Diets high in barley are able to lower total cholesterol levels, according to early results from a long-term USDA-ARS study. (Executives...FYI).

Diets high in barley are able to lower total cholesterol levels, according to early results from a long-term USDA-ARS study. Scientists are studying how eating foods prepared with grains such as barley and oats might reduce risk factors associated with excess weight, type 2 diabetes, mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Eating barley-containing foods improved several cardiovascular risk factors. For example, in a study of male participants, researchers found that increasing whole grain foods in a healthy diet could reduce high blood pressure. A diet higher in soluble fiber also had the greatest effect on reducing total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels--the "bad cholesterol." Levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)--the "good cholesterol"--either increased or did not change, resulting in an improved total LDL/HDL ratio. Early findings from a study of females found results were more pronounced in post-menopausal women than pre-menopausal women. Contact: Kay Behall, USDA-ARS Diet and Human Performance Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Building. 308, Beltsville, MD 20705. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

Although sauerkraut is a healthy food, its consumption has been diminishing. Improving the quality of this product could reverse this trend. Scientists have established ways to improve the fermentation of cabbage to sauerkraut. The approach involves adding nisin to shredded, salted cabbage. Nisin inhibits certain bacteria that could lead to undesirable tastes in the sauerkraut. Researchers also add a special culture of a bacterium isolated from sauerkraut that is resistant to nisin and which will ferment the cabbage to more predictable and desirable-tasting sauerkraut. Contact: Fred Breidt, North Carolina State University, Food Science Research Unit, 322 Schaub Hall, Box 7624, Raleigh NC 27695. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].