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Don't Be Fooled By These 5 Miracle Elixirs
By Colleen M. Story
5 Superfoods You Can Skip
http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b20ac417a4482573a9392d0e4&id=09667bf615&e=87f244d0b5
We’re flooded with information about food these days. It can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, especially because most food, in its natural form, is good for us. Still, we can only consume so much per day, so we have to make choices.
Of course, we want to choose those foods that will give us the biggest bang for our buck, in terms of wellness. That means we’ve got to leave some out. But which ones?
We found five foods that were touted as superfoods over the last decade or so, but that we may be making the following mistakes with:
Look over our list and let us know what you think. We may add to it at a later date!
1. Goji Berries
Oprah and Madonna endorsed them. They reduce signs of aging, prevent cancer, and even increase libido, according to claims.
Claims that the FDA reprimanded the manufacturers for in 2006.
Grown in temperate and subtropic regions of China, Mongolia, and the Tibetan Himalayas, the goji berry was traditionally used for treating skin rashes, eye problems, allergies, and other ailments. Modern marketers touted the berry as the key to longevity, as well as the superfood that would improve brain health, digestion, cardiovascular health, immunity, and even help shrink cancerous tumors.
All for about $17 a pound.
So far, however, we’re lacking any credible scientific support for these claims. Goji berries, like all berries, are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but eating a handful of the berries or even a glassful of juice won’t get you near the concentration used in the few studies that did get published—and even these were weak.
In 1994, for instance, Chinese researchers treated a small sampling of cancer patients with immunotherapy and a concentrated solution of gogi berry polysaccharides, while others were treated only with immunotherapy. Those who received the goji berry compounds seemed to have a better response to treatment (with the cancer regressing), but the study design and the goji berry compounds used were called into question, as specific information was lacking.
Another 2008 study of only 34 people attempted to show how goji berry juice affected brain activity, digestion, and overall wellbeing. Though participants reported some improvements in energy level and feelings of well being, real data on physical measurements such as visual acuity and blood pressure during the study showed no significant changes.
Instead:
Forget the expensive goji berries, unless you just enjoy them and want to splurge. (Remember that dried berries have a high amount of sugar.) Other more economical berries—like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries—work just as well if not better at providing antioxidant protection. Spinach will also give you similar health benefits at a cheaper price.
2. Noni Juice
It comes from the fruit of the Morinda citrifolia tree, which grows in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. It came to the North American market in the 1990s and early 2000s. Sold in supplement and then juice form, it was touted as perfect for treating cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, allergies, arthritis, and more.
(This will do the trick, sir!)
In 2004, the FDA issued a warning letter to one of the manufacturers for making unfounded health claims about their noni juice, and marketing it as a medical product without the necessary clinical evidence.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center lists some preliminary evidence that noni plant extracts (not the juice) may have antitumor properties. So far, these are all laboratory and animal studies. One laboratory study also suggested the fruit extract may inhibit the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Human studies are limited, but do include one that showed the extract (again, not the juice) was effective at reducing postoperative nausea. As with goji berries, however, we have little solid, human evidence that noni has any of the health benefits marketers advertise.
The problem here is that people are consuming large amounts of noni juice expecting miracles. As fruit juices are often high in sugar, consuming large amounts can be dangerous for diabetics, and likely to add pounds and spike blood sugar in the rest of us.
Noni is also rich in potassium, which can be dangerous if you’re taking high blood pressure medications that increase potassium, or if you have kidney problems.
Instead:
Enjoy a bit of noni juice now and then if you like the taste. You’ll enjoy its vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and potential health benefits, but watch out that you don’t consume too much sugar at the same time. Remember, too, that most studies so far showing benefits are on the fruit extract, not the juice.
3. Wheatgrass
A type of grass in the wheat family, wheatgrass is sold as a dietary supplement and in liquid form, to be taken as a vitamin or added to smoothies and tea. Fans say a one-ounce shot gives you as many nutrients as over two pounds of your finest veggies, but scientific analysis says that pound for pound, you’ll get about the same nutrients from broccoli, spinach, and other similar healthy vegetables.
This one’s claim to fame is that it builds red blood cells, tames inflammation, and yes—shrinks tumors and extends the lives of people living with cancer. It’s also supposed to rid the body of waste, cleanse the liver, and help people with colitis. Celebrities love it because of its purported ability to freshen breath, postpone gray hair, and brighten skin.
