by Mya Nelson for AICR
A new type of meatless burger is sweeping into restaurants and grocery stores across the country and creating a lot of buzz. The Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are touted for tasting like actual meat and offering health benefits. But what’s really in these meatless burgers and can they fit into a healthy, cancer-protective diet? We asked the experts.
AICR research is clear that regularly eating too much red meat — and even small amounts of processed meats — increases the risk of colorectal cancer. That’s why one of AICR’s Recommendations for Cancer Prevention is to eat no more than 12-18 ounces of beef, pork and other red meats per week.
Another AICR recommendation is to eat a predominantly plant-based diet. Whole grains, vegetables and other plant foods are packed with dietary fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals. Evidence is clear that dietary fiber lowers colorectal cancer risk; studies point to other healthful compounds lowering risk of cancers. Plant foods can help people stay a healthy weight, which is one of the most important steps people can take to reduce the risk of many common cancers.
Heme, protein and other ingredients: Both meatless burgers contain plants as their protein source in place of beef. The Impossible Burger pulls its protein from soy and potatoes; Beyond Burger uses primarily pea protein. Both contain a lot of other ingredients as well, adding oils, binders and flavorings. However, the AICR recommends choosing mostly whole and minimally processed foods. “That is not these patties,” says AICR’s Senior Director of Nutrition Programs Alice Bender, MS, RDN.
“Building an entirely new food — starting with extracting protein from plants — and then creating a substance with a meat-like texture using soy and potato protein, and adding oils flavorings, and micronutrients appears to meet the definition of a highly processed food,” says Bender.
“We know that replacing red meat with foods like beans, vegetables and whole grains reduces cancer risk. However, we don’t know whether replacing red meat with one of these meat-tasting vegetarian burgers will have the same benefit.”
One of the key differences between the two brands of burgers is that the Impossible Burger adds heme iron to its mix. Our body needs iron to make healthy blood cells; heme is a type of iron found mainly in beef and other animals. Soybean roots are also packed with this iron. The Impossible Burger uses the soybean’s heme iron, producing it in large quantities by inserting it in yeast and letting the yeast ferment, which makes them — and the heme iron — multiply. The manufacturers claim it’s the heme iron that gives their burgers a meaty texture, taste, and smell. (Beyond Burger uses beet juice extract for its red, meaty look.
“Yet, heme iron is one of the candidates for why high amounts of beef and other red meats may cause cancer,” says Edward L. Giovannucci, MD, ScD, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the expert panelists on AICR’s Continuous Update Project.
Treat them like red meat: “I don’t know that heme from soy products has been fully studied, and currently it is hard to say what the effects might be, especially if these are consumed frequently,” says Giovannucci. “I would be concerned if people got a sense that since this is ‘plant-based,’ they can eat as much as they want. In reality, they may not be getting all of the benefits of what we generally consider as a whole food, plant-based diet.”
Giovannucci adds, “It is possible that approaches such as the Impossible Burger may turn out to be helpful, though we don’t yet fully understand what in red and processed meat (and other processed foods) is harmful.”
For now, like many foods, the bottom line is that moderation is key. “Until we understand how red meat increases cancer risk and if you choose to eat these burgers, treat them like red meat, limiting to no more than 12-18 ounces weekly,” says Bender.
Friday, November 29, 2019
Saturday, November 23, 2019
The Enemy Within
On October 6, 1966 (Stardate: 1672.1), NBC aired Episode 5 of Star Trek, titled “The Enemy Within.” Captain James T. Kirk has just beamed up from planet Alpha 177, where magnetic anomalies have caused the transporter to malfunction (as it is wont to do as a plot device), splitting Kirk into two entities, one who is cool and rational and the other who is impulsive and violent. Angelic Kirk must make a command decision to avert disaster and save his crew but he is paralyzed with indecision, bemoaning to the ship’s doctor: “I can’t survive without him [demonic Kirk]. I don’t want to take him back. He’s like an animal — a thoughtless, brutal animal. And yet it’s me.” Dr. McCoy’s resolution unites the two: “We all have our darker side — we need it! It’s half of what we are. It’s not really ugly — it’s human.”1
This vignette captures an underlying theme of the two-hour PBS NOVA film The Violence Paradox, based on Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker’s magisterial 2011 book The Better Angels of Our Nature, one of the most important works in the history of the social sciences.2The film tracks the research of archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, neuroscientists, psychologists, policy makers, and activists around the globe studying violence and working to reduce it. It answers in the affirmative the question Pinker set out to study: is it possible we are living in one of the most peaceful eras in human existence?
