I heard that all frozen fruits and vegetables are cooked at really high temperatures before being frozen.

Does this result in a lot of nutrient losses?

– Patricia (Last name withheld)
Los Angeles, CA

No.

First of all, keep in mind that there is no set standard when it comes to processing fruits and vegetables prior to freezing them; the steps differ from company to company.

Most frozen vegetables are blanched, which is basically boiling a food for a very short period of time (think: seconds).  This helps provide vibrant colors, make for slightly more palatable flavor, and results in minimal nutrient losses (since boiling exposes foods to water for longer periods of time, nutrient losses are more significant).

In the case of fruits, I have never heard, for instance, of berries being blanched.  I know some companies will occasionally blanch other fruits, though.

There is no reason to be concerned about this.  To me, buying canned or dried fruit with added sugars or artificial colors is much more troubling.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, frozen foods, fruits, vegetables

Do the words “grass fed” on a package of beef mean anything, truly?

Are there strict guidelines, or is it a very loose term?

– Annie Balzer
Sacramento, CA
(Via Twitter, @anniebalzer)

Twitter’s 140-character limit was definitely not enough space to cover this topic, so I told Annie I would have to answer her question on the blog.  Not surprisingly, this is not as cut-and-dry (does that classify as a bad grass-related pun?) as you may think.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) legally defined the term “grass-fed” in October of 2007, as follows.  I have bolded certain parts for further discussion:

“Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal’s well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.“

Whew.  Let’s break this down.

“Grass and forage… consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal.  The diet shall be derived solely from forage.”

This definition means that beef labeled “grass-fed” must be from cows that consume grass throughout their entire life.  This is to prevent grass-finished or grain-finished beef from being labeled “grass-fed”.  “Grass-finished” means that a cow eats grain for most of its life, but is then fed grass the last few months.  Prior to this 2007 ruling, some unscrupulous individuals would do this and label their products “grass-fed”.

“Grain-finished” is a more common practice, in which cows consume grass until the last few months of life, during which time they are fed grain.  The grain diet bulks up cows (which means more weight, and therefore, more money when sold), but ultimately negates the health-effects of a grass-exclusive diet (mainly lower levels of saturated fat and higher levels of heart-healthy conjugated linoleic acid).

“Animals must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season…”

This is one of the more vague and controversial parts of the definition.

“Access to pasture” is not the same as “pasture-raised”.  Per USDA laws, “access to pasture” can mean that cows are confined indoors, but a gate that leads to pasture is open.  Sure, the confined cows are eating grass or hay — as opposed to grains — from a trough, but their mobility is severely restricted.  This usually comes as a surprise to people who equate “grass-fed” with “pasture-raised”.

“ If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal’s well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.”

This is also rather unsettling, for it appears to indicate that all the farmer has to do is document instances where cows may have eaten grains.  There is no mention of a farmer being forbidden from selling that meat as “grass-fed”.

Then, of course, there is the issue of what is not said in the definition.  “Grass-fed” does not indicate an absence of antibiotics or growth hormones.  That falls under the definition of “organic”.  So, organic grass-fed beef is certainly different from grass-fed beef.

The American Grassfed Association is very unhappy about that tidbit, and has therefore implemented its own third-party verification system.  You can read their standards here (specifically, read pages 3 to 9 to become familiar with their criteria). You can view a rather lengthy list of producers who meet their criteria here.

In essence, the American Grassfed Association label means that beef is from cows that:

• Solely subsist on grass their entire lives
• Do not consume antibiotics
• Are not injected with hormones
• Are pasture-raised

FYI 1: Let me once again remind you that “vegetarian-fed” is not the same as “grass-fed”!

FYI 2: Keep in mind, too, that this is all about certification.  It is very plausible that a local farm which labels its beef as “grass-fed” and does not carry an AGA label still meets all of their requirements.  If they don’t take the initiative to apply for certification, they won’t display the AGA seal of approval.

The problem isn’t that all beef labeled “grass-fed” is subjected to hormones and antibiotics, but rather that, due to loose standards, beef labeled in such a manner doesn’t necessarily have to abide by standards that some people erroneously assume come with that term.

