Daily consumption of vegetable juice may not just help increase vegetable consumption, but also improve the effectiveness of weight loss strategies, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of California-Davis and presented at the Experimental Biology Conference in New Orleans.

The study was funded in part by the Campbell Soup Company.

The researchers conducted the study on 81 adults with metabolic syndrome, three-quarters of them women. Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms — central obesity, high blood levels of trigylcerides and fasting glucose, high blood pressure, and low levels of HDL (”good”) cholesterol — that significantly raise a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. All the participants were advised to follow an American Heart Association-recommended diet high in fiber, fruit, vegetables, minerals and low-fat diary, and low in salt and saturated fat. They were also told to drink 0, 1 or 2 cups of low-sodium, high-potassium V8-brand vegetable juice daily.

After 12 weeks, participants who drank either one or two cups of vegetable juice per day lost an average of four pounds, while those who drank no vegetable juice lost only one pound. The researchers also found that people in the vegetable juice groups had significantly higher vitamin C and potassium intake, and a significantly lower intake of carbohydrates.

Drinking vegetable juice also made people significantly more likely to reach the recommended intake of five fruits and vegetables per day. Among those not drinking vegetable juice, less than 25 percent reached the daily fruit and vegetable goal, in contrast with more than 50 percent of those in the one-cup-per-day group and 100 percent of those in the two-cups-per-day group.

“What we found in this study is that drinking vegetable juice seemed to address some of the key barriers to vegetable consumption such as convenience, portability and taste, so individuals were more likely to meet their daily recommendations,” researcher Carl Keen said. “Furthermore, vegetable juice drinkers reported that they actually enjoyed drinking their vegetables, which is critical to adopting dietary practices for the long-term.”

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

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Regular consumption of white tea might help prevent obesity and encourage weight loss, according to a study conducted by researchers from the German health food company Beiersdorf AG and published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism.

“In the industrialized countries, the rising incidence of obesity-associated disorders including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes constitutes a growing problem,” said Beiersdorf nutritionist Marc Winnefeld. “We’ve shown that white tea may be an ideal natural source of slimming substances.”

Made from the same plant as other true teas such as green, black or oolong tea, white tea is brewed from undamaged leaves that have been only lightly steamed, rather than being fermented or allowed to wilt or bruise. It is typically made with the youngest leaves of the plant and may also contain unopened tea buds, which are covered with a downy white hair that gives the tea variety its name.

Researchers exposed laboratory-grown human fat cells (adipocytes) to an extract of white tea. They found that exposure to the tea extract led a decrease in activity among the genes associated with new adipocyte formation, “while also prompting existing adipocytes to break down the fat they contain.”

Scientists believe that because it is the least processed variety of tea, white tea contains the highest levels of health-promoting phytochemicals. The Beiersdorf researchers believe that methylxanthines and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) contributed to the effects seen in the current study.

The earliest evidence of white tea consumption dates to the Ming Dynasty, between 1366 and 1644 CE. It is now more popular in Western countries than in China. To prevent it from becoming bitter, white tea should not be brewed at any temperature higher than 180 degrees Fahrenheit (80C). The ideal tea to water ratio, according to experts, is 1.5 teaspoons per 200 milliliters (6.7 fluid ounces).

Previous research has linked white tea to lower blood pressure, increased bone strength and a reduced risk of cancer.

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