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What is new in carbohydrates?Aziz et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 98:269-74(2013).“Health Canada's assessment identified 3 areas of concern with respect to GI labelling:

1)the GI measure has poor accuracy and precision for labelling purposes;

2) as a ratio, the GI does not vary in response to the amount of food consumed and the partial replacement of available carbohydrates with unavailable carbohydrates, whereas the glycemic response does;

3) an unintended focus on the GI for food selection could lead to food choices that are inconsistent with national dietary guidelines. Hence, Health Canada's current opinion is that the inclusion of the GI value on the label of eligible food products would be misleading and would not add value to nutrition labeling and dietary guidelines in assisting consumers to make healthier food choices. “

2

What’s new in fibre research?

Oligosaccharides now considered fibre (used to be that fibre was only in polysaccharide form)

Oligosaccharides (e.g. inulin which is found in chicory and Jerusalem artichoke for example, can promote growth of good (for health) bacteria in the large intestine (please note that inulin is a pre-biotic and the bacteria are called pro-biotics)

Slavin, J. Nutrients 5:1417-35 (2013)

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What is new in lipid research?Nutrition Journal 2013, 12:122 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-122

Prolonged post-prandial lipemia (elevated plasma triglyceride concentrations) poses significant risks for heart attack in terms of elevated plasma concentrations of chylomicron triglycerides and lowered HDL-c.

Compared to higher polyunsaturated:saturated (P:S) fatty acid diets, a low P:S diet gave the best increase in post-prandial HDL-c levels but low dietary P:S ratios caused an upward trend (non-significant) in post-prandial total plasma triglyceride levels. So caution regarding P:S ratios until there are more definitive results!!

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WHAT IS NEW IN PROTEIN NUTRITION RESEARCH?Gougeon R. Insulin resistance of protein metabolism in type 2 diabetes and impact on dietary needs: a review.

Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2013 Apr;37(2):115-20.

“the challenge remains to define the optimal protein intake and exercise regimen to protect from losses of muscle mass and strength while maintaining adequate glucose control in type 2 diabetes.”

Fig. 1-3, p. 12