A new study published in the journal Circulation says that red meat is not the cause of heart disease and diabetes.
Lead author of the study, Renata Micha, of the Harvard School of Public Health, said, “Although most dietary guidelines recommend reducing meat consumption, prior individual studies have shown mixed results for relationships between meat consumption and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.…Most prior studies also did not separately consider the health effects of eating unprocessed red versus processed meats.…Processed meats such as bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid.”
She continued: “When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats eaten in the United States, we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives....This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats.” (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2010-releases/processed-meats-unprocessed-heart-disease-diabetes.html)
So the study fingers salt and nitrites as being the real danger to health. However, I’d like to point out that high blood pressure is associated with high-carb diets and that on a diet with 50 carbs or less per day, you may actually need to supplement with additional salt. The researches ignored the fact that processed meats usually contain a fair amount of sugar. Ham, for example may have up to a teaspoon of sugar per serving. Additionally, processed meats, such as cold cuts and hot dogs, are more likely to be part of a sandwich accompanied by the usual bun, chips or fries, and a soft drink than a steak or a lamb chop. But what about the nitrites?
In most studies, such as this meta-analysis, all the variables are not considered separately. The nitrites in bacon, hot dogs, and ham were probably mentioned because they are perceived to be unhealthful. But are they really? If you love bacon as much as I do, maybe this quiz from Sandy Szwarc will ease your mind about eating it and other cured meats.
Sandy Szwarc, BSN, RN, CCP, of the Junk Food Science blog (http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com), asks: Which will give you the most ingested nitrites?
467 servings of hotdogs
1 serving of arugula
2 servings of butterhead lettuce
4 servings of celery or beets
The spit in your mouth?
She explains how a small study of rats done at MIT in the 1970s started the nitrites-cause-cancer scare. The National Academy of Sciences reviewed the scientific data in 1981 and found no link between nitrates or nitrites and human cancers, or any evidence that they are carcinogenic. Since then, more than 50 studies and many scientific organizations have investigated a possible link between nitrates and cancer and found no association.
Even more surprising, scientific evidence is building that nitrates are actually good for us. They are produced in our bodies in greater amounts than we eat in food, and nitrate is important for maintaining healthy immune and cardiovascular systems. It is being studied as a treatment for health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, sickle cell disease, and circulatory problems.
Salivary nitrite accounts for 70 to 97 percent of our total nitrite exposure. Our primary source of nitrite from food is vegetables. Nitrites occur naturally in vegetables and plants as a result of the nitrogen cycle where nitrogen is fixed by bacteria.
To see if people could be getting too many nitrites from vegetables, the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain of the EFSA (European Safety Authority)
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa _locale1178620753812_1178712852460.htm compiled the analytical results from 20 member states and Norway on the nitrite levels in produce. The report was published on June 5, 2008 in the EFSA Journal. Here are some of the average levels they found:
Arugula 4,677 ppm (parts per million)
Butterhead lettuce 2,026 ppm
Beets 1,279 ppm
Celery 1,103 ppm
Hot dogs or processed meat 10 ppm
Three quotes:
“…so what about those expensive “nitrate-free” hotdogs and cured meats being sold to chemical-anxious consumers? They use “natural’ sources of the very same chemical, such as celery and beet juice and sea salt. A chemical is still the same chemical, regardless of where it comes from.…”—Sandy Szwarc, BSN, RN, CCP
“I eat it (bacon) every day. Last time my blood pressure was checked (last week, when I went for a physical), it was 111 over 64. From eating bacon, eggs, sausage, cheese, hamburgers, chicken with the skin on it, and green vegetables swimming in butter…The dietary science that's based in evidence, not just passed-down hearsay, says sugar is what's really toxic, and carbohydrates, including starchy carbohydrates, are what causes the insulin reaction that puts on fat….”—Amy Alkon, AKA The Advice Goddesss, syndicated advice columnist, journalist, and blogger.
