DrGourmet » artificial flavors

Ask Dr. Gourmet Newsletter for July 5, 2011

admin — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:44:45 +0000

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Two Related Questions:

Q: I have Charcot in my left foot and I have been staying off of it for going on 3 months now. I am a diabetic and have been told no weight bearing on the foot. What can I do to exercise?

Q: I am a 52 year old female who in 1996 suffered a massive brain anuerysm/stroke. I was 99 pounds at the time, but by the time I was released from rehab I had ballooned to a whopping 246! I have managed to get down to 175 but I am stuck there. I’m just at a total loss and any advice you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. I am no longer confined to a wheelchair, so I do walk daily, although not fast and not far. I live alone so anything you suggest would have to be able to be done solo.

A: Since exercise is not my area of expertise, I referred these two questions to our exercise expert, Jacques Courseault. He’s written a fantastic article on How to Exercise with Disabled or Weak Legs that should help you design an exercise regimen based on what you can do.

Q: Can you tell me if there is a use by date for Dufrais Saugignon Blanc White Wine Vinegar?

A: Generally speaking, vinegars keep well because they are acidic enough to prevent bacterial growth. That said, I have a rule of thumb about all foods and how long they can be used after opening:

If in doubt, throw it out.

Q: We know that diet soda consumption has been positively correlated to weight gain, but do we have any idea why? I stopped drinking all sodas, but still use Splenda in my coffee and tea on a daily basis. Is there any evidence that artificial sweeteners are the culprit rather than diet sodas per se? Would we be better off with sugar?

A: There has been some research that shows an association of artificially flavored diet soft drinks and obesity. The evidence is thin right now but worrisome. While I have used Splenda in some recipes on the Dr. Gourmet web site including muffins, quickbreads and desserts I have tried to be sparing about this. Recently I have tested stevia in baked goods and it works well and is a more natural choice. Splenda vs. Sugar

Have a question? Send it to askdrgourmet@drgourmet.com and your question may be answered in this column. Read more Ask Dr. Gourmet questions – over 500 questions already answered!

More on Sugary Beverages and Your Health

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:13:49 +0000

Last week I shared an overview of current research on sugar-sweetened beverages. These beverages include soft drinks such as sodas or colas, sweetened fruit drinks (not those that are 100% juice), and energy and vitamin water drinks. This week I have what is known as a meta-analysis to share with you.

Unlike an overview, which details the results of many studies on an individual, study-by-study basis, a meta-analysis combines the results and data of several studies to yield results as if they were all one study. (Those of you with a science background will recognize that this explanation is rather simplified.) The strength of a meta-analysis lies in the fact of its aggregate size: the larger and longer a study is, the more reliable are its results. The drawback, of course, is that this is a grouping of studies, all performed by different people with different standards and methods. More on Sugary Beverages and Your Health

Fish Sticks? Well… Maybe Not. : Dr. Gourmet Reviews

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:36:20 +0000

I have been looking for fish sticks and just haven’t been able to find any to review. This is because the big companies put so many chemicals in their products that I don’t feel all that comfortable reviewing them (let alone having to eat them). Most every one of them I have looked at contains monosodium glutamate.

I did come across a close substitute from the company Blue Horizon Natural. They sell a product they call “bites” that are sold as hors d’oeuvres but will work as a lunch or main course. Fish Sticks? Well… Maybe Not.

Splenda vs. Sugar: Ask Dr. Gourmet

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:57:28 +0000

MSG and Weight Gain: Ask Dr. Gourmet

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:42:43 +0000

Q: Recently I read an article about MSG. It claimed that MSG causes weight gain based on a study done by university of Carolina. Is this true?

A: There have been animal models showing that MSG has an effect on the hormones that influence weight gain. A group of researchers at North Carolina did indeed look at whether such changes might be linked to weight gain in humans. MSG and Weight Gain

Modified Food Starch : Ask Dr. Gourmet

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:41:25 +0000

Q: Can you tell me anything about modified food starch/modified corn starch? It is in almost every type of commercially prepared food.

Is this a product that many people are allergic/sensitive to? I strongly suspect that I have an allergy to the modified starches, but I am not able to find any information about them.

