Review Finds Organic Foods No More Nutritious
Confirming earlier findings that organic foods, whatever their other positives, offer no nutritional edge, a Stanford meta-analysis of 237 studies conducted over four decades concludes that most nutrient levels aren’t any higher in organic produce or meats. Although organic fruits and vegetables had lower pesticide levels, they weren’t pesticide-free: 7% had detectable pesticide residue, likely from drift, compared to 38% for conventional produce, whose levels were almost always under official safety limits. Organic produce was no less likely to be contaminated by dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli. Although organic meat had much lower levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, scientists noted that these wouldn’t survive proper cooking. Organic produce did have higher levels of phosphorus and antioxidant phenols, while organic milk was higher in omega-3s. Reviewers acknowledged that people go organic for reasons other than nutrition, adding, “Those are perfectly valid.” — Annals of Internal Medicine

Staying Active and Social Prolongs Life Even After 75
Even well into your “golden years,” staying active both physically and socially can add to your lifespan, according to a new Swedish study. Karolinska Institute scientists followed 1,810 men and women age 75 and up for 18 years, during which 91.8% died. Those who were physically active and participated in social activities lived an average 5.4 years longer than less-active participants. Even at age 85 or older, an active and social lifestyle was associated with an extra 4 years of longevity. Other factors associated with longer life included normal weight (about 1 year longer than those who were underweight), not smoking (1 year) and alcohol use (1.3 years longer than nondrinkers). Maintaining a rich social network was associated with living 1.6 years longer. The most important single factor in longevity, however, was physical activity, which by itself was linked to an extra 2 or more years of life. — BMJ

Almost Half of Obese Nonetheless “Metabolically Healthy”
Is it possible to be fat but still fit? The largest study ever to examine the “obesity paradox” — analyzing data on more than 43,000 Americans — says yes, and that almost half of all obese people are nonetheless “metabolically healthy.” Those obese participants were found to be more fit than most, regardless of weight, and free of conditions such as insulin resistance, unhealthy cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. As a result, Spanish and Swedish researchers concluded, these “metabolically healthy” obese people are at no greater risk of heart disease or cancer than normal-weight people. Researchers wrote, “There appears to be a subset of obese people who seem to be protected from obesity-related metabolic complications.” The 46% of obese participants classified as “metabolically healthy” after blood tests, treadmill testing and other assessments were at 38% lower risk of death from all causes compared to other obese subjects and at no greater risk than metabolically healthy but normal-weight participants. — European Heart Journal

FDA OKs Boosting Bread Vitamin D with Yeast
Soon you may be getting more of your daily vitamin D from bread. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a petition, originally filed in 2009, to allow bakers to use special yeast to boost vitamin D levels in bread as high as 400 IU per 100 grams (3.5 ounces, a little more than 3 slices). Previously, the limit was 90 IU, achieved by adding lanolin or fortified margarine to breads. The yeast, produced by Montreal-based Lallemand, develops natural vitamin D2 after exposure to ultraviolet light. Lallemand says the D2 is stable to heat and oxidation, meaning bread, snacks and mixes leavened with the yeast have higher vitamin D levels. The FDA will allow baked goods with extra vitamin D to boast that they are “High,” “Rich in” or “Excellence Source of” the vitamin in labeling. Welcoming the news, the American Bakers Association said, “Since many Americans are not meeting their needs for vitamin D, this policy change will positively impact intake by making the daily bread in the USA a greater daily source of vitamin D.” The adult RDA for vitamin D ranges from 600-800 IU; ordinary bread has little or no vitamin D.

Ginkgo Again Fails to Make a Difference vs. Dementia
Yet another trial has failed to find significant memory-protecting benefits from ginkgo biloba, leading an accompanying editorial to suggest users of the herbal extract “might now consider letting it go.” French researchers tested 120 mg of ginkgo twice a day versus placebo among 2,854 patients, age 70 and up, free of dementia but who had reported memory problems to their physicians. After 5 years of followup, 61 of those randomly assigned to ginkgo and 73 in the placebo group developed dementia — a difference scientists said was not statistically significant. The study was limited, however, by the surprisingly low rate of dementia, regardless of group, among the 2,487 who completed the trial. The findings further confirm the negative results of the large Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory trial. — The Lancet Neurology