Latest Evidence in Foods
Does Turmeric help improve eyesight? Is Quinoa good for you? Should you be eating more Cacao powder? The internet is full of claims that eating this food or that one will incur special health benefits.
In the Foods section our academics and medical professionals investigate claims like these & provide answers according to the research. Armed with this information you can avoid hype, save money, and help friends and family make wiser decisions when it comes to their health.
Does Eating Apricot Seeds or Vitamin B17 Have Health Benefits? Analyzing The Research
Introduction Apricot seeds are surrounded by major controversy. Essentially, there are two diametrically opposed camps. People who passionately believe that apricot seeds have health benefits and should be freely available and especially to help people with cancer....
Does Essiac Tea Or Its Capsules Have Health Benefits? The Research Examined
Introduction The issue of Essiac tea previously came up in one of our other articles on slippery elm. In that article, we limited our discussion on Essiac tea to its putative effects on cancer. While most interest in Essiac tea relates to cancer, it is has also been...
Does Citron Fruit Have Proven Benefits? Full Review Of The Evidence
Introduction I was reading an article last week when I realized that there was a gross basic error (GBE) in my knowledge base. Maybe, it would be more accurate to say ‘another’ GBE in my knowledge of how the world works. I had thought that the terms ‘citron’ and...
The Science of Probiotics As of 2019: How Strong Is The Evidence?
Introduction As an infectious diseases physician, I was trained at a time when most bacteria were considered to be public enemy number 1. It was very much a 'them' versus 'us' perspective. Fast-forward to 2018, and we are now talking about probiotics or good bacteria....
Does Eating Maitake Mushroom Have Health Benefits? The Science Explained
Introduction I get to attend great medical conferences on health and wellness and have noticed that there is mushrooming interest in mushrooms (if you can excuse the pun). In particular, I notice that mushrooms are really popular in the over 50 year old...
Does Saturated Fat Have Health Benefits? The Research Reviewed
Introduction As a doctor (or foodie), it is best to avoid being dogmatic. Partly, because we need to respect the views of our patients (or friends) but largely because the ‘dogma’ tends to change as new science emerges. Take saturated fat as an example. My grandmother...
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Have Health Benefits? The Research Reviewed
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar? Apple cider vinegar has been used by many cultures for thousands of years- as a folk remedy, as a food ingredient and preservative, and for various household cleaning purposes. Reports of the healing properties of apple cider vinegar...
Are There Benefits to Frankincense Oil? The Research Reviewed
Introduction There are over one million websites out there on frankincense. So says a 2008 review on frankincense in the British Journal of Medicine (1). Reader beware. This review points out that the majority of these websites on frankincense ‘fail to offer reliable...
Does Drinking Kefir Have Health Benefits? The Research Reviewed
Introduction Humankind has enjoyed fermented dairy drinks like kefir for centuries. A 2011 review entitled ‘Kefir and Health: a contemporary perspective' promotes kefir for 'antimicrobial activity, better gut health, anticarcinogenic activity, control on serum glucose...
Does Eating Kimchi Have Health Benefits? Analyzing the Research
Introduction A new restaurant specializing in kimchi is about to open in my neighborhood. It is the first of its kind in my little corner of the world. Nestled between a really good Hawaiian health food restaurant and an award winning Indian restaurant, the obvious...