RoR: Forum

Milton Friedman once declared that the FDA was the single greatest threat to freedom for U.S. citizens.

This news confirms that. John's link talks about something called: "The Free Speech About Science Act (FSAS), also known as HR 4913." I really hope this bill passes both houses and gets signed into law. The link mentions Diamond Foods and about how they were threatened by the FDA because they were hinting that walnuts might be good for preventing heart disease, among other things. I went to the Diamond Foods site to double-check on what they were saying about walnuts now (after being threatened). There is no mention of any kind of a benefit for any kind of a disease. It simple reads:

"Walnuts are full of healthy benefits: they are a great source of protein and fiber and ..."

That's it? That's all they are going to say about it? That it's "full of healthy benefits" (along with a mere listing of ingredients)? What the hell is a "healthy benefit"? If I am going to buy walnuts, which are one of the worst tasting nuts in existence, then I want to know what in the hell they are good for. I want to know what it is that science has shown that they are capable of. If 80-grams per day of walnut-consumption has cut cholesterol levels by 15%, then, dammit, I want to know about that.

Why can't a company selling walnuts lead me to these scientific studies without getting threatened by the FDA (Fascist Deception Agency)?

:-)

Ed

Post 1

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 11:29am

I actually think walnuts are tasty. Mix them with some raisins and they make a tasty snack. :)

The FDA is a threat to public health and safety. If consumers are prohibited from learning about what are healthy food choices, then the FDA is determined to keep our population sickly and ill-informed. I propose the FDA pass a regulation banning itself.

Regulatory agencies are the most anti-democratic institutions this country has. An agency run by unelected officials that once is created, can make up its own laws and equally enforce them. No bills, no legislative vote, no veto, no voting out of office. Just shut up and follow the decree. It is shielded from any checks and balances that we hold up as a pillar of our constitutional government

Post 2

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 11:35am

Economists against the FDA

Post 3

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 11:39am

Well put, Johnny.

Now please tell me your top-5 favorite nuts -- ordered according to taste. Mine are:

1) pistachios
2) macadamias
3) Brazil nuts
4) pecans
5) hazel nuts

Ed

Post 4

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 11:49am

Hmmm, that's a hard thing to do since I love all of them. But I'll try :)

1) Macadamias
2) Almonds
3) Pecans
4) Walnuts
5) Pistachios

Post 5

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 2:09pm

1) Pistachios
2) Macadamias
3) Cashews
4) Roasted Peanuts
5) Hazelnut liqueur :-)

Post 6

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 2:22pm

I used to be able to name every nut that there was. And it used to drive my mother crazy, because she used to say, "Harlan Pepper, if you don't stop naming nuts," and the joke was that we lived in Pine Nut, and I think that's what put it in my mind at that point. So she would hear me in the other room, and she'd just start yelling. I'd say, "Peanut. Hazelnut. Cashew nut. Macadamia nut." That was the one that would send her into going crazy. She'd say, "Would you stop naming nuts!" And Hubert used to be able to make the sound, he couldn't talk, but he'd go "rrrawr rrawr" and that sounded like Macadamia nut. Pine nut, which is a nut, but it's also the name of a town. Pistachio nut. Red pistachio nut. Natural, all natural white pistachio nut.

Post 7

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 2:28pm

Steve!

You can't include peanuts (even if you didn't roast them), because they are not real nuts but legumes. Oh, and liquor -- even if it's pronounced funny, like "liqueur" [making a funny French face while enunciating] -- doesn't count either.

:-)

Ed

Post 8

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 2:31pm

Joe!

You sound (ramble, ramble) like you've been consuming an "inappropriate" portion of nut liqueur.

:-)

Ed

(Edited by Ed Thompson on 7/15, 2:34pm)

Post 9

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 3:03pm

Walnut science

Eating 24 walnut halves a day (31 grams of fat) for 6 weeks dropped bad LDL (Apo-B) by 11% in women with polycystic ovary syndrome:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21157477

Eating about 7 or 8 walnut halves a day for 4 weeks didn't help blood lipids or blood vessel function in healthy men:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21048773

Eating 28 walnut halves a day (366 kcal) for 8 weeks improved blood vessel function in folks with type 2 diabetes:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19880586

Eating 15 walnut halves a day for 12 weeks cut the total number of noted components (signs/symptoms) indicating metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance; pre-diabetes) in Asian-Americans with metabolic syndrome:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20826632