The story of human violence spans the entirety of our species’ existence, and the film reviews the evidence Pinker amassed that demonstrates just how violent our Paleolithic ancestors were. Far from cherry-picking his data from scarce archaeological and anthropological sources (as some critics have accused him of doing3), Pinker’s conclusion that humans were far more violent in the past than we are today is born out in studies published since 2011. NOVA added, for example, the results of a recent survey of some 600 archaeological sites spanning the last 50,000 years, which found rates of violent deaths were at least three times higher than today. The film continues its journey across space and time, demonstrating how once common and socially sanctioned ghastly practices such as human sacrifice, witch burning, torture, and infanticide have become rare in our world today, even if not completely eradicated.
The film then considers what forces may have prompted the better angels of our nature to ride herd over our inner demons, proposing (pace Pinker) the theory that widening notions of equality, alongside shifting social norms emphasizing self-control, changed public attitudes and behavior that led people to act more civilized and thus less violent. This theory was first proposed in 1939 in a book called The Civilizing Process by the sociologist Norbert Elias, whom Pinker calls “the most important thinker you’ve never heard of.” Pinker summarizes the theory succinctly:
Beginning in the 11th or 12th and maturing in the 17th and 18th [centuries], Europeans increasingly inhibited their impulses, anticipated the long-term consequences of their actions, and took other people’s thoughts and feelings into consideration. A culture of honor — the readiness to take revenge — gave way to a culture of dignity — the readiness to control one’s emotions. These ideals originated in explicit instructions that cultural arbiters gave to aristocrats and noblemen, allowing them to differentiate themselves from the villains and boors. But they were then absorbed into the socialization of younger and younger children until they became second nature.4
Second nature. Our first nature is to be selfish, greedy, and nasty — our inner demons. Our second nature — our better angels — requires a little coaxing and persuading to come out. Analysis of medieval books of etiquette, for example — which Elias analyzes — reveal numerous impulse control prohibitions, including […]
Quit Stressing About Meditation
by Cameron Gordon
I’ve always wanted to like meditation. It looks so peaceful, so picturesque—sitting cross-legged as deep breaths filter in and out of a blissfully calm face—it’s the epitome of what I imagine someone who has their life together looks like.
Meditation has stepped into the spotlight as one of the more prevalent types of alternative healing practices in the past few decades. And with its ever-growing list of researched backed benefits, there is no wonder why psychologists agree on its undeniable link to improving mental health.
Not only is meditation known to help relieve symptoms from anxiety, depression, and PTSD; research has found that “participants’ autonomy, creativity, inner satisfaction, alertness, and productivity also increased” after spending time in this calm state of mind. One study even claimed that “meditation can decrease anxiety symptoms as well or better than benzodiazepines, a commonly prescribed medication for anxiety.”
The more studies I read about meditation’s groundbreaking benefits, the more I tried to like it. Yet no matter how hard I tried, what fancy app I used, or comfortable setting I placed myself in—I always snapped back into the real world feeling more or less discouraged at my unfulfilling attempt to reach zen. I felt disappointed in myself. Why couldn’t I just sit without my mind wandering?
After talking with other “meditationally-challenged” friends, I was relieved to discover that I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t peacefully sit still. An hour of online research later, I came to the conclusion that not all hope is lost for us who can’t meditate—lo and behold, there are plenty of other activities that affect the brain similarly to how traditional meditation does.
Researchers define “mindful meditation” as a process that “has been found to harness areas of the brain that control cognition, regulate emotions, and decrease negative thought processes.” Consequently, the results from this “relaxation response” show reduction and regulation in heart rate, breathing, and brain activity.
