Mark’s Daily Apple

Irradiated Food10

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Freaky Food du Jour

Oh, the food supply, the food supply. It’s impossible to miss the media stories on the risks of food-borne illnesses like salmonella and E. coli. Meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables always seem to be the most insidious culprits. (But that Little Debbie snack cake, you’ll be relieved to know, is on the safe list.)

We’ve all heard that it’s important to diligently wash our produce and thoroughly cook all meats. But more and more, we’re hearing that these measures just aren’t enough. In contrast to two washing practices, a recent study organized by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service shows that irradiation kills more than 99% of many microbes, including salmonella and E. coli. Irradiation was compared with three minutes’ submergence in water and three minutes of cleaning with an unidentified chemical treatment. The water bath was ineffective at killing or removing E. coli, while the chemical treatment didn’t have significant effect on E. coli in tested spinach leaves and was not quite 90% effective when it came to lettuce.

Studies show that certain disease-causing microbes are masters at playing hide-and-go seek with such chemical sanitizers. These bacteria can make their way inside the leaves of lettuce, spinach and other vegetables and fruit, where surface treatments cannot reach. In addition, microbes can organize themselves into tightly knit communities called biofilms that coat fruits and vegetables and protect the bacteria from harm.

via Science Daily

Since 1999, the FDA has been reviewing irradiation and approving its use in steps. As things stand right now, many foods, including meats, produce, fresh shell eggs, wheat flour, and juices, can be irradiated but must be labeled as such (with the exception of spices). It’s important to note that schools and restaurants, however, may serve irradiated food without offering notice. A comforting thought as you send junior off to school.

The irradiation process involves using high energy gamma rays. The short wavelengths and high frequencies result in virtually no heat but ionizing radiation, which kills bacteria and insects and extends shelf life. The controversy surrounding irradiation revolves around what else the gamma rays kill. Critics contend that the process damages antioxidants, essential fatty acids, protein and other nutrients. Others add less than savory comments about the change in taste and texture of irradiated food. More contested is the possible creation of carcinogenic substances known as cyclobutanones as well as other damaging carcinogens, including mutagenic compounds found in lab animal experiments.

Finally, critics of irradiated food claim that the real agenda behind the irradiation push can be found in disgusting food (particularly meat) processing that would make Upton Sinclair lose his lunch. Cleaner, slower processing with better oversight would result in cleaner meats and other foods. (Oh, these are details for another post – or another website period.) Knowing what we know, we would agree with the processing assessment and general criticism of irradiation. The problems we create for ourselves in this modern age….

When it comes to irradiation, we’re going to take a pass. (Now excuse us while we dry heave.)

Ricecake Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Center for Food Safety - Food Irradiation: A Gross Failure (PDF)

LA Times: More on Irradiation

Posted: Big Agra, Big Moo, Diet, Health, Nutrition

Dear Mark: Gluten23

Shop the perimeter. And this aisle.

Dear Mark,

You talk a lot about the evils of grains. I follow your logic on why a grain free diet is best, and I have seen weight loss and just feel better overall since heeding your advice. But there is one thing (well, more than one) that I don’t understand but hear about often. Could you explain what gluten is and why it should be avoided?

Gluten is a large, water-soluble protein that creates the elasticity in dough. It’s found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, triticale, and oats. These days it’s also found in additives like thickeners and fillers used in everything from lunch meat to soup to candy.

Gluten sensitivity or intolerance, once thought to be rare, is now believed to affect a third of the population. (Some believe this number is substantially higher.) It’s considered a genetically influenced, life-long autoimmune disease, but it sometimes doesn’t manifest itself until a person is in their thirties or even forties. When an affected person eats or drinks something containing gluten, the protein initiates a kind of allergic reaction in the body, resulting in some level of inflammatory reaction. The reaction can vary significantly from person to person and can manifest itself in a wide variety of initial symptoms that include: dermatitis, fatigue, joint pain, acid reflux, abnormal menses, and infertility. Some gluten sensitive people are asymptomatic, at least for a certain period of their lives.