Eating 21 walnut halves a day for 19 weeks boosted levels of coenzymated (metabolically-useful) vitamin B-6 in healthy men and women:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20462428

Eating about 7 or 8 walnut halves a day, plus a few almonds and few hazelnuts a day, for 12 weeks reduced insulin resistance in folks with metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance; pre-diabetes):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20031380

Eating 15 walnut halves a day for 52 weeks dropped fasting insulin levels in type 2 diabetics:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19352378

Eating 21 walnut halves a day for 4 weeks lowered the ratios of total cholesterol:HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol:HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B:apolipoprotein A-I (highly-relevant markers of cardiovascular disease) in folks:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19339404

Ed

Notes:
A walnut is 4 grams. A half of a walnut is 2 grams, provides 13 calories (kcals), and a little over 1 gram of fat.

(Edited by Ed Thompson on 7/15, 3:10pm)

Post 10

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 3:06pm

Ed,

Legume, smegume - to me a peanut is a nut. If it looks like a nut, if it crunches like a nut, if it tastes like a nut, if it is called a peaNUT, then let it be a nut to all but the botanists and nutritionists.

You wanted these ordered by taste, not health benefits, size, shape, or form... and the taste of the hazelnut is vastly improved when delivered in the form of Frangelico (a Hazelnut liqueur)... But, I will concede that a cordial is not a nut.
--------------

From the Internet:

Both liquors and liqueurs contain alcohol, but the terms are not interchangable.

Liqueurs are sweetened spirits with various flavors, oils, and extracts. Liqueurs often use a base liquor to add potency.

Liquor is an alcoholic beverage made of grains or other plants which is fermented into a potent drink. Although sugar is generally used in the fermentation process, the resulting liquor is not sugary sweet. Liquors are nowadays available in flavored forms, but they are not sweet to the palate.

(Edited by Steve Wolfer on 7/15, 3:07pm)

Post 11

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 3:15pm

Steve,

Aha, but you forgot the "pea" in peanut!

Ed

**********
End Notes:
Legumes = beans and peas

Post 12

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 3:26pm

"But, I will concede that a cordial is not a nut."

Sometimes you feel like a nut...sometimes you don't...

Post 13

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 5:11pm

sigh...Steve mentioned cashews, which makes me realize my list is wrong. :)

Post 14

Friday, July 15, 2011 - 6:53pm

I hear you John.

When I see a dish of mixed nuts at a party, I'm one of those guys that eats just the cashews (unless someone else already has).

Post 15

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - 12:05am

Macedamia
Cashew
Pecan
Walnut
Brazil

:)

Post 16

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - 11:18pm

I've been eating walnuts like crazy this past week, and then I see this posted! There is serendipity in the world after all. I'm eating them, because I can buy just a few from the bulk barrel at my local Lucky's (yes, that same store!), and that way avoid overeating the nuts that I buy packaged which are usually at least 6 to 8 ounces. I'll go through a whole bag of almonds in a day or two -- too much! So if I buy only a few walnuts at a time, I avoid overeating them.

I wish they had raw almonds in bulk to so I could buy just a few of them. I love almonds. But I'm becoming very fond of walnuts too. I buy the ones in the shell and then crack them open (just like Paleolithic man undoubtedly did, except that he didn't have a nut cracker. ;-)) But if you put two walnuts together in your hands and press one against the other, you can crack them that way too. I didn't know they were high in omega 3's. Now I can feel virtuous as well as satisfied!

Nut apetite!

Post 17

Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:44am

Bill,

Good for you. Walnuts are the healthiest nuts you can get.

After reviewing post 9, I invite you to consider eating 5 hazelnuts, 6 almonds, and 14 walnut halves a day. If you want to really experiment with your body (and find out what all this nut-business is "cracked up" to be), then you might try eating 10 hazelnuts, 12 almonds, and 28 walnut halves a day.

:-)

A positive sign to watch out for, an outcome indicating you are doing your body good, is a 10+% reduction in the ratio of LDL cholesterol:HDL cholesterol.

Ed

(Edited by Ed Thompson on 7/17, 9:13am)

Post 18

Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 10:36am

Hi Bill, I don't know if you have a nearby BJ's, you need to buy an annual membership (I have one because occasionally I can get some items cheaper for my business then I can from my vendors) but they sell bulk items like raw walnuts and almonds fairly cheaply.

I get raw almond butter from Whole Foods, I love taking a bag of carrots and dipping them in the nut butter.

Post 19

Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 8:46pm