Should You Still Eat Vegetables?

A recent study has been making bold headlines. The eating habits of over 478,000 European men and women were tracked over eight years.

What did they find?

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables doesn't significantly protect against cancer.

That sounds pretty straight forward. But let's look at some of the details.

There was a slightly lower risk of getting cancer among those who ate lots of fruits and vegetables. The authors describe it as a very modest association.

Heavy alcohol drinkers who ate a large amount of fruits and vegetables had a lower risk of developing cancers specifically caused by smoking and drinking.

The study looked at vegetable consumption during adulthood. Could eating vegetables and fruits during childhood protect against cancer later on? We don't know.

The issue of specific phytochemicals that may reduce cancer risks was not addressed. For example, it's believed that lycopene (found in tomatoes) may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

The study was based on self-reported dietary habits, which is not always an accurate assessment.

I wouldn't use this study as an excuse to cut back on fruits and vegetables. Even if they won't significantly reduce your cancer risk, their valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals benefit you in other ways. There's strong evidence, for instance, that eating at least five servings a day of vegetables and fruit lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. And cardiovascular disease kills many more people than cancer.

And let's not forget something very important – fruits and vegetables are just plain delicious!

Healthy Hearts and Gums

Did you know that brushing your teeth is good for your heart?

What's the connection? Inflammation.

Bacteria from your mouth can enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation in other parts of your body. And inflammation is at least partially responsible for clogged arteries. In fact, people with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from heart disease.

In addition to good dental care, there are other things you can do to limit inflammation.

Regular exercise and stress reduction have anti-inflammatory effects.

So do certain foods. Like green tea, whole grains and raisins.

Japanese men who drank a cup of green tea daily significantly lowered their risk of gum disease. The more tea they drank, the lower their risk.

Four or more servings of whole grains reduced the risk of periodontal disease in a group of American men by nearly 25%. Most likely, blood sugar levels are responsible. Whole grains, which are digested slowly, produce a slow and steady rise in blood sugar. Refined grains, on the other hand, produce spikes in blood sugar which can induce inflammation – in the gums and in the heart.

Eating raisins can be beneficial to oral health. Oleanolic acid, an antioxidant in raisins, was found to inhibit the growth of bacteria which cause cavities and periodontal disease.

Think of your body as one whole unit consisting of intricately linked parts. Take care of one part and you automatically tend to others. So while you're exercising, reducing your stress and eating well, do your heart another favor – brush your teeth, floss and see your dentist regularly.

A Happy and Healthy Yom Ha'atzmaut

For most Israelis, Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) wouldn't be Yom Ha'atzmaut without a barbeque. And barbeque here means grilled chicken and/or beef.

Grilled meats are a tasty and fun treat, but because they contain carcinogens, eating a lot of them may pose a risk for some types of cancer.

When muscle meats (beef, poultry and fish) are cooked at high temperatures, the carcinogen HCA (heterocyclic amine) is formed. Another carcinogen, PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) is formed on the surface of meat when fat and juices drip into the grill and produce smoke and flames.

For a healthy holiday, here are some tips for minimizing your exposure to cancer-causing chemicals:

Marinate poultry and beef before grilling. Marinades, especially those containing herbs and garlic, seem to reduce the build-up of HCA's during grilling.

Cook meat until it's done, but not well-done. The longer it's on the grill, the greater the build up of carcinogens. Remove any burned pieces of meat before serving.

Choose lean meat and trim all visible fat. That will reduce the amount of smoke and flames from the grill.

Go easy on the meat. Fill your plate with healthy vegetable, grain and bean-based salads. That way, you'll get plenty of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. Save a smaller place on your plate for higher fat grilled meats.

Chag Sameach!

Keep Chewing

The more you chew your food, the less hungry you'll feel.

That, according to a study in which people were asked to chew a handful of almonds. People who chewed the nuts 40 times felt more satisfied (and fuller for longer) than those who only chewed 10 or 25 times.

The study's author theorizes that chewing could cause more fat to be released from the almonds. That fat may trigger the release of appetite-curbing hormones.

Our own sages wrote about the importance of chewing.

A braita was taught in the name of Rebbe Meir – "Chew well with your teeth and you'll find it in your steps." (Shabbat 152a)

Rashi and Rabbeinu Chananel interpreted this to mean that if you chew your food slowly and carefully you'll enjoy the full nutritional benefit of your food and walk with a lively bounce.

More on Soft Drinks

Now there may be even more reasons to quit the soft drink habit. (See "Is Drinking Soda Bad for Your Bones?")

Pancreatic cancer and liver disease.

A recently published study found a significant increase in risk for pancreatic cancer among people who drank two or more servings of sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week. Fruit juice did not have the same effect. The study included 60,524 residents of Singapore who were followed for 14 years.

A much smaller Israeli study indicates a connection between drinking sweetened soft drinks (as well as fruit juice) and fatty-liver disease. 80% of the study participants diagnosed with liver damage had been drinking more than two cups of sweetened beverages a day.

Switching to artificially sweetened soda is not necessarily the solution. That according to the lead author of the Israeli study, Dr. Nimer Assy. He thinks that aspartame and caramel coloring (often added to cola) can increase insulin resistance, which may induce fatty-liver disease.

Is there a way to get people to drink fewer soft drinks?

A new US study sheds light on the connection between cost and consumption of soft drinks. With every 10% increase in cost of a two liter (four pint) bottle of soda, people consumed 7% fewer calories from soda and had a lower risk for pre-diabetes.

That's a pretty clear message – increase the price of soda and consumption drops. I'm in favor!

Passover Dreaming

Next Year .... Pesach Robots!