Red Lobster operator Darden Restaurants was named a top five company in the restaurant industry according to a new analyst report by Zacks Investment Research.
Orlando-based Darden ranked third among top-performing restaurants based on its 27 December trading activity. Last week the company reported a 5.2 percent jump in fiscal second-quarter revenue, with company stock traded at a 52-week range of USD 33.72 to USD 50.84 per share as of 28 December.
Fried seafood linked to high stroke rates
Researchers from three U.S. universities have found that omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish has favorable effects on platelet aggregation, blood pressure, lipid profile, endothelial function and ischemic stroke risk.
The study noted that people living in the “Stroke Belt,” including North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas, are about 10 times more likely to have a stroke. While the reason for the increased risk has been unclear, the university researchers proposed that increased consumption of fried fish may be to blame.
After surveying more than 21,000 people, researchers found that “Stroke Belt” residents are 30 percent more likely to eat two or more servings of fried fish per week.
Omega-3s linked to multiple health benefits
New findings published in the December issue of PUFA Newsletter and Fats of Life e-newsletters show that omega-3 fatty acids from seafood may reduce inflammation, symptoms of gum disease and risk of abnormal heartbeats early after cardiac surgery. DHA may also have lasting benefits in visual functions for years in children whose mothers consume a sufficient prenatal amount.
DHA and EPA may also reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease as well as periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory condition that destroys gum tissue and bone.
“The research demonstrates the potential of omega-3s to reduce some of the damage and perhaps ease the pain that goes with osteoarthritis,” said Joyce Nettleton, PUFA editor. “DHA in maternal prenatal nutrition may have long-lasting effects in children.”
Fish oil doesn’t promote weight loss
According to a new study published in the 15 December issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, fish oil capsules did not accelerate weight loss or change metabolic factors in overweight individuals who were already dieting.
In a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 128 people with a body mass index between 26 and 40 received five omega-3 plus DHA or placebo pills daily in conjunction with lifestyle modification. Both groups lost more than 5 percent of their body weight.
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