Like most leafy green vegetables, wheatgrass is a good source of vitamin C, amino acids, iron, and antioxidants, and is a good addition to a healthy diet. There’s little evidence to support that it can cure or prevent disease, however.
There was one small study where patients with ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease) were given 100 ml of wheatgrass juice daily for a month. The participants reported some symptom improvement, including reduced severity of rectal bleeding, but as there were only 21 of them, the results are only suggestive.
Another small study—so small it was classified as a “pilot” study—found that patients with a blood disorder called “thalassaemia” required fewer blood transfusions when they consumed 100 ml of wheatgrass juice a day for three years. The study was identified as having several weaknesses, however, and there have been no additional studies to confirm the benefit.
Other studies showing the potential of wheatgrass to offset chemotherapy side effects, prevent cancer, or detox the system were equally small (usually with 20 or fewer participants) or conducted in the lab—not in real people.
Meanwhile, most wheatgrass products are on the expensive side, with juices between $1.50 and $3.00 per ounce, and freeze dried wheatgrass costing about $1 per gram. You may find some powdered supplements for less, but then you have to consider the quality—are you still getting the real stuff?
Instead:
Save your bucks and go for broccoli, which is cheaper, easier to find, and also contains key vitamins and minerals, as well as chlorophyll.
4. Coconut Oil
There’s no question this is a healthy food—the problem is, we’re consuming too much of it, and thinking it’s going to do more for us than it will.
Coconut is the latest fad. Fans say it’s good for just about everything that ails you. Use coconut oil more often in your cooking and throughout your day and you’ll lose body fat, boost brain function, stimulate thyroid function, and even fight off yeast infections. Of course, it will also treat cancer (is there any superfood that doesn’t treat cancer?), as well as HIV and diabetes.
Research tells a little different story. As with wheatgrass, the studies we do have are small animal studies, and even these are limited. Concerning heart disease, for example, we have some animal and small human studies that suggest coconut oil may improve cholesterol levels, but other studies find no association between the oil and a reduction in heart disease. In 2004, for example, researchers looked at coconut-consuming native populations in Indonesia, and found no correlation with cardiovascular disease.
Coconut oil has shown in several studies to raise both total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol compared to beef and palm oil. HDL cholesterol is protective, but what are the results of a higher total cholesterol level? Is it truly beneficial to raise both levels of cholesterol in the body? We don’t know.
Some studies have found that higher HDL didn’t reduce heart disease risk, and one study from Australia even found that the “quality” of HDL could be changed by the foods we eat, and that saturated fat could actually impair the anti-inflammatory benefits of HDL.
The main concern with coconut oil is the high level of saturated fat. Though recent studies have suggested that fats aren’t as bad for us as we used to believe, we should be careful not to swing to the other extreme and consume too many. Some studies have suggested the fats in coconut oil may be metabolized differently, leading to less fat production in the human body, but these are preliminary studies, and many lacked control groups or were poorly designed.
In addition, we still have studies showing that longer-chain saturated fatty acids, like those in coconut oil, are associated with increased risk of heart disease. In 1999, for example, one study looked at over 80,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study without heart disease. During a 14-year follow up, it was determined that intakes of longer-chain fatty acids were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
A more recent 2003 study also found that increased consumption of saturated fatty acids (including lauric acid, the most plentiful in coconut oil) was associated with an increased risk of heart attack, with lauric, myristic and stearic acids more potent than palmitic acid.
The results on inflammation are equally mixed. Some studies show that coconut oil can tame inflammation, particularly inflammatory bowel diseases, but others show no significant effect on inflammation in humans.
Cancer studies are also inconclusive. Animal research so far shows conflicting results on the effect of the fats in coconut oil on cancerous tumors.
Meanwhile, we have no credible research at all on the effects of coconut oil on Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, thyroid function, or HIV/AIDS.
Instead:
Coconut oil is definitely not as bad as people once believed, and may have some significant health benefits. It’s no miracle cure, however, and we are still unsure of its affects on heart health (positive or negative). Cooking with it sounds like a good idea. Consuming too much of it, however, is unlikely to create any real health benefits.
5. Protein Powder
Typically made from whey, soy, and casein protein, protein powders are the popular things to put into your smoothies. They’re fast and convenient, and give you a complete source of protein that can help vegetarians and vegans meet their quota, as well as bodybuilders and other athletes to support muscle growth.