1 Comment American Grassfed Association, USDA, You Ask/I Answer, beef, free-range, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised

Do you have any insight on Omega 7?  Someone told me it was good.

– Marie-Rose Nduku
New York, NY

Before we get to the actual answer, I think it is worth reminding everyone that only two omega fatty acids — omega 3 and omega 6 — are essential.  In the world of nutrition, an “essential nutrient” is one we must obtain from food since our bodies are unable to manufacture it.  This is why cholesterol is not an essential nutrient.  Our bodies produce it on a daily basis, so one can be perfectly healthy without ever consuming a single milligram of cholesterol.

Omega-7 is not an essential fatty acid, no matter how crucial manufacturers of omega-7 supplements make it seem.  Let’s learn more about it, though.

There are two types of omega-7 fatty acids: palmitoleic acid and vaccenic acid.

Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid manufactured by our bodies from other fatty acids in the diet, but is also found in decent amounts in fish and macadamia nut oil.  Though research on it is very limited, we do know that it raises the body’s levels of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol.  This is quite an anomaly, since most monounsaturated fatty acids raise HDL (”good”) cholesterol.

And so we come to the problem of isolating nutrients, rather than considering them within their respective food matrix.  Unfortunately, the mainstream media loves to isolate nutrients and attempt to incite unnecessary hysteria.  The fact that palmitoleic acid raises LDL levels does not mean fish and macadamia nut oil are now “unhealthy”.

Foods are a combination of fatty acids.  In the example of fish, palmitoleic acid makes up a small amount of the total fatty acid percentage.  Even in the case of macadamia nut oil, palmitoleic acid only makes up about twenty percent of its fatty acid profile (almost two-thirds of it are comprised of heart-healthy oleic acid).

Vaccenic acid — the other omega-7 — is a healthful naturally-occurring trans fat found in full-fat dairy products (and, to a smaller extent, in reduced-fat products).  I know, I know; all this time you have heard trans fats be vilified.  However, the trans fats nutritionists declared Public Enemy #1 were man-made, artificial trans fats.  Natural trans fats (like vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid) are a whole other story.

Vaccenic acid is an isomer of heart-healthy oleic acid (”isomer” is science-speak for “not identical, but very very similar to”).  Research on vaccenic acid has also been rather scant, but it appears that it is converted into conjugated linoleic acid by the body, thereby providing some cardiovascular-protective benefits.

So, what are our takeaways?

• The only fatty acids we must get from food are omega 3 and omega 6 (though, as regular Small Bites readers know, omega-6 consumption in the US is too high).
• When examining a food’s fat content, it is important to consider the entire fatty acid profile.
• There is no reason to shy away from full-fat or reduced-fat products.  The fat-free phenomenon of the 1990s caused more harm than good.  It led to an increase in added sugar intake (sugar replaced fat in processed low-fat and fat-free convenience foods) and reduced our intake of healthful compounds found in foods that naturally contain them.  For this reason, I find that two-percent dairy products are a better choice than fat-free ones.  Even in the case of your morning latte, I see absolutely nothing wrong with getting it with whole milk.
• What if you don’t consume dairy products?  No biggie.  Vaccenic acid is simply one of many fatty acids that provide heart-healthy benefits.  As long as most of your fats come from the right foods (avocados, olives, walnuts, coconut, flax, fish, sea vegetables, etc.) you have no reason to be concerned.
• As for the “age defying skin complex” statement on the accompanying supplement image’s bottle: omega-7 has been found to be effective as a topical solution for certain skin conditions.  The specific omega-7 associated with skin conditions is palmitoleic acid — the one our bodies manufacture from other fatty acids!  There is no need to spend money on a supplement.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, conjugated linoleic acid, dairy, milk, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, omega-7 fatty acids

I’m a little afraid to ask you this, but here it goes.

I have noticed that some Greek yogurts actually say “Greek style” on their packaging (with the word “style” in tiny letters).  I’ve been reading your blog for a while, so I have a feeling this is significant.

Are these different from (or less healthy than) a “real” Greek yogurt like Fage?

