Brain Exercises, BPA Controversy and Green Tea Claims
Posted Sep 07 2010 3:30pm
From the ongoing debate about BPA in plastics to when brain exercises work (and don't), here's what we're reading at Everwell today.
Crosswords and Dementia
For years researchers have been trying to prove that brain games like crosswords puzzles and sudoku can help prevent dementia in older people. A new study seems to suggest that keeping brains active can help delay onset, albeit with a major caveat. While the study found that mentally stimulating activities like reading and puzzles helped slow the onset of dementia, those same activities may make dementia progress more rapidly once the condition has started. The authors of the study discussed its results on NPR's Science Friday .
Is BPA Bad? More Data, More Questions
When is too much data a bad thing? Maybe when it prevents scientists and food safety advocates from determining if a substance such as bisphenol-A is actually harmful. In the case of BPA, which lines drink cans and is used in the manufacture of plastic bottles, data has become a political football. This New York Times overview looks back at why early research has muddled the safety picture and profiles new studies which hope to detect what harmful effects--if any--BPA has on health.
Green Tea Health Claims
Just because a drink has the words "green tea" in the label, doesn't necessarily make it a healthy source of antioxidants or cholesterol-lowering nutrients. At least that's the finding of two recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration letters that accuse Lipton and Canada Dry of making false health claims with two popular drinks. The agency says that labeling on Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale and Lipton Green Tea goes too far and is inappropriate. Both companies are working with the FDA to address those concerns.
From the ongoing debate about BPA in plastics to when brain exercises work (and don't), here's what we're reading at Everwell today.
Crosswords and Dementia
For years researchers have been trying to prove that brain games like crosswords puzzles and sudoku can help prevent dementia in older people. A new study seems to suggest that keeping brains active can help delay onset, albeit with a major caveat. While the study found that mentally stimulating activities like reading and puzzles helped slow the onset of dementia, those same activities may make dementia progress more rapidly once the condition has started. The authors of the study discussed its results on NPR's Science Friday .
Is BPA Bad? More Data, More Questions
When is too much data a bad thing? Maybe when it prevents scientists and food safety advocates from determining if a substance such as bisphenol-A is actually harmful. In the case of BPA, which lines drink cans and is used in the manufacture of plastic bottles, data has become a political football. This New York Times overview looks back at why early research has muddled the safety picture and profiles new studies which hope to detect what harmful effects--if any--BPA has on health.
Green Tea Health Claims
Just because a drink has the words "green tea" in the label, doesn't necessarily make it a healthy source of antioxidants or cholesterol-lowering nutrients. At least that's the finding of two recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration letters that accuse Lipton and Canada Dry of making false health claims with two popular drinks. The agency says that labeling on Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale and Lipton Green Tea goes too far and is inappropriate. Both companies are working with the FDA to address those concerns.