Sound Bites
October, 1996
by Dawn B. Olcott
Information on nutrition and health selected from a variety of publications
for your enjoyment and edification.
All of Broccoli is Nutritious
The whole broccoli plant is nutritious,
so don't just chop the florets and toss the rest. The florets are
high in carotenoids---in the form of beta-carotene, a precursor
to vitamin A. But the stalks also contain vitamins and have the
highest amount of fiber. And the best source of beta-carotene is
the leaves, so include them too when chopping your broccoli. One
cup of broccoli, including florets, stems, and leaves, supplies
90% of the RDA for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene; 200%
of the RDA for vitamin C; fair amounts of niacin, calcium, thiamin,
phosphorus, and 25% of your daily fiber needs. Also, it contains
beneficial phytochemicals (plant chemicals), including sulforaphane,
which may help protect against cancer. And you get all this in 45
calories.
Synthetic vs. Natural Beta-Carotene
Researchers at Israel's National Institute
of Oceanography published a case in the May 1996 issue of the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition which described two forms of beta-carotene,
one natural and one synthetic. The natural form was found to be
more effective as an antioxidant, which may shed light on the results
of recent studies which used the synthetic version and showed no
benefits.
Both types of beta-carotene have the same molecular
formula, but the atoms are arranged differently. When this happens,
the physical and chemical properties are often different. In a study
in which young, healthy individuals were given beta-carotene from
either a natural or synthetic source, it was discovered that the
natural type was rapidly used up in quenching free radicals and
preventing oxidative damage to cell fats. In contrast, the synthetic
form was converted to vitamin A, which acts as a weak antioxidant.
The scientists urged that researchers pay more attention to the
different forms of beta-carotene.
This study was cited in the August 1996
issue of Nutrition Science News.
Sanitary Products
Whitewash
A woman uses as many as 11,000 tampons
or sanitary pads during her lifetime. This may not be a typical
"sound bite" item, but it seemed worth discussing. Sanitary
products typically contain a mixture of rayon (from wood pulp) and
cotton. These are both bleached with chlorine to break down the
fibers and increase the sanitary "look." Chlorine bleach
breaks down into dioxin, which has been associated with cancer,
birth defects, and immune and endocrine system problems, including
lower sperm counts and an increased incidence of endometriosis.
As quoted by The Co-op Times, a Northeast Cooperatives publication,
in August 1996, a 1989 report by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration
stated that "the most effective risk management strategy would
be to assure that tampons and menstrual pads for good measure contained
no dioxin."
There has been little change in materials used
by U.S. manufacturers as a result of these findings. International
Playtex and Proctor and Gamble admit there is dioxin in the wood
pulp they use. In Britain, on the other hand, women sent more than
50,000 letters to Parliament, resulting in sanitary pad and diaper
(but not tampon) companies switching to the use of oxygen to bleach
their products.
Harvest carries all-cotton, oxygen-bleached
tampons made by Natracare, a British company.
Nutrition Tip
Brussels sprouts are a good vegetable source
of protein. With 3 grams of protein in 3 1/2 ounces, almost one
third of their calories comes from protein. The protein does not
contain all the amino acids but can be completed by eating whole
grains or animal proteins over the course of a day. These comple-mentary
foods do not need to be eaten together.
Dawn Olcott is
Harvest's Education and Marketing Specialist.
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