Following these biological responses, any activity that mimics these effects on our minds can be seen as an alternative way to meditate, allowing those of us who struggle to meditate in a traditional setting to still reap some of its stress-relieving benefits. These other activities include, but are not limited to:
1. “Muscular Meditation”: Research from Harvard Health found that another way to relieve stress can be achieved through what seems like the opposite of meditation: moving our bodies. Researchers found that “many people find that using large muscle groups in a rhythmic, repetitive fashion works best” to achieve the meditation-like state we get from exercise. Activities like running, swimming, cycling, yoga, or even simply walking, allow the body to focus on the repetitive movement of muscles and regulation of breath.
2. Reading: Reading is another activity that parallels the way in which meditation occupies the mind. Experts claim that reading “engages imagination and intellect far too much to encourage mind- wandering, except during pauses.” This means that getting swept away into the world of fiction or a page-turning memoir can resemble meditation in its ability to drown out thoughts irrelevant to what we’re reading in the moment.
3. Writing: On the same wavelength as reading, writing also has a way of harnessing our cognition, and requires both a level of introspection and concentration. This similarity of brain function is what links it to sharing some of the same therapeutic benefits that meditation provides.
Meditation is supposed to relieve stress; don’t let the inability of perfecting this practice induce it. No matter the method—whether its running, immersing yourself in the reality of a novel, or letting your thoughts flow freely from your head onto paper—mediation can mold to fit many different shapes, and doesn’t have to constrain itself to the pre-established idealization that defines it.
The act of mediation can seem less daunting once we broaden its definition and serve to do what it was originally intended to: clear our mind, regulate our breathing, and give us the peace of mind we deserve.
Sources:
Moffett, James. “Reading and Writing As Meditation.” Language Arts, vol. 60, no. 3, 1983, pp. 315–332. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41962389.
The Fruit Diet: These Are the Alarming Health Risks We Should Know About
Popularized by Steve Jobs, we unpack what the fruit diet is and why it can be so risky.
The fruit—or fruitarian—diet came into the limelight almost a decade ago after it was disclosed that Steve Jobsreportedly spent some time following it. What did the tech innovator supposedly eat? Well, the fruitarian diet is a subset of veganism, but it's much stricter.
On this diet, not only do you rid your daily meals of meat and dairy products, but you also cut out other foods containing valuable nutrients including nuts, legumes, and grains. Even vegetable consumption is encouraged to be kept to a minimum on this diet. The only thing you can eat fruitfully is fruit, and that's about it.
Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD, LA-based performance nutritionist, says that while fruit is very nutritious, too much of anything is neither healthy nor is it sustainable. By eating only fruit, you limit yourself to a specific amount of nutrients and miss out on others that are naturally occurring in other food groups. We asked Sass about her opinion of the fruit diet and about some of the adverse side effects one may experience while following the diet.
The dietitian says that while relying on fruit as your primary energy source will deliver a plethora of vitamins and minerals, it's unlikely that the body will be able to utilize all of them at once. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning excessive amounts will be excreted through urine. It will not be stored in the body for later use like fat-soluble vitamins will. Also, fruit doesn't provide all of the vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and fatty acids you need to sustain good health.
"Fruit alone cannot supply many of the raw materials the body needs for healing, repair, and maintenance, including protein," says Sass. "This imbalance can throw the body out of whack, which can lead to serious health risks if followed long-term. Even if you include some nuts and vegetables you won't obtain the spectrum of nutrients needed for health."
Ashton Kutcher famously tried the fruit diet while prepping for his role as Steve Jobs. He consumed an all-fruit diet for just one month and ended up being hospitalized two days before they started filming Jobs in 2013. He told U.S. News, "I was doubled over in pain, and my pancreas levels were completely out of whack, which was terrifying, considering everything."
What are some of the risks that may come with adopting this diet long-term? Sass says some of the most likely side effects that could occur if you take on the fruit diet long-term include:
The fruit—or fruitarian—diet came into the limelight almost a decade ago after it was disclosed that Steve Jobsreportedly spent some time following it. What did the tech innovator supposedly eat? Well, the fruitarian diet is a subset of veganism, but it's much stricter.