“The public perception is that nitrite/nitrate are carcinogens but they are not. Many studies implicating nitrite and nitrate in cancer are based on very weak epidememiological data. If nitrite and nitrate were harmful to us, then we would not be advised to eat green leafy vegetables or swallow our own saliva, which is enriched in nitrate.”—Dr. Nathan Bryan, Ph.D., whose research has unveiled many beneficial effects of nitrite in the treatment and prevention of human disease, the Institute of Molecular Medicine, the University of Texas, Houston.
Footnotes: Bryan NS, Calvert JW, Elrod JW, Duranski MR, Gundewar S, Ji SY, Lefer DJ (2007) Dietary Nitrite Supplementation Protects Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. Nov 27;104(48):19144-9.
Elrod JW, Calvert JW, Gundewar S, Bryan NS, Lefer DJ (2008) Nitric Oxide Promotes Distant Organ Protection: Evidence for an Endocrine Role of Nitric Oxide. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. Aug 12;105(32):11430-35.
Bryan NS, Fernandez BO, Garcia-Saura MF, Bauer SM, Milsom AB, Rassaf T, Maloney R, Bharti A, Rodriguez J, Feelisch M (2005) Nitrite is a signaling molecule and regulator of gene expression in mammalian tissues. Nature Chemical Biology. Oct (1); 290-297.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
SO CLOSE
As you may know, I have now finished my second book, but I have not yet explained the circumstances that lead up to it. Here’s how it happened.
When I decided to publish Carb Wars, I joined the International Association of Culinary Professionals. I decided to go to their 2007 convention in Chicago since any members with new books were eligible to participate in their annual book expo. It was there that a chance encounter on an elevator led to a book contract with a major non-profit organization. It couldn't have been more than a two-minute ride, shared by a handsome young man wearing a name tag that said “ADA” on it. I don’t remember our conversation, but I do remember that I told him, “I need to talk to you.” He replied politely that we should get together for a chat. We exchanged business cards and he got off at his stop. I saw him once in the crowd and waved to him, but I thought that was the end of it.
The following Fall I received an e-mail from the gentleman I met in the elevator, the Director of Book Publishing for the American Diabetes Association, asking if I would be attending the next convention in New Orleans. I had planned to go since my sister lives there and I had been promising to visit her. He asked if I would meet with him there and we set up a time. I honestly had no idea what he wanted to talk to me about. At the convention, he invited me to submit a proposal to write a low-carb, menu-style cookbook for the ADA. When I picked my jaw up off the floor, I said, “Do you know who I am? I use butter. I use lard. I don’t do low-fat.” He replied, “Well, are you interested or not?” I was skeptical from the start because the ADA had never supported low-carb diets. When I mentioned that, he said simply, “It’s time.” I knew they had recently added a low-carb option “for weight loss, for one year” to their guidelines, so I guessed that they wanted a book for those who chose to try the system. How could I refuse the opportunity to be part of such a historic event? I could have flown home without a plane.
I consulted with some of the leading low-carb doctors who specialize in diabetes, read all the books I could find on the subject, and selected a target range of 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day for my menus. In this range, the metabolism switches from burning sugar to burning fat, a beneficial state for those whose bodies cannot handle carbohydrates.
In July of ‘08, I sent in a long proposal, including 15 sample recipes with complete nutrition counts because I wanted to give them an accurate preview of what a book from me would be like. I tried to keep my expectations low so I wouldn’t be disappointed when the rejection came. In September, I heard that the board had approved my proposal and I started writing and developing recipes (although I had actually been working on it since January, just in case). I sent in the first batch of material on schedule on October 15, 2008.
I wrote up a blog post to tell the world that the ADA was going to publish a real low-carb cookbook, but then I had second thoughts and decided to wait to see if it was really going to happen before I announced it. Until I saw some change in their guidelines, I would not be convinced that they were actually going to endorse the low-carb lifestyle.
Over the next 15 months, I sent in 11 batches of material with nutrition counts for every recipe. I asked for feedback several times to see if they were happy with what I was doing. The only response I got was, “It looks like you are doing what we asked you to do.” The final installment was submitted in January of 2010. They assigned me an editor and designed a cover for the book. In fact, you could actually pre-order it from the McGraw-Hill website. At this point, I was beginning to believe it was a real possibility. But I still had misgivings; for one thing, the cover design they sent me was beautiful, but it showed a plate of lean chicken and plain broccoli. I asked if they could depict something that was actually in the book instead because their picture looked like austere diet food, not at all like one of my menus.