In serious cases, gluten intolerance causes intestinal atrophy known as Celiac disease. The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America reports that 1 in 133 people have Celiac disease. Unfortunately, not everyone who develops Celiac disease will have recognizable symptoms before the condition has wreaked serious havoc in the intestinal system by flattening of the villus epithelium and subsequently decreasing the area for nutrient absorption. For these people, Celiac disease often isn’t diagnosed until after effects of malnutrition have set in (lack of growth in children, diarrhea, stomach pain and/or bloating, vomiting, behavioral changes, etc.). In these cases, biopsies are often taken to assess the extent of damage and to aid diagnosis. Even if biopsies are normal, there is still the chance that nutrient absorption is impaired.

Thankfully, methods for diagnosing gluten sensitivity and related Celiac disease have improved in recent years as awareness has increased and more research has been done. Blood tests for specific antibodies have allowed physicians to diagnose the disease in many cases before much if any damage has occurred. Researchers are also beginning to test for antibodies in the intestinal tract, which may promise an even earlier diagnosis in at-risk individuals.

Given my stance on grains, I obviously suggest avoiding gluten. As mentioned, gluten intolerance is a very common condition and may be underestimated still. Given the relatively recent introduction of gluten (and all grains) into the human diet, gluten intolerance and the related Celiac disease are very unfortunate but not very surprising conditions. In addition to omitting grains from your diet (especially those listed above), it’s important to avoid processed foods, which likely contain trace amounts in forms like hydrolyzed proteins, starch/modified starch, malt, binders, and natural flavorings. If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it’s a wise idea to talk to your doctor about testing options.

Whatshername? Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Simple vs. Complex Carbs

Gluten-Free Girl

Posted: Big Agra, Carbs, Dear Mark, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Prevention

Dear Mark: Saturated Fat13

Worth eating?

Dear Mark,

In one of last week’s Cheap Meat discussions, you said something about ratios and saturated fats and how saturated fats aren’t really the issue in your mind. I might have been missing something in the conversation. Can you fill me in?

The issue of ratios within animal fat was raised by reader Jaana as she shared Cordain’s discussion of the varying polyunsaturated fat content and corresponding omega ratios in muscle meat versus different organ meats. Cordain compares wild game (that we can assume are comparable to the meats our pre-agricultural ancestors ate) with the domestically raised livestock we eat today. As a general rule, the muscle meat of conventional livestock today has less polyunsaturated fat than wild game does. Conventional domestic meat also has more saturated fat than wild game.

I’ve said before that the hype over saturated fat is overblown in many respects. Saturated fats are required for many crucial functions in the body. They make up 1/2 of cell membrane structure. They enhance calcium absorption and immune function. They aid in the body’s synthesis of the essential fatty acids and provide a rich source of fat soluble vitamins. My beef isn’t with the beef fat. It’s with the carbs – the grains that conventionally raised animals are fed as well as the buns, chips and other assorted carbs we modern humans eat with the side of beef.

This is the part conventional “wisdom” doesn’t get: saturated fat in the diet doesn’t directly translate to saturated fats in the blood. It’s all how it’s metabolized. Saturated fat levels in the blood are influenced by the prevalence of carbs in the diet and the subsequent carb-generated lipogenesis process.

And it’s my opinion that CW’s hobby horse takes attention away from the more legitimate concerns surrounding saturated fat intake. An animal’s fat stores carry the highest load of antibiotics, feed pesticides and herbicides, and hormones. Obviously, this didn’t matter 20,000 years ago, but it matters a whole heck of a lot in the modern world. One way to ameliorate the situation is to eat organic meat. (And, to a lesser extent, grass-fed and -finished, but we covered that last week.) Another way is to eat lower fat meats. (Even the best organic, grass-finished meats will still carry dioxins in their fat stores as a result of acid rain in most regions of the country.)

Finally, as reader Charles noted in last week’s discussion (thanks for the lead, Charles), really the polyunsaturated fat content in either grass or grain fed beef isn’t that substantial to begin with. Grass-fed is better, but it’s not worth excessive concern or breaking the bank.

Whether you choose to eat higher fat meats or lower fat cuts, my message is the same. Look for the cleanest meat you can find and afford. Sure, shoot for grass-fed and finished when possible, but clean should trump grass-fed by a long shot. Beyond this, arm yourself with a diet and supplement regimen that offers copious antioxidants and plenty of omega-3 fatty acids to achieve a 1:1 ratio.

Thanks to everyone for all their comments and questions. There’s nothing like a vigorous and spirited discussion! Keep it coming.

