Last week we talked about the pros and cons of eating soy including it’s role in breast cancer and it’s affect on the, errr, manly arts.

As always, show notes are below.

July 19, 2011 | Tonight on Summer Tomato Live we’re discussing soy. Some say it prevents cancer, others think it promotes it, and some claim it’s evil for causing man boobs. We’ll get to the bottom of these issues and more today during the show.

Join us at 6:00pm PST to learn about how soy affects your health and what to do about it.

Participation is only available to subscribers of the newsletter Tomato Slice. You can sign up at any time, even during the show, and the password for participation will be emailed to you immediately.

Click here to sign up and get the password

Read this for more information on the show and newsletter

To watch live and join the discussion click the red “Join event” button, login with Twitter or your Vokle account, and enter the password when prompted.

I encourage you to call in with video questions, particularly if your question is nuanced and may involve a back and forth discussion. Please use headphones to call in however, or the feedback from the show is unbearable.

See you soon!

Show notes:

Relevant links:

Probiotics and Fermented Foods – Episode 6

Seaweed, salt and iodine – Office Hours (it’s in there I swear)

Cholesterol Explained

Chinese food safety issues

Healthy Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

Miso

Soy sauce

Someone asked during the show how this advice applies to soy sauce. Turns out there are 2 different methods of brewing soy sauce. The traditional way is fermented and has the same attributes as fermented soy products mentioned in the episode. The other method creates the sauces by hydrolyzing soy, which creates a number of unwanted byproducts including MSG and potentially some carcinogenic chemicals. The Wikipedia article on soy sauce is very informative.

Breast cancer

Meta-analysis of soy intake and breast cancer risk

Soy isoflavones consumption and risk of breast cancer incidence or recurrence: a meta-analysis of prospective studies

Epidemiology of soy exposures and breast cancer risk

Soyfood intake in the prevention of breast cancer risk in women: a meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies

Prostate cancer

Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis

What about demasculizing men?

One of the biggest fears men have about eating soy is the possibility of phytoestrogens demasculizing men, creating sexual dysfunction, infertility and the dreaded man boobs.

Indeed, there have been several studies in rodents suggesting that soy can interfere with reproductive pathways and fertility. However, human and monkey studies show that most men have no need to fear soy.

Acute exposure of adult male rats to dietary phytoestrogens reduces fecundity and alters epididymal steroid hormone receptor expression.

Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men: results of a meta-analysis

Soybean isoflavone exposure does not have feminizing effects on men: a critical examination of the clinical evidence

Dietary soy protein containing isoflavonoids does not adversely affect the reproductive tract of male cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction associated with soy product consumption

Osteoporosis

Soy isoflavone intake inhibits bone resorption and stimulates bone formation in menopausal women: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Effect of long-term intervention of soy isoflavones on bone mineral density in women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Heart disease

Soy protein effects on serum lipoproteins: a quality assessment and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled studies

Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Relation between soy-associated isoflavones and LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations in humans: a meta-analysis

The effect of soy protein with or without isoflavones relative to milk protein on plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women.

Association of dietary intake of soy, beans, and isoflavones with risk of cerebral and myocardial infarctions in Japanese populations: the Japan Public Health Center-based (JPHC) study cohort I.

Notably, this was not convincing enough for the American Heart Association

A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Nutrition Committee of the AHA

Thyroid issues

If you have moderate hypothyroid issues, it may be prudent to restrict your soy intake to low levels.

The effect of soy phytoestrogen supplementation on thyroid status and cardiovascular risk markers in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study

Effects of soy protein and soybean isoflavones on thyroid function in healthy adults and hypothyroid patients: a review of the relevant literature.

Impact of flavonoids on thyroid function

Memory/cognitive effects of soy

High Tofu Intake Is Associated with Worse Memory in Elderly Indonesian Men and Women

Borobudur revisited: soy consumption may be associated with better recall in younger, but not in older, rural Indonesian elderly.

