http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org/content/salad-products-milk-recalled-and-more

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Surely, by the time our children reach college age, they have learned something about healthy eating – but the latest study doesn’t seem to support this notion.

To no one’s surprise,  the article title says: “College Students Not Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies” – no kidding!  In this study, researchers surveyed the eating habits of 582 mainly first-year college students and compared males vs. females healthy eating habits.

Here are the results:

• Ø Male students have about five servings of fruits and vegetables a week; females had about four.  (The recommended amount is 5 a day
• Ø On average, most were not eating even one serving a day.
• Ø Females had a lower fiber intake; males had a higher fat intake.
• Ø Females overall had better eating habits (reading labels, skipping fewer meals, eating in the dining halls more frequently).
• Ø Both males and females were eating more than 30% of calories from fat.
• Ø The students ate out a lot and consumed at least one fast food meal per week.

Some thoughts from the study authors:

“The larger, take –away message is that proper eating and nutrition is not integrated enough into our society”

“We are not teaching our youth how to be self-sustaining.  Home economics and nutrition classes have all but disappeared from our schools in the K-12 system.  There is a fundamental lack of understanding on how to eat well in a very broad sense.”

“Health is an area being neglected, yet all the available research shows that healthy habits and healthy kids can lead to better academic success”.

One author pointed to the current trend where health education is no longer required by many states due to recent budget cuts.

Some of my observations of my students:

• Ø Most had never had a nutrition course before and most had no science background.
• Ø They sometimes brought foods to class for lunch or snacks – guess what – all fast food and chips, etc.
• Ø They seemed quite apathetic to food issues – i.e. safety of the food supply, food’s impact on the environment, food and health (although at this age, they think they will live forever and will never have health problems)
• Ø The males mostly defended 16-ounce steaks and laughed when told that the recommended serving of a steak is about the size of a deck of cards.
• Ø In one of my classes, they did food reports – their self-chosen topics were generally some sort of candy (Peeps, Gummy Bears, etc), some sort of beer (males), and I don’t remember anyone mentioning any food with any healthy value very often.  There could have been one or two in about 10 years of teaching the class.

In their defense,  the students often do not have easy access to healthy foods – they lack the money, time and often are at the mercy of the college’s food system.  When they can make their own food choices later in life, hopefully they will remember their nutrition class.

Kin-Kit Li, Rebecca Y. Concepcion, Hyo Lee, Bradley J. Cardinal, Vicki Ebbeck, Erica Woekel, R. Tucker Readdy. An Examination of Sex Differences in Relation to the Eating Habits and Nutrient Intakes of University Students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2010.10.002

Oregon State University. “College students not eating enough fruits and veggies, study finds.” ScienceDaily, 19 Aug. 2011. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.

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• Nuts are Among the Berries: Finding Reliable Nutrition Information (foodworksblog.wordpress.com)

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New video on Labeling of GM foods.  If enough demand this, maybe someone will listen???   Click here.

http://civileats.com/2012/01/18/new-%E2%80%9Clabels-matters%E2%80%9D-video-by-food-inc-director-robert-kenner/

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I used to teach a course called Food and Culture, which became one of my favorites.  We found that students could learn a lot about diet and health by examining the food and lifestyle habits of other countries and cultures as well as our own.   One of those countries was France.

The obesity rate in France has traditionally been low but is increasing.  Roughly 14.5 percent of the adult population – about 6.5 million people – was considered obese in 2009 compared with 8.5 percent in 1997.  Compared to the roughly 30% in the U.S., that’s not too alarming, yet.

What kept obesity at a low rate in the French culture?  Here are a few observations from a study in 2003 that compared French and American foods, restaurants, supermarket foods, cookbook recipes, and eating styles.  They weighed portions at 11 similar restaurants in Paris and Philadelphia – fast food outlets pizzerias, ice cream parlors, and ethnic restaurants.

The results?

• The average portion size in Paris was 25% smaller than in Philly.
• Chinese restaurants in Philly served meals that were 72% bigger than Paris Chinese restaurants.
• A candy bar in Philly was 41% larger than the same candy bar in Paris; a carton of yogurt was 82% larger.
• A soft drink was 52% larger; a hot dog was 63% larger.
• Recipes from the Joy Of Cooking produced larger portions than a comparable French cookbook.
• The French spent 22 minutes on average at their McDonald’s and the average time in Philly was 14 minutes.
• Single-serve foods in supermarkets results – 14 of 17 items studied were larger in American stores.