Daniel Y. Go, SixyBeast Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

I’m Not Afraid of Fat

Are There Any Good Carbs?

Why the Atkins Diet Works

Sponsor note:
This post was brought to you by the Damage Control Master Formula, independently proven as the most comprehensive high-potency antioxidant multivitamin available anywhere. With the highest antioxidant per dollar value and a complete anti-aging, stress, and cognition profile, the Master Formula is truly the only multivitamin supplement you will ever need. Toss out the drawers full of dozens of different supplements with questionable potency and efficacy and experience the proven Damage Control difference!

Posted: Big Agra, Big Moo, Dear Mark, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?

GMO Foods: Super Solution or Franken Future?4

GMO: Making Amphibians Happier Every Day

Close your eyes and think about genetically modified crops. Now what do you see? Green fields of lush, pest-resistant, hardy crops? A ghoulish cast hovering above insidious kodachrome orbs they call GM tomatoes? Hordes of protestors in t-shirts and Converse sneakers? Hungry children being fed? A Pandora’s Box?

Applaud or curse, the U.S. allows the planting of GM crops, while many countries do not. It also doesn’t mandate labeling of genetically modified food, as do Europe and many other countries. These circumstances have, experts agree, allowed food made with genetically engineered ingredients to be included in approximately 70% of food in typical grocery stores.

It has also allowed the public to be relatively unaware of the increasingly prominent role of GM food in the typical American diet. A poll by The Washington Post showed that some 60% of respondents believed they had never eaten genetically modified food, which seems remarkably unlikely given their prevalence.

With the recent FDA approval of animal products from cloned animals, however, a lot of people are sitting up and suddenly listening. While 46% of people in the above poll opposed food from genetically modified crops, 60% were uncomfortable with the idea of products from cloned animals. Only 22% said they were comfortable with the option of cloned animal products.

We thought we’d take a closer look at some of the issues and arguments being bantered about.

“The Unknown”

For a lot of people, the specter of GM foods looms so insidiously because of the unknown dimension of this technology and what can happen to it (and its consumers) in the real world. The question of regulation and testing is a hot button issue across the globe. Dr. Margaret Mellon of the Union of Concerned Scientists explains, “Lots and lots of people — virtually the entire population — could be exposed to genetically engineered foods, and yet we have only a handful of studies in the peer-reviewed literature addressing their safety. The question is, do we assume the technology is safe based on an argument that it’s just a minor extension of traditional breeding, or do we prove it? The scientist in me wants to prove it’s safe.”

The FDA, for its part, asserts that GM foodstuffs are the most highly regulated food products in the country with a system of individual consultations with companies that apply to grow and market their GM crops. The process, which takes several months, involves not only the FDA but the EPA and Department of Agriculture.

Allergens
The concern of many here revolves around the process of inserting a gene from another organism, whether it be animal or plant, into another. Though you may think you’re buying a carton of grape tomatoes, what if the engineering process for it used, say, fish, to which you have a dangerous allergy?

According to the FDA, most food allergies can be traced to a handful of foods, including wheat, fish, eggs, shellfish, cow’s milk, tree nuts, and legumes (peanuts and soybeans in particular). If a food product contains a gene from one of the common allergy sources, the company must say so on the label “unless it can show that the protein produced by the added gene does not make the food cause allergies” through animal studies. We imagine this reassurance results in varying levels of comfort, especially if you’re allergic to pineapple.

Super Bugs

One of the selling points of GM crops is their engineered pest and disease resistance. It’s an appealing argument: the end of chemical pesticide and herbicide use. Yet, the specter of evolving tolerance looms. What if bugs or bacteria develop a tolerance for the engineered insecticide or bacterial resistance? What consequences are there in the long run from using antibiotic genes in crops that will be eaten by humans and foraging animals as well as livestock?

Small Farms versus Large Biotech Firms
Because GM seeds are more expensive, some critics say that small farmers won’t be able to afford them and won’t be able to compete with larger, industrial farms. Still others argue that creating a system that makes farmers dependent on biotech firms for seeds each year (GM crops are now engineered to create sterile seeds that cannot be used for the following year’s crops.) puts too much power in the hands of biotech firms.

