Trying to stay healthy. Can seem like up full-time job. Sometimes especially during a pandemic, but I'm here to make that goal a little easier. Welcome to the nutrition facts podcast. I'm your host. Dr. Michael Greger today. I make my step quota walking, the walk on my treadmill, of course, and try to improve your health simultaneously. I'll answer a whole host of questions. Including what foods? Contain potassium is plant based.
Iron, the only kind that's absorbed by the human body and what to do about heartburn and a plant-based diet.
Enjoy. Let's see. What questions you have for me today. First one is from man Mingo who says what, who contains potassium pump from greens and bananas. What substitute for Saul depart from me? So is their maximum daily limit? Oh, we got a whole bunch of questions from man. Mango.
So that's is found throughout the the plant kingdom and the to actually have a kind of a humorous video, talking about the banana stuff to best sources are Greens and Beans. So I believe beet greens. And what kind of bean actually was, was the number one, any kind of being. So legumes and grains are really the best sources. We're really shooting for forty. Seven hundred milligrams. That's the recommended minimum and guess how many
Many people in the United States, even reach the minimum, potassium 2%, 1 in 50. And so that's why critically important to eat healthy and we probably evolved getting 10,000. Maybe even 15,000 a day. Whereas we used to get a tiny little pinch of salt every day. There's naturally found in Whole Foods, and now we get about 10 times where we are physiologically meant to be able to,
So it's been reversed. We used to have high potassium, low sodium. Now, it's switched, its high sodium or potassium and that's wreaking all sorts of havoc. In terms of high blood pressure, already function in general and increase in stomach cancer, and it's a whole bunch of things. So we need to increase your potassium. Decrease, our sodium way to do them. Best way to do that is to eat healthy, most adults from processed foods, so cutting up processed foods.
And in lots of whole healthy plant foods, but another substitute for Saul is potassium, chloride, as opposed to sodium chloride. And so, you reduce sodium by not using sodium and the same time, your increase your potassium. So for healthy people, there's basically no downside other than some things, taste a little strange. If you use a hundred percent potassium chloride, which is what I recommend. I have some videos coming up about this. I'm just trying to remember what the conclusion was, so
Things takes great. So, you know, when I stopped eating stop using salt in the the kitchen dining room and cut out processed foods, you know, after a few weeks and my palette adjusted everything was fine with the exception of pesto for some reason, pesto, never tasted good without something to solve the component. So I used to use me. So, but I tried the potassium chloride stuff and oh, this is delicious. So for pesto, in fact, I just had passed away yesterday and day before
So I had the have the potassium chloride up the same time. I tried it on watermelon. I don't know if anyone's ever tried to solve their bottom out in the Deep South, they often salt fruit to make it taste even sweeter. And I remember as a kid, I put some I was like, oh, wow, I'll try potassium. Oh my God, almost gagged for some reason. I know that is important is not good with watermelon. So I know make be good with some things, other things, the concern about potassium. Chloride reason, we don't hear
Much about it is because in certain people with kidney failure, so, if you have a diabetes, for example, use, you get your kidneys tested. If you're elderly should couldn't test it first, just because potassium chloride is fine, but that's assuming that your kidneys can't excrete potassium. If for some reason you have feeling getting function, actually build up too much potassium and experience something called hypo hyperkalemia, and that's not good. So what
But other than that, Beginnings are fine. Potassium chloride is a another substitute for salt on like. So, let's see what else. So now, there's so many questions flowing through. I'm just going to pick a random and we will see what pops up. Okay, this is Rafal says, is it true? That iron from plants is only is only absorbed in human body. No, I'm from animals is absorbed. In fact, iron in animals. The heme form of iron.
She absorbed better than the non-heme iron found predominantly in Plants. That's not necessarily a good thing. I understand of a double-edged sword. This is iron overload diseases like hemochromatosis. I'm actually high iron stores associated with cancer and Alzheimer's, whole bunch of things. And so we ideally we want to have low stores of iron but not too low, that become anemic have enough iron to make enough blood. But basically, otherwise stay on the low side.
