conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What could be a title for a book about FACE="TradeGothic-BoldCondTwenty, Society, Award</strong with the genre: Science & Math, Chemistry?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A title for this book could be 'An Apple A Day'
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the first five paragraphs for this book
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: An Apple A Day
  Eating used to be simple. As long as the food was tasty, looked reasonably appetizing and was plentiful, we were content. But then science came to dinner, and all of a sudden sitting down at the table became a laboratory experience, and a confusing one at that. Eat fish, we were told, it's chock full of omega-3 fats. Be careful, urged another report, fish may harbor "good" fats, but it's also loaded with PCBs and mercury. We switched to margarine from butter because it had fewer saturated fats. But then came accusations that the trans-fatty acids it contained clogged arteries just like saturated fats. Eat soy, we were told, it lowers your cholesterol. Don't eat soy, it affects thyroid function. Drink milk, you need the calcium. Don't drink milk, it forms mucus. Drink coffee, it is full of antioxidants. Don't drink coffee, it raises blood pressure. Then there are those little gems that "they" say. Stay away from MSG. Don't touch foods preserved with nitrites. Or with sulphites. Beware of pesticide residues. Ban foods that contain genetically modified organisms. Don't cook in Teflon pots. Or in microwave ovens. Stay away from sugar. And don't even think about artificial sweeteners! But just who are "they"? We've been advised to load up on foods like oats, flax, mangosteen juice, garlic, and oregano because some researchers showed each of these to be of some benefit. Whole-grain bread may be in one day—lots of useful fiber and vitamins—but out the next because acrylamide, a purported carcinogen, was detected in the crust.
  Many people throw up their arms in bewilderment at all this confusing nutritional information, and go back to their old dietary regimens. And that is too bad. Nutrition is important. The challenge is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and come to some practical conclusions about what to eat, based not on hearsay but on sound science.
  This is not easy to do, especially when we consider that the human body is the most complex machine on the face of the earth. The diversity of its molecular components is so astounding that by comparison, computers, medical scanners, and space vehicles are simple devices. What we call life is really the result of astonishingly complex molecular activity that goes on in every cell in our body every second of the day. And where do the molecules that engage in these intricate gymnastics come from? One way or another, they come from the food we eat.
  Take salicylic acid as an example. It occurs naturally in a variety of fruits and plants, including apples. It is also formed in our body when aspirin is metabolized. Indeed, salicylic acid is responsible for the physiological effects of aspirin, which include reducing the risk of blood-clot formation. That's why aspirin is used to treat a heart attack, and why it is commonly taken in small doses to prevent one. But in an overdose, salicylic acid can kill. Before childproof packaging was introduced, aspirin poisoning was a common cause of death in children. So how do we react if a test detects salicylic acid in our blood? Panic because of the presence of a "toxic chemical," or relief because of possible protection against heart disease? Of course, without the proper context there can be no appropriate reaction. To decide whether to laugh or cry, we need to know what blood levels of salicylic acid have been linked to risk and what levels to protection from disease. The mere presence of the chemical says nothing. As Paracelsus insightfully and wisely noted some 500 years ago, "Only the dose makes the poison." And to this we can add, "And only the dose makes the cure!"
  So let's not get paranoid about chemicals in our food. Everything in the world is made of chemicals, and if you restricted yourself to a diet free of chemicals, you would be dining in a vacuum! With that in mind, let's investigate the chemicals in an apple. So tell me, would you like some nail polish remover in your diet? Or rubbing alcohol? Then have an apple! Yes, all apples contain acetone and isopropanol. And if these don't sound toxic enough, you can throw in some cyanide. It's there too. Added by nature, not by humans! Should you then be worried about eating apples? Of course not! The amounts of these chemicals are too small to be of any consequence. Apples, as already mentioned, contain over 300 naturally occurring compounds, and whatever effect the fruit has on our health is a reflection of all of these. Researchers are particularly excited about one class of compounds, the polyphenols. Why? Because they have powerful antioxidant properties.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: three more paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Recently, though, the advocates of the sugar–hyperactiviy link found some ammunition in a Norwegian study that examined the dietary habits of some 5,000 teenagers. Researchers found a significant association between sugary beverage intake and hyperactivity, as well as a complex association with other mental problems. The worst hyperactivity problems were seen in teenagers who drank more than four soft drinks a day. This is not a very unusual amount; about 10 percent of those surveyed drank at least four such beverages a day. Curiously, those who drank no soft drinks were more likely to have mental problems. In any case, associations such as these cannot prove cause and effect, and it is possible that hyperactive teenagers are more likely to consume soft drinks. Whether the hyperactivity link is real or not, cutting back on sucrose (table sugar) is sound scientific advice. Flooding the bloodstream with sucrose causes a burst of insulin to be released that can then drop the sugar level in the blood quickly, sometimes to levels below normal. This may result in muddied thinking and poor classroom performance. But other nutritional factors, such as the type of fats in the diet, likely play a bigger role in determining children's behavior. Fats are an integral component of cell membranes and determine the fluidity of these membranes, which in turn affects the way cells communicate with each other through chemicals called neurotransmitters.
