Dried fruits linked to better overall diet and health

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November 30, 2020

Encouraging people to eat more dried fruit — without added sugar — could be an effective way to boost their intake of vital nutrients, researchers have concluded.

Low consumption of fruit in the United States and other countries is a major contributor to diet-related disease and disability, according to a recent analysis.

Fruit is a good source of nutrients, such as fiber and potassium, that many people lack in their diet. It also contains bioactive nutrients that provide extra health benefits, including and carotenoids.

Research suggests that eating fruit is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

However, only about 24% of females and 14% of males in the U.S. eat the recommended daily amount of fruit, according to the US National Cancer Institute.

Several factors might contribute to people’s low intake of fresh fruit, including limited availability, high cost, and perishability.

Recommending that people eat more dried fruit could be one solution.

Healthful Snack

Dried fruit offers several advantages over fresh fruit in terms of cost, availability, and ease of storage and transport. It could also replace more unhealthful snack food that is high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat.

At the same time, however, there are concerns about overconsumption leading to excess calorie intake because dried fruit is such an “energy dense” form of fruit.

Previous observational studies have found that eating dried fruit is associated with health benefits. However, the evidence is inconclusive because people who eat more dried fruit may tend to have a more healthful diet and lifestyle overall.

The new study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park aimed to get around this difficulty by comparing days when particular participants reported eating dried fruit with days when they ate none.

They found that people tended to consume more key nutrients on the days they ate dried fruit, including dietary fiber and potassium. However, they also consumed more calories.

“Dried fruit can be a great choice for a nutritious snack, but consumers might want to be sure they’re choosing unsweetened versions without added sugar,” says Valerie Sullivan of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, who was a grad student at Pennsylvania State University when she led the study.

“Portion sizes can also be tricky because a serving of dried fruit is smaller than a serving of fresh since the water has been taken out. But the positive is that dried fruit can help people potentially consume more fruit because it’s portable, it’s shelf-stable, and can even be cheaper.”

Tickets price increase by 100% as Airlines operating costs rise

By

Chris Ottah

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November 30, 2020

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The cost of air tickets along several routes have doubled due to the high demand for air travel in light of the rising insecurity in the country and the cost of flight operations.

Checks on several airline websites showed that even intending passengers who booked their flights days ahead of departure were also affected.

A check on Friday on the website of Max Air showed that a one-way ticket from Maiduguri to Lagos for Saturday was put at N100,000 while the same flight costs N70,000 for Monday.

A flight from Kano to Abuja on Azman Air on Friday was put at N85,000; the same route for Saturday was put at N61,000.

A flight from Lagos to Abuja via Max Air on Monday was put at N80,000 while the same flight on Aero was fixed at N107,000.

Travelling to Kano State from Lagos on Arik Air on Saturday, cost about N70,618 while the flight would cost N65,564 for the same route on Tuesday.

It was also observed that the Lagos-Port Harcourt route, which is one of the busiest in the country, had also been affected.

A check on Arik Air’s website on Friday showed that there were no available seats till Monday and the price for the four available seats was fixed at N52, 868 each for afternoon flight and at N57,045 for morning.

Overland Airways which travels less busy routes with its much smaller aircraft also hiked its ticket prices.

Ilorin to Abuja flight was put at N56,000 on Saturday and N61, 500 on Sunday; the same route was put at a cost of N56,000 on Tuesday and N52,500 on Wednesday.

The increase in the air tickets caused a debate on social media last week as several Nigerians lamented how they had to part with large sums of money to purchase tickets.

Confirming the increments on Friday, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told The Punch that airlines could not access foreign exchange at the official rate while the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria had increased its fees.

Sanusi said except airlines were given special concessions, the prices would continue to rise and could hit an average of N100,000 for even the Lagos/Abuja route.

He said, “We were buying dollars at N360 and it went to N380 but you can’t get it for less than N480.

“We are paying VAT at 7.5 per cent. We are paying 15 per cent duty on our spare parts. The boarding passes, we pay 15 per cent duty on it.

“The passenger service charge has increased by FAAN. So, don’t look at one component but look at the total reason for the increase.

“Yes, there is an increase in demand but it is caused by the lack of aircraft and this lack of aircraft is caused by unavailability of spare parts which is also caused by dollar scarcity.”

Also speaking, the General Secretary, Aviation Roundtable, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said there was a connection between the rising airfares and the insecurity in the country.

Lagos based travel agent, Mr Ndudim Nwaoma, said, his encounter with several passengers showed that many were desperate to fly because of the high level of insecurity in the country.

25 Sneaky foods that could be damaging your heart

By

Chris Ottah

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November 30, 2020

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Heart disease is a very serious problem these days but you can avoid becoming a statistic by looking at what you eat more closely.

Read on to see which foods you should avoid to keep your heart pumping properly, and then replace these fridge offenders with heart-healthy foods instead.

Sugary cereals

Take a look at the nutrition label of your cold cereal. Does it have more than eight grams of sugar per serving to make up for its low-fat level? Skip it.Fried chicken

More fried food, more problems. Study participants who consumed larger amounts of fried food had higher risk for death from coronary artery disease.