But and that's a matter of. Yeah, not taking iron supplements, not going out of way. Unless of course, we are actually anemic. How do you become anemic? Typically through blood loss? Not inadequate, iron intake, you just not, you're losing too much blood. Typically through ones monthly cycle. All right, next up. Stephanie says, if I want advice in books and Daily doesn't still struggling to lose weight. What is the lowest daily calorie intake? That
For how long, I wrote a book for you, how not to diet this whole second half of the book is for people that are waiting are eating healthy, still having a problem losing weight. And so I'd recommend those 21 tweaks. You can see the list for free. Obviously by getting the book the library or there's an app daily. Dr. Gregers daily W switch over to weight loss mode. There's not only the, it doesn't, but also the 21 tweaks will come up soon to see what they are. If you happen to be interested and then you read more about
about it in the book and lowest daily caloric intake. It said well, maybe five excess body fat. There's really no lower limit. The limit is you hugging of nutrients. So for example, if you're having enough there was a case, I talk about someone who fasted has zero calories for over a Year's like 392 days. I think the Guinness record zero calories for 390 days. Of course, the only
Didn't die because it took a multivitamin. And so they didn't dive thiamine deficiency. Dive scurvy, dive all sorts of other things. But of course, the lower calories, you eat. The more important is that you make those calories count by having very high nutrient density. So, even though you're eating so much less food. You're still getting everything that you need. Michael Mitchell in says, underweight. Most of the life don't have big appetite. So you pump a series to gain weight, especially especially from. We'll just have
Problem eating more. Well, I'm so if you just don't want to eat a lot. Then you have to make those Foods count in terms of calorie density. I just talked about nutrient density. This is different. This is calories per unit volume or per unit weight. And so indeed, if you know, you're filling up, your stomach was iceberg lettuce, you know, you kind of gained weight and so there are some calorically dense healthy foods such as nuts, seeds nut. Butters dried fruit.
Smoothies. You can imagine some kind of like trail mix kind of thing. That's dried fruit. Lots of calories and just a small space. That's why hikers love them so much. And so, you can just be grazing throughout the day you have a bowl right by your desk and, you know, and and you will get the calories you need, although being underweight. I mean, not underweight, underweight, but being at the lowest, what's now? Go
Sidered underweight. Well, not technically, but I think people would say, oh, you look, skinny, having a BMI between 2022 is actually probably ideal in terms of longevity. So, if you're in that range, I wouldn't try to gain more weight. I'd stick where you are, are malva leaves. Okay to eat in large amount. I don't know anything about malva. I don't think I've even heard of malva soon as some kind of plant. Sorry. I can't tell you more.
Hello from Jonathan. How do you recommend navigating supplements multi vitamins protein? Bars are not sure. What to trust. Give me the lack of Regulation. Absolutely. Well, certainly, there's this regulation is indeed lacks. I've been watching videos about that. So what protein powder to get no protein powder, why would anyone need protein powder? You get protein. Same way. You get carbs. And when you get fat from a Whole Foods, ideally whole plant foods and the reason take a multivitamin.
Women. There are some things that people may need in supplement form. So for example, vitamin D for getting yeah, quit sunshine, vitamin B12 and I need Vitamin B12 fortified Foods. So how do you get supplements that? All right, like contaminated with something or actually have what they say. They have probably the best one best way to do it is to get one. That is USP certified. So that's a third party certification entity that make sure that whatever says on the label is what is actually in the
Doesn't mean it's good for you or anything. I mean, they you kind of USB certification of snake oil, but at least it would be actual snake oil at the dose that they say on the package. So it's kind of truth in advertising. All right, next up, take Gabrielle. What can cause tingling sensation in a whole group on based diet, besides B12 deficiency. I presume you mean, tingling sensation kind of fingers and toes. That's a sign of a peripheral typically assign a
Purple neuropathy why? So if, let's say you have a problem with your nerves. Why would it show up? Is tingling in your fingers and toes? Well, those are the longest nerve in your body. So the, the nerve in your toe actually goes all the way up to your spinal cord from your toe. Although I'm spinal cord. One nerve like one long, skinny teeny little string of spaghetti, but like almost microscopic actually microscopic all the way up. Isn't that amazing one? You know, you think of cells is being microscopic. This is a the cells like, you know, three feet.