  With the advent of processed foods, our pattern of fat consumption has changed. Our intake of trans fats from processed foods and omega-6 fats found in corn and soy oil has increased, while our intake of omega-3 fats found in fish and vegetables has decreased. This decrease may affect behavior, and some studies have shown improvement in children's behavior when their diet is supplemented with omega-3 fats. There is also some evidence that gluten in wheat or casein in milk can have an adverse effect on behavior, as can certain food colorants. While these findings are debatable, there is no doubt that a diet with fewer processed foods and less sugar is preferable for all sorts of reasons. So give your kids apples and carrot sticks instead of cakes and ice cream at the next party, but if you want good behavior, hire a cellist instead of a clown.
  There's no question that many people look in the mirror and don't like what they see. Those extra pounds, often the result of eating too many sweets, are certainly not flattering. But cutting sugar out of our diet is a difficult task. Its taste is just too seductive! And so the chase is on to find a way to keep the sweet taste but eliminate the calories. Several possibilities come to mind. The most obvious idea is to find a substance that is far sweeter than sugar, meaning that only tiny amounts are needed for a sweetening effect. Alternatively, we can look for substances that provide a sweet taste, but are poorly absorbed by the body. If they are not absorbed, they cannot provide calories.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the last five paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Phew! That was a lot to digest, wasn't it? And where do all these ruminations on food leave us? It seems that with the plethora of scientific studies being carried out these days, evidence can be found to support virtually any point of view. But one must always be wary about putting too much emphasis on single studies; they rarely produce giant leaps in science. The unromantic truth is that science plods along via a series of small steps, hoping eventually to bring about a consensus of expert opinion. In the case of nutrition, that has more or less happened. And the consensus is quite clear. Eat lots of fruits, berries, and vegetables, aiming for eight to ten servings a day. Wash them well and don't fret about whether they have been organically or conventionally grown. Look for variety: the more colorful, the better. Eat fish a couple of times a week, mindful of the fact that women of child-bearing age and young children need to limit intake of species such as swordfish and fresh or frozen tuna, which are known to be high in mercury. Red meat should be an occasional treat; poultry is preferable. In either case, these should cover a small portion of the plate, the rest being piled with vegetables, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta. Start most days with oats, flax, and berries. No need to be horrified by eggs: even five a week are unlikely to have an effect on blood cholesterol. Minimize processed foods, particularly those that are high in salt and hydrogenated fat. Low-fat dairy products are a great source of calcium and should be included in the diet. Soft drinks have no redeeming nutritional value. Green tea is a great beverage, though there are few problems with coffee, if consumed in moderation. Nuts are excellent snacks. Use canola or olive oil, but avoid frequent frying or barbecuing. Dark chocolate is a better dessert than chocolate cake. One alcoholic beverage a day is fine. It goes without saying that overall calorie intake has to be balanced with energy expenditure. And remember that there are no "miracle" foods or beverages out there.
  Not that complicated, is it? But other facts come into play. Most people's taste buds would vote for a hamburger over a veggie burger, french fries over lentils, brie over low-fat cottage cheese, and an apple danish over an apple. And if occasionally you feel like indulging your taste buds, well, go ahead. After all, as I've said before, there is more to life than worrying about every morsel of food we put into our mouths. What matters is the overall diet. It is possible to eat apples every day and still have a nutritionally nightmarish diet, just as it is possible to eat the occasional doughnut while maintaining a good diet.
  Exactly what constitutes a good diet is constantly being fine tuned. While the guidelines offered above are based on solid science and are unlikely to be dramatically changed with future research, refinement is certainly possible. We have recently learned, for example, that while cinnamon may be of some value in helping type-2 diabetics control their blood sugar, it doesn't work for type-1. On the other hand, apples may be even better for us than we thought. A recent study showed that women who eat apples during pregnancy may protect their children from developing asthma later in life. We've also heard about the possibility of developing a genetically engineered tomato that is particularly high in folic acid, which would make recommending its consumption reasonable.
