Category Archives: nutrients

What’s Vitamin B12 For?

by health, nutrients,

Recently at a pharmacy I saw a sign "Do you have low energy? Trouble with weight loss? Foggy thinking? Anemia? Get your B12 shots here!"

Many people may be deficient in B12; as a water soluble vitamin we tend to go through it pretty quickly.  As we age we tend to lose our ability to process B12 optimally which may lead to deficiency.  And deficiency is often found in those who are smokers, pregnant, or breast feeding.  Then there are those who have a variety of disorders such as crohn's, celiac disease, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), or pernicious anemia.  In some cases it can take five or more years before you see signs of deficiency.

The largest population with a tendency toward low B12 is vegetarians and vegans.  This is due to the fact that animal foods such as sardines, salmon, tuna, cod, lamb, scallops, shrimp, and beef provide the highest levels of B12.  It is possible to get it from other food sources, however those are the best ones.

B12 is vital for optimal many body functions.  The body uses it to convert carbohydrates into glucose which our body uses for fuel.  If we don't have enough, or if we aren't converting properly this can cause fatigue.  It also supports a healthy nervous system, helping us to balance stress and contributes to a balanced circulatory system, supporting good cholesterol levels and blood pressure.  B12 is also vital for healthy hair, skin, and nails.

But is taking shots the right things to do?  There are some claims that the shot can be taken as often as twice a week.  However there can be side effects up to and including diarrhea, stomach upset, headache, joint pain, or even flushing, rashes, or hives.

Before simply taking a B12 injection it would be prudent to obtain a comprehensive micronutrient panel to determine if you are actually low.  If you are deficient in B12 consider modifying your diet to include more B12 rich foods, supplement orally, and also evaluate if you need appropriate digestive support to ensure you are absorbing what you are putting into your body.

New Healthy Indulgence

by drinks, gluten free, health, nutrients, reviews, substitutions
Photo credit: Nevit

I've only recently returned from California where I spent several days with my Mentor Helayne Waldman, working with her on her upcoming book.  It was truly wonderful to spend the time with her, we got so much accomplished and she is just an amazing person to hang out with.

As a nutrition professional she also pays a lot of attention to food and the holistic concepts of mindful and enjoyable eating.  Liz Lipski, one of my nutrition heroes, says that we frequently fuel our bodies the way we fuel our cars – stop -gas -go.  I think she's right and I definitely agree with the idea that mealtimes and enjoyment of meals should be more than just refueling.  Helayne and I certainly enjoyed some wonderful meals together, always making time to stop, take a break and enjoy our meals (both the preparation and the eating) in the midst of working.  As a foodie person I think it's great fun to learn new ideas and new recipes from other foodies.

While I was visiting, Helayne introduced me to a new healthy indulgence; it's so delicious I just have to share.  I've been enjoying it every day since I got home.  It's a great start to my morning and a satisfying addition to my usual alkalizing water, herbal tea, green tea routine.

As a disclaimer…the links to Amazon are through this blog.  If you purchase them through the link I do make a few pennies via my affiliate account.

The drink?  Equal parts of Capra Mineral When and Dandy Blend mixed together with hot water.  Then topped off with some sort of dairy alternative. Almond milk or coconut milk are great, for a really decadent treat drop a dollop of Coco-Bliss vanilla ice cream in there.

In addition to being tasty there are some other nutritional benefits to using goat whey.  It is alkaline, has a good electrolyte balance and contains over 20 different minerals.  Goat milk, and whey, is much easier on the digestive system than cows milk.  Many people who are lactose intolerant of cows milk are able to take goats milk, and whey, without a problem.

Dandy blend is a gluten-free powder containing water soluble extracts of dandelion, chicory, beets, barley and rye.  While barley and rye contain gluten the way they are processed to obtain the water soluble extracts leaves all of the gluten behind. The company was kind enough to share that they test with Elisa Technologies Laboratory on a regular basis to ensure the gluten free status of their product.  It has good levels of both major and trace minerals plus the liver and blood support provided by dandelion.  The company promotes it a a coffee alternative for those trying to get off coffee.  Having not had coffee for over 12 years that's not really an issue for me but I will say that it is delicious.

Added together I feel that the Mineral Whey and Dandy Blend drink in the morning provides me with a great mineralizing, alkalizing boost to my day.  While I'm currently drinking it as a warm beverage I can see where it might be a great substitute for iced lattes, added to smoothies or other such drinks.  If you have any ideas or recipes to share please let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

Should You Use A Microwave Oven?

by BPA, nutrients

This post started off innocently enough as a post in response to a question about if and how I use my microwave oven*.  The post was responsible for a lively response from a number of people but brought up more questions.

I'll start by sharing an article by my friend Jodi Friedlander, NC, Microwave Ovens: What Do We Really Know? has shed light on the fact that perhaps microwave ovens aren't quite as dangerous as previously believed.  In the past I was rather dismissive of their use, however, a microwave oven may not be as bad as I initially thought.  I still firmly believe they're still not great for cooking and I think I'd prefer to mostly cook, and reheat, our food using more conventional methods.

