For the Love of Food

by Darya Rose | Jul 12, 2013

For The Love of Food

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

This week fish oil is linked to prostate cancer, how chronic cardio can kill you, and the truth about grass-fed beef.

Want to see all my favorite links? (There’s lots more). Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato, Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself)

Links of the week

Link Between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Increased Prostate Cancer Risk Confirmed <<This is the third study I’ve seen suggesting a link between high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (which are typically considered beneficial, especially for the heart and brain) and prostate cancer. It might be time for men to reconsider those fish oil supplements if you’re also eating oily fish regularly. (ScienceDaily)
The Dark Side of Artificial Sweeteners: Expert Reviews Negative Impact <<A recent editorial summarizes the evidence supporting the use of artificial sweeteners for health and weight loss, and concludes there aren’t many. It seems like fake sugars may be just as problematic as regular sugar. (ScienceDaily)
The Evidence Continues to Mount Against Chronic Cardio <<Convinced cardio workouts are the best bang for your buck? Here are a few reasons to reconsider. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
How Meditation Works <<In my new book Foodist I argue that mindfulness practice (aka meditation) should be thought of “like the gym for your brain.” This article explains some of the science behind how it works. (The Atlantic)
SURVIVING THE NIGHT SHIFT <<Working night shifts is well established to cause health problems, but I’ve never experienced them so haven’t been able to give much good advice for getting through unscathed. Thanks to pharmacist and paleo guru, Michelle Tam, for giving us the lowdown. (Nom Nom Paleo)
Obesity, cancer and bacteria in the gut: Scientists explore link <<Far more interesting than the title suggests, new research shows that obesity itself, independent of diet (they used genetically obese mice as well as mice that were made obese through diet), can impact certain gut bacteria that create a cancer promoting byproduct. Complicated, but fascinating stuff to geek out on. (LA Times)
What You Should Know About Beef Production Claims <<A fabulous exposé of all the tricks and loopholes that can exist for terms like “organic,” “pasture-raised,” and “grass-fed” beef. A must read for meat-conscious omnivores. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
SURPRISING SOURCE OF VITAMIN D <<It’s mushrooms! Yum! (Dr. Weil)
Pollution cuts life spans by 5.5 years in north China, study says <<Never forget that there is more than food that impacts your longevity and quality of life. Sometimes your health is worth relocating for. (LA Times)
Miso Oat Porridge Recipe <<Savory breakfast porridge? Yes please. (101 Cookbooks)

What inspired you this week?

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Tags: artificial sweeteners, cardio, fake sugar, fish oil, food labels, gut microbes, Health, meditation, mindfulness, mushrooms, night shift, omega-3, pollution, prostate cancer, vitamin D

4 Responses to “For the Love of Food”

Jørgen says:

July 12, 2013 at 12:26 pm

Hi, Norwegian here (Salmon second largest export in our country). I read about the omega 3 study in an post a couple of days ago and was curious that they specifically mentioned omega 3 supplements. I’m curious as to what makes omega 3 supplements different from eating fish that is rich on Omega 3.

In Norway most people drink a spoon of a product called “Møllerens Tran” (cod liver oil) daily. It tastes awful, but is advertised as being extremely healthy.
http://www.adressa.no/incoming/article1226477.ece5/BINARY/w680/Tran+bred

Personally I prefer to eat fish for breakfast instead as my girlfriend does not like fish particularly so I am unable to eat it for dinner. We have a spread called “Makrell i tomat” (Mackerel in tomato sauce) which tastes great on dark bread.
http://www.matsiden.no/images/artikler/makrell.jpg

I would be curious to know if you guys had anything similar in the US.

Reply
- Darya Rose says:
  
  July 12, 2013 at 12:59 pm
  
  This study tested blood levels of omega-3s and did not distinguish between eating fish and supplements. I mentioned supplements specifically because there is certainly much evidence suggesting that eating oily fish is healthy, so my concern is about adding more of these nutrients to your body than is necessary. For someone not eating any fish at all, I would still imagine supplements to be beneficial.
  
  Keep in mind this is just an associative study, and does not prove cause and effect.
  
  Reply
  - Jørgen says:
    
    July 12, 2013 at 1:15 pm
    
    Ah.. gotcha. They mentioned supplements a lot in the article, but I guess it was in regards to uncontrolled addition of supplements to a diet that already contains omega 3. To me it seemed like the paper failed to take in to consideration other potential causes that could affect the research results, but I work in computer research so what do I know 🙂
    
    If you get omega 3 through supplements you miss all the great additional nutrition fish gives you like proteins, b12 and iodine though.
    
    The national health association in Norway recommends 300 – 450 grams of fish a week it seems.
    
    Thank you for replying 🙂
Steph says:

July 17, 2013 at 7:59 am

Darya, what do you think of this article? (URL below, and you might need to be registered on their site to access it.) Life Extensions is an organization that puts a lot of stock in the benefits of supplements so obviously their interest is going to be in discrediting the idea that fish oil supplements could potentially be harmful.
http://www.lef.org/featured-articles/Fish-and-Prostate-Cancer-Risk-Fact-or-Fiction.htm?utm_source=INFEML_ING300E_0716&utm_medium=email&utm_term=fish_and_cancer_risk&utm_content=ButtonClick&utm_campaign=ING300E&sourcecode=ING300E

Reply