Paul Rozin, Ph.D, one of the lead authors and currently a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Is quoted: “Many studies have shown that, if food is moderately palatable, people tend to consume what is put in front of them and generally consume more when offered more food. Much discussion of the ‘obesity epidemic’ in the US has focused on personal willpower, but our study shows that the environment also plays an important role and that people may be satisfied even if served less than they would normally eat”.

Our own portion sizes have increased in the past 20 years. For example:

• Twenty years ago: a 1.6 oz. burger was 333 calories; now it’s 590 calories and weighs 8 oz.   Even more calories come from Triple Whoppers, Colossal Burger (Ruby Tuesday), and Carl’s Jr. has the Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger.

• Twenty years ago: A bagel measured 3 inches in diameter and came in at 140 calories; now a typical bagel measures 5-6 inches in diameter and provides 350 calories.

It’s not only food, but our plates, bowls, and cup sizes have increased.  A standard plate size increased from 10 inches to 12 inches in the 1990’s.  A study found that when people are given larger food containers and larger spoons, they took larger amounts of ice cream and ate the whole portion.  (American Journal of Preventive Medicine).

All in all, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that people eat around 10% more calories than in the 1970s.  If physical activity does not change, that means about 200 calories a day, or about 20 pounds a year.  That’s enough to cause an “epidemic”.

To view our portion distortion is pictures, click here.

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• Researchers: When It Comes To Portions, We’re “Slaves To Our Environment” (blisstree.com)

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Despite 91%* jump in sales, experts cautious about “benefits” of high levels, the headlines reads:

Vitamin D is most likely the hottest supplement today due to reports and claims that it not only supports bone health but also can prevent heart disease and cancer.

The problem is that most of these claims have not been thoroughly researched.  In addition, just how much vitamin D along with calcium should we be getting daily to maintain a healthy level.  And what is a healthy blood level?  I’ve seen differing reports on what is safe and effective.

A team of researchers selected by the Institute of Medicine Academy of Sciences set out to answer these questions due to the plethora of studies that suggested vitamin D in itself was good to prevent just about any disease.  The research team examined thousands of studies to see what support for the claims existed.

Their primary conclusion?   It appears that the only claim with sufficient research was that vitamin D and calcium does support bone health, a fact that has been known for years.  They admitted that the research for other claims is exciting, but dose-response data for humans has not yet been examined to pinpoint what is the optimal intake for protection of these diseases for most people if it exists at all.

Two recent reports exemplify this lack of knowledge.  The first one is entitled “Pancreatic Cancer Patients More Likely to Lack Vitamin D”.  Researchers compared 451 pancreatic cancer patients with 1,267 healthy controls and found that the average blood levels of vitamin D in cancer patients were lower than those without the cancer.  This is an observational study with no association between cause and effect. Compared to participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D, people with sufficient or only slightly low levels were at 30% lower risk of pancreatic cancer.  Very high levels of the vitamin, however, offered no additional risk-reduction benefits.

The second study looked at vitamin D and heart disease and concluded that the healthiest level of vitamin D may be neither high nor low but a value somewhere in between.  Researchers found that increasing blood levels of vitamin D are associated with decreasing amounts of a marker of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP).  Inflammation is linked to a greater risk for heart disease.  However, any increase in vitamin D above what is considered a low range of normal (21 nanograms per mlllilter of blood actually were associated with CRP increasing again.

So it may be that too much of a good thing like vitamin D may actually be harmful.  Some people are taking huge amounts of supplemental vitamin D.  Each 100 IU of supplemental vitamin D raises blood levels by about 1 nanogram/mL, according to the American Journal of Cardiology.

With that in mind, the Institute of Medicine did revise their recommendations for daily intake, suggesting that people from ages 1 to 70 get 600 international units (IU) per day and those over age 71 should get 800 IU.  No one should get more than 4,000.  Too much vitamin D and calcium can result in heart rhythm problems or kidney stones.

What does that mean?  Basically, a couple of glasses of milk or juice fortified with vitamin D and about 15 minutes a day in the sun provides most of us all the vitamin D we need.

