The National Heart Foundation (NHF) of Australia has recently released a position statement that provides  recommendations for the consumption of antioxidant-rich food, drinks and supplements for cardiovascular heart health. They advise health professionals not to recommend Australian adults to use chocolate, coffee, red wine or antioxidant supplements for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) ¹.

NHF recommends all Australian adults to do the following:

Green tea contains the active ingredient polyphenol, which has a subgroup known as catechins. Catechins are powerful antioxidants and may have cancer-preventative effects. A large study in Japan found that males aged between 40 and 69 who drank five cups of green tea daily were less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer than those who drank only one¹.

A Swedish study found that women who regularly took multivitamins were 19% more likely to develop a breast cancer than those who did not take multivitamins¹.  35,329 women aged 49 to 83 years old took part in that study and were followed up for 10 years. The research found that women who had taken multivitamins for three years or more and those who took seven or more multivitamins a week were at increased risk of breast cancer compared to non-users.

Dementia is an acquired brain disease, affecting a person’s mental ability, personality and behaviour. People with dementia commonly experience problems with memory and skills needed to carry out everyday activities. In Hong Kong, one in 10 people aged over 65 are diagnosed with dementia, with increase in incidence with advancing age¹.

To most of us, cinnamon has been known as one of the stable spice in our household. It is often used to lift up the flavor of our desserts or appears as the warm and familiar scent dispersing from the candles throughout the living room. Who would ever imagine cinnamon beyond just an ordinary flavor or scent and can be used as a potential supplement for diabetic management?