thanks to althom I create this thread

Do you know what is healthy?

Chocolate, red wine, salmon, herbal teas, apples and milk. Could you guess which of these are good for you and which could be downright bad? The answers might not be as clear-cut as you think. CLARE McVEY reports.
HEALTHY eating may be just what the doctor orders - but the advice is getting harder to follow.

Hardly a day passes by without new research telling us that a food we had previously been told was good for us is actually bad - or vice versa.

Last week we heard claims that apples could rot our teeth and that vegetables could cause cancer.

But chocolate, once a target of the healthy eating brigade, is now apparently perfect for lowering blood pressure.

To counter these conflicting messages we've sought expert advice on six foods which have hit the headlines recently.

Our experts are Dr Wendy Doyle, of the Birmingham-based British Dietetic Association, and website www.thefooddoctor.com, which is run by nutritional experts.

RED WINE

Bad news: Like all forms of alcohol, wine is a chemical cocktail. Drinking to excess can be addictive and can cause liver damage.

Good news: Moderate drinking is thought to help protect us against a host of diseases. The French, who tend to enjoy wine regularly, are less prone to cancer and heart disease.

Red wine also contains polyphenols which are thought to have anti- cancer properties and have a positive effect on cholesterol levels, cell proliferation, blood pressure and blood clotting.

Verdict: The Food Doctor says: 'One or two glasses at a time are excellent but any more than that and the alcohol intake becomes too high.'

Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'Government guidelines say women should not drink more than two to three alcohol units a day and men no more than three or four. A unit is one small glass of wine.

'If you don't drink already, protecting your heart isn't a reason to start. But if you enjoy a few glasses of red wine, these might prove beneficial.

'A balanced diet, exercise and not smoking are probably more important for your health.'

APPLES

Good news: An apple a day keeps thedoctor awaay - according to the old saying. They're a rich source of vitamin C and fibre (15 per cent of the daily recommended intake) and contain a range of other vitamins and minerals. The are also rich in flavanoids which help attack dan-gerous

chemicals circulating in our systems

Bad new: Thanks to modern produc-tion techniiques, aimed at satisfying a preference forr sweeter tasting foods, some apples contain as much as four teaspoons of sugar. Combined with naturally high acidity in tthe fruit, this can contribute to dental erosion.

Verdict: t: To avoid dental problemsrinse yourr mouth out with water after eating an apple and wait 45 minutes before brushing your teeth. Choose the varieties with the highest levels of vitamin C and fibre and the lowest sugar content, such as Cox's Orange Pippin, Discovery and Worcester.

Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'Apples are no higher in sugar than many other fruits. The problem is the length of time your teeth are exposed to the sugar. Apples are still better for us than many other processed snacks. They can help protect against heart disease and some forms of cancer - so a bit of dental erosion may be a small price to pay for the benefits.'

SALMON

Good news: Salmon is rich in essential omega-three fatty acids. These are antiinflammatory, help reduce our blood fats, make blood clots less likely and reduce blood pressure. Other research has suggested these acids could be of potential benefit to children with disorders such as dyslexia. Other oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and herring contain essential fats but salmon is the most popular, affordable and widely available.

Bad news: Last year the safety of farmed salmon was questioned amid claims that it contained unacceptably high levels of toxins due to intensive farming techniques, the type of fish feed used and environmental pollution.

Verdict: The Food Doctor advises that organic farmed salmon or wild salmon might be a safer bet than the farmed variety - but it IS more expensive. When choosing salmon, look for portions with the least amount of white fatty lines where chemicals are most likely to be stored.

Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'The Food Standards Agency recommends eating fish twice a week and oily fish just once. 'Environmental pollutants are difficult to avoid altogether but it's important to ensure that we get some omega-three in our diet.'

HERBAL AND FRUIT TEAS

Good News: The drinks are marketed as being much healthier for you than hot drinks such as normal tea and coffee, which contain caffeine.

Bad News: Last year we were told teas containing lemon, raspberry and blackcurrant can dissolve tooth enamel. Concerns have also been raised that drinking herbal teas could interfere with medication.

Verdict: Teas such as camomile and peppermint are not a threat to dental health.

But the Food Doctoradvises that you should try a variety of teas and not just stick to fruit versions.

The website also says that green tea is a good option because it contains antioxidants - proven to help prevent the spread of some cancer tumours.

Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'You should check with your GP or pharmacist first if you're taking medication.'

CHOCOLATE

Bad new: Chocolate is high in fat,sugar and calories and we think of it as something naughty but nice.

Good news: A US study, admittedlybacked by sweetmaker Mars, showed flavanols in cocoa may help open up arteries, increasing blood flow, which helps protect against heart disease.

Verdict: This is by no means a prescrip-tion to go stuffing yourself with chocolate in a questt for good health. Low doses of aspirin could have a similar effect, for example. Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'Chocolate hasbeen found to be a reasonable source of antioxidants and flavanoids which can help protect against heart disease.

'Milk chocolate also provides some calcium, copper and small amounts of iron, magnesium and potassium.

'But it is high in fat so it is not recommended if you have a weight problem. As part of healthy balanced diet, chocolate is OK in moderation.'

MILK

Good news: We've had it drummed into us from an early age that milk is a great source of calcium - vital for growth and strengthening of bones and teeth.

Bad news: In October PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) started a campaign against milk consumption on the grounds of health and animal welfare. The group urged kids not to drink milk after claiming it caused obesity, wind, phlegm and spots.

Verdict: Dr Wendy Doyle says: 'There are so many advantages to drinking milk - such as calcium, protein and vitamin B2.

'I don't know of any evidence proving that milk can cause spots. And if you're worried about obesity, you can choose skimmed milk.

'Some people ARE intolerant to milk, causing them bloating and discomfort - but that's very uncommon.'

Food
Alchohol

And 5 years from now they'll counter this report with a 180 degree turn like they do every 5 years with certain foods.

Damn, I dont know what to eat anymore.

Paisley said:

Have a

althom said:

No thank you, Pais doesn't drink.

Paisley said:

Me thinks Pais needs one.

althom said:

If I do drink it's usually just a wine cooler.

Paisley said:

Mmmm...so you're a cheap date?

althom said:

No I'm not cheap! watch it now.

Once you study foods and their contents it gets so confusing. I'm hypoglycemic and my diet should resembles a diabetics diet ( you noticed I said should). I have a hard time trying to get my blood sugar back up to a normal level without passing out from a sugar rush. Even eating fruits are bad...Too much sugar.

Rhondab said:

Agreed. I've always been very much interested in food and
it's contents. So I've been reading up on everything I can
get my hands on for the past 8 or 9 years now and there is
so much information out there that contradicts. It's very
hard to get the right facts.

About 75% of all books and websites about food are biased
since they are in some way sponsored or funded by [mostly]
pharmaceutical companies.

But if you get 'alternative' books and info, they often
supply heaps of information, but the kind of information
that has too often not been backed by medical fact.

So it's always rather tricky to 'live by the book' when it
concerns food. Especially diets. I think it's always best
to let a dietiscien sort that out for you. And then just
add to that whatever you find out for yourself fits with
that schedule or programm.

and last week i read an interesting new study on lab rats showing that FASTING for a day helps lower the risk of lots of diseases...

apparently, rats who were allowed to eat only every other day, but consumed the same overall amount of calories as did rats who ate every day, were more healthy in the long run for reasons as yet unknown.

so, even the part about 'three meals a day' may be wrong, not to mention the 'eat every two hours' school of thought. . . .

confusing?