Whole Health Nutrition News
August,
2005
In
this issue:
Cooking with Fresh
Herbs and Spices, August 11th, 7-9PM Everett Senior Center,
Pacific and Lombard.
Learn creative ways to use
fresh herbs and spices to make foods taste gourmet without lots of extra fat
and calories. Many of these herbs are available at your local farmers market
for about $1.00 a bunch. We’ll make a nice variety of dishes that are easy but
sure to impress!
By MARIAN BURROS
The question of whether
Teflon cookware is safe has moved from Web site chatter to the courtroom. But
more than nonstick frying pans are under scrutiny these days. Scientists are
examining the chemical makeup of other products like food containers to gauge
their potential hazards.
In each instance, the
substance being questioned is perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Studies have
shown that PFOA causes cancer and other health problems in laboratory animals,
and it is under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food
and Drug Administration.
A class action suit filed
last week against DuPont in several states, including New York, charges that
Teflon releases PFOA under normal cooking use and that the company did not warn
consumers about its dangers.
DuPont says that while PFOA
is used to make Teflon, none of it remains in the finished product, and all
Teflon-coated cookware is safe.
The Environmental Working
Group, a nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization financed by
foundations including the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Joyce Foundation,
says items other than pans are likely to be the major sources of PFOA. But the
group, along with many scientists, points out a different problem: an empty
overheated Teflon-coated pan does pose a risk by releasing toxic fumes. DuPont
does not dispute that, but there is no agreement between the company and
Teflon's critics over what temperature releases the fumes. The Environmental
Working Group says 325 degrees, or a medium flame; DuPont says 660 degrees.
DuPont tells consumers at
its Web site that the fumes can injure pet birds and cause flulike symptoms in
humans at "abnormally" high temperatures, a condition that the
company says can last a couple of days. Other reports say that the fumes can
kill birds.
While DuPont defends its
Teflon products, other companies are looking into their use of PFOA.
Several animal studies,
including one by the Environmental Protection Agency, show that fluorotelomers,
chemicals used in food packaging as well as in rugs and clothing, break down
into PFOA in the environment and when ingested.
The Environmental
Protection Agency began studying PFOA in 1999 and a draft report of its
findings has been reviewed by an outside science advisory panel, which has said
that PFOA is a likely human carcinogen. The E.P.A. disagrees and wants to
describe it as a suggestive human carcinogen. The difference is important
because if the panel's version is the final version the finding could call for
a human cancer risk assessment. The final report will be released in the fall.
What troubles the agency,
and the Food and Drug Administration, is that PFOA can be found in the blood of
90 percent of Americans, according to a study by the 3M Company. Of the 600
children tested, 96 percent had PFOA in their blood; its source is unknown.
Unlike dioxin and a class of chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls, or
PCB's, which have been banned as suspected carcinogens, PFOA does not break
down, remaining in the environment indefinitely.
Fluorotelomers are used in
microwaveable popcorn bags, in packaging for fast foods like sandwiches,
chicken and French fries, as well as in packaging for pizza, bakery items,
drinks and candy. They are also found in paper plates. There is currently no
way for consumers to tell if packaging contains fluorotelomers. According to
Tim Kropp, a toxicologist with the Environmental Working Group, "paper
plates with a really glossy look probably don't use it."
The F.D.A. has looked at
PFOA in microwaveable popcorn packaging and found that the chemical migrates to
the oil from the packaging during heating. But George Pauli, associate director
for science and policy in the office of food additive safety at the F.D.A.,
said the levels found in the microwave packaging are low. "We don't see anything
at this time to say it's a safety issue," he said. "Food doesn't
appear to be a major source."
Dr. Kropp countered:
"Any amount of PFOA you are ingesting may be a problem because we don't
know what levels are safe."
Julie DeYoung, a
spokeswoman for Phoenix Packaging, a division of ConAgra Foods, said:
"Studies on PFOA are preliminary, but we are taking the issue seriously
and are talking with our paper suppliers about the issue. If the government
tells paper suppliers to make changes, we'll support that." ConAgra makes
Orville Redenbacher's and Act II microwave popcorn and private label brands.
For those who don't want
to wait for definitive answers from the government, the Environmental Working
Group has some suggestions: Use Teflon pans at lower temperatures, and never
put them on the stove to heat without food or liquid inside. Greasy food that
is heated in a microwave oven in a cardboard container is a potential source of
PFOA; take the food out of the container and heat it in glass or ceramic.
For popcorn in the
microwave, the group suggests the following: Place a quarter-cup of good
quality popcorn in a standard brown paper lunch bag; mix with oil and
seasoning; seal the bag with a single staple (one staple does not contain
enough metal to cause a spark) and heat for two to three minutes. Alton Brown,
who cooks on the Food Network, uses this method.
Another solution is to
cook the old-fashioned way. If cast iron pans are seasoned and heated properly,
very little oil is needed for browning. Chefs generally do not use nonstick
pans because they do not think they do as good a job of cooking as cast iron
and stainless steel, especially for browning.
Source: New York Times,
July 27, 2005
What’s in Season
The following info on
watermelon, and the recipe, came from www.whfoods.com. This is a great website for learning about
nutrition and healthy eating, and you can sign up for their weekly newsletter.
Did you know that the
beautiful red color of watermelon reflects the presence of a health-promoting
carotenoid phytonutrient known as lycopene? Lycopene also lends its rosy hue to
other fruits such as tomatoes, pink grapefruits, papaya and guavas. It is a
powerful antioxidant, and, in fact, is thought to be even more active than
other well-known carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. Body levels of lycopene
have been found to be inversely associated with both cardiovascular disease
(such as atherosclerosis and heart attack) and cerebrovascular disease (such as
stroke). One study even showed that women who had the highest plasma levels of
lycopene demonstrated a 33% lower risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
Watermelon is the perfect summer fruit - so be sure to enjoy thirst quenching,
sweet tasting watermelon while it is in the peak of its season.
Recipe of the Month
Ingredients:
4 cups cold watermelon chunks
8 mint leaves
Directions: