All articles by Amit Thadani
Amit Thadani
Take it to heart
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which causes around a third of all deaths globally, can be reduced through changes in diet. But the medical profession isn’t doing enough to address the nutritional challenges many people face. Ellys Earls speaks to Dr Tom Butler, a senior lecturer in Nutrition and Health at Edge Hill University and head of the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention’s Diet Working Group, to find out what needs to change and where to start.
The taste of time
From impossible meat to the rise of plant-based proteins, the demand for healthy and sustainable food shows no sign of abating. What is behind this trend, and does it have the legs to last? Nikki Peach speaks to Vinciane Patelou, director of The European Plant Based Foods Association (ENSA) and Carlotte Lucas, corporate engagement manager at The Good Food Institute Europe (GFI) to unearth the main drivers behind the trend, how plant-based eating is the key to a sustainable future, and why motivation doesn’t always matter.
The desired effect
Cannabidiol, or CBD, continues to be marketed as a non-intoxicating substance with a raft of wellness benefits. While still only licensed as a treatment for childhood epilepsies and forms of multiple sclerosis, doctors are increasingly experimenting with CBD for pain relief, and as a novel treatment for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Is it a panacea or a lucrative snake oil? Will Moffitt discusses the potential of this illusive compound with Steven Moore, cofounder of The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), and Mikael Sodergren, founder of the Medical Cannabis Research Group.
Enabling high-quality plant-based food products
??????-??????? ?????????? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ?? ?????-????? ????????
A powerful response to the pandemic
Improving health through diet is nothing new – adding botanical nutraceuticals into the mix is a more recent trend. Jim Banks discusses the booming market for botanical nutraceuticals and the effects of the pandemic with Esther Mills-Robert of the Health Food Manufacturers Association.
Challenging perceptions: the rise of CBD
CBD oil remains one of the most talked about health supplements, with demand rising dramatically across the globe. The market has been held back by regulators finding it hard to separate CBD from THC, but the tide is turning. Jim Banks speaks to Daniel Kruse, president of the European Industrial Hemp Association, and Erika Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association in the US, about what needs to change for the cannabinoids market to fulfil its potential.
From farm to fork
Evolving legislation inevitably poses challenges, but it also poses opportunities – the ingredients industry in general, and industry body the European Flavour Association (EFFA) in particular, being no exception. Martin Morris speaks to EFFA president Antoine Kastler and EFFA policy officer Bo Dohmen to discuss how legislative change is impacting members across Europe.
What’s in a name
Carpe Diem. Status Quo. Caveat Emptor… which one means you should check the label? Does it matter? Shouldn’t consumers check the label anyway, if they’re about to eat or drink something? Well, for a start, people can misinterpret what is being read. For potassium chloride, very much the Skoda of the ingredients’ world, its name has caused some concern when it appears on labels. Emma-Jane Batey explores the rise of potassium salt – a healthier solution with the same properties.
An ocean of health-boosting supplements
At a time when health and wellness have soared to the top of the consumer agenda, more people are turning to supplements to maintain optimum health and boost their immune systems. Jim Banks speaks to Natural Algae Astaxanthin Association CEO Alan Levine and chairman Bob Capelli, and Ellen Schutt, executive director at the Global Organisation for EPA and DHA omega-3s, about the role marine supplements play in personal health.
The medical benefits of vitamin K2
Due to the potentially crucial role of vitamin K2 in calcium metabolism, a deficit can disrupt many mechanisms and result in an array of health issues. The potential of vitamin K2 as a treatment for conditions, including cerebral palsy, parathyroid disease, heart disease and gastrointestinal disease, is uncertain. Ingredients Insight presents an edited extract from ‘The Medical Benefits of Vitamin K2 on Calcium-Related Disorders’ by Zeyad Khalil, Benjamin Alam, Amir Reza Akbari and Harbans Sharma of the University of Manchester, investigating the biochemistry of vitamin K.