Unit 1: In Defense of Food Video Questions

Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food

1. Are there any vitamins or minerals that cannot be obtained from food or that are difficult to obtain, thereby requiring supplemental intake?
• According to a nutritional article on a government website, most vitamins and minerals can be consumed in food products.  There are a few that are difficult to obtain in adequate quantities, but supplementation should be a last resort.  Instead, focus on eating foods that contain micro nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin D and potassium.  These micro nutrients impact function of the human body in a big way.  Iron is essential in oxygen transport, calcium helps maintain healthy bones and teeth, potassium is key in regulating cell function and Vitamin D is needed to facilitate the absorption of calcium.
• Source: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/InteractiveNutritionFactsLabel/factsheets/Vitamins_and_Minerals.pdf
2. What’s the matter with sweetener: The quantity of intake or the type of sweetener consumed?
• Quantity is definitely a key factor.  According to an article in Harvard Health, the amount of sugar consumed, independent of eating healthy in other ways, still contributes to an increased risk of health problems.  (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021)
• Type also matters. I've often heard people argue about sweeteners.  I was raised a vegan and I knew a lot of vegans.  There was an often recurring discussion about which sweeteners were best.  Some argued that honey is more natural, and therefore it is better than sugar.  Other people argued for using alternatives like stevia. 
• Honey. I recently read an article by a nutritionist Keith Kantor (Ph.D.), that explains that honey contains sugar.  Like sugar, we can over-consume honey, but if given the choice, we should choose honey over sugar because honey contains a more complex variety of sugar molecules and fibers that make it harder for our bodies to digest instantly.  This means it will take longer to digest, we're less likely to use as much of it, get as much of a sugar rush from it, and we can actually get some vitamins and minerals out of the deal. 
• Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/09/healthy-sugar-honey_n_5445024.html
• Stevia. Americans have recently discovered this "no-calorie," plant-derived sweetener.  Not a lot of long term studies have been done to determine conclusively whether it is any healthier for you. Companies looking for alternatives to unpopular sweeteners are jumping on the bandwagon.   Part of this bandwagoning involves trying to protect the product by combating negative research findings so that the product can be used to fuel a new "healthy" marketing strategy. For example, some scientists have expressed concern that some forms of Stevia may act as a teratogen, but scientists employed by some of these companies are undermining these findings.  My personal takeaway from all of this is, I would rather consume a little bit of something that I understand, than start consuming something that is not well understood.  At least with sugar (honey, maple syrup, etc) we know what we're getting into because we've had time to study the effects of these products on the human body.  
• Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30195885/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/new-sweetener-not-so-sweet-your-diet/#.W4WZS5NKjsk
3. Is too much protein bad for you and if so, how much is adequate and how much is harmful? 
• Is too much protein bad for you?  Yes.  Too much protein in the diet is associated with certain health conditions including cancer, heart disease and kidney damage.  It is even associated with weight gain because although weight loss may be an initial result, the body begins converting the excess protein into energy forms it can utilize. 
• Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/too-much-protein#risks (Reviewed and approved by Natalie Butler, RD, LD)
• How much protein is adequate?  It depends on your body size, sex and how much exercise you get.  The average man and woman are recommended to devour 56 and 46 grams per day, respectively.
• Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/too-much-protein#risks (Reviewed and approved by Natalie Butler, RD, LD)
• How much is considered a harmful amount?
• "If a person consumes more than 2 grams per kilogram of body weight, it is considered excessive."  So for a 57 kg female, 114 grams of protein would be an excessive amount, considering that the RDA is only 46 grams for an average female. To put it in perspective, a 6 ounce steak contains about 42 grams of protein.  So if consuming the top end of the RDA, one shouldn't have to eat much more than a 6 ounce steak a day.  Take into consideration other protein sources, such as legumes, nuts, seeds and dairy.  Considering how likely it is that one will eat multiple components in a day, it makes sense to limit consumption of higher protein sources such as steak.  One can eat a steak and then have to carefully limit all other consumption, or one can consume food items that contain slightly less quantities of protein and feel at liberty to consume a greater variety in relative safety.
• Sources: https://www.healthline.com/health/too-much-protein#risks (Reviewed and approved by Natalie Butler, RD, LD)
• http://www1.und.edu/student-life/dining/_files/docs/fact-sheets/protein.pdf
4. What are the essential vitamins and minerals that can only be obtained through diet? 
• Most vitamins and minerals are essential because the body doesn't make them.  There are a few that are synthesized to some extent by the body, but also obtained through consumption.  The ones that can be synthesized in some way include Niacin, Biotin, Choline, Calciferol, and Vitamin K.  Just because the body can make them, doesn't mean that production is of sufficient quantities.  It is therefore important to eat a wide variety of foods from which all essential vitamins and minerals can be obtained, including some of the so-called "non-essential" ones.
• Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins
5. What kinds of foods are best to obtain each of these vitamins and minerals?
1. Vitamins and minerals come from many different food sources in various quantities.  This is why it is important to eat a wide variety of fresh and whole foods in the diet.  Monitor the types of foods most often consumed in a nutrition journal.  What vitamins and minerals are highest in these foods?  Are any vitamins and minerals lacking? Adjust intake accordingly.  There are some supplements worth considering.  For example, it might be wise to consider a Vitamin D supplement if one spends most of one's time indoors out of direct sunlight. 
• Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/getting-your-vitamins-and-minerals-through-diet