– Melissa Heaney
Albany, NY

Ah, the drawbacks of being a sharp-eyed nutrition sleuth at the grocery store.

I recall several years ago, when I first started reading ingredient lists for common brands I used to buy, walking around supermarket aisles in a heavy-hearted daze.  It was almost as if I had just been told that my significant other had been cheating on me on a daily basis.  Except that, rather than stumbling across a hurriedly-scribbled name and number on a piece of paper, I was alerted to the presence of artificial dyes, partially hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup.  Heartbreak on aisle five!

Onto your question — there is a difference between Greek-style yogurts and actual Greek yogurts.  If you’re curious about what makes Greek yogurt special, please read this post.

Here is the ingredient list for Fage non-fat Greek yogurt:

Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk, Live Active Yogurt Cultures (L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus)

Now, let’s take a peek at the ingredient list for a Greek-style yogurt.  For this example, I am using The Greek Gods brand:

Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Inulin, Pectin, Active Cultures (S. Thermophilius, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, L. Casei)

Whereas “true” Greek yogurt’s thick consistency is the result of straining out the watery whey, Greek-style yogurts add thickeners (ie: gum blends like pectin and inulin, milk solids, stabilizers).

Each yogurt’s respective Nutrition Facts label also tells the tale.  Here is what 6 ounces of real Greek yogurt offer:

• 90 calories
• 0 grams fiber
• 15 grams protein
• 19% of the Adequate Intake of calcium

That same amount of Greek-style yogurt contains:

• 60 calories
• 2 grams fiber
• 6 grams protein
• 25% of the Adequate Intake of calcium

Let’s make sense of that.

• The decrease in calories is due to the reduction in protein.  Remember, Greek yogurt’s higher protein levels are due to the absence of watery whey.  Greek-style yogurt retains the whey and adds on thickeners.
• As you know, all dairy products are fiberless.  The 2 grams of fiber in Greek-style yogurt are due to the presence of thickening gums.  Depending on what other brands of Greek-style yogurt use, the fiber value may be zero.
• The higher percentage of calcium is also attributed to the presence of whey.

There is nothing troubling, disturbing, or unhealthy about pectin and inulin.  We aren’t talking about blue dyes or trans fats here.  Two FYIs, though:

1. For optimal health benefits, fiber should come from foods that naturally contain it, rather than add-ons.
2. If you’re looking for the higher protein benefits of Greek yogurt (mainly the ability to feel satiated for a little longer), reach for the authentic product.

2 Comments Greek yogurt, You Ask/I Answer, calcium, calories, ingredients, inulin, pectin, protein, yogurt

Some time ago I boiled some blue/purple potatoes and discovered the water had turned bright green.  Not being sure what that could possibly be (on store-bought spuds) I threw it all out.

This summer, I grew my own blue potatoes, and the same thing happened.  I know these are clean and chemical free, since I grew them myself.  What caused the water to turn green, and is it safe?

– Jennifer Armstrong
Saratoga Springs, NY

Ah, welcome to the fascinating (I’m not being fascicious, I truly think it’s fascinating) world of food science.

Questions like yours are also great because they help me realize that the mandatory Introduction to Food & Food Science I had to take during my college education does come in handy!

So, why did your blue potatoes yield green water?  Nope, it wasn’t a mutant Monsanto potato.  This just comes back to a very basic science concept — pH levels.

Most tap water is slightly alkaline, which doesn’t jive well with the more acidic potato environment.  Alas, the blue pigment (caused by the presence of antioxidants known as anthocyanins) left a green tint in your water.

If you’d like to prevent this next time, add a small amount of vinegar to your cooking water.

While we’re on the subject of potatoes and the color green, I think it’s worth reminding everyone that while this example is no cause for concern, a potato with a green tint on it is.

A green potato has high levels of solanine, which can result in unpleasant symptoms when consumed.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, cooking, potatoes

Can you share some information on forbidden rice?  The other day I went to a Thai restaurant that had it on the menu as a side dish.  Is it nutritionally the same as white or brown rice?