The idea of “more is better” doesn’t apply here, could be dangerous. Check with your doctor before taking any supplements, especially vitamin D with its high propensity for toxicity problems.  Have your doctor measure your vitamin D levels. The consequence of overdose can include:

• Mental retardation in young children
• Abnormal bone growth and formation
• Nausea, diarrhea, irritability, weight loss
• Deposition of calcium in kidneys, liver and the heart

Vitamin D sources in foods are scarce.  Fortified foods like milk as well fish, eggs, and mushrooms are the best.  Go out in the sun for about 15 minutes a day.  Vitamin D is made from cholesterol in skin cells exposed to sunlight. Poor vitamin D status is prevalent in all age groups, especially those who live in Northern latitudes.  Breast-fed infants with little sun exposure benefit from vitamin D supplements, but check with your doctor first.

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• Study: Vitamin D Has No Clear Benefit for COPD Patients (webmd.com)
• Low Vitamin D Levels Suffered By 70 Percent Of Europeans (medicalnewstoday.com)

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Yesterday my daughter told me when shopping for canned mushrooms, she found that most major brands as well as generics were all from China.  A couple weeks ago, one was still from the U.S.   This led me to find out more about this so now I know why.

I just spent part of the afternoon reading about the Food Imports from China.  For more details check out this comprehensive report from Food and Water Watch.  Click here.  You can read a shortened version or the full report.  Pretty disturbing!!

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/a-decade-of-dangerous-food-imports-from-china/

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I recently found a great timeline on the history of heart disease, i.e. how did we get to where we are now on thinking about the relationship between heart disease and diet.  Although the emphasis was on heart disease, buried in the timeline are some very interesting facts about our food supply that may also be applied to our rising obesity and diabetes rates.

1825

A French lawyer named Brillant-Savarin said in a publication entitled The Physiology of Taste:  “More or less rigid abstinence from everything that is starchy or floury” is a cure for obesity.  Sound familiar?

1830

Sugar consumption, mainly as molasses) had increased in the U.S. to 15 pounds per capita. Where is the High Fructose Corn Syrup??

1863

William Banting lost 65 pounds on a high fat, carbohydrate restricted diet and subsequently published, Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public.

1880 – 1910

One out of three people lived on a farm and ate from what they raised and grew there – today with 300 million people, only about 1% do so.  The risk of getting type 2 diabetes was 1 in 30 in a lifetime – now it is 1 in 3. (CDC estimates). Butter consumption was 18 pounds per capita and deaths from heart disease was below 10% – In 2000 it was below 4 pounds and now heart disease mortality is about 40% eating concocted supposedly healthier alternatives – e.g. “ I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”.

1911

Proctor and Gamble introduced Crisco – a highly hydrogenated vegetable fat and cheap alternative to lard – the primary cooking fat at the time.  The advantage to the manufacturer and the cook was a longer shelf life but provided a multitude of hundreds of pounds of unhealthy trans fatty acids.

1920

Sugar consumption reaches 100 pounds per capita in the U.S.

1930

Margarine consumption reaches 2.6 pounds per capita.  By 1957, margarine consumption increased to about 9 pounds – surpassing butter for the first time ever.

1934

A blood test for cholesterol was developed.  Here comes trouble.

1937 -  The Debate Begins (aka What’s going on here?)

Columbia University biochemists David Rittenberg & Rudolph Schoenheimer demonstrated that dietary cholesterol had little or no influence on blood cholesterol. This scientific fact has never been refuted.

“Cholesterol in food has no affect on cholesterol in blood and we’ve known that all along.”  These are the words of Professor Ancel Keys, American Heart Association board member and author of The Seven Countries Study who, in retirement, recanted the idea that dietary cholesterol raises blood levels. His recant has been greeted with silence. FYI – Keys studied 22 countries, but chose data from only 7.  He also excluded France with high fat and low rates of heart disease.

Recently, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a landmark study from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute that has turned current fat recommendations upside down. The verdict from the study is that “there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk for heart disease.’’

1950  – 1955

Dietary emphasis on fats and cholesterol in the diet became a hot topic due to Ancel Key’s study and in 1955; President Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack.  His twice-daily press conferences focused on his cholesterol levels and he was put on a low fat diet.  Dietary fat also became a culprit for weight gain.