How I use a microwave ovenmicrowave

I know some people don't even have one in their homes.  I think if we didn't have one we would be okay.  However, since we do have it here are some of the ways I use it:

  1. Microwaving sponges to kill bacteria - two minutes every morning
  2. Proofing space for rising baked goods - it's a perfect draft-free space
  3. As a draft-free space for making sprouts
  4. It's a great warming oven for waffles and pancakes - I put a cooling rack in there and then pile the waffles and pancakes on the rack.  The proofing box space keeps everything warm and moist, the rack keeps the ones on the bottom from getting soggy
  5. To heat my buckwheat-filled neck wrap - great for a sore back, sore neck, or to warm your feet in bed on a cold night
Honesty compels me to admit I rewarm my tea in it (frequently) and my husband loves it for reheating leftovers. But we don't cook in it and if it weren't built in I might consider doing without it.

Questions about using a microwave oven

Answering questions from The Ingredient Guru Community, a couple of important comments came up:

What about microwave popcorn?microwave popcorn

I'm sorry but this is a bad bad bad bad bad idea.  And did I mention that it's bad?  Why you ask?  Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a known cancer-causing Teflon agent.
 
Admittedly all of the studies have only been done in rats. It's generally true that if it causes cancer in rats it is highly likely to cause cancer in humans, but that's another subject and I won't go there right now.  That bag lining is the same material that is in Teflon pans. I tell people to throw out all of their Teflon cookware and invest in non-Teflon.  I rarely tell people to throw things out, but this is one area where I feel it is never too soon to abandon the stuff.  
 
The problem with PFOAs is that when you open that hot steamy bag of popcorn you are exposing yourself far more than when you cook on a Teflon pan, through the steam and through what has leached into the popcorn itself.
 
According to one scientist, "It is estimated that microwave popcorn may account for more than 20% of the average PFOA levels measured in American residents."
 
Not only that, there's the "butter" (in quotes because it isn't) which is linked to lung disease in factory workers exposed to the vapors.  This is from the Diacetyl which is so toxic that "Significant new information regarding the health effects of diacetyl and food flavorings containing diacetyl (FFCD) affects the information that must be conveyed to employers and employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication standard."
 
Bottom line:  shift to hot air or stove-top popped popcorn and don't eat the microwave stuff.
 

Cooking in a microwave oven

Microwave ovens work differently than other cooking methods and there are some health risks that go along with it.  
 
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that cooking meat in a microwave oven does not kill bacteria (in this case salmonella).  The study concluded, "Compared with conventional methods of reheating, microwave ovens had no protective effect in preventing illness. To prevent outbreaks such as this one, care must be taken to assure that food is both properly cooked and handled and properly reheated." 
 
Another study, from CEBAS-CSIC in Spain, comparing various cooking methods and their effect on the nutrient status of food showed that steaming is the best way to cook vegetables. The worst is to microwave them; more nutrients are lost during the microwave cooking process.
 
Cooking in a microwave oven has also been shown to convert B12 to the inactive form thereby depleting its bioavailability by denaturing up to 40% of it in the food.  We all need B12, if you're a vegetarian or a vegan this is even more critical.
 
To be fair all methods of cooking will reduce nutrient status somewhat, that is part of the process from heat.  And if you are steaming especially vegetables, it can be a good idea to drink the nutrient-rich broth that remains behind.  But overall microwave 'cooking' is, in my book, not a good idea.

In conclusion

So the end result?  I certainly have no complaint with people wanting to reheat their food or beverages in a microwave oven.  I do, however, think it's not a good idea to cook in it.  And I think if you are re-heating something, you are best served to remove it from any plastic or coated surface, put in it ceramic, and use the oven to avoid any potential fumes or chemical leaching.
 
Let me know your thoughts, how you use your microwave oven, and/or if you are considering changing what you do based on the information you find here.
 
 
*  A small nerd-humor note.  I find myself consciously referring to microwave ovens as microwave ovens rather than as 'a microwave', 'the microwave', etc.  The reason?  My husband delights in telling me that "Microwaves are itty bitty little particles that you cannot see."
 

Sources

 

Sharma, Manan et al. "Effective Household Disinfection Methods Of Kitchen Sponges". Food Control, vol 20, no. 3, 2009, pp. 310-313. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2008.05.020.

"Dietary Exposure To Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) And Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS): A Review Of Recent Literature". 2022, p. ., https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15569543.2017.1346685.

"Dietary Habits Related To Food Packaging And Population Exposure To Pfass | Environmental Health Perspectives | Vol. 127, No. 10". 2022, p. .,https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP4092.

"Popcorn Lung - Proquest". Proquest.Com, 2022, https://www.proquest.com/openview/273563539a6e7e57374db21d4490d7b9/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1096447.

Gessner, Bradford D., and Michael Beller. "Protective Effect Of Conventional Cooking Versus Use Of Microwave Ovens In An Outbreak Of Salmonellosis". American Journal Of Epidemiology, vol 139, no. 9, 1994, pp. 903-909. Oxford University Press (OUP),doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117096.