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Why you shouldn’t be overly impressed by antioxidant claims

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

super-foods[1]I was recently corresponding with Paul, who had run into someone extolling the virtues of a Russian mushroom extract. Among this mushroom’s many virtues is that it (allegedly) has ” thousands of times more antioxidants than anything else natural on the planet.”

Neither Paul nor I were inclined to believe that this mushroom was quite as magical as advertised. (It also supposedly cures cancer and HIV.) But claims about extraordinary antioxidant powers–whether true or not–are often trotted out as proof a food’s superpowers.

We’ve been trained to believe that a food with greater antioxidant capacity is clearly better for you.  But is it, really?

The antioxidant arms race really took off with the development of the ORAC assay, a lab test that measures Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. I talked more about ORAC values in this episode of the Nutrition Diva podcast, where I pointed out that there’s a limit to how many antioxidants the body can utilize at a given time. One antioxidant researcher estimates that limit to be about 5,000 ORAC units per day.  If you’re eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you’ve almost certainly got this covered. (And none of them even needs to be goji berries!)

So, don’t be too dazzled by claims that a given fruit (or tea or mushroom or shake mix) has an ORAC of 52 kabillion. It’s just not that big a deal.  In fact, there’s some evidence that too many antioxidants can actually be harmful. See also: Can you get too many antioxidants?

Slow cooker recipe: Summer soup with white beans, kale, butternut and sweet corn

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

wheat bean kale corn soupA slow cooker is a great way to turn summer produce into a robust meal–without heating up the kitchen! This is one of my stand-bys

Ingredients

1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 small butternut squash, cubed
1-2 ears sweet corn, cut off cob
1 bunch kale, torn into pieces
1 onion, diced
1 quart stock (or water)
2 vegetarian chorizo sausage
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Garnish: Chopped parsley or cilantro, grated parmesan, good quality olive oil

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a 4 quart slow cooker. Add water if needed to cover by 1 inch. Cover and cook on high 6-8 hours or until beans and squash are tender. Garnish with herbs and cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Makes about 3 quarts.

Summer stew

 

 

What’s the science behind an anti-inflammatory diet?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Martha writes: “How does anyone really know what causes inflammation and what fights it, in the way of foods?”

Science of Anti-Inflammatory DietsA lot of people (myself included) are touting the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet these days.  Then again, people tout all kinds of diets–and some of them are complete hooey. So Martha’s question is completely justified: What do we really know about how food affects inflammation?

The evidence on diet and inflammation

In fact, there is quite a bit of data to go on, starting with a lot of observational evidence. In these types of studies, we don’t try to change what people eat; we simply gather data on what they are eating and other aspects of their health and look for patterns. And we can see consistent relationships between various nutrients and foods and the blood markers that indicate systemic inflammation.  Continue reading “What’s the science behind an anti-inflammatory diet?” >

Diet soda vs regular soda? There’s a third option

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Jill sent me a link to this New York Times article asking for my take.

strawman

The author’s friends are engaged in what he feels to be a nonsensical debate over whether artificial sweeteners are better or worse for you than sugar. “There appears to be a correlation between sugar consumption and health problems,” he states. “None can be detected with artificial sweeteners.” Continue reading “Diet soda vs regular soda? There’s a third option” >

Safe sweeteners for those with fructose malabsorption

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Golden granulated, light muscovado and dark muscovado sugarQ. My doctor says I have fructose malabsorption.  There is mixed information on whether cane sugar/ syrup as a “safe” sugar for those with this problem. A lot of health food products seem to use it. Is it considered gut friendly, friendly in limited amounts, or to be avoided altogether?

A. While being diagnosed with a medical condition is never fun, finding out that you suffer from fructose malabsorption (or lactose intolerance, or Celiac disease…) can be a real turning point! The dietary changes that such a diagnosis triggers can finally bring relief from mysterious, long-standing, and sometimes crippling symptoms. Most people are so happy to finally feel better that they don’t even mind going without certain foods. And often, identifying the true culprit allows them to resume eating other “falsely accused” foods. Continue reading “Safe sweeteners for those with fructose malabsorption” >

What counts as processed meat (and why eating a hot dog won’t kill you)

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Debbie asks: “What’s the definition of processed meat? Everyone seems to agree that we should avoid it. But I’m never sure what counts. Hot dogs and bologna seem obvious. Is sausage considered processed? What about sliced lunch meat at the deli?”

Researchers have found that people who eat the most processed and/or cured meats have higher risk of things like heart disease and cancer. Naturally, people who pay attention to these sort of things want to know which meats are on the “bad” list.

Unfortunately, there is no single definition–and the validity of the association between processed meat and disease risk has a lot to do with what’s included. In some studies and surveys, processed meat is any meat that has been cured, smoked, dried, or had anything added to it, including salt, seasonings, or preservatives. Other studies have a separate category for cured meats.

So, what exactly are we supposed to avoid? Pepperoni seems pretty obvious. But what about smoked salmon or uncured bacon? Is a package of sliced turkey breast off limits?  Continue reading “What counts as processed meat (and why eating a hot dog won’t kill you)” >

Vitamin C and Death: More Face-Palm Science News

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

I sometimes play a game on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page called “Spot the fallacy.” I post a link to a nutrition-related  story and followers chime in, pointing out all the ways in which the science had been distorted or misreported.  It’s always lots of fun.

Here are a couple of recent rounds of Spot the Fallacy:

Usually, the problem is not with the research but with the way it’s being reported. But here’s a new category of face-palm science. Researchers take an interesting finding and then “drill down” to come up with a far less meaningful conclusion. Wanna play? Continue reading “Vitamin C and Death: More Face-Palm Science News” >

Why cake may be better than bread

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

chicken-veggiesHere’s a small study that may change the way we think about carbs. Researchers found that the order in which we consume foods may have a substantial impact on our blood sugar response to those foods.

In the study, subjects were given the same meal–consisting of chicken, vegetables, salad, bread, and orange juice–on two different occasions. The first time, they ate the high carbohydrate foods (the bread and orange juice) first, followed by the chicken and veggies.  The second time, they reversed the order and ate the chicken and veggies first, followed by bread and orange juice.

In a traditional nutritional analysis, these two meals would be considered identical. But it appears that even small differences in timing make a big difference. Continue reading “Why cake may be better than bread” >