.
Soon after, I got a conference call from the director of publishing and the editors saying they wanted me to “make some changes.” They said I would have to change the recipes to comply with the ADA’s current guidelines.* I argued that they had asked me to write a low-carb book; the ADA’s current guidelines are low-fat and the two are NOT compatible. A true low-carb diet would normalize blood sugar levels, reduce or eliminate medications, and prevent or reverse all the complications of diabetes. The director said that he agreed with me (his actual words were, “I don’t disagree with you”) but that he was “stuck” with the current guidelines. Either I revised the book or they could not publish it.
I said no. He told me he thought I had written a good book and that he could suggest a number of publishers who might be interested in it. He offered to write recommendations to them and to return the copyright to me.
I was very disappointed to say the least, but not entirely surprised. It makes me sad to think of all the people who will lose their sight, their limbs, and their health because they trust this organization to give them good advice. Change will come, even to the ADA, but not in time for many of them and not in time to help with my project. I was just a little ahead of the curve.
Looking on the bright side, I now have a completed book, thanks to all those long days and late nights I put in to make the deadlines. And I'm very pleased with how it turned out. In light of all the new scientific studies and all the recent top-selling books promoting low-carb, I think there is a demand for such a book. So, on to Plan B.
*Below are some of the ADA’s current suggestions for altering recipes to meet the guidelines:
Replace butter with corn oil margarine for baking, use non-fat or low-fat versions of cheese, and use fat-free cream and cream cheese.
Use only lean meat that has been trimmed of all fat and skin. Limit meat or protein substitutes to 4 ounces per serving.
Be sure to include healthy whole grains and non-fat or 1% milk.
Reduce or eliminate added salt and use sodium-free bouillon granules (Wyler’s).
FYI—Here are the ingredients for Wyler’s sodium-free bouillon granules:
MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, MONOAMMONIUM GLUTAMATE, ONION POWDER, HYDROLYZED (SOY AND WHEAT GLUTEN) PROTEIN, CHICKEN FAT, GARLIC POWDER, SILICON DIOXIDE, SOYBEAN OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, GROUND CELERY SEEDS, SPICES, CHICKEN POWDER, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, YELLOW 5 LAKE, EGG YOLK SOLIDS, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE, BHA, PROPYL GALLATE, CITRIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES).
The first two ingredients are sugar and I recognize at least four euphemism's for MSG. Three soy products are listed and one is a partially hydrogenated oil. The only meat listed in Wyler’s chicken bouillon is “chicken powder” near the end. Yum.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
When I decided to publish Carb Wars, I joined the International Association of Culinary Professionals. I decided to go to their 2007 convention in Chicago since any members with new books were eligible to participate in their annual book expo. It was there that a chance encounter on an elevator led to a book contract with a major non-profit organization. It couldn't have been more than a two-minute ride, shared by a handsome young man wearing a name tag that said “ADA” on it. I don’t remember our conversation, but I do remember that I told him, “I need to talk to you.” He replied politely that we should get together for a chat. We exchanged business cards and he got off at his stop. I saw him once in the crowd and waved to him, but I thought that was the end of it.
The following Fall I received an e-mail from the gentleman I met in the elevator, the Director of Book Publishing for the American Diabetes Association, asking if I would be attending the next convention in New Orleans. I had planned to go since my sister lives there and I had been promising to visit her. He asked if I would meet with him there and we set up a time. I honestly had no idea what he wanted to talk to me about. At the convention, he invited me to submit a proposal to write a low-carb, menu-style cookbook for the ADA. When I picked my jaw up off the floor, I said, “Do you know who I am? I use butter. I use lard. I don’t do low-fat.” He replied, “Well, are you interested or not?” I was skeptical from the start because the ADA had never supported low-carb diets. When I mentioned that, he said simply, “It’s time.” I knew they had recently added a low-carb option “for weight loss, for one year” to their guidelines, so I guessed that they wanted a book for those who chose to try the system. How could I refuse the opportunity to be part of such a historic event? I could have flown home without a plane.
