There is so much information that's now available that it becomes difficult to figure out what is good, what is bad, and what just isn't so. That's what I'm writing about in the next couple of posts: about nutritional information that just isn't so but the belief that they are 'I know for a fact' continues to stay with us. Most of the time they are promising theories that just didn't bear up because of the lack of evidence.
Number 1 assumption: Soy foods prevent breast cancer and hot flashes
My mother had breast cancer and I know how scary it can be from her perspective and now from mine because I'm a higher risk. It is easy for me to latch on to something that seems to make sense and will prevent me from getting breast cancer. So far, however, the evidence is very weak that the plant estrogens or phytoestrogens found in soy can prevent breast cancer.
As for hot flashes, most of the studies found that soy or plant estrogens from supplements like red clover, have very little impact on hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. The same is true for an impact on prostate cancer. The research on reducing PSA levels has had mixed results.
Number 2 assumption: Olive oil is the healthiest oil
The healthiest oil is probably fish oil but you can't use it on your salad. Olive oil is certainly one of the good oils but I think it is unclear whether it is the best.
Just about any oil that is high in unsaturated fats, whether it is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. In fact canola oil may be better than olive oil because it is lower in saturated fat. Canola oil, however, has more of a polyunsaturated fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than olive. ALA is an omega-3 fat that may help lower the risk of heart disease.
However, ALA may also raise, albeit slightly, the risk of prostate cancer but the research isn't complete. Actually, red meat and dairy fat are also sources of ALA and more consistently related to higher prostate cancer risk.
My advice, switch off between canola and olive oil.
I welcome your comments about these nutritional assumptions. Were you a believer that they were facts? Do you know any nutritional assumptions that you think are outdated? I'd like to share them with our readers. I have a few more and I'll write about them in my next post.
To your healthy aging success.
Ruthan Brodsky
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