Monday, October 6, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Banned substance found in Finnish liquorice

Published 13 November 2023
– By Editorial Staff
The companies Fazer and Kouvolan lakritsis had their products tested.
2 minute read

Six out of ten Finnish liquorice and salmiak (salty liquorice) products tested contain forbidden amounts of the insecticide matrine, according to an investigation by the state broadcaster Yle.

Matrine is an insecticide that occurs naturally in plants but can also be produced industrially. In the EU, the use of matrine is limited to 0.01 mg/kg in food as a safety measure, as its safety profile has not been fully established.

In the Yle investigation, ten popular salmiak and liquorice products from Finland were tested by the Eurofin laboratory. The results showed that six of the products contained levels of matrine that exceeded the permitted limits, in some cases up to forty times the permitted level.

The affected products include Fazer’s Lakritsi Soft Original and Salmiakpastiller, Kouvolan Lakritsi’s Salmiakkilakritsi and Lakritsbitar, Halva’s Salmiakki Ruuti and Malaco’s Sisu Xylitol Salmiakki.

– The results suggest that confectionery manufacturers are using raw materials that do not comply with matrine regulations. This also shows that manufacturers should test their raw materials more thoroughly for matrine, says Arja Heinonen, an expert at the Finnish Food Authority.

Liquorice plants do not contain matrine, but the substance is found in plants of the genus Sophore in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean, which is where the raw materials for liquorice production in Europe are sourced. These plants resemble liquorice root and can sometimes be accidentally harvested along with liquorice. Timo Nisula, CEO of Kouvolan Lakritsi, was surprised by the high level of matrine in the company’s products.

– We did not measure the content ourselves. We get the product information from the supplier. I don’t even know where to test it, says Nisula.

Heinonen points out that the findings may lead to the withdrawal of products with high matrine levels from the market.

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Study: Diet crucial against obesity – not activity level

Published today 7:29
– By Editorial Staff
The problem is not a sedentary lifestyle – but too much and the wrong kind of food, according to the researchers.
2 minute read

Sedentary and physically active people can burn almost the same amount of energy per day, shows a new American study. The researchers therefore argue that the fight against obesity must focus more on diet – and less on exercise.

In the study, published in the scientific journal PNAS, researchers compared data from 4,200 people from different continents with different lifestyles – including herding cultures in Siberia, hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, as well as people from both low-income and high-income countries. In total, they compared 34 different population groups.

The results show that total daily energy expenditure did not differ significantly between the different population groups. This means that, for example, a hunter-gatherer used the same amount of energy as an office worker in Sweden during a day.

Even when people live different lifestyles, once we account for the effects of body size, we do not see meaningful differences in the total number of calories people burn, says Amanda McGrosky at Elon University in the US, who is the lead author of the study, in a press release.

McGrosky points out that obesity is therefore primarily about increased calorie consumption, not decreased activity expenditure.

If you are worried about excess body fat, focus on calories in, not calories out, the researcher suggests.

Westerners eat too much

Obesity and overweight are growing health problems in the Western world, something often linked to the increasingly sedentary culture. However, this study suggests that sedentary behavior is not the biggest problem causing obesity, and McGrosky believes the study offers hope in the fight against obesity. Instead, one should look at diet and especially reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods and increase the proportion of healthy ones.

The researchers therefore suggest that it is not sedentary behavior that is the culprit in Western countries’ obesity epidemic, but rather that people simply eat too much and too unhealthily.

Exercise is still important

However, the researchers point out that this does not mean one should exclude exercise and movement, as it has a range of health-promoting benefits such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, premature death, and also improves mental health.

A key takeaway from the study is that increases in body fat that accompany changes in lifestyle are primarily linked to changes in energy intake, or diet. Physical activity is still very important for all-around health and should be considered complementary to diet, says McGrosky.

Fifteen minutes in the park can reduce anxiety

Published 26 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
All types of green spaces in cities improve residents' mental health, but urban forests stand out – particularly when it comes to reducing depression and anxiety.
2 minute read

Just fifteen minutes in urban green spaces is enough to improve mental health, a study shows. The best approach is to sit or rest in the park for a while.

Today, approximately 55 percent of the world’s population lives in cities, according to the UN. This figure is expected to increase to nearly 70 percent by 2050. This means a greater absence of nature and also more health problems linked to city life, such as anxiety, which is more common among urban dwellers.

In a study by researchers at Stanford University in the US and Leiden University in the Netherlands, results from 449 published studies were compiled and 78 field experiments analyzed to examine how different types of urban green spaces affect 12 different aspects of mental health. Nearly 5,900 participants were included in total.

The results, published in Nature, show that all types of urban green spaces improved mental health, but urban forests stood out – particularly when it came to reducing depression and anxiety. And you didn’t need to spend particularly long to get a positive effect; less than fifteen minutes was enough. However, spending more than 45 minutes in nature provided greater benefits.

Our results show that even brief contact with nature can provide significant mental benefits, says Roy Remme from Leiden University, according to Medical Xpress. What’s more, longer nature exposure is linked to even greater reductions in stress and boosts in vitality.

Rest or sit

Young adults see even greater benefits, which is remarkable considering that most mental health problems begin before age 25. However, there was also a significant benefit for other age groups. Primarily, it was beneficial for mental health to sit or rest in the park or natural area, while moving around in nature increased energy and positivity.

Based on the results, the researchers emphasize the importance of protecting forests and parks in cities, but also promoting smaller parks and more street trees to improve residents’ access to nature. Furthermore, they point out that simpler changes, such as placing more windows facing greenery or organizing community programs with guided meditation, for example, can be cost-effective ways to promote public health.

Researchers: More people affected by meat allergy as ticks spread

Published 25 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Meat allergy can be triggered by tick bites – the immune reaction against alpha-gal in mammalian meat causes the symptoms.
2 minute read

Meat allergy is becoming increasingly common in Sweden following tick bites, researchers confirm. For those affected, it means a complete lifestyle change since there is no treatment – only complete abstinence from meat helps.

Karin Ottosson was struck by severe stomach problems after a tick bite. It took time to figure out what problem Karin had been affected by, she felt very ill and nothing seemed to help.

I was bedridden and tried to eat, but it just continued and continued, she tells Swedish media outlet TV4.

After several hospital visits and numerous investigations, the answer came: Karin had been affected by meat allergy. It is caused by an immune reaction to the substance alpha-gal, which is found in tick saliva and in meat from mammals. The symptoms can include, in addition to various stomach problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, rashes and even asthma reactions.

Researchers have seen a marked increase in meat allergy in connection with ticks spreading to new areas, and also becoming more active for larger parts of the year.

No treatment

Karin had to completely change her diet, but it is not entirely simple to avoid meat – even small amounts or hidden additives can trigger the allergy.

It can be anything from starting to itch, getting a rash, to becoming as ill as I was from the beginning. It’s impossible to predict, says Karin.

There is no treatment for meat allergy, and the only thing that works is to completely avoid meat.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment other than having to avoid mammalian meat and making sure not to get bitten by ticks, says Marianne van Hage, professor of clinical immunology.

Broccoli may protect against colorectal cancer

Published 15 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Delicious on the plate and delicious for your health.
2 minute read

People who eat more broccoli and cauliflower have a lower risk of colorectal cancer, according to a Chinese study. However, moderate amounts are sufficient to achieve the protective effect.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer worldwide and is also the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

In Sweden, colorectal cancer has increased among young people over the past thirty years, and mortality from this form of cancer has increased among patients in all age groups for up to ten years after cancer diagnosis.

In the study, which was published in BMC Gastroenterology, researchers analyzed data from 17 previous studies, with a total of 639,539 participants, including 97,595 cases of colorectal cancer.

The purpose was to investigate whether higher vegetable intake corresponded to greater risk reduction for this form of cancer and, if so, the specific amounts at which this effect became significant.

The results showed that those who ate more cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts, had a 20 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who ate less.

Photo: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels

Glucosinolates

These vegetables contain many beneficial substances such as vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. But what makes them extra special are compounds called glucosinolates. When you chew these vegetables, glucosinolates break down into other compounds called isothiocyanates – particularly one called sulforaphane.

These are the compounds that give the vegetables their strong, sometimes slightly bitter taste and smell. These are also the compounds believed to be cancer-preventive.

The researchers found that the greatest risk reduction was observed between 20 and 40 grams, but no significant improvement was seen above 40 grams per day.

The study was conducted at the Second Clinical Medical School of Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities in Yakeshi, China.

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