Posts Tagged ‘acid’

Canola oil

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

CANOLA OIL
Canola oil, produced from the rapeseed plant, spread throughout modern society in the 1990s. As a monosaturated oil, it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and its light taste makes it a favorite in natural foods stores and restaurants. However, concerns have been raised about its safety. Moreover, the majority of canola oil sold today is genetically engineered and like other GEFs is unlabeled. Macrobiotic dietary guidelines call for avoiding or minimizing its use.

• Canola as a Source of Trans Fatty Acids in Mother’s Milk - In a study of 198 samples of breast milk in nine Canadian provinces, researchers found the concentration of trans fatty acids in mother’s milk remarkably similar to that in hydrogenated soybean and canola oils “suggesting that partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are the major source of these trans fatty acids.” Trans fatty acids are associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular and other diseases.
Source: Z. Y. Chen et al., “Trans Fatty Acid Isomers in Canadian Human Milk,” Lipids 30(1):15-21, 1995.

• Potential Dangers of Canola Oil - Oil from the rapeseed plant has been used as a lubricant, soap, fuel, synthetic rubber, and illuminant to make slick color pages in magazines, but is not a traditional cooking oil. In human tissues, it forms latex-like corpuscles that cause red blood cells to clump, leading to glaucoma and other symptoms, according to health researcher John Thomas. Added to animal feeds in Europe between 1986 and 1991, he reports, it caused blindness in cows, pigs, and sheep and may be implicated in the mad cow epidemic. Thomas asserts that rape oil was the source for mustard gas, the infamous poison that blistered the lungs and skin of soldiers during World War I. Canola oil contains large amounts of isothiocyanates, compounds that contain cyanide and inhibit energy production and cell regeneration. In addition to pesticides, canola oil may be contributing to the increase in systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, pulmonary hypertension, and nervous disorders.
Source: John Thomas, “Blindness, Mad Cow Disease, and Canola Oil,” Perceptions, March/April 1995, p. 28-29.

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Attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER
Hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect an estimated 10 to 15 percent of young males (and a lesser number of females) in the U.S. and are characterized by restlessness, mood swings, inability to focus, and trouble relating to peers. Ritalin, the principal drug prescribed for ADD, can cause negative side effects including nausea, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, liver damage, and anorexia.
High energy foods, including meat, eggs, poultry, sugar, chocolate, soft drinks, french fries, and chips and other salty snacks, appear to be a factor in the development of ADD. However, medical studies have found diet and behavior a complex subject, with sensitivity and reaction to foods highly individualized.
Food additives (including artificial colors and flavors), salicylates, and sugar are also suspected of causing abnormal behavior in some youngsters.
See Breast-feeding, Children’s Health, Crime and Diet, Hypoglycemia, Mental Illness, Sugar.

• Parents Attribute ADHD to Sugar - In a study on awareness of ADHD, African-American parents of children at high risk for this disorder were more likely to attribute their child’s symptoms to excessive sugar than whites (59 percent compared to 30 percent).
Source: R. Bussing et al., “Knowledge and Information about ADHD,” Social Science and Medicine 46(7):919-28, 1998.

• ADHD Linked to Low Fatty Acids - In a case-control study on altered fatty acid metabolism, nutritionists at Purdue University reported that 53 children with ADHD had lower concentrations of key fatty acids in their blood and plasma than 43 control subjects. Many of these children exhibited symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency. The precise reason for the lower fatty acid concentrations was not clear.
Source: L. J. Stevens, “Essential Fatty Acid Metabolism in Boys with ADHD,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62(4):761-68, 1995.
• Nutritional Therapy for ADHD - In a study of the effect of nutritional therapy on ADHD, Texas researchers reported that a polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) supplement and a phytonutritional product containing flash-dried vegetables and fruits decreased the severity of ADHD and associated symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) in all 17 children after 2 weeks. The scientists concluded that symptoms of ADHD may be reduced by the addition of plant-based substances to the diet.
Source: K. D. Dykman and R. A. Dykman, “Effect of Nutritional Supplements on ADHD,” Integr Physio Behav Sci 33(1):49-60, 1998.

• Food Colors - Hyperactivity, learning disabilities, and allergic reactions are epidemic in modern schools and have been associated with chemicals, artificial food colors and flavorings, and highly processed foods. In the U.S., estimates of hyperactivity in schoolchildren range from one in three to one in 20, while in England and other countries where food colors are regulated, only one in 2000 is reported hyperactive.
Source: D. Divoky, “Toward a Nation of Sedated Children,” Learning, March 1973, pp. 6-13.

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