Nutrition Hot Topics… And other Myths… BUSTED! Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness 1

Overview Myth’s & Hot Topics Is organic more nutritious? Growth Hormone Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) Nutritional supplements & United States Pharmacopeia label Are all fats created equal? Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness 2

Conventional Vs. Organic Farming Conventional Farming Synthetic fertilizers Mineral Nitrogen and Phosphorous fertilizers Pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides Genetically modified organisms Growth hormone Organic Farming Natural fertilizers to feed soil and plants Crop Rotation & Selection Disease resistant varieties Pest Predators (insect predators) Insect traps 3 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Organic Foods Grown without chemicals & free from Synthetic fertilizer Pesticides Fungicides Herbicides Genetically Modified Organisms Animals are raised without Antibiotics Hormones Other drugs Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness 4

Is It Organic? Check the Label United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) regulates all organic produce Strict standards in place to regulate how foods are grown, handled, and processed Any product labeled organic must be USDA certified Voluntary seal Used by many organic producers 5 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

‘Organic’ & ‘Natural’ Not interchangeable terms Only foods grown & processed according to the USDA NOP standards can be labeled organic These terms do not ensure the food was produced organically “Natural” “All natural” “Free-range” “Hormone-free” 6 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Organic Benefits Environmental benefits Organic farming practices: Encourage soil and water conservation Reduce pollution Health Benefits Risks from chemical contamination Risks from supplemental hormones Risks from overuse of antibiotics 7 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Supplemental Growth Hormones Many medical groups condemn the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) Milk from cows treated with rBGH results in a 2 to 10 fold increase in levels of another hormone IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) – which is linked to cancer. Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness 8

Overuse of Antibiotics Promote growth and prevent infections that spread rapidly under unnaturally crowded conditions Widespread use in conventional farming enhances the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria Humans can become infected with resistant bacteria through undercooked meat, or contaminated soil and groundwater Antibiotic resistance threatens our ability to fight these infections 9 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Genetically Modified Organisms Created by forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans into the DNA of a food crop or animal in order to induce a new trait Shooting genes from a “gene gun” into a plate of cells Invasion of bacteria into a cell with foreign DNA The altered cell is then cloned into a plant. GM Crops have portions of genomes altered to improve growth, or increase their resistance to pests 10 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

GM Foods on the Market 8 GM Food Crops 5 Major varieties- Soy Corn Canola Cotton Sugar Beets 11 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Increase in Health Issues Since ‘96 After being introduced in 1996, the percentage of Americans with 3 or more chronic health illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% in just 9 years Food allergies Autism Reproductive disorders Digestive problems 12 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness “There is not sufficient information to confirm that GMOs are a contributing factor, AAEM and other doctors should advise consumers, especially children, against consumption of GMOs.”

Why Should GMO’s Be Avoided? Animal studies: Organ damage Gastrointestinal disorders Infertility Immune problems Accelerated Aging Faulty Insulin regulation Human Studies: Consuming GMO contaminated foods may leave behind toxic material in the body Potentially causing long-term health consequences E.g. Toxic insecticide produced by GM corn found in the blood of pregnant women and unborn fetuses 13 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Genetic Modifications 14 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Organic Benefits Continued Animal Welfare Organic farming uses natural methods to maximize production E.g. Keeping cattle on their preferred grass-fed diet E.g. Allowing chickens to free range. Taste Taste test found that organically grown apples were less tart at harvest and sweeter after six months compared to conventional apples Consumer surveys also show people prefer the taste of grass- fed beef over conventional grain beef 15 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses 16 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness Are Organic Foods actually more nutritious? YES! “Nutrition Related Health Effects of Organic foods: A Systematic Review” (2010). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Higher Antioxidant and Lower Cadmium Concentrations and Lower Incidence of Pesticide Residues in Organically Grown Crops: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analyses” (2014). The British Journal of Nutrition.

Are their Downsides to Buying Organic? COST Faster spoilage Odd shapes Varying colors Varying sizes Some items do not need to be organic in order to avoid the majority of residues Avocado Orange, grapefruit (citrus) Banana Cucumbers Carrots 17 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Food Safety Tips 1.Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources 2.Buy fruits & vegetables in season, when possible 3. Read food labels carefully 4. Wash & scrub fresh fruits thoroughly under running water 18 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Nutritional Supplements Vitamins and minerals (in the form of pills, liquids, powders, etc.) are not meant to substitute whole foods “Food First, Supplement Second” Whole foods such as strawberries, brown rice, and beans, are the best source of vitamins and minerals Multivitamins (dietary supplements) may help to supplement the current diet Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness 19

What’s in Your Supplement? New York Times article provides critical question to consider LabDoor tested 30 top selling Fish oil supplements for levels of omega 3’s. Of 6, there was on average 30% less than what was stated on their labels Almost ½ the companies supplements contained < 14% of the amount of EPA & DHA they claimed was in their products Regulation not required USP Verified Mark 20 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

USP Label Contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared potency and amounts Does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants Will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time Has been made according to FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices using sanitary and well-controlled procedures 21 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Tips for Choosing Supplements 1.Check the label 2.Look for “USP” on the label 3. Look for expiration date 4. Avoid supplements that provide “megadoses” because some vitamins and minerals have upper limits (ULs) that can cause toxicity 5. Store supplements properly 6. Store supplements out of sight & away from children 22 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

23 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness What do you all know about Fats?

Fat-level in Salad Dressing Small study, test subjects were fed salads with three different kinds of dressing: 1.Saturated Fat (butter) 2.Polyunsaturated fat (vegetable oil) 3.Monounsaturated fat (canola oil) Subjects blood was tested for absorption of fat soluble carotenoids – compounds such as lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene 24 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Study Results Monounsaturated fat rich dressings required the least amount of fat to get the most carotenoid absorption Levels of nutrients absorbed were the same whether the participant ate 3 grams of fat, or 20 grams Saturated & Polyunsaturated fat dressings required higher amounts of fat to get the same benefit 25 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

Look for Monounsaturated Fats 26 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness

References Aikenhead, A., Allen, E., & Dangour, A. D. et al. (2010). Nutrition-related Health Effects of Organic Foods: A Systematic Review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92, Baranski, M., Giotis, C., & Gromadzka-Ostrowska, J. et al. (2014). Higher Antioxidant and Lower Cadmium Concentrations and Lower Incidence of Pesticide Residues in Organically Grown Crops: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analyses. [Abstract]. British Journal of Nutrition, 112, Campbell, W. W., Chitchumroonchokchai, C., & Ferruzzi, M. G et al. (2012). Meal triacylglycerol profile modulates postprandial absorprtion of carotenoids in human. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 56, doi: /mnfr Greening Princeton. Organic? What’s the Big Deal? Retrieved From: Institute For Responsible Technology. Documented GMO Health Risks. Retrieved From: Institute For Responsible Technology. 10 Reasons to Avoid GMO’s. Retrieved from: Mayo Clinic. Organic Foods: Are They Safer? More Nutritious? Retrieved from: lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art O’Connor, Anahad. January 22, What’s in Your Fish Oil Supplement. The New York Times. Retrieved From: U.S. Pharmocopeial Convention. USP Verified Mark. Retrieved From: verified-dietary-supplements/usp-verified-mark. 27 Nutrition and Metabolism Health Promotion and Wellness