Tag: Diet and Health

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It’s Not Just the Lettuce

The North Carolina cyclospora outbreak is linked to parsley and cilantro, as well as lettuce, according to an update by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDHHS). While parsley and cilantro have been mentioned as possible vectors in this huge outbreak, this is the first time they have been linked to illnesses. North Carolina Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Parsley and Cilantro – https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2026/north-carolina-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-parsley-and-cilantro/

Cyclospora is different from other foodborne pathogens.  It comes from human waste and cannot be removed by washing (although that helps some) or killed by chlorine.  It can only be removed by microfiltration or killed by heat or, maybe, ultra-violet radiation.

It needs to prevented from getting into irrigation water.

Lettuce producers have known about the Cyclospora hazard for more than a decade.  They have not acted, and neither has the government. The Cyclospora outbreak: an everyone-is-at-fault system failure: “LettuceGate” https://www.foodpolitics.com/2026/07/the-cyclospora-outbreak-an-everyone-is-at-fault-system-failure/

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Diet and Dementia

Findings  In this cohort study of 1865 older adults without dementia followed up for up to 15 years, higher diet quality was associated with lower dementia risk. Among participants at higher risk, only a dietary pattern with lower inflammatory potential showed consistent inverse associations. Diet Quality and Dementia Risk in Older Adults With Alzheimer Pathology – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2850780

This morning I lowered my risk for dementia with a bowl of berries, banana, and Greek yogurt.

Last Night

Smoked Pulled Pork, Mac & Cheese, Bacon, Cheddar-Jack, Sweet & Smokey BBQ Sauce and Green Onions.

At least the potato didn’t do any damage.

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Eat Ice Cream With NO Guilt

Sugar-Free Diet Linked to Metabolic Changes

“Completely removing sucrose from a low-fat diet may unexpectedly disrupt gut health and promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, highlighting that balanced nutrition is more important than simply eliminating sugar,” said Rasheed Ahmad, Ph.D., principal scientist and head of the Immunology & Microbiology Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, in Kuwait City, Kuwait

To evaluate the effects of eliminating sucrose, the researchers measured glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, circulating metabolic hormones, the gut microbiome, and inflammation in both the colon and liver.

Despite maintaining similar body weights, mice on the sucrose-free diet experienced several negative health changes compared with the control group. These included poorer glucose control, insulin resistance, imbalances in gut microbes, intestinal inflammation, and changes associated with fatty liver disease. Scientists found a surprising problem with sugar-free diets – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260614011843.htm The Endocrine Society. “Scientists found a surprising problem with sugar-free diets.” ScienceDaily (accessed June 14, 2026).

Today, we eat ice cream!

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Eat More Eggs

Researchers at Loma Linda University Health report that eating eggs may be linked to a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in adults age 65 and older. Their findings suggest that regular egg consumption could play a role in supporting long-term brain health. Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center. “Eating eggs could cut Alzheimer’s risk by 27%.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260506225214.htm (accessed May 7, 2026).

Eggs are a rich source of nutrients relevant to brain health. They provide choline, a precursor to acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine, both of which are critical for memory and synaptic function [11]. Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin-carotenoids that accumulate in brain tissue and are associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced oxidative stress [9,11]. Other key nutrients in eggs include high-quality protein rich in tryptophan (a serotonin precursor involved in mood regulation, cognition, and melatonin synthesis) and DHA [21], an omega-3 (n–3) fatty acid important for synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and neuronal membrane integrity [9,11,21]. Emerging evidence also highlights the role of egg-derived tryptophan peptides in enhancing attention, reducing stress reactivity, and improving executive function in older adults [11]. These nutrients may act synergistically to support cognitive resilience and mitigate neurodegenerative processes. Notably, deficiencies in choline and DHA have been documented in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease [21,22]. Jisoo Oh, Keiji Oda, Gabriela Chiriac, Gary E Fraser, Rawiwan Sirirat, Joan Sabaté. Egg Intake and the Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Adventist Health Study-2 Cohort Linked with Medicare Data. The Journal of Nutrition, 2026; 101541 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101541

It’s funny to note most of my posts about eggs were rants about the cost.

https://garyskitchen.net/tag/eggs/

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Eating whole grains can improve longevity

The two new meta analysis reviews (studies of studies) found that consuming whole grains reduces your risk of diseases that shorten your life. One published in BMJ analyzed 45 studies and concluded that whole grains can help you live longer by cutting your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory disease, and infectious diseases. The other report, published in the journal Circulation, reviewed the data in 14 studies that combined had more than 786,000 participants. It noted that for every 16-gram (about a slice of bread) increase in whole grain consumption, mortality risk is cut by 7 percent. 5 Things To Know About Whole Grains – https://www.bluezones.com/2016/12/5-things-know-whole-grains/

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Protein Bars Anyone?

Participants with the highest intake averaged 9.3 servings of ultra-processed foods per day, while those with the lowest intake averaged 1.1 servings. Compared with the lowest group, those in the highest group had a 67% greater risk of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke, or experiencing non-fatal heart attacks, strokes or resuscitated cardiac arrest.

American College of Cardiology. “Ultra-processed foods linked to 67% higher risk of heart attack and stroke.” ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260319074604.htm (accessed March 19, 2026).

I need to add a few more things to my How I Got Fat list of foods I don’t eat anymore.

Like protein bars.

Fetter says that low-calorie, high-protein bars shouldn’t be treated as wholesale replacements for other sources of protein, especially given their use of processed or artificial ingredients. “[I understand] using tools like different bars or meal replacements that could come in handy when someone is on the go, but consuming products like that just isn’t inherently healthier for you,” Debbie Fetter, a professor in nutrition at UC Davis.

Everything You Need to Know About the David Protein Bar Class-Action Lawsuit https://www.gq.com/story/david-protein-bar-lawsuit

Why would anyone want to eat a collection of concocted ingredients like this with hardly any of them recognizable as food? These bars are quintessential ultra-processed products.

Marion Nestle https://www.foodpolitics.com/2026/03/lawsuit-1-davids-protein-bars/

I’m guilty of having eaten several of those plant based burgers that bleed . Impossible Foods https://impossiblefoods.com/ marketed their burgers with a message the burgers “bleed” just like beef burgers. I no longer eat any fake meats because they are highly ultra processed.

I do miss my tofu dogs with sauerkraut though.

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Common Food Preservatives Linked to Higher DM2 Risk

Over the study period, 1,131 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified among the 108,723 participants. Compared with people who consumed the lowest levels of preservatives, those with higher intake showed a markedly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Overall preservative consumption was linked to a 47% higher risk. Non-antioxidant preservatives were associated with a 49% increase, while antioxidant additives were linked to a 40% higher risk.

INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale). “Common food preservatives linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260109080211.htm (accessed January 10, 2026).

Type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history and lineage than type 1, and studies of twins have shown that genetics play a very strong role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Race can also play a role. Yet it also depends on environmental factors. Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes. Obesity tends to run in families, and families often have similar eating and exercise habits. Genetics of Diabetes – https://diabetes.org/about-diabetes/genetics-diabetes

Remember this:

Stay as thin as you can as long as you can – https://lifeunderwriter.net/2022/04/05/stay-as-thin-as-you-can-as-long-as-you-can/

And watch out for those preservatives.

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Obesity Economics

Some 56.2 percent of the daily calories consumed by US adults come from federally subsidized food commodities: corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, dairy, and livestock. While these calorie-dense foods once made sense for a government preparing for famine or total war, in recent decades they’ve instead helped make us fatter and sicker.  Obesity Economics: How Subsidies Distort the American Diet – https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/obesity-economics-how-subsidies-distort-the-american-diet/

Yikes.