– Jake (Last name withheld)
San Diego, CA

Though white and brown varieties dominate the rice market in the Unite States, many Asian cultures frequently consume a wide range of colors.

A trip to your local Asian supermarket will significantly increase your choice in the rice department.  You will, for instance, spot forbidden rice, a black rice that becomes a dark purple during the cooking process.

Beautiful color aside (top it with scallions, cashews, and red peppers and you basically have an art piece), forbidden rice is a wonderful addition to any diet.  Like brown rice, it is a whole grain that boasts a nifty mineral profile.

Additionally, black rice contains anthocyanins — the same healthful antioxidant pigment in blueberries that offers quite a level of protection from degenerative disease.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, anthocyanins, antioxidants, forbidden rice, rice

I have a question about wheat gluten- (also known as”wheat meat” or seitan).

I haven’t been able to find any nutritional content information regarding this type of meatless product. What are the calorie and protein content?  What about B vitamin information?

Also, I found a blog which stated seitan contains fiber?  Where would the fiber come from?

– Chelsea Wynn
(Location Unknown)

A three-ounce serving (visual reference: a deck of cards) of seitan provides:

• 90 calories
• 1 gram of fat
• 3 grams of carbohydrates
• 18 grams of protein

It also contains a small amount of iron and phosphorus, and a fair share of selenium.

Since seitan is pure gluten, it does not contain any fiber or B vitamins.  The only exception to this rule would be if someone’s home recipe for it also includes whole wheat flour.  Even then, though, the amount would be minimal and would not make that particular batch of seitan high in fiber or B vitamins.

I have seen much confusion over seitan all over the Internet.  I have seen it referred to as a soy product (it is not), high in fiber (absolutely not), and even an excellent source of vitamin E (in no way, shape, or form).

PS: When buying commercial varieties of seitan (which are commonly marinated in soy sauce), I recommend a 30-second rinse under cold, running water to lower sodium levels.

No Comments B-vitamins, You Ask/I Answer, calories, fiber, seitan

I’ve learned tons about nutrition from you!  One of the things I’m glad I now know is that spinach isn’t a good source of calcium because it is high in oxalates (and you’re right, a lot of nutritionists get that wrong!).

What about calcium in canned salmon and sardines?  Is that pretty easy for the body to absorb?

– Jessica Unter
(City Withheld), TX

Sardines — and canned salmon, for that matter — lack compounds that interfere with calcium absorption.  Much like dark, leafy green vegetables (kale, mustard greens, bok choy, and collard greens) and tofu, sardines are a great calcium source for anyone who is lactose intolerant or has a milk allergy.

Diets very high in total protein can affect calcium levels, but that does not mean a food high in protein has that effect.

Three ounces of sardines contribute a third of the daily value of calcium.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, calcium, fish, sardines

I’ve seen you use hemp protein and other hemp products in many recipes you publish.  Can consumption of hemp seeds, oil, or protein trigger a positive drug test?

From what I’ve read, it’s on the product’s maker to ensure THC levels remain below a certain level to not trigger a positive. But, does it also depend on amount, frequency, and accumulation?

I’ve long been tempted to include hemp products in my diet because of their positive attributes, but we test for substances very often in the military and I’m not looking to risk it. Thanks.

– Fernando Garcia
(Location Unknown)

Wonderful question.  Good news — you can eat hemp with peace of mind!

First of all, in case anyone is wondering, claiming innocence for a positive drug test result via “I just munched on some hemp seeds, dude” will fall on deaf ears, as ruled by 2003’s Gary B. Dejong vs. Dept. of Justice.

One bit of good news — many hempseed companies are well-aware of this possible issue and have come up with solutions to allow consumers to eat hemp without fear of losing their jobs.

Many companies now pre-wash and/or shell their hemp seeds, which drastically lowers their THC content.  Don’t worry, shelled hemp seeds are still a nutritional powerhouse; they offer high amounts of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Multiple studies have revealed that it takes roughly a half pound of shelled hempseeds, consumed on a daily basis, to result in a “false positive” result.  In terms of hempseed oil, you would need to consume six tablespoons a day.

Adding two tablespoons of shelled hempseeds to a salad or smoothie (or even adding a scoop of hemp protein to your food) is no cause for concern.

By the way — The Test Pledge is a good resource to check before you head out to buy any hemp product.  All the listed companies “commit themselves to keeping THC levels in hemp nut and oil below levels at which failing a workplace drug test is extremely unlikely, even when eating high amounts of these products on a daily basis.”

For what it’s worth, too, most of the false positive cases were the result of ingesting untreated, deshelled hemp seeds (and byproducts) from China.

1 Comment You Ask/I Answer, hemp seeds

I see this verbiage on my milk carton and it seems very vague.

“Our farmers pledge not to treat their cows with rbST.”

The word ‘pledge’ implies to me that they may or may not do what is stated above.

I’m interested in your input.

– Ken Leebow
(Location Unknown)

In the overwhelming majority of cases, farmers who pledge not to use recombinant bovine Somatotropin (rbST)/ recombinant growth hormone (rBGH) sign legal affidavits that are kept on file by the respective companies they provide milk to.

In the vast majority of cases, though, this is done via an honor system.  There is no formal inspection process.

There also aren’t unannounced assessments or investigations.  For example, the New York and Connecticut chapters of the Northeast Organic Farming Association explicitly state that they “do not investigate or make any guarantee that the individual farmer is complying with the Farmer’s Pledge.”

2 Comments You Ask/I Answer, farm, milk, rBGH

I understand that nuts are filling because, in part, of their protein. Do nut milks (e.g., almond milk) possess similar properties? Are they as “filling” or have as much protein?

Also, what is a good protein replacement for nut butters? I like nut butters and love the idea of “bulking up” a piece of bread to make it more satisfying, but sometimes find it hard to digest nuts in large quantities. Is there something else I can put on my breads, muffins, etc. that will make me feel as full for as long as nut butters do?

– Lizzie (Last Name Withheld)
(Location Withheld)

Nut milks offer different nutrient values than nut butters because they have have a much higher water content.

If you make nut milk the traditional way (straining the liquid through a chinois and/or a nutmilk bag before consuming it), most of the “nut mush” (along with its fiber and protein) is caught and does not make it to your beverage.

This helps explain why the average cup (1 serving) of commercial almond milk has 1 gram of protein, while 1 serving (2 tablespoons) of almond butter has 7 grams of protein.

In terms of a good replacement for nut butters, you could always do a combination of nut butters with fruit.

For example, if you normally put 2 tablespoons of nut butter on bread, try 1 tablespoon (or even 2 teaspoons) and then add some sliced bananas or mashed berries.  The fiber in the fruit will help you feel full, while the decrease in fat will make the total snack easier to digest.

You could also put a small amount of nut butter on bread and add a sprinkling of hemp, chia, or flax seeds for easier digestion.

2 Comments You Ask/I Answer, almond butter, almond milk, almonds, fiber, nut butters, nut milk, protein, satiety

What do you think of articles (like this one) that link chemicals known as endocrine disruptors with obesity?

– Various Readers

While on vacation last week, I received over a dozen e-mails inquiring about endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their potential role in “making Americans fat”. 

Also known as “obesogens”, these chemicals are present in pesticides, plastic containers, and unfiltered tap water.

According to the article linked to in this post, EDCs explain why “traditional diet advice — choose chicken over beef, eat more fish, load up on fruits and vegetables — may not work anymore.”

Hold up.  Do you see the problem with that description of supposed “traditional advice”?  None of it is about eating fewer calories!   “Choose chicken over beef”, for example, has very little to do with caloric intake (that advice has more to do with lowering saturated fat intake).

While I am not denying that EDCs exist, and can pose health consequences to us, I really dislike the notion that they are the reason “why you can’t lose those last ten pounds.”

EDCs may very well be a tiny factor in rising obesity rates, but we can’t ignore the main one — excessive caloric intake.

By “excessive caloric intake”, I don’t simply mean “we are eating more”.  To me, “excessive caloric intake” encompasses crop subsidies (which make heavily processed, not-at-all filling ingredients cheap), exploding portion sizes (a direct result of crop subsidies), food deserts, and other social factors. 

