Nutrition News

Ask the Expert: Which Foods Support Immunity?

In this series, our experts answer nutrition questions to help you nourish your best life at every age. To submit a question for consideration*, email us. 

Nutrition for Wound Healing: How to Spot and Overcome Recovery Hurdles

We're all different. But we're all made up of 99.9% of the same DNA, meaning our bodies aren't so different after all. In fact, we need many of the same elements to function. This is especially true with nutrition for wound healing. Poor nutrition is just one factor that can delay wound healing. Age, as well as health conditions, such as diabetes or cancer, malnutrition, and cardiovascular issues can further impact healing. Soft-tissue infections and medications can also contribute to delayed wound healing. Jeff Nelson, a senior research scientist at Abbott, illuminated the link between nutrition and healing: "The body's priority is survival, so available nutrients get routed to organs first. What remains is sent to support the wound healing process— and it may not be enough." Nutrition for Wound Healing When working to heal wounds, Nelson said, people should prioritize conditionally essential nutrients — amino acids like arginine and glutamine that the body can typically synthesize on its own, but that may be underproduced in physiologically stressful scenarios like during illness or following surgery. Arginine can be found in meats like turkey, pork and chicken, as well as plant proteins like pumpkin and sesame seeds. Glutamine is found in fish, cabbage, spinach and tofu. Conditionally essential amino acids aren’t the only nutrients that support healing. Other helpful ingredients include: Protein from poultry, fish, eggs and beans. HMB (β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate) from a nutrition supplement like Juven. Zinc from whole grains, chickpeas, cashews and almonds. Vitamin C from citrus fruits, broccoli and bell peppers. Vitamin E from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Vitamin B12 from fish, meat and milk products. Without proper nutrition, Nelson stressed, wounds may be slow to heal moving from acute to chronic status and resulting in more serious complications.

Dedication & Resilience: 2020 is The Year of the Parent

2020 is the year of the working parent.  In many ways, the impact of COVID-19 forced parents into a new reality. Juggling children, working from home, trying to find childcare and ensuring e-learning has challenged families like never before. And while a global pandemic has pushed working parents' challenges to new heights, something else has bubbled up. Support. Parents are supporting each other. Communities are supporting parents.  Businesses are supporting parents. Companies have had to lean into flexibility in order to support parents more than ever before. National Working Parent’s Day This year, Abbott, makers of Similac, support working parents on this day because we know that the demands on them have been extraordinary, and still they’ve persevered and triumphed under very challenging environmental factors and nearly impossible everyday circumstances. Similac created the Promises Project to develop supportive communities that share positivity and help parents stay connected, which is more important than ever. The program communicates common struggles parents take on daily – whether juggling childcare, working from home and homeschooling, or simply feeling judged for decisions we make as parents – the Promises Project reminds all parents to encourage and lift each other up.

How to Promote Better Nutrition for Kids at Snacktime

Snacking gets a bad name, but maybe it shouldn't. Research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows that balanced snacks can provide important nutrition for kids and deliver essential vitamins, minerals and protein to support their rapid growth and development. The trouble is, not all snacks are created equal, nutritionally speaking. Some snacks for kids are packed with key nutrients, whereas, others are filled with salt, saturated fat and empty calories or don’t contain a balance of nutrients because they are mostly fat or carbohydrate. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children consume three meals and two snacks per day.  If you're wondering which snacks are best for your children, this guide can help.

Keto-Friendly Recipes for the Holidays: Dishes and Strategies to Try This Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving around the corner, many people are starting to plan their menus and recipes for the holidays. But for anyone following the ketogenic diet, navigating the carb-rich spread of mashed potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie can be tricky. Fortunately, you don't have to let one day derail your diet plans. Instead, you can use these tips and tricks to plan a Thanksgiving menu that has keto-friendly options. Here's what to know. What Is the Ketogenic Diet? A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb style of eating. Those on a keto diet typically consume around 75 percent of their calories from fat, 20 percent of their calories from protein and 5 percent of their calories from carbohydrates. When the body is deprived of carbs, it starts to break down fat molecules, and rely on ketones to help fuel  bodily functions. This is referred to as a state of "ketosis," hence the name "keto." The research on this style of eating is relatively limited but growing and a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that obese men following a short-term keto diet lost weight and felt less hungry compared to other dietary interventions.

5 Ways Pumpkin Can Support Your Health

The holidays are synonymous with pumpkin-packed goodies: Pies, breads and the now ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte. But this vibrant gourd is available all year long and can be used in way more dishes than sweet treats.

How Targeted Nutrition Gives Airmen a Mental, Physical Edge

Nutrition has long been linked to better performance, whether it's propelling athletes toward big victories or helping students ace important tests. But more recently, experts have begun to wonder whether certain nutrients could impact performance in specific ways. As part of an ongoing collaboration between Abbott, the University of Illinois, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, a new study set out to answer this question by examining nutrition's impact on the performance of men and women in the U.S. Air About the Study Researchers divided 148 men and women of the U.S. Air Force into two groups. For 12 weeks, one group did a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine, while the other performed the same exercise regimen while adding a targeted nutrition supplement to their diets. The group that combined exercise with this twice-a-day supplement saw better improvements in key mental and physical performance areas, including problem-solving and reaction time than the group that relied on exercise alone. Over and above the impact of HIIT, the group consuming the high-protein nutritional drink containing lutein, omega-3 fatty acid DHA, phospholipids and Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) displayed.

Abbott Scientists Recognized for Life-Changing Work

Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” Two of Abbott’s top medical nutrition researchers have spent their careers questioning, and because of that innate curiosity, they have made major contributions to their field –creating widespread impact on the scientific community and in the field of medical nutrition.