  When you carefully scrutinize the scientific studies that are being rolled out almost on a daily basis, most amount to no more than tinkering with the basic nutritional principles we have tried to lay down: eat mostly foods based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, and don't overeat.
  That's why tomorrow I'll have my oatmeal in the morning, sprinkled with ground flaxseeds, topped with berries, and washed down with orange juice. I'll have a tomato, lettuce, and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread for lunch with some hummus, a banana, and a pear. (Were I not allergic to fish, I'd probably have some canned tuna or salmon.) Snacks? Unsalted nuts, carrot sticks, and live-culture yogurt. Beverages? Water, coffee, or tea. For supper, I'm thinking of bean and barley soup, spinach salad, chicken paprikas, along with my newly developed broccoli, tomato, and brown rice casserole. Dessert? Strawberries and grapes. Maybe dipped in dark chocolate. And then I'll go to sleep and dream of a smoked meat sandwich, french fries, and a dill pickle. (Occasionally, I'll even make this dream come true.) Oh yes, something I almost forgot, something that I eat every day: an apple.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the first sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: But one must always be wary about putting too much emphasis on single studies; they rarely produce giant leaps in science. The unromantic truth is that science plods along via a series of small steps, hoping eventually to bring about a consensus of expert opinion. In the case of nutrition, that has more or less happened. And the consensus is quite clear. Eat lots of fruits, berries, and vegetables, aiming for eight to ten servings a day. Wash them well and don't fret about whether they have been organically or conventionally grown. Look for variety: the more colorful, the better. Eat fish a couple of times a week, mindful of the fact that women of child-bearing age and young children need to limit intake of species such as swordfish and fresh or frozen tuna, which are known to be high in mercury. Red meat should be an occasional treat; poultry is preferable. In either case, these should cover a small portion of the plate, the rest being piled with vegetables, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta. Start most days with oats, flax, and berries. No need to be horrified by eggs: even five a week are unlikely to have an effect on blood cholesterol. Minimize processed foods, particularly those that are high in salt and hydrogenated fat. Low-fat dairy products are a great source of calcium and should be included in the diet. Soft drinks have no redeeming nutritional value. Green tea is a great beverage, though there are few problems with coffee, if consumed in moderation. Nuts are excellent snacks. Use canola or olive oil, but avoid frequent frying or barbecuing. Dark chocolate is a better dessert than chocolate cake. One alcoholic beverage a day is fine. It goes without saying that overall calorie intake has to be balanced with energy expenditure. And remember that there are no "miracle" foods or beverages out there.
  Not that complicated, is it? But other facts come into play. Most people's taste buds would vote for a hamburger over a veggie burger, french fries over lentils, brie over low-fat cottage cheese, and an apple danish over an apple. And if occasionally you feel like indulging your taste buds, well, go ahead. After all, as I've said before, there is more to life than worrying about every morsel of food we put into our mouths. What matters is the overall diet. It is possible to eat apples every day and still have a nutritionally nightmarish diet, just as it is possible to eat the occasional doughnut while maintaining a good diet.
  Exactly what constitutes a good diet is constantly being fine tuned. While the guidelines offered above are based on solid science and are unlikely to be dramatically changed with future research, refinement is certainly possible. We have recently learned, for example, that while cinnamon may be of some value in helping type-2 diabetics control their blood sugar, it doesn't work for type-1. On the other hand, apples may be even better for us than we thought. A recent study showed that women who eat apples during pregnancy may protect their children from developing asthma later in life. We've also heard about the possibility of developing a genetically engineered tomato that is particularly high in folic acid, which would make recommending its consumption reasonable.
  When you carefully scrutinize the scientific studies that are being rolled out almost on a daily basis, most amount to no more than tinkering with the basic nutritional principles we have tried to lay down: eat mostly foods based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, and don't overeat.
  That's why tomorrow I'll have my oatmeal in the morning, sprinkled with ground flaxseeds, topped with berries, and washed down with orange juice. I'll have a tomato, lettuce, and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread for lunch with some hummus, a banana, and a pear. (Were I not allergic to fish, I'd probably have some canned tuna or salmon.) Snacks? Unsalted nuts, carrot sticks, and live-culture yogurt. Beverages? Water, coffee, or tea. For supper, I'm thinking of bean and barley soup, spinach salad, chicken paprikas, along with my newly developed broccoli, tomato, and brown rice casserole. Dessert? Strawberries and grapes. Maybe dipped in dark chocolate. And then I'll go to sleep and dream of a smoked meat sandwich, french fries, and a dill pickle. (Occasionally, I'll even make this dream come true.) Oh yes, something I almost forgot, something that I eat every day: an apple.