Food Politics

Dr. Nestle,

My Nutrition professor (Lisa Sawrey-Kubicek, MS, RD) and I had a brief discussion during class over the safety of the thickening agent carrageenan. She says it’s perfectly safe, but I’ve read in places like Dr. Weil’s site that it may be dangerous and even cancer-causing.

He notes the problem is with “degraded” carrageenan, but also that our digestive process may actually degrade, undegraded carrageenan. This would make all forms unsafe.

I don’t know how scientifically proven this is, but as a regular soy milk drinker (where carrageenan is a regular ingredient), I hope to hear your take on it.

Thanks!

Re the organic food mark-up: as an ex-farmer and after listening to org. farmers testify to the State of Calif. Org. Product Advisory Board for 11 years, it is simple: the cost of organic food is what it really costs to farm. There is no “mark-up”. We do pay attention to the market, but the lack of subsidies and insurance and various other handicaps from being an organic farmer contributes costs of their own. There is a parallel distribution system in some instances and a need to work with smaller shelf space and slower turn time.

Hi Marion, I was wondering if there is a large mark up on organic foods. My boyfriend and I definitely see the benefit of buying local and organic foods, we were just curious how much of the extra price is margin compared to non organic foods. Thanks!

Dear Dr. Nestle,

I just want to let you know, how very much I appreciate your work. After watching all of your lectures I could find in the web I discovered your wonderful homepage.
I’m very astonished about how much, on how many topics and how consistent you blog. Thanks for also recognizing what is happening in Europe and keeping track on what the EFSA is doing.
This month there will be a decision made by the EFSA about the labeling of processed foods with the traffic light symbols. This decision will be binding for all countries of the EU.
Just recently a few very important German organizations found together to, once again, insist on this system – so there still is (a little) hope left. But, to be honest, I expect the Industry to win this battle. It’s in their intension to make it concrete illegal to label food in this way, even by choice.

best Regards, Abhinav F. G. Heist

I wonder if you might be reporting on the latest salmonella case: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/health/05food.html?scp=1&sq=hydrolyzed%20vegetable%20protein&st=cse. What’s interesting about this one is that TVP is often used as a meat substitute in processed vegetarian/vegan foods (and as a cost-cutting or fat/calorie-cutting filler in some ready-to-eat foods that also contain meat).

The misconception exists out there (even among the reader’s commentary on this blog) that somehow these kinds of infections only result from meat products or happen as a result of vegetables grown in proximity to animal farms (e.g. contaminated run off). In fact, one of the sales points in the literature of a certain company that produces TVP was that because TVP is not made from meat or involves any process that ever touches meat, it was completely resistant to the E. Coli and Salmonella that “easily contaminate meat.” Guess it’s not that simple.

Hello,

I recently heard you on MPR’s Midmorning show with Kerri Miller. Fantastic show, very eye-opening!

I love to bake and notice that every recipe I see calls for salt, sometimes up to a teaspoon or more. Is there a chemical reason that salt needs to be included in my baking for my results to turn out well? If it is necessary in some amount, can I reduce it?

Thank you very much for your time and insight!

Angela

Dr. Nestle,

Not sure if you saw this one:

Recall: Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip

(Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip—affected code is limited to product sold at Arizona, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Southern California stores.)

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202978.htm

There are other dips & dressings (i.e. T. Marzetti) sold all over being recalled due to a supplier (Basic Food Flavors) providing ingredients infected with Salmonella.

I heard you talk about not being able to conduct experiments about salt and its effects on the Carrie Miller show. I have a friend who runs a nonprofit in Nepal and on one side of the country, they don’t have salt (no heart problems to speak of but lots of goiter from lack of iodine) and on the other side of the country they have access to salt and have heart problems.

When do you think we’ll see something other than the preservative BHT and ingredients like proplene glycol replaced with something safer? Way back when, there were a couple of life extension experts who used to put BHT in their daily longevity cocktail but I still worry about that in cereals and breakfast bars for children. Should I continue to worry?

Thank you for your time. It’s appreciated.

hi Dr. Nestle,
This is a disturbing article, especially because a lot of us are looking to fish oil as a good way to get the health benefits of fish, without having to navigate the labyrinthine world of “which fish to eat” – as you nicely illustrate in “What to Eat”. This is definitely not good news, and we need more studies like this one to see what we’re consuming, and what chemicals are persisting in the environment.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/03/02/consumer-fish-oil-pcb.html?ref=rss

Thank you for such pertinent information. Even the groundhog knows that spring is almost here & so will the yearly “Catch-22″ of vowing to eat correctly so as to look decent in a swimsuit in order to both enjoy the water and get the good exercise that will help burn up the calories– but those of us who need to swim won’t get in the water because we won’t get in a regular swimsuit.

