain that tells your stomach you have had enough and this stops you eating until you are full. It typically takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to register being full so have a break between courses. Put your knife and fork down between bites. The longer you chew your food the fuller you will feel; some experts recommend chewing a mouthful up to 20 times because chewing breaks down molecules exposing them to saliva which is the start of the digestive process. Also never eat while reading or watching TV. You need to concentrate on your food so that your brain can get signals about how much you are eating. Finally, don’t talk and eat at the same time, as swallowing air makes digestion more difficult and can give you more flatulence and bloating because of the intake of air. This doesn’t mean you should avoid conversation during meals it just means you should talk when your mouth isn’t full.

Eat a bowl of oats for breakfast and it may be enough to cut your risk of a heart attack, according to new research published in The British Food Journal.

Experts believe that following such a diet can reduce bad cholesterol by up to 20 per cent because oats contain a compound called beta-glucan and just three grams a day are enough to cut the risk of heart attack. This new research based on the results of 21 studies over the past 18 years provides yet more evidence that regular oat consumption is an effective dietary strategy for helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fifteen of the studies found regular consumption of oats cut total cholesterol levels among the 1,450 volunteers. In 13 studies cholesterol levels were reduced by up to seventeen per cent. Three studies reported significant reductions in harmful low density lipo-proteins (LDL) and several found eating oats regularly boosted good cholesterol. High levels of harmful cholesterol significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Oats are a heart healthy food and can be eaten not only as porridge but also as oat cakes.  If you buy cereal bars containing oats then make sure they are just sweetened with fruit or fruit juice otherwise they can have a large amount of sugar which will increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

A new study by Newcastle University has shown that milk produced by cows on organic farms is more nutritious than conventional milk. Researchers found that organic milk has significantly higher levels of beneficial fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants. In particular, one fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was 60 per cent higher. CLA has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is the latest in a number of studies that have shown organic milk is higher in omega 3 fatty acids. Despite this, the government food standards agency (FDA) is still reluctant to confirm that organic produce is more nutritious but for the growing number of people buying organic produce, the benefits of eating food grown and reared without the usual cocktail of toxins and chemicals is beyond doubt.