French fries

It’s not just battered and fried bird that’s tough on your ticker, though. High levels of potato consumption has been linked to increased risk for both hypertension and type 2 diabetes in scientific research. And frying the spuds delivers a one-two punch to your cardiac health.

Potato chips

Increased servings of potato chips tacked on more pounds than any other foods including sugary drinks, processed meats and red meat.

In addition to ample calories—160 calories per serving for 15 Lay’s—chips are low in fiber and protein while offering a good shake of sodium.

Fruit smoothies

In theory they should be healthy, unless you count how many grams of sugar you are actually consuming. Plus, by drinking fruit instead of eating it whole, you lose the essential fiber that could help normalize elevated blood lipids.

Hot dogs

Hot dogs and sausages can be high in saturated fat. Even low-fat options tend to be packed with salt. It’s important to watch your sodium intake, as more dietary sodium often leads to higher blood pressure.

Ketchup

Ketchup is very high in sodium as well. Just two tablespoons contains 320 milligrams of sodium. Plus, it boasts eight grams of sugar per two-tablespoon serving.

Barbecue sauce

It’s best for your heart to steer clear of (or go light on) the sauce at your cookout. A couple tablespoons of the typical bottle variety has about 310 milligrams of sodium.

Table salt

Start by adding half of what a recipe calls for, and scale up to only use what you need. So you don’t shake on extra out of habit, leave the salt in the kitchen and only bring it to the table if you need it after the first bite.

Fat-free packaged snacks

A good rule of thumb: Avoid any product that is not normally fat-free. What it doesn’t have in fat, it makes up for in sugar.

Fat-free peanut butter

Low-fat peanut butters usually contain the same amount of calories as its conventional counterpart. Again, you’re trading fat for sugar.

Canned vegetables

Some canned vegetable products are packaged with excess added sodium which can take a vegetable with no salt and make it have more than a processed snack item.

Fruit-flavored yogurt

Sometimes, it’s good to be plain—as in plain Greek yogurt. Fruity yogurts can contain upwards of six teaspoons of sugar per serving. A better choice is to buy plain Greek yogurt and mix it with your own fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit.

Margarine

Butter isn’t so bad after all. A 2016 review in PLOS One found very little links between butter consumption and heart disease. Instead, margarine appears to be more of a villain, since it can be full of additives and saturated fats.

Pastries

Donuts and other bakery goodies are not only high in fat, sugar and white flour, but they also may be transporting trans fats into your bloodstream.

As a reminder, trans fat can increase risk of developing heart disease since they simultaneously lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol.

Red meat

Aim to integrate more plant-based proteins, such as beans and nuts, for the biggest heart health boost. Red meat consumption has been shown to increase cardiovascular risk.

White bread

Whole grains come paired with fibre and more vitamins, while white bread is commonly stripped of both. Since the carbs come with no fibre to balance things out, they increase blood sugar rapidly, which can contribute to the development of diabetes or heart conditions over time.

White rice

Processed rice ranks right up there with processed breads on the heart-harming scale. Highly processed carbohydrates increase belly fat, which is a risk factor for diabetes and coronary disease.

Energy drinks

Similarly, energy drinks are often amped up with oodles of sugar—and caffeine that can cause undue stress to your heart.

Soda

For each additional sugar-packed drink, such as cola, you drink each day, you increase your risk for both heart disease and stroke. Frequent consumption of all sweetened drinks, including soda, faux fruit juices and sports drinks, makes you more likely to die of atherosclerosis.

Diet soda

Research suggests that the chemicals in diet soda and the artificial sweeteners can alter gastrointestinal bacteria that make people more prone to gaining weight.

Pizza

If you do pick pizza for dinner and order delivery, be sure to go heavy on the fresh vegetables and light on the cheese.

Marinara sauce

While you’re shifting your slice, consider the tomato sauce, too. The average half-cup of marinara packs in 400 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of sugar. Try low-sodium marinara sauce or trade olive oil for sauce on your DIY pizza.

Alcohol

Everything in moderation. But if you already suffer from high blood pressure or know that you have high triglycerides, then drinking alcohol can boost your odds of heart disease.”

Coffee creamer

Want to be even better? Drink your coffee black. And whatever you do, don’t dump in the non-dairy coffee creamer.

Electricity: Nigerians To Pay N4,000 Monthly For Solar System – Presidency

By

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo

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November 30, 2020

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The Nigerian Presidency says beneficiaries of the the proposed off-grid solar home systems across rural communities in the country are expected to pay N4,000 monthly.

25 million Nigerians are estimated to benefit from the solar power programme.

In a statement on Sunday, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, said the beneficiaries of the power programme, tagged Solar Power Naija, are expected to pay N4,000 monthly over a period of three years.

“An important aspect of the scheme is the option of outright ownership by beneficiaries at a cost ranging from N1,500 per week to N4,000 monthly depending on the capacities, for a period of three years,” Akande said.

The Federal Government had previously announced that it would commence the installation of the N140 billion solar project for 5 million households in “underserved and rural communities” from the first week of December.

The government noted that the initiative is a continuation of coordinated implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The initiative is implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

Air Tickets Hike:Airlines Increase Fares By 100% As Operating Costs Rise

By

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo

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November 30, 2020

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The cost of air tickets along several routes have doubled due to the high demand for air travel in light of the rising insecurity in the country and cost of flight operations.