
Highlights from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Hearing
I was honored to testify before the US government’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Check out the video to see my speech and a few of my favorite excerpts.
Topic summary contributed by volunteer(s): Linda
The American Institute for Cancer Research defines processed meat as “meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives.” Cured meats like bacon, hot dogs and cold cuts have been linked to increased cancer risk overall and breast cancer in particular. A key factor may be the nitrites that are often added as a preservative in processed meats to combat the threat of botulism. When processed in the stomach, these nitrates become carcinogenic nitrosamines and nitrosamides. Hot dog intake has been linked with two leading pediatric cancers, brain tumors, and childhood leukemia.
Processed meat also appears linked to long-term weight gain. Intake of processed and other meats before pregnancy may raise the risk of gestational diabetes and may play a role in infertility and in early-onset puberty in girls. Cured meat consumption appears to be linked to risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, known as COPD. Processed meats may also contribute to aging, possibly by reducing our protective DNA telomeres.
In September 2019, the Annals of Internal Medicine released a press release with the headline: “New guidelines: No need to reduce red or processed meat consumption for good health”. See Dr. David Katz’s response to these publications here.
I was honored to testify before the US government’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Check out the video to see my speech and a few of my favorite excerpts.
What does the world’s leading authority on carcinogens have to say about mobile phones?
Even at low-level exposure, arsenic is not just a class I carcinogen, but may also impair our immune function and increase our risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
What are the effects of açai berries, cooked and raw blueberries, grapes, cocoa, green tea, and freshly squeezed orange juice on artery function?
Açaí berries are touted for their antioxidant power, but does that translate into increased antioxidant capacity of your bloodstream when you eat them?
After the trans fat oil ban, the only remaining major sources of trans fat will be from meat and dairy.
Within hours of eating an unhealthy meal, we can get a spike in inflammation, crippling our artery function, thickening our blood, and causing a fight-or-flight nerve response. Thankfully, there are foods we can eat at every meal to counter this reaction.
Miso is packed with sodium, which is linked to both stomach cancer and high blood pressure, so is it safe to consume?
Why does the meat industry add salt to its products when millions of lives are at stake?
What was the meat industry’s response to the recommendation by leading cancer charities to stop eating processed meats, such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and lunchmeat?
Dietary guidelines often patronizingly recommend what is considered acceptable or achievable, rather than what the best available balance of evidence suggests is best.
Why does the leading cancer and diet authority recommend we avoid bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and all other processed meats—including chicken and turkey?