Breakthroughs Today

CLAIMS of healing become suspect when the cure cannot stand the scrutiny on its ability to heal. That makes any therapeutic claim in the labels of food supplements (not drugs) questionable, unless otherwise proven scientifically. In the end, taking a food supplement on faith, and not on hard evidence, can only show the outcome of faith and not because the cure was effective. Even with the famous antioxidant vitamins—such as beta-carotene, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E—few studies involving food supplements have been found with relevant information, as opposed to studies on food sources and their effect on serious conditions such as cancer. What research literature extensively provided was extensive experimental evidence that antioxidants reduce oxidative stress but not that they directly lower the risk for uterine cancer (cancer of the uterus). [ Read more. ] This article appear in SunStar Cebu on 17 November 2010.

IN MY previous column (“Joy, temperance and repose”), I mentioned the highest and lowest antioxidant-containing products among the 3,100 products tested in the Carlson Food Antioxidant Review. But I purposefully left out the results of their tests on herbs and medicinal plants because of the limitations of our space here. What they found out... ( Read more )   This article appears in Sun-Star Cebu newspaper on 30 June 2010.

“I RECKON being ill as one of the great pleasures of life, provided one is not too ill and is not obliged to work till one is better,” wrote Samuel Butler in The Way of All Flesh (1903). The term “antioxidant” was originally used in the 18th century to refer to a chemical that prevents the consumption of oxygen in laboratory experiments. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century, extensive study exploded... ( Read more ) This article appeared in SunStar Cebu newspaper on 02 June 2010.

Monica Carlsen and her team of 16 made a review of 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide to determine antioxidant levels in each. The list below contains what details available in the report published in 22 January 2010 issue of Nutrition Journal . The determination used the modified FRAP (ferric-reducing ability of plasma) assay, which provides a good and fast total antioxidant analysis, although not sensitive to glutathione. Information not mentioned here can be found in my Sun-Star Cebu article entitled "." BEVERAGES The study involved 283 products, wet (coffee, tea, beer, wine, lemonades, etc.) and dry (coffee beans, dried tea leaves and powders) products included. Unprocessed tea leaves, tea powders and coffee beans contain the highest antioxidant values. Those rich in antioxidants include red wine (1.78-3.66 mmol/100g), pomegranate juice, prepared green tea (0.57-2.62 mmol/100g), grape juice, prune juice and black tea (0.75-1.21 mmol/100