Kidney Stones and Calcium Supplements

I have had a lot of patients asking about their risk of developing kidney stones if they are taking calcium supplementation. It is a myth that most people prone to kidney stones should avoid calcium. Getting the recommended daily intake of calcium often helps prevent kidney stones. Most stones contain calcium, usually combined with oxalates, compounds found in many plant foods. Paradoxically, calcium binds with the oxalates in the intestine and decreases there absorption, thus reducing the formation of these types of stones. But people with other types of stones may indeed reduce their chances of recurrence by cutting down on calcium. So if you get stones, it is best to know exactly the type you have/had and what dietary changes would be best.

Cooking vs Raw Food - Why one is better

Cooking vegetables boosts levels of some antioxidants, according to new Italian research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry – the latest in a series of studies overturning the conventional idea about the nutritional superiority of raw produce. The study looked at carrots, zucchini, and broccoli, which were boiled, steamed or fried. Boiling and steaming were the best at preserving carotenoids or even boosting them, while frying caused the greatest losses – but probably the best taste. For broccoli, steaming increased a variety of potentially anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cooking helps soften fiber, making certain compounds more extractable, and also converts some of them to more active form. Cooking does reduce some vitamins and phytochemicals, however, do not overcook.

Beans, Beans…They Also Lower Cholesterol

BeansTo lower your cholesterol, eat beans. In a new study in the Journal of Nutrition, healthy people who ate a hail-cup of cooked pinto beans daily lowered their cholesterol by 8% over 12 weeks, compared to those eating chicken soup (the “control” food). Previous studies have shown that navy and garbanzo beans, amongst others, have similar cholesterol-lowering effects.