I'm so you can imagine if there's any problems with your nerves. Those are the nerves that are going to really show it first, right? It's ones are so long and vulnerable and so you get this kind of that typical thing, but it can be caused. All sorts of things is all sorts of toxins medications that can do it. And so you just really need to go to a neurologist and they go through the differential diagnosis, all the various things that can cause it.
There are other interesting Fishin, season can do it, and you just some heavy metal toxicities can do it of theirs, thought, immune diseases, all sorts of things. So just got to get checked out. Eric. How long is it? How long to wait in between 0 iron tea consumption? If they must be consumed during the same meal was to be consumed first.
I'm so we should try not to drink tea with our meals here. I am telling people to drink, lots of tea, but the same time it can interfere with iron absorption. And so I would encourage people to separate. And so it's more important that you since food can stay in your stomach for a long time. If you had like an hour buffer, let's say you would have the team first because the tea.
E on an empty stomach would drain out of your stomach. And then, by the time you ate food, there would be no food and tea to come by. However, if you ate food first, waited an hour, you start, you have food in your stomach after an hour and solid food. And so then you could get that interaction which could interfere with our instruction. Okay. Liz says this plant based diet, help anxiety. So we only have one Interventional study on.
Run out of University of Arizona that took people and randomize them to regular diet or Diet. There's actually a third diet arm, remember or the? But one, there was a diet that was a plant-based diet arm which removed meat and eggs because they were concerned. It was the arachidonic acid this inflammatory long chain, Omega 6, fatty acid found predominately in chicken and eggs, but throughout animal products. And so it was like a lie.
Lacto vegan diet that makes sense and did get a significant decrease in anxiety. Now, this was in normal people, not people with like diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, but that's most people who are anxious. They don't actually have a psychological disorder. They just happen to be anxious. And so, so yes, so plant-based diet has been shown to help. So,
Not just on cross it, there's lots of cross-sectional studies where shows that people eat, more plant-based have less anxiety and better mood, less depression Etc. But you don't know which came first, maybe people who are mentally healthy, just go on to eat healthier. I'll rather than the other way around who needs Comfort Foods when you're ready, comforted right? But but we did have that Interventional trial showed within two weeks, significant Improvement in movement. Okay, Iliza
Says, odd does MSM powder? Help against agent who aging, never heard of anyone using it for aging, but have heard it in use in relationship to arthritis. I have a chapter, preserving your joints in how not age, where I'll be looking at the data on MSM, have yet to do it, but that's on my outline for the book, which will be out. December, 20, 22. All right, James. That's what are my thoughts on Peanut Butter powder in flavoring for smoothies if
Is getting enough healthy fats throughout the day. Sounds delicious. I think a lot of peanut butter powders on the market. However, our have sugar in them. So you'd want to get straight. Peanut butter powder is basically just defatted peanuts, of course, so the only issue would be a GE, the transportation and products because this is roasted peanut butter defatted, roasted peanut powder. If it wasn't probably wouldn't taste this, good, right? Wouldn't have that kind of roasted peanut flavor, but you know, high fat High.
Protein foods exposed to high heat produced these glycotoxins, which aren't good for you. And so that's mostly animal Foods. I think I did a list of the top 20 and how not to die. How not to die yet. And it was all like grilled hot dogs and chicken nuggets and come on down the list. But tofu like blackened Cajun blackened tofu or something. I'm not a good idea as well as nuts and seeds. Well, when they're roasted have it like a trip line of a, GU still much lower than animal products.
As plant products, you'll be pretty high. So, um, so something better might be a raw almond butter or something or someone of the raw nut Butters because then you get all the benefits of the nuts without the concerns about excess egg eats. Jesse has natural do htl with a plant-based diet, LDL and triglycerides plummeted fantastic, but the talks about a triglyceride to HDL ratio was important Island. Number to track LDL is an important number to track. We used to think HD.