Instead of kicking myself for not getting into shape, I designed the above as a new concept for women like me whose bikini days are long gone and together with a better way of looking at food products thanks to you and with finally getting into the pool, Spring of 2011 will be even better.

Thank you for listening. You’ve helped me start out the month of March by eating more like a lamb than a lion. March madness, be gone . . . Next will be your book for my Corgi, Emrys . . . .

Because it is left to every manufacturer (correct me if I’m wrong) to decide what constitutes a ‘serving size’ for any particular product, what if all products were required to label quantities of sodium, fat, calories & sugar per ounce rather than per serving. Everyone can understand an ounce (2 tablespoons, 30 grams) and it would level the playing field. Cereal boxes, for example, that show a serving of Raisin Bran having more calories than Cocoa Krispies because the serving size of the latter is less than that of the former by 25%. Calories are now often posted on the front of the cereal boxes, while serving size is relegated to the back. It would dispel the assumption that a 12-oz can of soda is a ‘serving’, when in fact the serving size is often listed as 9 oz. Not many people drink 3/4 of a can of soda.

This from a post by Tara Parker Pope of the NY Times:

“Dr. Ludwig still encourages individuals to make small changes, like watching less television or eating a few extra vegetables, because those shifts can be a prelude to even bigger lifestyle changes that may ultimately lead to weight loss. But he and others say that reversing obesity will require larger shifts — like regulating food advertising to children and eliminating government subsidies that make junk food cheap and profitable.

“We need to know what we’re up against in terms of the basic biological challenges, and then design a campaign that will truly address the problem in its full magnitude,” Dr. Ludwig said. “If we just expect that inner-city child to exercise self-control and walk a little bit more, then I think we’re in for a big disappointment.” “

Did you see this?http://blog.nutritiondata.com/dieting_weight_loss_blog/2010/02/httpblognutritiondatacomdieting_weight_loss_blog200802artifical-sweethtml.html

Dr. Nestle:

I am interested in obtaining a copy of your article “Behavioral and Social Influences on Food Choice” in a PDF if possible.

My interests are in the structural inequalities in our food system

I really appreciate whatever help you can provide.

Peter Sheehan

Dr. Nestle,

I’m sure you have seen this by now, but it might interest your readers to know Dannon has settled a lawsuit for some $45M and are required to remove the unsubstantiated nutritional claim that their Activia and DanActive yogurts are ” ‘clinically’ and ‘scientifically’ proven to regulate digestion and boost immune systems.” Here’s the link from ABC News:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/dannon-settles-lawsuit/story?id=9950269

Hi, Dr. Nestle!
I’m currently reading your book Food Politics, and I really enjoy the chapters on the supplement industry. I just found this amazing web site, informationisbeautiful.net, which has a wonderful visual presentation on the scientific evidence for various supplements, based on the most credible evidence (randomized, controlled trials on humans).
Just thought you would like to check it out: http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/

Hi marion,
I am a student at IIN and would love to volunteer or help out in any way I can to promote the education of others on the deception surrounding food. My sister works for Senator Mikulski in Maryland and I just feel that my calling is to educate folks. Your mission and work speaks to my heart.

Let me know if you ever need a hand with anything. I split my time between NJ and CT currently and can access the city easily. thank you for the important work you do. Jill MacInnes

Hi Dr. Nestle,

I thought this article would interest you. Apparently NYC has banned homemade snacks at school bake sales- not because of concerns for allergies, but because of calorie counts! Article: http://gothamist.com/2010/02/23/city_bans_homemade_desserts_at_scho.php

What do you think about the call for warning labels against choking hazards? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/21/AR2010022102809.html
It occurs to me that perhaps it is just a way to distract legislators from laws affecting the proliferation of junk food products, marketing to kids, and government subsidies keeping prices used in junk & fast food artificially low. Care to comment?

Thank you so much for your feedback. You and my guts are right.

I was recently offered the opportunity to post a nutrition blog within a website whose content does not focus on nutrition. I noticed that one of their sponsors is a major fast food chain. So far the only instruction I’ve been given is that I should not disparage any companies (regarding nutrition). Would you advise against doing the blog and if I were to proceed, do you have any helpful hints on how to handle the situation? Questions to ask beforehand,etc. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time I run into this situation…

Hello,

I wanted to know what have you found to be the case with Teflon’s toxicity. I have heard alot about you and was told to check this website from a friend that read your book. Is Teflon dangerous? Should we use it? Is the rest of the world (developed) concerned about Teflon?

Thanks for spending time to share you thoughts.

I am a current student at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and I was so inspired and energized by your talk this past weekend. Thank-you so much for doing the work you do! I wanted to tell you that I am a nanny and I do the food shopping for the family I work for and I realize I bought them a collector’s item of Crispix! It’s got the Smart Choice label on it! Had to pass along the news.

Thanks so much! I will watch when the video is posted and hopefully make it to the city one day!