On this diet, not only do you rid your daily meals of meat and dairy products, but you also cut out other foods containing valuable nutrients including nuts, legumes, and grains. Even vegetable consumption is encouraged to be kept to a minimum on this diet. The only thing you can eat fruitfully is fruit, and that's about it.
Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD, LA-based performance nutritionist, says that while fruit is very nutritious, too much of anything is neither healthy nor is it sustainable. By eating only fruit, you limit yourself to a specific amount of nutrients and miss out on others that are naturally occurring in other food groups. We asked Sass about her opinion of the fruit diet and about some of the adverse side effects one may experience while following the diet.
The dietitian says that while relying on fruit as your primary energy source will deliver a plethora of vitamins and minerals, it's unlikely that the body will be able to utilize all of them at once. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning excessive amounts will be excreted through urine. It will not be stored in the body for later use like fat-soluble vitamins will. Also, fruit doesn't provide all of the vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and fatty acids you need to sustain good health.
"Fruit alone cannot supply many of the raw materials the body needs for healing, repair, and maintenance, including protein," says Sass. "This imbalance can throw the body out of whack, which can lead to serious health risks if followed long-term. Even if you include some nuts and vegetables you won't obtain the spectrum of nutrients needed for health."
Ashton Kutcher famously tried the fruit diet while prepping for his role as Steve Jobs. He consumed an all-fruit diet for just one month and ended up being hospitalized two days before they started filming Jobs in 2013. He told U.S. News, "I was doubled over in pain, and my pancreas levels were completely out of whack, which was terrifying, considering everything."
What are some of the risks that may come with adopting this diet long-term? Sass says some of the most likely side effects that could occur if you take on the fruit diet long-term include:
- a weakened immune system
- susceptibility to injury
- a decrease in bone density
- anemia
- fatigue
- hair loss
"If you have diabetes or other blood sugar issues or a condition like PCOS, this diet may be especially inappropriate," advises Sass.
Nutrition can be described as a balancing act; you need specific types (and amounts) of certain building blocks and nutrients for the body to function properly. "The goal is to prevent both shortfalls and surpluses," she says.
Any diet that eliminates a significant amount of vital nutrients while at the same time boosting too much of others can ultimately hinder your body's ability to carry out normal processes and prevent disease.
"Nutrition is about moderation and balance," says Sass. "These may not be sexy words, but it's a vital concept." We'll keep eating our fruits in normal portions and doses, thank you very much.
Nutrition can be described as a balancing act; you need specific types (and amounts) of certain building blocks and nutrients for the body to function properly. "The goal is to prevent both shortfalls and surpluses," she says.
Any diet that eliminates a significant amount of vital nutrients while at the same time boosting too much of others can ultimately hinder your body's ability to carry out normal processes and prevent disease.
"Nutrition is about moderation and balance," says Sass. "These may not be sexy words, but it's a vital concept." We'll keep eating our fruits in normal portions and doses, thank you very much.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
The Fruit Diet: These Are the Alarming Health Risks We Should Know About
Popularized by Steve Jobs, we unpack what the fruit diet is and why it can be so risky.
The fruit—or fruitarian—diet came into the limelight almost a decade ago after it was disclosed that Steve Jobsreportedly spent some time following it. What did the tech innovator supposedly eat? Well, the fruitarian diet is a subset of veganism, but it's much stricter.
On this diet, not only do you rid your daily meals of meat and dairy products, but you also cut out other foods containing valuable nutrients including nuts, legumes, and grains. Even vegetable consumption is encouraged to be kept to a minimum on this diet. The only thing you can eat fruitfully is fruit, and that's about it.
Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD, LA-based performance nutritionist, says that while fruit is very nutritious, too much of anything is neither healthy nor is it sustainable. By eating only fruit, you limit yourself to a specific amount of nutrients and miss out on others that are naturally occurring in other food groups. We asked Sass about her opinion of the fruit diet and about some of the adverse side effects one may experience while following the diet.
