Olive Oil Boosts Bones in Mediterranean Diet
Already touted for heart health and other benefits, the so-called Mediterranean diet may also be good for your bones, especially when it’s served with extra olive oil. Spanish researchers report that a Mediterranean-style diet, enriched with olive oil, improved blood markers associated with bone formation. They compared a low-fat control diet with a Mediterranean diet enriched with either nuts or olive oil among 127 men, ages 55 to 80, participating in the large PREDIMED clinical trial of the diet’s cardiovascular effects. Over 2 years of testing, only the diet with extra olive oil showed bone-marker benefits; consumption of olives was also positively associated with indicators of bone health. Researchers commented, “The intake of olive oil has been related to the prevention of osteoporosis in experimental and in vitro models. This is the first randomized study which demonstrates that olive oil preserves bone, at least as inferred by circulating bone markers, in humans.” — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Randomized Trial Finds Curcumin Helps Prevent Diabetes
Thai researchers believe a new tool in diabetes prevention might be found in the Asian spice aisle. Curcumin, the main compound that gives turmeric its yellow color, was linked to a reduced risk of progression from prediabetes to type-2 diabetes in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 240 participants. Over 9 months, subjects at risk for diabetes took 3 capsules twice a day of either a curcumin extract or a placebo. None of those randomly assigned to curcumin developed diabetes, while 16.4% of the control group progressed to the disease. Markers of inflammation and insulin resistance were also significantly better in the curcumin group. “The intervention represents a chance for the diabetes-prone population to halt the disease progression and maintain a normal and healthy lifestyle,” researchers concluded. — Diabetes Care

Cocoa Could Also Be Good for Your Brain
As the weather cools, a cup of hot cocoa might hit the spot — and could boost your brainpower. A new clinical trial supported by chocolate-maker Mars reports that older adults with mild cognitive impairment improved scores on some mental tests when they consumed more cocoa. Over 8 weeks, Italian researchers tested 3 levels of cocoa flavanols (the antioxidant compounds credited with dark chocolate’s heart-health benefits) in dairy-based beverages among 90 elderly patients with mild impairment. Those randomly assigned to the high (990 mg of flavanols daily) and intermediate (520 mg) cocoa groups showed significantly greater improvement than those in the low (45 mg) group on “trail-making” tests, verbal fluency and composite cognition. Scores on the standard Mini Mental State Examination did not change significantly, however. Cocoa was also associated with improvements in blood pressure, glucose and insulin sensitivity. — Hypertension

Review Supports BP Benefits for Dark Chocolate
In more good news for chocolate lovers, a new review for the prestigious Cochrane Library confirms that consuming dark chocolate or cocoa powder is associated with at least short-term reductions in blood pressure. Australian scientists analyzed 20 prior trials totaling 856 participants; the studies lasted from 2 to 8 weeks and tested a wide range of consumption. High intake of the flavanol compounds in dark chocolate and cocoa was associated with reductions in blood pressure of 2-3 mmHg. Reviewers said it was difficult to say exactly how much chocolate was needed to benefit blood pressure, because of variations in flavanol levels. It’s thought that flavanols may improve blood pressure by increasing the body’s levels of nitric acid, which relaxes blood vessels. “Although we don’t yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure,” scientists commented, “the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.” — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Drought Could Add to Numbers Who Can’t Afford Food
Even before the anticipated effects of this summer’s drought on food prices, a newly released Gallup survey says 18.2% of Americans have struggled to afford the food they need. The poll of 177,662 US adults over the first half of 2012 asked respondents whether there have been times in the previous 12 months that they didn’t have enough money to buy adequate food for their families. The 18.2% figure was comparable to previous surveys. People in Mississippi reported struggling the most, and generally those in the Southeast and Southwest were most likely to fall short on affording food. Respondents in the Mountain Plains and Midwest were the least at risk of food hardship, Gallup said. The USDA recently warned that the drought could boost grocery costs 3%-5% next year. Gallup noted, “More residents may face problems as the drought-related crop damage results in a shortage of inputs in the food supply and begins to affect retail prices.”