Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Outspoken “conservative” Stephen Colbert openly endorses agribusiness, pharmaceutical companies and processed food. So, see what happens when he takes on Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, on his new film Food Inc., which exposes the American food industry:

Colbert argues with “liberals” all the time. Last month, he sparred with New York Times journalist and author of In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan. The two traded blows over organic foods, breast feeding and Colbert’s love affair with high-fructose corn syrup and soft drinks.

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Last week, Michael Pollan, New York Times journalist and natural food advocate, stopped by The Colbert Report to discuss his book In Defense of Food and went one on one with high-fructose corn syrup addict Stephen Colbert. It got ugly:

Michael Pollan is a really cool guy. I haven’t read his book yet, but it’s on my list, along with Marley and Me. Now, if you don’t know who Michael Pollan is, check out this awesome interview with him from Democracy Now.

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Not exactly a revelation, but new research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found reducing calories from sugary beverages, even as little as one serving per day can result in over two pounds of weight-loss over 18 months. Experts examined the diets of 810 adults, ages 25 to 79, for 18 months, finding that sugar-sweetened drinks accounted for 37% of calories consumed, leading researchers to claim cutting sugary drinks is more important for losing weight than eating less; via HealthDay News.

Soda’s not your friend, despite how cute the Coca-Cola polar bears are. All the high-fructose corn syrup in soft drinks raises type-2 diabetes risk and soda is pretty creepy, it has the same pH as vinegar and leaches calcium from your bones and let’s not forget. Cola will rot your feet with the gout. Eek!

Last week, scientists determined women drinking sweetened beverages have a 35% higher risk of heart disease and other studies have linked soda with kidney disease and metabolic syndrome.

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New research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found women drinking sweetened beverages may have a 35% higher risk of heart disease. For the study, experts evaluated data from nearly 89,000 women without heart problems, stroke or diabetes in 1980, using questionnaires to track dietary habits. After 24 years, researchers documented over 3,000 incidences of fatal and non-fatal coronary artery disease; via Food Navigator.

Warning labels have even been suggested for soda, due to probable weight-gain associated with over-consumption. Also, soda has been linked with the gout, a buildup of uric acid, causing arthritis or worse. However, a report this November revealed taking soft drinks out of schools, while good intentioned, doesn’t stop kids from getting their soda fix.

In the past, sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup have raised concern over mercury contamination and sugary drinks’ link to weight-gain and obesity is causing politicians to consider taxes on non-diet soft drinks, such as New York governor David Paterson.

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A new study in Environmental Health claims women drinking two or more regular sodas a day may have a higher risk of kidney damage. Consuming lots of soda, i.e. high-fructose corn syrup, increases risk of albuminuria, a marker of early kidney disease. Of the participants, 9,358 women ages 20 and up, those who drank at least two sodas a day had a 40% higher risk of albuminuria. Men have a similar risk; via Med Page Today.

Actually, a previous report listed soft drinks, along with red meat and salt, as cancer-causing foods. Maybe that’s why New York wants to slap a tax on sugary drinks, like soda, and why the FDA slammed Coca-Cola for making bogus health claims about Coke Plus.

This is funny too. Coke says soda is great for hydrating your body after a workout. Yeah, and the sugar high will bounce you off the walls too—stupid!

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A 12-ounce soda can have as much as nine teaspoons of sugar. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), an artificial sweetener made from corn, usually gets the blame, but one expert contends even if the food industry replaced all the HFCS with traditional sugar, we’d still have exactly the same health problems we have now, referring to our epidemic of obesity, heart disease and diabetes; The New York Times investigates.

And a few months ago there was a big push to prove high-fructose corn syrup is equal to sugar, which might be true, but still isn’t a reason to let HFCS off the hook. High-fructose corn syrup drives childhood obesity and leads to soda addiction in adolescents.

Then last week, a new study discovered mercury in high-fructose corn syrup, citric acid and sodium benzoate, all ingredients of soda. So yeah, don’t drink soda!

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A new study in Environmental Health discovered mercury in citric acid, sodium benzoate and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). An analysis of HFCS from three different manufacturers revealed mercury levels ranging from under the detection limit of 0.005 to 0.570 micrograms of mercury per gram of high fructose corn syrup. The researchers claim average daily consumption of HFCS in America is 50 grams per person, spelling possible danger for children and sensitive populations; Reuters investigates.

But back in October, the lunatics at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled that high fructose corn syrup is natural, prompting an ad campaign by corn refiners insisting that HFCS is the same as sugar. Yeah, because that’s something to brag about!

Sorry sugar pushers. Previous reports have linked high fructose corn syrup with diabetes and obesity and soft drinks with cardiovascular disease.

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• I thought astronauts only subsisted on Tang and freeze-dried ice cream. But experts think silk worms are another option. Yeah, the bugs that make silk, mainly because they don’t produce a lot of poop, but the average spaceman would need to eat 170 worms a day; via DiscoBlog.

• Despite good intentions, many dieters breakdown and splurge on crappy food. According to a new report, ice cream and sorbet, mayonnaise, margarine, crackers and cookies are the top five diet-breakers, with ice cream and sorbet taking the top spot; from Marketing Charts.

• The U.S. Agriculture Secretary wants to update our food safety system, saying a modernized system should focus on early detection of potential dangers. But some people are calling for a separate food-safety agency, instead of the FDA and USDA sharing the duties; via Reuters.

• A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims winter temperatures may cause high blood pressure in the elderly. Among the participants, 8,801 adults over the age of 65, those with high blood pressure in the summer, 23.8%, jumped to 33.4% in winter; WebMD explains.

• Sitting down too much may worsen sleep apnea. Research in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reveals sitting a lot causes fluid to build up in the legs and when laying down the fluid shift is greater, making sleep apnea worse; Reuters reports.

• More and more food is turning up counterfeit. It’s dubious, wild fish is turning out to be farm-raised fish, soybean oil if being mixed with high-grade extra virgin olive oil, honey is cut with high fructose corn syrup and sugar-water is diluting maple syrup; USA Today investigates.

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