On the flip side of this coin, others argue that small farmers will save money by not having to purchase expensive pesticides and herbicides. Plants can also be engineered to work within a wider variety of conditions, including the ability to grow in saltier soil or to resist frost by incorporating an antifreeze gene. (Yum!)

Food for the Poor
A common argument for GM crops is the ability to engineer crops that can grow in any environment, in denser conditions and with added engineered nutrients that will “go farther” in feeding a population.

Critics argue that the use of GM crops only makes poorer countries beholden to rich corporations and doesn’t solve the problems of distribution and power, which many see as the central causes of poverty and starvation across the globe.

Biodiversity

A couple weeks ago news about Norway’s “doomsday vault” hit the presses. The vault, which is carved into the side of a mountain on a remote island north of Norway’s mainland, will preserve a representative cross-section of the world’s crop seeds in case of a global catastrophe. Though the vault’s plans were made public more than a year ago, it was back in the news after receiving its first shipment of seeds.

Clearly, preserving the world’s plant diversity is important stuff. But should we really just be locking away the remnants of the biodiversity nature developed over millions of years? Other seed preservation organizations argue that an ample number of hardy, nutrient-rich, naturally pest-resistant crop species exist within so-called “heirloom” and indigenous varieties that evolved with a region’s variations of climate, pests and diseases. For instance, the National Research Council asserts that reinstituting Africa’s “lost crops,” including indigenous fruit trees, could help alleviate hunger and environmental devastation caused by the toll of conventional agricultural development.

Do we understand the impact of national or even global crop “monoculture,” particularly when the crops are laboratory creations with little “test” time in the complexities of the real world?

It’s a lot to digest - or not. Industry specialists on both sides of the debate suggest that consumers who wish to avoid GM products look for the “100% organic” label on the groceries they buy. Foods with this label legally must not contain GM ingredients. As for those customers who support GM food development, they will likely be able to take advantage of an increase in those products during the next several years.

O.K., you got us here. We’ll come clean and admit we’re more than a bit skeptical (surprise, surprise), but we want to hear from you. What’s your take on GMO? Give us your perspectives.

lawndart, SteelePop, Johnny kgc, Steefe Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Sounding the Alarm on Children and Food Allergies

Scrutinizing Soy

Marginal Revolution: Endangered Bananas

Eye on DNA: GMO Food Can’t Be All That Bad, Can It?

Eating Fabulous: Genetically Engineered Probiotic Bacteria May Reduce Food Allergies

Technorati Tags: GMO, GM, genetically modified, genetic modification, biodiversity, monoculture, clone, biotech

Posted: Big Agra, Big Moo, Health, Nutrition

Scrutinizing Soy30

Soy Bean Dilemma?

You’ve heard me comment here and there about Big Agra’s favorite legume, but I thought it was time to truly sit down with soy, stare it in the eye and get to the bottom of its real intentions.

Just so you know, we had an amicable exchange, and both parties came away from the table having learned a thing or two about open-mindedness and media frenzy.

It’s true, soy was once nutrition’s sweetheart. It could do no wrong (much like multi-grain anything these days). Within a shockingly brief period, it was thrust into the limelight, granted liberties it wasn’t ready for and didn’t, in all fairness, ask for. Its sudden fame propelled it into the likes of the dairy aisle, the barbeque line-up, even infant formula. Talk about big shoes to fill! Could anyone truly stand up to such phenomenal pressure and responsibility?

And so we find soy in its current circumstances, dissected by the health media, floundering, searching for a center long ago obscured, grasping for its authentic, legitimate role in nutritional balance.

All right, I’m ready to heave. Still with me? Just know that I’m completely serious about the media food frenzy, pun intended. Nutrition should be treated with more rationality and common sense than the parading line of fads and momentary cult worship. Maybe that’s what’s so satisfying about the primal diet: it doesn’t get any more basic than primitive.

Anyway, let’s get on with things and break it down.

Soy and Processing
The mantra applies here as well. All together now: Eat food, not food products. This doesn’t mean you have to forgo all forms of soy, but I’ll just say up front that food products with “the benefits of soy” conveniently added in just aren’t convincing me.

As I’ve said before, soy really needs some form of preparation before it’s safe to eat, and that in and of itself gives me pause. That said, minimally processed soy forms like fermented tempeh and miso as well as edamame seem like preferable options.