A: Modified food starches are used in many processed foods today. These are highly processed, fine granular powders made from any number of sources, including wheat, corn and tapioca. They are used in foods as thickening agents and to help emulsify ingredients. Because there’s no requirement to list the source of the starch, it could be made from any of these ingredients. Food Starches

A Serious Look at Fructose: Dr. Gourmet’s Health and Nutrition Bites

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:40:40 +0000

Not long ago I answered an “Ask Dr. Gourmet” question about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). She noted that her local Applebee’s had HFCS in almost everything and wondered what research I had done on its risks. At the time I could only say that the research on High Fructose Corn Syrup was inconclusive but that it certainly contributed a lot of calories that folks just don’t need.

Recently a study focusing on the effects of consuming fructose versus glucose was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. A multi-university team of researchers recruited 32 men and women between the ages of 40 and 72 to participate in a feeding study. A Serious Look at Fructose

The Taco Bell Diet?

DrGourmet — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:22:32 +0000

Just when you think you’ve heard it all. Taco Bell is touting that you can lose weight eating their food. True, of course, but at what cost?

Look, we know that if you eat fewer calories, you’ll lose weight. Anyone can do that and it doesn’t matter what type of calories you eat. Calories are calories as far as your weight is concerned. So eating the more sensible choices at Taco Bell is a good idea but ONLY if you are going to eat there occasionally anyway. Their food is some of the most highly processed in the fast food business.

If you go there, about the only really good choice is the Fresco Crunchy Taco. It’s 150 calories and has some fiber but is the best at only 350 mg of sodium. Here’s the choices. Note the overall very high amount of salt.

Better yet, make your own Mexican food. It’s easy, will cost about the same and so much better for you. Here’s some recipes to get you started:

Quick Tacos

Soft Corn Tacos

Taco Salad

Corn and Black Bean Taco Salad

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Dr. Gourmet

Guess what? Cereal advertising to kids works!

DrGourmet — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:58:12 +0000

OK, sarcasm aside, there’s a great report by the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity that shows how marketing has an profound effect on our children’s nutrition. Here’s the link:

http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=7013

If you want more great info and a look at the Nutrition Facts of cereals click this link:

http://cerealfacts.org/

This is a great organization that looks at exactly what the impact of cereal marketing has on consumption.

What Doctors Eat (A Good One)

DrGourmet — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:41:10 +0000

It’s not all bad. One of my colleagues who is a neurologist does have a good lunch when he’s in clinic. His nurse (who used to be a chef) puts this together for him. He is from Iran and there’s always a bit of a Middle Eastern twist with olives, fruit, nuts, ahmok wafers, avocados and the like. Here’s an example:

Tapioca; Wheatgrass : Ask Dr. Gourmet

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:00:00 +0000

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: Just what is tapioca, anyway?

A: Tapioca is a starch that is made from the cassava root. The root is native to South America but has been cultivated around the world for some time now. The root is processed into many different forms: powder, flakes and a coarse flour. The most common form found in Western culture is pearl tapioca….

Q: There has been a lot of discussion about the flavors you can add to your water for variation. For example: the generic brand of Crystal Light, actually marketed by Wal-Mart: Sugar Free Pink Lemonade individual packets. 5 calories, 0 fat, 0 sodium, potassium 50 mgs, and 0 carbs, 0 sugars, 0 proteins.

It only has taste value… nothing nutritional. It does contain aspartame. It is okay to drink this a few times a day with my daily 64 or more ounces of water?

A: This is certainly controversial. On the one hand these are chemicals that create the artificial flavors and colors in water. It appears that they are safe for you. The second issue is aspartame which many folks feel is very harmful. The present evidence, however, doesn’t seem to support this.

The main issue is whether using artificial flavors and sweeteners is better than or as good for you as water. My answer is….

Q: I have recently begun taking wheatgrass (1-2 oz daily) and sweetpea green (1-2oz daily) juice(s) along with carrot/celery juice (1-2 carrots + 1-2 stalks of celery). My wife takes 2-3mg of Coumadin daily. Can she join me in benefits of these juices, perhaps in small degrees?

A: Wheatgrass is an interesting item. Folks really believe that it has properties that are far beyond what the claims could possibly provide. There’s no science to back up such claims unfortunately. I have repeatedly tried to find the nutritional content and what information is available is deemed unreliable by most sources (mostly because it is not considered a food source).

It doesn’t appear to be harmful – but then again there’s no research to show that it might be good for you, either.

Sweet pea green juice has even less information.

As such it’s hard to give you a good solid evidenced based recommendation….