1957

Margarine outsold butter for the first time – more trans fat and an increase in omega-6 fats shown to be inflammatory to the body tissues. Some animal research had suggested that omega-6 fats alone encourage weight gain.

1961 – Let The Diet Books Begin

Calories Don’t Count was published by Dr. Herman Taller.  The low-calorie diet is a humbug, he declared.  A native of Romania, he studied medicine in Italy and became a Brooklyn obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in natural childbirth. He was also a dieter whose weight ballooned up to 265 lb. on a 5-ft. 10-in. frame. Previously, a cholesterol researcher suggested an oily substance to help bring down his high cholesterol level. Taller also found that he was losing weight–65 lb. in 8 months–even while consuming 5,000 calories a day.  The oily substance was a polyunsaturated fat that was claimed to stimulate the body to burn fat. Taller therefore recommended a high-fat diet supplemented by polyunsaturated safflower oil capsules high in omega-6 linoleic acid.  Back in the 1960′s vegetable fats were newish and everyone wanted them to be a new health food.  This has not been supported in the last 50 years of scrutiny.

The American Heart Association adopted the well-known low-fat diet that began an era of fat maligning and the glorification of low fat foods.  Dieters began to count fat grams daily.  However, during our national experiment with a low-fat diet, people continued to pile on the pounds every decade.

1978

High fructose corn syrup enters the sweetener market.  By 1985, 50 percent of the sweetener was consumed in America.

1980 -1990

Obesity levels had remained between 12-14 percent from 1960 to 1980.  After 1980 and then again in 1990, obesity grew dramatically until today when 49 states have obesity rates over 20 percent (Colorado is under 20 percent). Type 2 diabetes is now reported to have a 1 in 3 lifetime risk.

1992

The Food Guide Pyramid was introduced, recommending 6-11 servings of breads, cereals, rice or pasta a day without mentioning whole grains options.  Fats and oils were restricted without mentioning healthy fats versus less healthy ones.

2000

Soybean oil has 70 percent of the edible fat market in the U.S.  Lard consumption is less than 1 pound.  Sugar consumption in the U.S. 150 pounds per capita. Butter consumption is less than 4 pounds per capita.

2004

After 50 years of Egg-beaters, low fat cheese, margarine, skinless chicken breasts, and highly processed soy and Canola oils, and two Food Guide Pyramids and 11 releases of the USDA Dietary Guidelines,  one third of Americans are obese; 25 percent are diabetic or pre-diabetic.

2005.

Food Guide Pyramid is revised to My Pyramid with little dietary changes and was criticized for its misunderstandings and format.

2008

Sugar consumption is now 160 pounds per capita. Compare that to the 15 pounds per capita in 1830.

2011 No More Pyramids

A simplified MyPlate is introduced as the latest attempt at Food Guides.

The Future?

About 287 people per 100,000 had heart attacks in 2000. By 2008, the rate had dropped to 208 heart attacks per 100,000. Deaths from heart attacks also declined. That is good news.

What’s going on?

Over the same period, the use of drugs to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol increased quite a bit. Meat consumption has been declining for the past few decades.  But the gains could be short-lived.  In the last decade the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes has increased by almost a percentage point. Over the same period, obesity has increased by three percentage points.  If that trend continues, heart disease rates may again rise.

Unless we have been infected by a yet to be discovered obesity virus, we have a national eating disorder that needs to be fixed.  Big food has made quite a mess of our food supply.  Is saturated fat the culprit it was made out to be?  Can excess refined vegetable oils or excess sugar or excess fructose to blame?

Will our food culture ever be able to return to a diet of whole, real foods to replace the refined, processed, chemical-laden foods forced upon us by the food industry?  Will the experts in the AHA, the USDA and big food ever get it?  Don’t count on it.  The solution may just have to rely on getting the message  to consumers with more reliable nutrition education who then may make more demands for a healthier and safer food supply.

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There is a new  interesting study on more diet influences on brain health.  The study called the Oregon Brain Aging Study involved 104 older adults (the average age was 87).   This group was relatively healthy with only high blood pressure and no obvious indication of heart disease risk factors or cognitive impairment.

The results showed that elderly people whose blood levels of the B vitamins that included B1, B2, B6, folate, and vitamin B12, vitamins C, D and E or omega-3 fatty acids scored better on tests of mental performance and showed healthier brains in MRI scans.  But those seniors with high levels of trans fats scored worse on the same tests and had lower brain volume.

A strength of the study was that the investigators used actual nutrient levels in the blood rather than self-reported dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaires.  These are subject to recall errors, particularly in people who may have some degree of existing cognitive decline.  Researchers cautioned, however, that the study wasn’t designed to prove cause and effect, only an association.

Bottom Line:  It pays off to stay away from trans fats, eat your vitamins from fruits and vegetables, and salmon and fish for your healthy fatty acids not only for your heart but also your brain.

• Chronic inflammation
• Damage by free radicals
• Excess blood glucose levels that fuel high insulin levels

Inflammation:  Do Fats Matter?  

The healthier fats such as monounsaturated and some polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fats  help improve brain function and have anti-inflammatory properties.  So olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil and flax seed oil are the preferred oils.  Fish, avocado, and all nuts and seeds such as ground flax seed also contain a high percentage of mono-and polyunsaturated fats.   Some research has found that the healthier fats may also be protective against Parkinson’s disease.

A study of 270 older adults and found those who ate fish at least once a week – baked or broiled, not fried – had a greater volume of gray matter in the brain in areas important in Alzheimer’s disease.  Fish consumption was also associated with sharply lower rates of developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia.  Only 3.2% of those with the highest fish intake and greatest preservation of gray matter were found to have developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia compared to the 30.8% of non-fish eaters who’d suffered cognitive decline

Free Radicals – Bring on the Antioxidants

Consuming more antioxidants in foods may reducing the damaging effects of free radicals – supplements have not produced their promised results.  We meet free radicals every day from our own bodies (immune system, energy production, iron reactions, exercise) as well as from the environment (cigarette smoke, pollutants and pesticides, radiation, UV light, ozone).

Antioxidants are best found in highly colored fruits and vegetables and most plant foods. In the Nurses Health Study, women who ate the most fruits and vegetables had a slower rate of cognitive decline than women who were not eating many of either.

Reducing Blood Sugar and Insulin – Go Complex, Avoid the Simple (Carbs)

If the blood sugar remains high (hyperglycemia), diabetes type 2 will cause long-term damage to eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.  People with type 2 diabetes have a greater risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia.

Choose unrefined carbohydrates (whole grains) and limit refined carbohydrates (white foods – rice, pasta, white bread). These foods generally cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin pours into the blood.  Excess levels of either blood glucose or insulin can damage nerve cells and promote fat storage.

There are other areas of research in diet and brain health worth noting.

Homocysteine is an amino acid and its involvement in brain health is still a topic of ongoing research since results have been inconsistent.   High levels have been linked to heart disease, stroke and dementia.  Eating foods higher in folate and vitamin B12 assist in DNA synthesis and ultimately help to maintain healthy nerve cells.

Calorie Restriction.  Ongoing research on calorie restriction may yield some clues to keeping the brain young.   Italian researchers found a molecule called CREB1 that was triggered by calorie restriction and that it mediates the beneficial effects of the diet by turning on another group of molecules linked to longevity, the “sirtuins”.  This finding is consistent with the fact that CREB1 is known to regulate important brain functions as memory, learning and anxiety control.  The bottom line: overeating may cause brain aging and eating less may help keep the brain young.

Choline Could Help Keep Your Brain Sharp .  Choline is a nutrient related to the B vitamins and is found in egg yolks, chicken, milk, fish, peanut butter, potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, banana, oranges, whole gains, sesame and flax seeds along with the food additive lecithin.  Tufts researchers analyzed data on 1400 people aged 36 to 83 from the Framingham study.  They completed questionnaires and then took memory and cognitive tests and underwent MRI scans.  Those with the highest dietary choline intake did better on the tests and were less likely to show areas of “white-matter hypersensitivity” in the brain, possible signs of blood vessel damage linked to dementia.

Research on diet and dementia needs to be increased;  however, it is becoming increasingly hopeful that dietary factors although not curative can play a role in maintaining brain health as we age.