Soy processing isn’t a very comforting picture with acid washing and neutralization solutions, large and leaching aluminum tanks, and high temperature heating (rarely a good thing in the food world). And this doesn’t take into account the artificial flavorings, including MSG, that are oftentimes added to improve flavor. (Hmmm. When we say healthy tastes great, we kind of mean a food itself and not all the chemical crap added to it. No?) Finally, it’s vital to go organic when it comes to soy. Not only is it nearly all genetically modified, it has one of the highest pesticide contamination levels of any crop.

Soy and Cancer
We’re talking mostly about breast cancer here. The culprit in question is the group of soy isoflavones, plant hormones that mimics estrogen in the body. Some research has shown that isolated isoflavones, a.k.a. phytoestrogens, contribute to the growth of tumors in the breast, endometrium and uterus.

It essentially comes back to the whole foods question. The research has focused on the isolated isoflavones, particularly genistein, the most active of the soy isoflavones that activates cellular estrogen receptors, including those in breast tumors. Noted experts in the field have cautioned that research with isolated soy compounds does not necessarily carry over well to the effect of the whole food, even minimally processed soy flour. In other words, soy is healthier than the sum of its parts. Other studies have shown that the mix of phytoestrogens in soy, when taken together in whole soy foods, protect estrogen receptors and may partly shield them from the estrogen we take in with meat and dairy consumption (yup, bovine hormones even in organic). They can also possibly reduce the impact of the unequivocally insidious “xenoestrogens” found in chemical pollutants.

Add to this picture the analysis of cultural diet and disease trends. Though Japanese women regularly eat significant portions of soy (in forms like tempeh, edamame, miso and tofu), they have only 1/5 of the breast cancer rate that Western women.

Soy and Thyroid Function
Researchers are in general agreement that people with previously diagnosed hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) should not take soy supplements. There’s not as much agreement, however, about soy and diet. The isoflavones in soy inhibit thyroid peroxidase, which produces T3 and T4, which can make a bad situation worse for those with diagnosed hypothyroidism or, as some suggest, help cause hypothyroidism to begin with.

It’s also important to note that soy isn’t the only food that has goitrogenic effects. Other foods in this category include (but aren’t limited to) cruciferous vegetables, corn and lima beans.

Soy and Mineral Absorption
Soybeans are high in phytic acid, which is known to block the body’s absorption of minerals such as calcium, zinc magnesium and iron. (Pertinent Insertion: grain-based diets have been shown to do the same thing.) Nonetheless, soybeans have the highest level of phytates. Fermentation is known to substantially reduce phytate levels, which is why you often hear that fermented soy forms are preferable. Other sources note that a meat or fish accompaniment to soy will reduce the effects of the phytates.

Bottom line…
Whole and fermented soy forms are clearly preferable. Personally, I wouldn’t bother with anything else. I know all of you soy milk lovers cringe when I say that. If you recall, I acknowledged a while back that organic and unsweetened non-GMO soy milk probably wasn’t a worse choice than regular cow’s milk.

I think there is something to the benefits of whole soy, and MDA has cheered and endorsed tempeh and miso more times than I can likely remember now. Not only do we endorse fermented food around her, but we appreciate the smart protein and blood sugar stabilization of tempeh.

Nonetheless, I’m still mindful of common soy concerns. I question the need for soy supplements, and I’m unequivocally against soy in infant formula (at least a whole entry unto itself!). For healthy adults, however, I acknowledge that soy can have a legitimate place in a well-rounded diet.

You’ve got my take now. What’s your thinking on soy? Shoot me a line.

Kanko* Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Tempeh, Natto, Tahini Hurrah!

Spoutin’ Off on Veganism (Again)

Eating Fabulous: Soy May Help in Weight Loss

Sponsor note:
This post was brought to you by the Damage Control Master Formula, independently proven as the most comprehensive high-potency antioxidant multivitamin available anywhere. With the highest antioxidant per dollar value and a complete anti-aging, stress, and cognition profile, the Master Formula is truly the only multivitamin supplement you will ever need. Toss out the drawers full of dozens of different supplements with questionable potency and efficacy and experience the proven Damage Control difference!

Technorati Tags: soy, tempeh, fermentation, isoflavones, phytoestrogens, phytic acid, hyperthyroidism

Posted: Big Agra, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?, Women's Health