Professors Cath Noakes and Richard Fitton explain how dehumidifiers combat mould and why it's crucial to put them in the right place to be effective....
The Make America Healthy Again movement has generated a lot of discussion about public health[1]. But the language MAHA proponents use to describe health and disease has also raised concerns[2] among the disability and chronic illness communities.
I’m a researcher studying the rhetoric of health and medicine[3] – and, specifically, the rhetoric of risk. This means I analyze the language used by public officials, institutions,...
Eating animal-sourced protein foods is not linked to a higher risk of death and may even offer protective benefits against cancer-related mortality, new research finds.
The study, published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, analyzed data from nearly 16,000 adults aged 19 and older using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHAMES III).
Researchers examined how much animal and plant protein people typically consume and whether those patterns were associated with their risk of dying from heart disease, cancer or any cause.
They found no increased risk of death associated with higher intake of animal protein. In fact, the data showed a modest but significant reduction in cancer-related mortality among those who ate more animal protein.
"There's a lot of confusion around protein - how much to eat, what kind and what it means for long-term health. This study adds clarity, which is important for anyone trying to make informed, evidence-based decisions about what they eat," explains Stuart Phillips, Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, who supervised the research.
To ensure reliable results, the team employed advanced statistical methods, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) method and multivariate Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) modelling, to estimate long-term dietary intake and minimize measurement error.
"It was imperative that our analysis used the most rigorous, gold standard methods to assess usual intake and mortality risk. These methods allowed us to account for fluctuations in daily protein intake and provide a more accurate picture of long-term eating habits," says Phillips.
The researchers found no associations between total protein, animal protein or plant protein and risk of death from any cause, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. When both plant and animal protein were included in the analysis, the results remained consistent, suggesting that plant protein has a minimal impact on cancer mortality, while animal protein may offer a small protective effect.
Observational studies like this one cannot prove cause and effect; however, they are valuable for identifying patterns and associations in large populations. Combined with decades of clinical trial evidence, the findings support the inclusion of animal proteins as part of a healthy dietary pattern.
"When both observational data like this and clinical research are considered, it's clear both animal and plant protein foods promote health and longevity," says lead researcher Yanni Papanikolaou, MPH, president, Nutritional Strategies.
This research was funded by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. NCBA was not involved in the study design, data collection and analysis or publication of the findings.
Scientists have identified compounds that block bitter taste receptors activated by saccharin and acesulfame K. The most promising is (R)-(-)-carvone, which reduces bitterness without the cooling side effect of menthol, potentially making sugar-free products much more palatable.
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A spearmint compound may finally erase the bitter aftertaste of popular sugar substitutes.
Some artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin and acesulfame K, have a bitter aftertaste that affects consumer acceptance of reduced-calorie foods and beverages. New research in FEBS Open Bio reveals the potential of compounds that inhibit bitter taste receptors to make artificial sweeteners more palatable.
Saccharin and acesulfame K are detected by two types of bitter taste receptors from the taste receptor type 2 (TAS2R) family: TAS2R31 and TAS2R43. When investigators measured the inhibitory effects of various compounds against TAS2R31, they found that menthols reduced the responses of TAS2R31-expressing cells to saccharin. Additionally, another compound called (R)-(-)-carvone (which gives spearmint leaves their sweetish minty smell) showed a strong inhibitory effect on TAS2R31 and TAS2R43 after the use of saccharin and acesulfame K.
Unlike menthol, (R)-(-)-carvone did not have a notable cooling sensation. As cooling sensation is often not desirable in food flavoring, (R)-(-)-carvone is a promising candidate for lessening the unpleasant aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.
"The bitter taste inhibitors identified in this study have potential applications in food products, suggesting their utility in enhancing the palatability of foods containing artificial sweeteners," said corresponding author Takumi Misaka, PhD, of the University of Tokyo.
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Materials provided by Wiley. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Miyuu Saito, Takumi Misaka. Menthol‐like cooling compounds, including (R)‐(‐)‐carvone, inhibit the human bitter taste receptors for saccharin and acesulfame K. FEBS Open Bio, 2025; DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.70098[1]
Cite This Page:
Wiley. "Artificial sweeteners could soon taste just like sugar." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 August 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250825015638.htm>.
Wiley. (2025, August 25). Artificial sweeteners could soon taste just like sugar. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 25, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250825015638.htm
Wiley. "Artificial sweeteners could soon taste just like sugar." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250825015638.htm (accessed August 25, 2025).
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