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Nutrition advice continues to be riddled with misinformation.  Here are 10 myths that should be put to rest in 2012.

Myth #1:  High Fructose corn syrup is no worse than sugar.

This myth is probably the most controversial. According to the Corn Refiner’s Association, sugar and high fructose corn syrup have the same number of calories and both contribute 4 calories per gram. They are also equal in sweetness. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup contain nearly the same one-to-one ratio of two sugars-fructose and glucose:  Sugar is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. High fructose corn syrup is sold principally in two formulations – 42 percent and 55 percent fructose-with the balance made up of primarily of glucose and higher sugars.  Many believe the body cannot tell the difference.  Not if you’re a rat.  A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.  Whether this applies to humans remains to be seen.  However, the more I read about sugar and health in general, the more I become concerned about its  consumption in our diets.

Myth #2:  Sea salt is a healthier version of regular salt.

Regular salt comes from a mine- it has 2300 mg sodium.  Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater – it has 2300 mg sodium.  Traditional salt is fortified with iodine. Sea salt gives you zero iodine. The real differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing, not their chemical makeup.  Bottom Line: virtually identical

Myth #3 Diet soda is harmless.

Research shows that aspartame and sucralose increased food intake and calories in animals.  People who only consumed 3 diet sodas a week were more than 40% more likely to be obese.  A new study found that when people had a diet soda every day, they experienced a 61% higher risk of vascular events (stroke, myocardial infarction, and death) than those who reported drinking no soda.  This appeared to be the first of this association.  The study involved 2500 people who were followed an average of 9.3 years.  Previous studies have suggested a link between diet soda consumption and the risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes.  This was not a proven casual relationship, however, just an observational study. This may be just a wake-up call and further research will help to verify the preliminary results.

Myth #4 Trans-fat free is not trans-free fat. 

Food manufacturers can claim 0 grams of trans fat but can have 0.5 grams per serving.  So if you eat more than the serving indicated on the products, you could very easily eat more than 1 gram.  The recommendation is zero. Check ingredient labels for “partially-hydrogenated oils” – this indicates the presence of some trans fats in that product.

Myth #5   Egg yolks raise your cholesterol.

Dietary cholesterol has almost nothing to do with blood cholesterol in healthy people.  Thirty egg studies (at least) found no link between egg consumption and heart disease.  Eating eggs for breakfast (high in protein) could help stave off hunger pangs later in the morning.  Discuss with your doctor whether your cholesterol is high enough to limit egg consumption.

Myth #6 Chocolate is bad for you.

I’m sure by now you have heard or read about the health benefits of chocolate.  Cocoa is rich with flavonoids (antioxidants).  And chocolate contains a healthier kind of saturated fat called stearic acid.  Stearic acid’s neutral effect on blood total and LDL cholesterol levels implies that this long-chain saturated fatty acid  may not increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.  Milk chocolate is higher in sugar – instead look for dark chocolate with 60% or more cocoa.

Myth #7  Granola is good for you.

Granola is oats with added sugar and baked in oil for crunch.  One cup of Quaker Natural Granola with Oats, Honey and Raisins has 420 calories, 26 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of fat.  You could switch to plain old oatmeal or Quaker Instant Oatmeal with Raisins, Dates and Walnuts where 1 serving contains 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 11 grams of sugar.

Myth #8 Organic Foods are more nutritious.

No evidence shows that this is true – the information is based on biases.  Organic foods are the best bet for young children and pregnant women, however and have other benefits like no genetically modified foods or ingredients added.  Antibiotics in animal foods are more of an issue and organics are far better for the environment.

Myth #9 Meat is bad for you.

There have been 20 studies that found that meat’s link to heart disease exists only with processed meats like bacon, sausage, and deli meats.  Unprocessed meats that are not smoked, cured and chemically preserve and had a zero risk. A recent study found that lean beef can be part of a healthy diet and does not raise the “bad” cholesterol, LDL in humans.  A word of caution – meat can be healthy with a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.

Myth #10 Low-fat foods are better for you.

Low fat is associated with salt and refined carbohydrates.  When fat is removed, sugar is added for taste.  People who ate low-carb diets  or low fat diets lost about the same amount of weight over 2 years, but it appears that lower carbohydrate diets have a more beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.

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