By Karen Collins
Q: In a recent column you wrote that athletes need to get enough fat, and that most of it should come from meat and high-fat cheese. Isn't it unhealthy to get so much of that type of fat?
A: Thanks for catching that! The copy of the column that you sent me does indeed urge such eating, but there was definitely a misprint along the way. The copy that was sent out to newspapers did correctly note research showing that athletes need moderate amounts of fat, rather than the extremely low-fat diets that some follow. The copy also said, "Get most of that fat from plant-based sources like nuts, seeds, and olive or canola oil, while avoiding too much saturated fat from foods such as meat and high-fat cheese." Saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol and can't be used by the body to make the nerve and immune system substances that it needs. The plant-based nuts and oils mentioned are relatively low in saturated fat, do not raise blood cholesterol, and provide the essential fatty acids needed by the body.
Q: Dried fruit is often listed as a good source of vitamins, but isn't it fattening?
A: No food should automatically be labeled as "fattening". We increase our body fat when we eat more calories than we burn up. Some foods have more calories than others, but their effect on weight depends on the total calories we've eaten that day. A food can be high-calorie, but if we're active and need all those calories, or if the rest of what we eat is fairly low in calories, then we would not necessarily gain weight. It's easy to overeat dried fruit because just as it is concentrated in vitamins, it also packs a lot of calories into small portions. Just 15 dried apricot halves contain about 125 calories; a half-cup of raisins contains 220 calories. People who are trying to cut back on calories might prefer fresh fruit most of the time, since it tends to be more filling with fewer calories. But dried fruit, when eaten in moderation, can serve as a delicious and nutrient-rich snack.
Q: How much of the risks of smoking are cut by the nutrition supplements labeled especially "for smokers"?
A: The overall effectiveness of such products hasn't really been tested, but it would be unrealistic to expect that smoking could become anything near low-risk. Studies do show that smoking increases the need for several nutrients, such as vitamin C and folate. Removing tobacco's damage, however, is not as simple as boosting nutrients. Studies have also found that incidence of lung cancer actually increased when smokers took supplements of beta carotene (another antioxidant). Tobacco is the chief cause of lung cancer, probably the most important single cause of various throat cancers, a contributor to cancers of the pancreas, cervix and bladder, and a major cause of emphysema and heart disease. Although a multivitamin containing levels of vitamins and minerals that meet the RDA or recommended daily allowance, and a mostly plant-based diet with lots of fruits and vegetables may offer some protection, there's no question that the answer for all aspects of health protection is to quit smoking. Studies show that it takes several attempts at quitting for most people to succeed, so even if you've tried before, try again!