The so-called good cholesterol was good and actually had benefits in terms of reducing disease risk and turns out. That is not the case, based on the whole range of evidence including drugs, at that raise HDL, which actually had to be stopped early because he was killing people. And probably, most importantly, these so-called mendelian randomization studies where people who just genetically at Birth born, with genes that give them kind of unnatural Elevate that she'll throughout their entire lives, regardless of what they eat or how they live.
Not actually have lower cardiovascular disease. However, those born with high LDL die early because from cardiovascular disease and those boards. Low LDL are protected from heart disease. Regardless of what they eat proving that effectively prevent. Of course, we can. I see there's actually real proving proving turns around and has controlled trials, but it's the best in terms, you get for observational data, which show the LDL is actually.
We a risk factor, not just a correlate. So for example, you know, I had do video talking about H this HDL things for my egg videos, where something like having a lots of what Jim tennis shoes in your house associated with Better Health, but but this not because gym shoes actually help your health directly. It's just a proxy for something like exercise which actually
Have
yourself. So you know, those people that who carry around cigarette lighters probably live, shortened lives, but not because her camera circular like a, it's not a cause and effect cause a risk factor and similarly HDL is not a causal, protective factor for heart disease. So don't worry about your HDL. Worry about your LDL and it's wonderful that they're down, and that's fantastic. Congratulations. Okay, Brad aronsson says, is your 0 is my constant walking really been.
Official study saying, oh, better than sitting all day. Yes. Studies say walking is not beneficial. I've never seen such a study. In fact. Walking is been show, is associated with longer life spans. And in a dose-dependent manner me, the more you walk the better and sitting all day. Not good for you. Yeah, I mean, you don't have to be walking, but being active is indeed helpful. Kazon.
Since hello Zanna, do you have any recommend? Hi there to recognize people with chronic fatigue, but nine years ago. I managed to oh, yeah. Yeah, any updates. There is. So I have one video talking about how about dark chocolate? I have not seen much fact, every time I do a literature review, go through the alphabet and I look see if the same thing. New last time I checked was like two years ago. There wasn't anything but doesn't mean there's a new stuff. So go to PubMed and type in chronic fatigue syndrome and diet and see if anything's.
It pops up and can't get access to it. Let me know and I'll pull it for you. And if it's really could be helpful do a video about it. Alex F says that that their liver enzymes and 40 use per liter. Use perlier and lymphocytes. Who 48? Both High, what can be done about this is connected, liver spots and face, no liver spots dive actually have anything to do with liver. Maybe they look.
The
same color of liver something, but if you have high liver enzymes, what that means is that your liver cells are dying, spilling those enzymes into your bloodstream. That's why they can be picked up as high. And so you have to figure out why and having high lymphocytes, having a high white count is a sign of some kind of infection or inflammation within the body. So maybe you have hepatitis. And so you should get the whole panel of things and cause hepatitis including viruses alcohol.
Hall and you should figure out what's in flaming, your liver, okay, is my video. Why do we age in your video right away? To compare the amount of Lucia Lucia to meet 100 apples are four cabins, but about the leucine and tofu or beans were it's higher than vegetables. Absolutely. Yeah. No, that's just a that was actually taken from the from the study just to kind of give a sense of how crazy it is in terms of fruits and vegetables. And indeed. We she lost some more fruits and vegetables, I will be doing
Um, comparison tables and Baloo theme leucine and Matheny need anything else. At least those two because leucine is a tour and tour activator. So they'll be whole chapter on him towards actually already done. I'm about 30 percent done with the book. Very excited. Of course, took me over 100 days to do it. So it's going to be no from my reach my deadline. But yeah, so I will
Probably in my protein, restriction, chapter terribly talk about Lucy and I will go through all the food groups to give people a better sentence. Okay, BMC says, any product recommendation for B12 on Amazon. Well, if you can find a USP, certified it should be to be right on the bottle for B12. I think Kirkland brand is B12 with that's USB certified, then that would be. Then you could just
More certain that actually has amount of B12 that it says thanks. Everybody. Stay safe get vaccinated and eat your
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