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

The USDA release a new “Nutrition Plate,” cell phones might cause cancer (but probably don’t), the uselessness of genetically modified salmon and more. A great week for food and health reading.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Digg. I also share links at Twitter (@summertomato) and the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• Nutrition Plate Unveiled, Replacing Food Pyramid <<Not bad, though I’m sad there’s no emphasis on healthy fats. (New York Times)
• If cellphones cause cancer, how do they do it? No one knows (i.e. don’t panic) <<A rare dose of critical thinking and rational reporting from a major news source. (Los Angeles Times)
• MSG linked to weight gain <<BS of the week. Is MSG actually causing weight gain, or does fattening processed food tend to be full of MSG? Let’s not jump to conclusions. (Medline)
• Connecting Dots: Fruit is Real Food; Eat It <<Love this post for many reasons. It always makes me cringe when people tell me they avoid fruit because of sugar. Fructose ≠ fruit. (Free The Animal)
• Eating Fat, Staying Lean <<A little more evidence that dietary fat won’t kill you. (New York Times)
• Ten ways to get kids to eat their veggies <<These tips for kids (foreign to me) are much more creative than I expected them to be. Thx to the reader who sent it my way. (CNN)
• Genetically Engineered Salmon’s Empty Promises <<Awesome analysis of the uselessness of GMO salmon. (Gilt Taste)
• Scientists Discover ‘Ultra-Bad’ Cholesterol <<We’re learning that heart disease is more nuanced than a simple cholesterol measurement can tell us. (Medline)
• Where Food Is God <<I found this article about how health food was invented by religious cults to be very entertaining and well worth a read. (Slate)
• spring salad with new potatoes <<A beautiful spring recipe by one of my favorite blogs. (Smitten Kitchen)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week I found a surprisingly in depth and thoughtful piece on genetically modified foods, an even more impressive food commitment by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and a few good signs that the politics of food labels are headed in the right direction—truth.

Also, for you geeks my thesis work is finally published. Here’s the deets.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Digg. I also share links at Twitter (@summertomato) and the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• With no labeling, few realize they are eating genetically modified foods <<Excellent analysis of the politics of GMO. Of course labeling is a good idea. (Los Angeles Times)
• Mark Zuckerberg’s new challenge: Eating only what he kills (and yes, we do mean literally…) <<I’m really impressed with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg‘s commitment to own his food choices this year. As someone who has killed many animals (lab research), I think the experience is invaluable for appreciating our modern food chain. (CNN)
• Study Questions Treatment Used in Heart Disease <<Turns out drugs that raise HDL cholesterol aren’t as valuable as everyone hoped. But HDL is still an excellent predictor of heart disease. Seems like you’ll have to raise it the old fashioned way, with diet and exercise. (New York Times)
• Red Meat and Colon Cancer: Beyond the Headlines <<Insightful analysis of the latest news about red meat and colon cancer. Read before you eat. (Nutrition Over Easy)
• Groups Sue FDA Over Use of Certain Antibiotics in Animal Feed <<This is awesome, and I hope it forces some action from our government to fight the dangerous antibiotic resistant bacteria that are being bred in industrial farms. (Wall Street Journal)
• Is That “Organic” Egg A Good Egg? <<I always struggle to convey the degrees of “healthy” in different eggs. Now there’s a handy scorecard to help out. (Consumerist)
• POM Wonderful Health Claims for Juice Lack Scientific Support, U.S. Says <<And this is why I always take immediate action whenever a POM ad happens to slip onto this site pretending to be healthy. I’m not cool with that. (Bloomberg)
• Loading up on calcium won’t eliminate osteoporosis risk, study says <<It also raises risk of heart disease and prostate cancer. Please don’t go nuts with the supplements. (Los Angeles Times)
• Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini Recipe <<I only recently discovered how well dill and grains go together. Very much looking forward to trying this recipe. (101 Cookbooks)
• Food Is Political Says Outspoken Chef Alice Waters <<Alice Waters sometimes biffs it for the food movement, but this time she nails it. Definitely worth a watch. (Wall Street Journal)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

I love Marion Nestle calling out the food industry on their ridiculous health claims, the emphasis on food culture in health and the launch of the new and awesome Gilt Taste.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Digg. I also share links at Twitter (@summertomato) and the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• Foods With Benefits? Oh please. <<Excellent, must read article about the BS the food industry is trying to pull on you. (Food Politics)
• The Mediterranean Diet: It’s Not Just About Food <<It’s about culture. (Huffington Post)
• Localizing Fruit, Vegetable Consumption Doesn’t Necessarily Solve Environmental, Health Issues, Study Suggests <Once again, if you read this carefully you’ll see it’s a problem with food culture, not a problem with the definition of “local.” (ScienceDaily)
• Fine Food and Fat: Are Chefs to Blame for Obesity? <<BS of the week. People are clearly confused about the causes and effects of obesity. If we have any chance of coming out of this health crisis, we’re going to have to embrace the food movement and reinstate a food culture based on quality over quantity. (Time)
• Sitting is Killing You <<We just talked about sedentary behavior last week, but here it is in visual form. (Obesity Panacea)
• Dairy Consumption Does Not Elevate Heart-Attack Risk, Study Suggests <<Not even with all that “evil” saturated fat. Skeptics: this was funded by the NIH, not the Dairy Council. (ScienceDaily)
• Exploding watermelons put spotlight on Chinese farming practices <<Still need reasons to avoid Chinese food imports? Eek. (Guardian)
• Eat a Protein-Rich Breakfast to Reduce Food Cravings, Prevent Overeating Later, Researcher Finds <<My two favorite scientific fields (nutrition and neuroscience) united at last. (ScienceDaily)
• People with diabetes more likely to get cancer <<In case you didn’t know, there are many reasons to avoid metabolic syndrome. (Medline)
• Skillet Chicken with Green Onions and Ramps <<I’m totally inspired by the new Gilt Taste site, and I’m going to try this recipe ASAP. Check out their anti-mission statement for a dose of inspiration. (Gilt Taste)

What inspired you this week?

Thanks to those of you who participated in this episode on the role of dairy in health and weight loss. Show notes are below.

Please note that the date for the probiotics episode (#6) has changed to Monday, April 25 @ 6:30p PST (previously Tuesday, April 26).

April 11, 2011 | Does milk really protect against osteoporosis? Will too much calcium give you prostate cancer? Can you reduce acne if you stop eating dairy? What’s the deal with raw milk?

The answers may surprise you.

Tune in tonight at 6:30pm PST to join our live discussion about the pros and cons of dairy.

Live participation is only available to subscribers of the newsletter Tomato Slice. You can sign up at any time, even during the show, and the password for participation will be emailed to you immediately.

Click here to sign up and get the password

Read this for more information on the show and newsletter

To watch live and join the discussion click the red “Join event” button, login with Twitter or your Vokle account, and enter the password when prompted.

I encourage you to call in with video questions, particularly if your question is nuanced and may involve a back and forth discussion. Please use headphones to call in however, or the feedback from the show is unbearable.

Show notes:

There is a huge amount of politics surrounding this science, because of the powerful influence of dairy industries around the world. This makes data difficult to interpret. The following review and its rebuttal regarding the role of milk in type 1 diabetes is a perfect example of what I mean:

Dairy & type 1 diabetes

• Literature review
  http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v59/n5/full/1602104a.html#bib11

• Critique of review based on funding influences
  http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v60/n3/full/1602322a.html

Dairy and osteoporosis

• Recommended calcium intake = 1,000 mg for adults

• Osteoporosis is more common in Western countries than in Asia, Africa or So. America
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004072/figure/F0001/
• Western and developed countries consume the most dairy, and as countries consume more osteoporosis becomes more common
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15775506
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18947030
  • http://www.foodscience.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/intro.html
• Correlation between high calcium intake and hip fractures
  • Eat, Drink & Be Healthy, by Walter Willett

• Also, much of the world is lactose intolerant
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance
• Some evidence that dairy protects against osteoporosis
  • http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/19/suppl_2/83S
• Calcium supplementation does not protect against fractures
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18286218?dopt=Abstract
  • but might with vitamin D http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17720017?dopt=Abstract
• Vitamin D, calcium, fruits and vegetables, protein important for bone health
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19968914
• Diet “acidity” (from protein & other sources) is not a factor in osteoporosis
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19754972

Dairy and acne

• Dairy consistently shown to promote acne, probably via hormonal mechanisms
  • http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04002.x/full
• Treat acne with low GI foods (skip sugar & flour) and omega-3 fatty acids

Dairy/calcium and heart disease

• Calcium supplementation increases CVD risk
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013
  • http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3856.long

Dairy/calcium and prostate cancer

• Calcium increases prostate cancer risk
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20516117
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21335998
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20843485
• Reduce risk with legumes, nuts, seafood
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20232354

Dairy/calcium and colon cancer

• Calcium decreases colorectal cancer risk
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21335998
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19423533
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19237724
• Though data is inconsistent
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8333412

Dairy & breast cancer

• Dairy and meat do not promote cancer in adult women
  • http://www.ajcn.org/content/90/3/455.long
• Some studies show reduced risk of cancer (both from China)
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21442197
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21128178
• Milk from cows given rBGH (hormone from Monsanto) increase cancer risk
  • http://www.preventcancer.com/press/releases/july8_98.htm

Dairy & weight loss (very tough to find studies not funded by dairy industry)

• Moderate weight loss from dairy (but rarely from intervention studies w/o caloric restriction)
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21320381
• Possible mechanisms include:
  • Ca++
  • protein
  • conjugated lineoleic acid (CLA)
  • medium-chain fatty acids
• My interpretation: dairy not likely to have big impact on body weight

Cheese protects against cancer and heart disease?

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20335553
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179058
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21447660

Extras

• Raw Milk, A Potentially Risky Elixer, by Bill Marler

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

Lots of important food reading this week (and some from last week, since I skipped it). Learn why we should all be afraid of industrial meat production, how bananas are evil and why your dog may be your best friend and workout buddy. There are also a few lessons about how to read science in the news.

I read many more wonderful articles than I post here each week. If you’d like to see more or just don’t want to wait until Friday, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@summertomato) or the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. For a complete list of my favorite stories check out my links on Digg. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• When the WSJ reports on the overuse of antibiotics, we should all pay attention <<I like bacon as much as the next guy, but this should scare all of you. Industrial meat production is dangerous even if you don’t eat meat. (Marler Blog)
• The film that stood up to banana giant Dole over pesticide poisoning (and won) <<There are many reasons I don’t buy bananas (they aren’t at my farmers market, for one), but this is one of the better reasons I’ve heard to skip them. (Ecologist)
• Face of Heart Attack Grill Dies at Age 29, 572 Pounds <<This is just sad. According to the video it seems the guy really didn’t think he had a problem. (FoxNews)
• Forget the Treadmill. Get a Dog. <<As a newly minted puppy owner, I love this advice for getting more exercise. (New York Times)
• Does Selenium Prevent Cancer? It May Depend on Which Form People Take <<When you see conflicting science in the news it doesn’t mean it’s all hogwash, it more likely means the situation is more complicated than we know. (ScienceDaily)
• The perils of food and nutrition research <<How do you know what science to believe when you see it? Marion Nestle does a great job explaining. (Food Politics)
• Cooks, don’t buy the book — just wait for the packaging <<What I found interesting about this article is that cooking from scratch doesn’t take any more time than using processed, pre-packaged foods. (Los Angeles Times)
• Fat Alone, Not Where It Sits, May Be Key to Heart Problems <<If you were counting on your booty to protect you from heart disease, you might want to reconsider. (Medline)
• Roasted carrots <<How to make a tasty, healthy dish in less than 10 minutes. (Chez Us)
• Shaved Fennel Salad with Tuna, Cannellini Beans, and Red Onion <<This looks like perfect food to me. (Over The Hill And On A Roll)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

The biggest news this week is that I defended my thesis on Tuesday and am now officially a PhD, but that didn’t stop the universe from producing a bunch of other important food and health stories. It might be time for a reality check on your pants size, as well as your understanding of fat and metabolic health. I also found a simple and delicious guide to cooking okra.