The hype is that these powders improve your strength, endurance, muscle size, and energy levels, and will even help you lose weight.
Though protein is critical to good health, studies show that even vegetarians and vegans can get enough through real food, and don’t need more in a powder. We may assume that the extra won’t hurt us, but that’s not necessarily so.
High-protein diets, for instance, have been linked to an increased risk in cancer. A 1992 animal study, for instance, found that rats fed diets higher in casein protein were more likely to develop cancerous tumors.
A more recent 2014 study also found that while a high-protein diet was associated with reduced cancer and overall mortality in participants over the age of 65, it caused a 75 percent increase in overall mortality and a 4-fold increase in cancer death risk among those 50–65 years, and a 5-fold increase in diabetes mortality across all ages.
Plant proteins were found to be safer than animal ones, but researchers noted that the majority of Americans are eating about twice as much protein as they should. They suggested a low protein intake during middle age, followed by moderate to high protein consumption in older adults.
Protein powders are most often consumed by younger adults, however, where they may potentially cause harm. They also tend to have a lot of calories, which can be detrimental to those trying to keep a slim figure (depending on other factors, of course, like daily exercise and muscle density).
There’s also the concern that some protein powders are contaminated with heavy metals and other toxins.
Consumer Reports tested 15 protein drinks in 2010, and found that all had at least one sample containing one or more of the following contaminants: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Researchers noted that consumers who have three servings a day of three of these products could exceed maximum limits for one or two of these contaminants.
They added that intake recommendations on many of the products were vague, and could lead to consumers getting about five times the amount of protein needed per day.
“The body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein per hour,” said Kathleen Laquale, a licensed nutritionist, “and any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted, so it’s a ridiculous waste to be recommending so much more than you really need.”
Instead:
Multiply your body weight by 0.4 to get the grams of protein you need per day. A general rule is 1 gram per pound of body weight. Check out the protein content in many common foods here.
Choose these for better overall nutrition, and skip the powder.
Do you know of other so-called superfoods that are mostly super-hype? Please share your thoughts.
By Colleen M. Story
5 Superfoods You Can Skip
http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b20ac417a4482573a9392d0e4&id=09667bf615&e=87f244d0b5
We’re flooded with information about food these days. It can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, especially because most food, in its natural form, is good for us. Still, we can only consume so much per day, so we have to make choices.
Of course, we want to choose those foods that will give us the biggest bang for our buck, in terms of wellness. That means we’ve got to leave some out. But which ones?
We found five foods that were touted as superfoods over the last decade or so, but that we may be making the following mistakes with:
- Eating too much of it
- Spending too much on it
- Thinking it does more for our health than it really does
Look over our list and let us know what you think. We may add to it at a later date!
1. Goji Berries
Oprah and Madonna endorsed them. They reduce signs of aging, prevent cancer, and even increase libido, according to claims.
Claims that the FDA reprimanded the manufacturers for in 2006.
Grown in temperate and subtropic regions of China, Mongolia, and the Tibetan Himalayas, the goji berry was traditionally used for treating skin rashes, eye problems, allergies, and other ailments. Modern marketers touted the berry as the key to longevity, as well as the superfood that would improve brain health, digestion, cardiovascular health, immunity, and even help shrink cancerous tumors.
All for about $17 a pound.
So far, however, we’re lacking any credible scientific support for these claims. Goji berries, like all berries, are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but eating a handful of the berries or even a glassful of juice won’t get you near the concentration used in the few studies that did get published—and even these were weak.
In 1994, for instance, Chinese researchers treated a small sampling of cancer patients with immunotherapy and a concentrated solution of gogi berry polysaccharides, while others were treated only with immunotherapy. Those who received the goji berry compounds seemed to have a better response to treatment (with the cancer regressing), but the study design and the goji berry compounds used were called into question, as specific information was lacking.
Another 2008 study of only 34 people attempted to show how goji berry juice affected brain activity, digestion, and overall wellbeing. Though participants reported some improvements in energy level and feelings of well being, real data on physical measurements such as visual acuity and blood pressure during the study showed no significant changes.