Imagine, if you will, that you light a match and start a fire outdoors.  A gust of wind will strengthen it, but it did not start the fire.  The same can be said about EDCs and obesity.  They very well could be the wind that provides some extra fuel to the obesity flame, but they are certainly not the match that started it all.

I am not downplaying the benefits (both personal and environmental) of eating organic produce and avoiding BPA, but keep in mind that many people have successfully lost weight while strill drinking unfiltered tap water, eating conventional produce, and eating/drinking items from plastic containers. 

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, endocrine disruptors, obesity, weight loss

You recently blogged about the health benefits of coffee.  My sister, though, pointed out that coffee is bad for cholesterol, especially since it raises LDL cholesterol levels.

Is that true?

– Vanessa (Last name withheld)
(City withheld), NV

Yes and no.

Filtered coffee is not a concern.

Espresso-based drinks are slightly different since two particular compounds (cafestol and kahweol) are not filtered out.  These compounds — oils found on the surfaces of coffee beans — do indeed raise LDL cholesterol.

This is only a concern for people already living with certain conditions (ie: hypercholesteremia) or who consume very high amounts of unfiltered coffee.

Still, two shots of espresso a day are nowhere near as damaging for heart health as a diet low in omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber, or a sedentary lifestyle that also includes smoking.

Besides, an unsweetened cappuccino after dinner is a better choice than a filtered coffee spiked with six pumps of syrup and topped with mountains of whipped cream.

I don’t see any reason to fear coffee.  If anything, all the research I have seen points to it contributing a good amount of health benefits (from lowering blood pressure to decreasing diabetes risk).

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, cholesterol, coffee

As you’ve discussed in previous posts, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and sodium inhibit calcium absorption and/or promote calcium excretion.

Guidelines state that the body can only utilize 500 mg of calcium at a time.

That said, would extra calcium (beyond 500 mg) at a meal blunt the detrimental effects of phosphorus, caffeine, and sodium that are consumed concurrently?

– Megan Smith
Lubbock, TX

Great question!

In theory, yes, extra calcium would blunt the effects of the components you mention.

Semantics is key here.  The body can utilize 500 milligrams of absorbable calcium.

A cup of cooked spinach, for example, contains 245 milligrams of calcium.  Due to spinach’s high oxalic acid content, only five percent of that calcium (12 milligrams) are absorbed.

Hence, someone would need to eat 41 cups of spinach (10,045 milligrams of its calcium) to get 500 milligrams of absorbable calcium.

So, technically speaking, extra calcium does blunt the effects.  However, once the body absorbs 500 “true” milligrams of calcium, extra milligrams become irrelevant.

No Comments You Ask/I Answer, calcium, oxalates

I am very susceptible to canker sores.  I know they aren’t solely caused by [nutrition issues], but can I do anything from a nutritional standpoint to reduce their frequency?

I have read that I should supplement lysine.  How much do I need, though?

– Roxana (Last name withheld)
Farmington, NM

Canker sores are indeed tricky because they can be spurred by a variety of factors.  Sodium lauryl sulfate (the compound in most toothpastes responsible for foaming), for instance, can trigger canker sores in individuals who are prone to them.

From a nutritional standpoint, supplementing lysine is only half the tale.

Alas, let’s start at the beginning.

Lysine is an essential amino acid found in high amounts in red meat, poultry, eggs, soybeans, cheese, and nuts.  Remember, “essential” means our bodies are unable to produce it, so we must get it from food.  Lysine is the only essential amino acid found in very low amounts in grains.

The bulk of research on canker sores and amino acids goes beyond simply getting sufficient lysine, though.  The key is to simultaneously restrict one’s intake of another amino acid, though one that is not essential — arginine.

Alas, peanuts, tree nuts and chocolate have very high arginine to lysine ratios.  While not everyone responds to this diet, many people are able to keep tabs on canker sores (both by reducing the number of outbreaks and by cutting short their duration) by drastically limiting their intake of nuts.

3 Comments You Ask/I Answer, arginine, canker sores, lysine, nuts