I consulted with some of the leading low-carb doctors who specialize in diabetes, read all the books I could find on the subject, and selected a target range of 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day for my menus. In this range, the metabolism switches from burning sugar to burning fat, a beneficial state for those whose bodies cannot handle carbohydrates.
In July of ‘08, I sent in a long proposal, including 15 sample recipes with complete nutrition counts because I wanted to give them an accurate preview of what a book from me would be like. I tried to keep my expectations low so I wouldn’t be disappointed when the rejection came. In September, I heard that the board had approved my proposal and I started writing and developing recipes (although I had actually been working on it since January, just in case). I sent in the first batch of material on schedule on October 15, 2008.
I wrote up a blog post to tell the world that the ADA was going to publish a real low-carb cookbook, but then I had second thoughts and decided to wait to see if it was really going to happen before I announced it. Until I saw some change in their guidelines, I would not be convinced that they were actually going to endorse the low-carb lifestyle.
Over the next 15 months, I sent in 11 batches of material with nutrition counts for every recipe. I asked for feedback several times to see if they were happy with what I was doing. The only response I got was, “It looks like you are doing what we asked you to do.” The final installment was submitted in January of 2010. They assigned me an editor and designed a cover for the book. In fact, you could actually pre-order it from the McGraw-Hill website. At this point, I was beginning to believe it was a real possibility. But I still had misgivings; for one thing, the cover design they sent me was beautiful, but it showed a plate of lean chicken and plain broccoli. I asked if they could depict something that was actually in the book instead because their picture looked like austere diet food, not at all like one of my menus.
.
Soon after, I got a conference call from the director of publishing and the editors saying they wanted me to “make some changes.” They said I would have to change the recipes to comply with the ADA’s current guidelines.* I argued that they had asked me to write a low-carb book; the ADA’s current guidelines are low-fat and the two are NOT compatible. A true low-carb diet would normalize blood sugar levels, reduce or eliminate medications, and prevent or reverse all the complications of diabetes. The director said that he agreed with me (his actual words were, “I don’t disagree with you”) but that he was “stuck” with the current guidelines. Either I revised the book or they could not publish it.
I said no. He told me he thought I had written a good book and that he could suggest a number of publishers who might be interested in it. He offered to write recommendations to them and to return the copyright to me.
I was very disappointed to say the least, but not entirely surprised. It makes me sad to think of all the people who will lose their sight, their limbs, and their health because they trust this organization to give them good advice. Change will come, even to the ADA, but not in time for many of them and not in time to help with my project. I was just a little ahead of the curve.
Looking on the bright side, I now have a completed book, thanks to all those long days and late nights I put in to make the deadlines. And I'm very pleased with how it turned out. In light of all the new scientific studies and all the recent top-selling books promoting low-carb, I think there is a demand for such a book. So, on to Plan B.
*Below are some of the ADA’s current suggestions for altering recipes to meet the guidelines:
Replace butter with corn oil margarine for baking, use non-fat or low-fat versions of cheese, and use fat-free cream and cream cheese.
Use only lean meat that has been trimmed of all fat and skin. Limit meat or protein substitutes to 4 ounces per serving.
Be sure to include healthy whole grains and non-fat or 1% milk.
Reduce or eliminate added salt and use sodium-free bouillon granules (Wyler’s).
FYI—Here are the ingredients for Wyler’s sodium-free bouillon granules:
MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, MONOAMMONIUM GLUTAMATE, ONION POWDER, HYDROLYZED (SOY AND WHEAT GLUTEN) PROTEIN, CHICKEN FAT, GARLIC POWDER, SILICON DIOXIDE, SOYBEAN OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, GROUND CELERY SEEDS, SPICES, CHICKEN POWDER, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, YELLOW 5 LAKE, EGG YOLK SOLIDS, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE, BHA, PROPYL GALLATE, CITRIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES).
The first two ingredients are sugar and I recognize at least four euphemism's for MSG. Three soy products are listed and one is a partially hydrogenated oil. The only meat listed in Wyler’s chicken bouillon is “chicken powder” near the end. Yum.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
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