Instead:
Forget the expensive goji berries, unless you just enjoy them and want to splurge. (Remember that dried berries have a high amount of sugar.) Other more economical berries—like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries—work just as well if not better at providing antioxidant protection. Spinach will also give you similar health benefits at a cheaper price.
2. Noni Juice
It comes from the fruit of the Morinda citrifolia tree, which grows in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. It came to the North American market in the 1990s and early 2000s. Sold in supplement and then juice form, it was touted as perfect for treating cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, allergies, arthritis, and more.
(This will do the trick, sir!)
In 2004, the FDA issued a warning letter to one of the manufacturers for making unfounded health claims about their noni juice, and marketing it as a medical product without the necessary clinical evidence.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center lists some preliminary evidence that noni plant extracts (not the juice) may have antitumor properties. So far, these are all laboratory and animal studies. One laboratory study also suggested the fruit extract may inhibit the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Human studies are limited, but do include one that showed the extract (again, not the juice) was effective at reducing postoperative nausea. As with goji berries, however, we have little solid, human evidence that noni has any of the health benefits marketers advertise.
The problem here is that people are consuming large amounts of noni juice expecting miracles. As fruit juices are often high in sugar, consuming large amounts can be dangerous for diabetics, and likely to add pounds and spike blood sugar in the rest of us.
Noni is also rich in potassium, which can be dangerous if you’re taking high blood pressure medications that increase potassium, or if you have kidney problems.
Instead:
Enjoy a bit of noni juice now and then if you like the taste. You’ll enjoy its vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and potential health benefits, but watch out that you don’t consume too much sugar at the same time. Remember, too, that most studies so far showing benefits are on the fruit extract, not the juice.
3. Wheatgrass
A type of grass in the wheat family, wheatgrass is sold as a dietary supplement and in liquid form, to be taken as a vitamin or added to smoothies and tea. Fans say a one-ounce shot gives you as many nutrients as over two pounds of your finest veggies, but scientific analysis says that pound for pound, you’ll get about the same nutrients from broccoli, spinach, and other similar healthy vegetables.
This one’s claim to fame is that it builds red blood cells, tames inflammation, and yes—shrinks tumors and extends the lives of people living with cancer. It’s also supposed to rid the body of waste, cleanse the liver, and help people with colitis. Celebrities love it because of its purported ability to freshen breath, postpone gray hair, and brighten skin.
Like most leafy green vegetables, wheatgrass is a good source of vitamin C, amino acids, iron, and antioxidants, and is a good addition to a healthy diet. There’s little evidence to support that it can cure or prevent disease, however.
There was one small study where patients with ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease) were given 100 ml of wheatgrass juice daily for a month. The participants reported some symptom improvement, including reduced severity of rectal bleeding, but as there were only 21 of them, the results are only suggestive.
Another small study—so small it was classified as a “pilot” study—found that patients with a blood disorder called “thalassaemia” required fewer blood transfusions when they consumed 100 ml of wheatgrass juice a day for three years. The study was identified as having several weaknesses, however, and there have been no additional studies to confirm the benefit.
Other studies showing the potential of wheatgrass to offset chemotherapy side effects, prevent cancer, or detox the system were equally small (usually with 20 or fewer participants) or conducted in the lab—not in real people.
Meanwhile, most wheatgrass products are on the expensive side, with juices between $1.50 and $3.00 per ounce, and freeze dried wheatgrass costing about $1 per gram. You may find some powdered supplements for less, but then you have to consider the quality—are you still getting the real stuff?
Instead:
Save your bucks and go for broccoli, which is cheaper, easier to find, and also contains key vitamins and minerals, as well as chlorophyll.
4. Coconut Oil
There’s no question this is a healthy food—the problem is, we’re consuming too much of it, and thinking it’s going to do more for us than it will.
Coconut is the latest fad. Fans say it’s good for just about everything that ails you. Use coconut oil more often in your cooking and throughout your day and you’ll lose body fat, boost brain function, stimulate thyroid function, and even fight off yeast infections. Of course, it will also treat cancer (is there any superfood that doesn’t treat cancer?), as well as HIV and diabetes.
Research tells a little different story. As with wheatgrass, the studies we do have are small animal studies, and even these are limited. Concerning heart disease, for example, we have some animal and small human studies that suggest coconut oil may improve cholesterol levels, but other studies find no association between the oil and a reduction in heart disease. In 2004, for example, researchers looked at coconut-consuming native populations in Indonesia, and found no correlation with cardiovascular disease.