I read many more wonderful articles than I post here each week. If you’d like to see more or just don’t want to wait until Friday, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@summertomato) or the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. For a complete reading list join me on Digg. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• Why You Shouldn’t Rely on Clothing for Actual Waist Measurements <<I understand the value of having a healthy body image, but changing clothes sizes to distort reality isn’t the answer. Don’t kid yourself. (Lifehacker)
• Not enough, rather than too much fat, causes metabolic problems of obesity <<In science, few things are more important than questioning the status quo. There’s a good amount of data suggesting that the accumulation of body fat is a protective mechanism, which leads to interesting and slightly different treatments for metabolic diseases than doctors are currently recommending. (Obesity Panacea)
• Long-term weight loss may be harmful to health <<BS of the week. As the last article explains, we might very well be barking up the wrong tree on the obesity and health front, but this article doesn’t come close to proving that. A correlation based on flimsy data does not good science make. (Medline)
• THIS Is Why I Love the Mediterranean Diet <<Great review of the latest research on the advantages of following a Mediterranean diet. Makes me smile (Advanced Mediterranean Diet)
• High doses of B vitamins can reduce brain shrinkage, memory loss, study finds <<I’m not holding my breath, but this is still encouraging. (Los Angeles Times)
• Why are there no nuts in Honey Nut Cheerios? <<Why is this the first time I’ve ever heard anyone ask this question? (Weighty Matters)
• Working Overtime Adds to Heart Risk for Out-of-Shape Men <<Do you use your tough work schedule to justify being physically lazy? New data suggests you should be doing the opposite. (Medline)
• Eat Like a Greek to Avoid Skin Cancer <<Interesting findings about the impact of diet on melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer. (Dr. Weil Blog)
• Appetite Hormones May Predict Weight Regain After Dieting <<More data that we are all different in how we respond to diets. Find your own healthstyle rather than relying on nutritional dogma. (ScienceDaily)
• How To Cook Okra <<I’m not into slimy okra, but it is a vegetable I’ve learned to love. Preparing it properly is simple and is explained here by Michael Ruhlman. (Ruhlman)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

Hard to avoid the topic of eggs and food safety these days, but the conversation is worth participating in. I also recommend Chef John’s recap of the IFBC conference (even if you don’t know what that is), and Foodiggity‘s Ketchup vs. Catsup post.

I read many more wonderful articles than I post here each week. If you’d like to see more or just don’t want to wait until Friday, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@summertomato) or the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. For a complete reading list join me on the new Digg or StumbleUpon. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• The High Cost of Eggs <<Personally I am willing to pay many times what grocery store eggs cost for the better taste and safety, but apparently it only costs a penny per egg to bring industrial eggs up to a minimal safety standard. Is it worth it? (New York Times)
• What if I had a food safety magic wand? <<If you care about the safety of your food, you should read this account of what someone who thinks about it day and night would do to fix it. (Marler Blog)
• Omega-3 margarines fail to help in heart study <<For the zillionth time science show that a fake food loaded with a supposedly healthy nutrient does nothing to help in real life. Why not just eat the original healthy foods?  (The Vancouver Sun)
• Beer’s not to blame for weight gain <<Um, yes it is. BS of the week. Just because it doesn’t contain fat or cholesterol doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a ton of extra calories and maltose. It’s not as fattening as food, but it could easily be blamed for your weight gain. (Telegraph)
• Eating mix of fruits, veggies may cut lung cancer risk <<What’s cool about this study is it shows that variety, not just quantity of fresh produce protects against cancer. Yum! (CNN)
• 2010 International Food Bloggers Conference Recap: The Unbearable Lightness of Being Influential <<I didn’t go to IFBC, but this recap is both hilarious and informative. If you happened to be busy last weekend preparing for your thesis defense and missed the IFBC conference, this is a must read. (Food Wishes)
• 3 Reasons New Yorkers Live Longer <<I love this short post by Dr. Weil about how easy it is to extend your life by taking a few lessons from NYC. (Dr. Weil Blog)
• Ketchup vs. Catsup <<It confused Springfield billionaire Mr. Burns, but Foodiggity has all the answers.
• FDA reports numerous violations at egg farms <<Video and details on why it isn’t surprising that this industrial farm poisoned thousands of Americans. (CNN)
• Farro Salad with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Basil <<It’s hard to overstate how deeply I have fallen for farro this summer. Here’s a quintessential recipe I hope you try, I’m certain you’ll love it. (David Lebovitz)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

If you are certain milk is good for you, please read the Los Angeles Times article explaining why it may be time to reconsider. There’s also good news this week about the benefits of green tea, exercise, vitamin D and fish oil. I love good news!

