For many years the well-known diet that relies on counting and restricting calories in meals was deemed to be the best way to lose weight and reduce the fat stored in your body.  The calory counting diet was based on earlier research, which indicated that when individuals consume more calories than their bodies use for energy, the excess energy is primarily stored as fat tissue.  This simplistic “calories in, calories out” model implies that weight loss is as straightforward as burning more calories than what you consume.  This assumes that caloric intake and expenditure are accurately measurable and related to weight loss.  This model’s major limitation is that not all calories affect the body equally.  Recently published studies proposed a

The beauty of one’s skin depends on many factors, ranging from hydration and nutrition to cosmetic care.  Some of these factors are essential for healthy skin and omega-3 fatty acids have emerged as an influential factor in skin health.  These essential fatty acids, which the body cannot produce on its own, are well known for their anti-inflammatory properties, but recently also for their ability to strengthen the skin barrier, and to combat skin aging. What are essential fatty acids? Fat is one of the three major macronutrients that make up the bulk of the nutrition in our food, along with carbohydrates and protein.  During digestion, enzymes in the gut break down fat into fatty acids.  There are three types of

For many years eggs have been the subject of controversy regarding a perceived negative impact on human health due to their frequent consumption and their cholesterol content.  Although the controversy on the impact of consuming foods high in cholesterol remains, more recent studies have shown the lack of correlation between the consumption of eggs and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. As a result, public health associations have also removed the advice to limit the consumption of eggs from their guidelines.  Normally, food with a high content of cholesterol is also typically rich in saturated fats, which are well documented to increase cholesterol levels.   Eggs are low in saturated fat, which is less than 4% of the total fat content.

The ever-increasing number of people diagnosed with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus has become a growing medical and economic challenge around the world.  This major health burden has driven years of research to find new therapies that improve blood sugar levels and body weight. Multiple drugs have been developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, utilising the signalling systems of products of the proglucagon gene Gcg.  Most of these drugs, such as the widely known Ozempic, mimic the signalling system of the glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). What is GLP-1? The prohormone proglucagon is expressed in the pancreas and in the enteroendocrine cells in the intestinal tract.  The two main products of proglucagon processing are the peptide hormones

Gluten can be a benefit or harmful to the body, depending on the individual.  Negative media attention on wheat and gluten has cast some doubt on its place in a heathy diet.  Public perception is that a gluten-free diet is more healthful and may improve gastrointestinal symptoms, as some people have noticed an improvement in their gastrointestinal health after cutting out gluten.  More people in the wider population have adopted a gluten-free diet, which has been made easier due to gluten-free products now more widely available. What is gluten? Gluten is a protein that is naturally found in some grains, such as wheat, barley, spelt, durum, and rye.  This protein helps food hold their shape and adds a “stretchy” quality