Coconut oil has shown in several studies to raise both total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol compared to beef and palm oil. HDL cholesterol is protective, but what are the results of a higher total cholesterol level? Is it truly beneficial to raise both levels of cholesterol in the body? We don’t know.
Some studies have found that higher HDL didn’t reduce heart disease risk, and one study from Australia even found that the “quality” of HDL could be changed by the foods we eat, and that saturated fat could actually impair the anti-inflammatory benefits of HDL.
The main concern with coconut oil is the high level of saturated fat. Though recent studies have suggested that fats aren’t as bad for us as we used to believe, we should be careful not to swing to the other extreme and consume too many. Some studies have suggested the fats in coconut oil may be metabolized differently, leading to less fat production in the human body, but these are preliminary studies, and many lacked control groups or were poorly designed.
In addition, we still have studies showing that longer-chain saturated fatty acids, like those in coconut oil, are associated with increased risk of heart disease. In 1999, for example, one study looked at over 80,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study without heart disease. During a 14-year follow up, it was determined that intakes of longer-chain fatty acids were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
A more recent 2003 study also found that increased consumption of saturated fatty acids (including lauric acid, the most plentiful in coconut oil) was associated with an increased risk of heart attack, with lauric, myristic and stearic acids more potent than palmitic acid.
The results on inflammation are equally mixed. Some studies show that coconut oil can tame inflammation, particularly inflammatory bowel diseases, but others show no significant effect on inflammation in humans.
Cancer studies are also inconclusive. Animal research so far shows conflicting results on the effect of the fats in coconut oil on cancerous tumors.
Meanwhile, we have no credible research at all on the effects of coconut oil on Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, thyroid function, or HIV/AIDS.
Instead:
Coconut oil is definitely not as bad as people once believed, and may have some significant health benefits. It’s no miracle cure, however, and we are still unsure of its affects on heart health (positive or negative). Cooking with it sounds like a good idea. Consuming too much of it, however, is unlikely to create any real health benefits.
5. Protein Powder
Typically made from whey, soy, and casein protein, protein powders are the popular things to put into your smoothies. They’re fast and convenient, and give you a complete source of protein that can help vegetarians and vegans meet their quota, as well as bodybuilders and other athletes to support muscle growth.
The hype is that these powders improve your strength, endurance, muscle size, and energy levels, and will even help you lose weight.
Though protein is critical to good health, studies show that even vegetarians and vegans can get enough through real food, and don’t need more in a powder. We may assume that the extra won’t hurt us, but that’s not necessarily so.
High-protein diets, for instance, have been linked to an increased risk in cancer. A 1992 animal study, for instance, found that rats fed diets higher in casein protein were more likely to develop cancerous tumors.
A more recent 2014 study also found that while a high-protein diet was associated with reduced cancer and overall mortality in participants over the age of 65, it caused a 75 percent increase in overall mortality and a 4-fold increase in cancer death risk among those 50–65 years, and a 5-fold increase in diabetes mortality across all ages.
Plant proteins were found to be safer than animal ones, but researchers noted that the majority of Americans are eating about twice as much protein as they should. They suggested a low protein intake during middle age, followed by moderate to high protein consumption in older adults.
Protein powders are most often consumed by younger adults, however, where they may potentially cause harm. They also tend to have a lot of calories, which can be detrimental to those trying to keep a slim figure (depending on other factors, of course, like daily exercise and muscle density).
There’s also the concern that some protein powders are contaminated with heavy metals and other toxins.
Consumer Reports tested 15 protein drinks in 2010, and found that all had at least one sample containing one or more of the following contaminants: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Researchers noted that consumers who have three servings a day of three of these products could exceed maximum limits for one or two of these contaminants.
They added that intake recommendations on many of the products were vague, and could lead to consumers getting about five times the amount of protein needed per day.
“The body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein per hour,” said Kathleen Laquale, a licensed nutritionist, “and any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted, so it’s a ridiculous waste to be recommending so much more than you really need.”
Instead:
Multiply your body weight by 0.4 to get the grams of protein you need per day. A general rule is 1 gram per pound of body weight. Check out the protein content in many common foods here.
Choose these for better overall nutrition, and skip the powder.
Do you know of other so-called superfoods that are mostly super-hype? Please share your thoughts.
