February 27, 2004
NUTRITION NEWS FOCUS
"Nutrition news is important.  We help you understand it!"

We have lost count of the number of news articles and books claiming
if you just eat these foods, you will prevent every disease, live
forever, attract the opposite sex and so on.  Too bad that all of
these claims begin with a kernel of truth and build a bunch of hooey
on top of them.

Can you eat longer if you eat these 14 foods?  Beans, blueberries,
broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes,
skinless white-meat turkey, walnuts, salmon and yogurt.  Well ... each
of these foods is a good source of specific nutritional components.
However, there is not a shred of evidence that any specific food on
this list, or any other list you see, contributes to better health or
longer life.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The kernel of truth in
most cases is either the amount of a single nutrient in a food or a
study in rats; certainly not enough to recommend a change in our diet.
The entire diet is what counts, not just individual foods.  In the
list of foods above, eating the recommended amounts would provide
two-thirds of your daily calories and would cost a lot of money.
Variety and moderation in diet is still the rule you can take to the
bank.  That way, you won't overdose on anything and when the next new
thing is discovered to improve health you will have been eating it.