I read many more wonderful articles than I post here each week. If you’d like to see more or just don’t want to wait until Friday, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@summertomato) or the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. For a complete reading list join me on the new Digg or StumbleUpon. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

• Too much milk? <<We’ve all grown up hearing milk does a body good, but it isn’t particularly true. Some people, myself included, even consider large quantities of milk to be dangerous. Here’s a fantastic analysis. (Los Angeles Times)
• Drinking green tea really might help burn off extra weight <<Interesting new data on the value of green tea in weight loss. One more thumbs up for this amazing beverage. (NutritionData)
• Hungry Girl Offers a Real Take on Diet Foods <<BS of the week. I’m sure she means well, but the Hungry Girl take on food, diet and satisfaction makes me sad for humanity. (New York Times) [Props to Pretty Green Girl for articulating what's wrong with the Hungry Girl philosophy: No Wonder She’s Hungry, Girl]
• On beans, rice, and everything you ever wanted to know about protein quality <<Really useful tutorial on the quality of protein in foods and what it means for you. (NutritionData)
• What Caffeine Actually Does to Your Brain <<Interesting and surprisingly sciencey description on the effect of your daily cup of joe on the ol’ noggin. Worth a gander for the geekier among you. (Lifehacker)
• Exercise, Vitamin D Seem to Cut Alzheimer’s Risk <<Awesome if true. (Medline)
• Scraped, not Peeled <<Cool trick for dealing with small, delicate carrots. (Mark Bittman)
• Fish Oil Supplements Linked to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer: Study <<This isn’t conclusive, but I find it interesting, slightly surprising and a bit promising. (Medline)
• A Visual Guide to Peppers <<Chili pepper season is coming up at the farmers market. Here’s a useful guide to navigating my favorite late summer food. (Epicurious)
• Baked Summer Tomatoes <<I want this soooo bad. So bad. (Fresh 365)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

Be sure to check out my guest post today over at Ecosalon! Top 10 Mistakes Made By Farmers Market Noobz

No good news this week for those of you who still love processed foods. Turns out sugar (not fat) causes heart disease, processed soy products causes cancer and the health insurance industries puts their extra money into fast food stocks. Luckily there is still hope for those of us interested in eating real food with actual taste.

I read many more wonderful articles than I post here each week. If you’d like to see more or just don’t want to wait until Friday, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@summertomato) or the Summer Tomato Facebook fan page. For complete reading lists join me on the social bookmarking sites StumbleUpon and Delicious. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you there. (Note: If you want a follow back on Twitter introduce yourself with an @ message).

Links of the week

• Health Insurance Companies Invest Billions In Fast Food Stock <<Do you need any more proof that you can’t count on companies to look out for you and your family’s best interests? Stay out of both fast food joints and hospitals by skipping processed foods all together. (ABC News)
• Added sugars are bad for the heart, but does it matter which kind you eat? <<Gasp! Sugar is (really really) bad for you! Who knew? (Los Angeles Times)
• Soy Report and Scorecard <<BS of the week goes to the soy industry for pretending to make health food while actually feeding people carcinogens. Don’t be surprised, processed soy food is just as bad as processed corn food. (The Cornucopia Institute)
• Being fat is bad for your brain <<You know those reports that come out every few months that say being fat might actually be good for you? Well, those ignore a lot of things like, for instance, your brain. (New York Times)
• Steady Weight Gain Boosts Late-Life Breast Cancer Risk <<And also, for instance, your cancer risk. (Medline)
• General Mills to Pull BPA from Organic Tomato Cans <<Good news for those of you worried about BPA in your canned tomatoes. Looks like they figured out a way to get it out of there. (Greener Design)
• Fish oil fails to preserve mental sharpness in the elderly, study finds <<Fish oil supplements fail to show a benefit in cognitive function in this study. Previous studies have been mixed, and remember that supplements are different from real food. (Los Angeles Times)
• Risks for Youths Who Eat What They Watch <<Scary look at the effects of marketing to children by the food industry. (New York Times)
• Cooking Fava Beans in a Flash <<Love this food hack from Allison Arevalo over at Local Lemons. Fava beans are a notoriously labor intensive. Kick that hard work in the pants with this easy recipe.
• My Food Looks Funny <<My new favorite website. Pictures of hilarious (usually nerdy) food. Who needs Lolcats?

What did you find worth reading this week?