The dietitian says that while relying on fruit as your primary energy source will deliver a plethora of vitamins and minerals, it's unlikely that the body will be able to utilize all of them at once. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning excessive amounts will be excreted through urine. It will not be stored in the body for later use like fat-soluble vitamins will. Also, fruit doesn't provide all of the vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and fatty acids you need to sustain good health.
"Fruit alone cannot supply many of the raw materials the body needs for healing, repair, and maintenance, including protein," says Sass. "This imbalance can throw the body out of whack, which can lead to serious health risks if followed long-term. Even if you include some nuts and vegetables you won't obtain the spectrum of nutrients needed for health."
Ashton Kutcher famously tried the fruit diet while prepping for his role as Steve Jobs. He consumed an all-fruit diet for just one month and ended up being hospitalized two days before they started filming Jobs in 2013. He told U.S. News, "I was doubled over in pain, and my pancreas levels were completely out of whack, which was terrifying, considering everything."
What are some of the risks that may come with adopting this diet long-term? Sass says some of the most likely side effects that could occur if you take on the fruit diet long-term include:
The fruit—or fruitarian—diet came into the limelight almost a decade ago after it was disclosed that Steve Jobsreportedly spent some time following it. What did the tech innovator supposedly eat? Well, the fruitarian diet is a subset of veganism, but it's much stricter.
On this diet, not only do you rid your daily meals of meat and dairy products, but you also cut out other foods containing valuable nutrients including nuts, legumes, and grains. Even vegetable consumption is encouraged to be kept to a minimum on this diet. The only thing you can eat fruitfully is fruit, and that's about it.
Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD, LA-based performance nutritionist, says that while fruit is very nutritious, too much of anything is neither healthy nor is it sustainable. By eating only fruit, you limit yourself to a specific amount of nutrients and miss out on others that are naturally occurring in other food groups. We asked Sass about her opinion of the fruit diet and about some of the adverse side effects one may experience while following the diet.
The dietitian says that while relying on fruit as your primary energy source will deliver a plethora of vitamins and minerals, it's unlikely that the body will be able to utilize all of them at once. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning excessive amounts will be excreted through urine. It will not be stored in the body for later use like fat-soluble vitamins will. Also, fruit doesn't provide all of the vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and fatty acids you need to sustain good health.
"Fruit alone cannot supply many of the raw materials the body needs for healing, repair, and maintenance, including protein," says Sass. "This imbalance can throw the body out of whack, which can lead to serious health risks if followed long-term. Even if you include some nuts and vegetables you won't obtain the spectrum of nutrients needed for health."
Ashton Kutcher famously tried the fruit diet while prepping for his role as Steve Jobs. He consumed an all-fruit diet for just one month and ended up being hospitalized two days before they started filming Jobs in 2013. He told U.S. News, "I was doubled over in pain, and my pancreas levels were completely out of whack, which was terrifying, considering everything."
What are some of the risks that may come with adopting this diet long-term? Sass says some of the most likely side effects that could occur if you take on the fruit diet long-term include:
- a weakened immune system
- susceptibility to injury
- a decrease in bone density
- anemia
- fatigue
- hair loss
"If you have diabetes or other blood sugar issues or a condition like PCOS, this diet may be especially inappropriate," advises Sass.
Nutrition can be described as a balancing act; you need specific types (and amounts) of certain building blocks and nutrients for the body to function properly. "The goal is to prevent both shortfalls and surpluses," she says.
Any diet that eliminates a significant amount of vital nutrients while at the same time boosting too much of others can ultimately hinder your body's ability to carry out normal processes and prevent disease.
"Nutrition is about moderation and balance," says Sass. "These may not be sexy words, but it's a vital concept." We'll keep eating our fruits in normal portions and doses, thank you very much.
Nutrition can be described as a balancing act; you need specific types (and amounts) of certain building blocks and nutrients for the body to function properly. "The goal is to prevent both shortfalls and surpluses," she says.
Any diet that eliminates a significant amount of vital nutrients while at the same time boosting too much of others can ultimately hinder your body's ability to carry out normal processes and prevent disease.
"Nutrition is about moderation and balance," says Sass. "These may not be sexy words, but it's a vital concept." We'll keep eating our fruits in normal portions and doses, thank you very much.
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