Why is food irradiated? Is it safe? Which foods are irradiated and how does it affect their nutritional value? Your questions about irradiation and food are answered in this week’s podcast.
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Folate vs. Folic Acid: What’s the Difference?
Q. I was listening to your podcast about vitamins, and which ones not to take too much of. You mentioned folic acic as one to watch out for. I checked out my multi- and it had 400mcg of folate. My B complex that I take at the same time also has 400mcg of folate. I know you had said to not exceed 400mcg/ day of folic acid in your supplements. Is folate the same as folic acid?
A. The words ‘folate’ and ‘folic acid’ are often used interchangeably but there are important differences between them. Folate is the naturally-occurring form of the vitamin. Spinach, lentils, and garbanzo beans are all good sources of dietary folate. Folic aid is the synthetic form of the vitamin that is used in most supplements and in fortified foods. (If your supplements lists “folate,” it suggests that food sources were used instead of synthetic folic acid.)
Continue reading “Folate vs. Folic Acid: What’s the Difference?”
How safe is imported food?
I was just reading a very interesting article on the safety of imported foods. Unfortunately, the publication (ADA Times) is for members of the American Dietetic Association so I can’t post a link for you. But here are a few nuggets you might like to know (with thanks to managing editor Liz Spittler, who researched and wrote the article).
Nearly 1/5 of the overall American food supply (and 80% of the seafood we eat) is imported. This represents a massive increase. While inspectors used to handle a million “entry reviews” a year, the number now approaches 25 million. In response, the FDA is modernizing its oversight systems, including a new computerized screening process that helps inspectors zero in on the imports that are most likely to be a problem. The FDA has also opened offices in five countries overseas in order to increase oversight and American food safety experts are training foreign food processors on the latest food safety techniques.
How much Vitamin D is Safe?
Q. I’ve read a lot about the health benefits of Vitamin D. But isn’t there also a limit of how much Vitamin D I should supplement? Is there a danger or limit that avoids a possible toxic amount?
A. The Institute of Medicine recently doubled the safe upper limit (UL) for vitamin D from 2000 IU to 4000 IU. That’s still quite a bit lower than the 10,000+ IU a day that some vitamin D researchers recommend. The IOM tends to be rather conservative and research suggests that 10,000 IU a day is unlikely to cause problems. But I think the IOM may be trying to provide a counter-balance to what some see as “irrational exuberance” being displayed by some vitamin D aficionados. Continue reading “How much Vitamin D is Safe?”
Ask Monica: Your Nutrition Questions Answered
Have a food or nutrition-related question for me? I’m happy to help. Actually, chances are pretty good that someone has asked a similar question already, so you might want to search first. [wp_google_searchbox]
If you don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to contact me using the form below. Although I can’t give individual medical or nutrition advice over the internet, I’ll try to point you in the right direction.
I often answer questions in my newsletter. Leave the box at the bottom of the page checked to be sure to get it.
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Six Myths About Type 2 Diabetes
Red meat: Not so bad after all?
A lot of people I know have cut back on meat–specifically red meat–in an effort to make their diets healthier. I think there are lots of good reasons to eat less meat. But regular readers of this blog will know that I’ve long been suspicious of this idea that “red” meat is any worse for you than “white” meat.
See also: Meat and mortality: What’s color got to do with it?
This idea that red meat is unhealthy is self-reinforcing. Because we’ve all convinced ourselves that this is true, studies which find a link between red meat and some sort of disease are much more likely to be published and get a lot more press than studies which find no such link. Never mind that what we categorize as “red” and “white” makes absolutely no sense, either nutritionally or zoologically.
So I consider it my duty to point out that a recent meta-analysis published in the Nutrition Journal found no association between eating red meat and risk of prostate cancer. And while I’m at it, I’ll remind you that a widely-cited report linking red meat and cancer risk was later found to contain significant errors and omissions. The authors later acknowledged that they had overstated the risks. Of course, the retraction got way less press than the error.
A more rational approach
If you want to make your diet healthier, I suggest a color-blind approach to meat. Don’t worry about whether it came from a cow or a chicken. Instead:
- choose meat that is raised on healthy feed and without hormones or antibiotics
- right-size portions: a 3 ounce serving is the size of a deck of cards
- avoid fried or charred meats (See also: Tips for healthier cookouts)
- avoid processed meats with added salt and/or nitrates
- add lots of vegetables
Your thoughts?
Do water filters remove valuable minerals?
Q. In your podcast on mineral water, you said that tap water can be a source of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. If I use a water filtration pitcher to filter my tap water, am I removing these nutrients?
A. Great question! To answer it, I got in touch with both PUR and Brita, who manufacture water filtration pitchers. Both assured me that any calcium or magnesium that is in your tap water to start with will not be removed by the filtration process.