Sustainability is a very hot topic in the food and nutrition world these days and for good reason.  Every year, we have about 80 million more people to feed than we did the year before. But of course, the amount of land and water we have to grow food—on this planet anyway—is fixed.  In order to meet the ever-increasing demand for food, we’re going to need to make the best possible use of our finite natural resources. We need to develop ways to produce food more efficiently. And we need to preserve the long-term health and viability of the environment…

A couple of months ago, I addressed the question of whether eating meat affects your hormone levels. Since then, several of you have written to ask the same question about cow’s milk. All milk (whether from cows, goats, humans, or porpoises) naturally contains small amounts of various hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. Because hormones like estrogen are fat-soluble, the level of hormones is higher in whole milk than in skim milk. Organic milk, however, contains about the same amount of hormones as conventionally produced milk. Does Dairy Promote Breast Cancer? Some worry that the hormones in cow’s milk could cause…

Anita writes: When is the best time to eat dessert? I’ve heard it is better to eat it immediately following a meal because the protein in the meal will help stabilize the blood sugar. But I’m often too full after my meal to enjoy dessert. I’d prefer to wait a couple of hours. In fact, I often crave a sweet bite a couple of hours after eating. Is that my blood sugar plummeting? How does dessert affect your blood sugar? Our blood sugar does go up after we eat, but that’s not necessarily a problem—it’s actually how the system is…

Sandy writes: “Have you studied whether raw mushrooms are safe to eat? I’ve heard a few well-known doctors say there are toxic compounds in them that are destroyed by cooking. I’ve been avoiding raw mushrooms at the salad bar for some time now. What say you?” Prior to getting Sandy’s email, I was eating raw mushrooms in blissful ignorance, completely unaware of their toxic potential. Having now educated myself, I’m ready to answer Sandy’s question and let you know whether you have anything to fear from eating raw mushrooms. What’s in Raw White Mushrooms? A few clicks on Google led me…

We hear a lot about the microbiome these days—the trillions of probiotic bacteria that live on and in us. As we are learning, these microbes contribute to our health in myriad and previously unimagined ways. The beneficial bacteria in your intestines, for example, aid digestion, manufacture nutrients, protect against food-borne pathogens, and even appear to play a role in regulating your body weight. These helpful creatures can be wiped out by antibiotics and other drug therapies, colonics, or even a bad case of diarrhea. When this happens, you want to restore those beneficial intestinal flora as quickly as possible. In…

Q. “What do you think of tuna or salmon in pouches? I like adding them to my salads as the protein. Compared to lunchmeat, it seems a lot less processed and it’s much lower in sodium. Is it OK to eat this kind of fish 3-4 times a week?” A. Whether fresh, canned, or in pouches, fish is a fantastic alternative to processed lunch meats. Not only is it lower in sodium and other additives, it’s a good source of omega-3 fats and a great way to add protein to your lunch!  Compared to canned fish, the vacuum-sealed pouches also have a fresher…

The pizza looks delicious, bubbling with cheese and studded with pepperoni. And then you see the caption: “A 165-pound woman has to jump rope for 45 minutes to burn off the calories in two pieces of pepperoni pizza.”  Four more slides show similarly decadent foods and the exertions required to negate their caloric content. These arresting images accompanied CNN.com’s coverage of a study recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. As CNN reported, “The number of calories in a food or beverage item doesn’t mean much to many folks. But showing people how much activity they would have to…

Q. Thank you for your recent podcast episode on artificial sweeteners and their possible effects on gut bacteria. You mentioned that stevia may be a good option but what about erythritol?  A. You’re not the only one to wonder! Many new sugar-free sweeteners are a blend of stevia and erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol. Many listeners wrote to ask whether the effects of erythritol are known. Although stevia may support beneficial bacteria, it appears that erythritol promotes neither “good” nor “bad” intestinal bacteria. Researchers found that erythritol is resistant to fermentation by a range of microbiota from human guts. This is…

Q. Hello! My family just returned from Hawaii, and I was excited to try a recipe for Kalua Pork until I saw liquid smoke listed in the ingredients. Is liquid smoke safe? A. Liquid smoke is made by passing wood smoke through a chamber where the vapor is captured and condensed. Along with authentic smoke flavor, the resulting liquid also contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can be carcinogenic. The amount of PAHs in liquid smoke depends on the type of wood and the smoking temperature, but the amounts are all quite small. Although I wouldn't drink the stuff, I…

Stephanie writes, “If you need to overhaul your diet, are there some principles that are more of a priority? What’s the best order to tackle the changes needed to rebuild a healthy diet?” I love this question because it shows that—even if her diet needs a total overhaul—Stephanie understands three very important things: 1) building a healthy diet is an ongoing process, not just a decision; 2) trying to change everything at once is likely to backfire, and 3) some things are more important than others. It’s also a great topic for us to explore. Of course, it’s a little…