In a
previous post I questioned that dietetics is a science, because it seems to
follow quite often what can be considered alternatives of fashion, and I gave
some examples. In this article I’m going to add a few more, along with a general
consideration.- The expiration date of yogurts. A few years ago, there were several books
published and speeches made, asserting that yogurt should never be eaten
just one day after its expiration date. Of course, no expired food should ever
be used to help poor people. However, any quality expert knows that
expiration dates always include a safety margin that can sometimes be
quite long (days, weeks, or even months). Therefore, some kinds of very recently
expired food are probably within that safety margin and can be eaten
without problems. Not to mention the fact that there are products (such as
yogurts) that don’t need an expiration date, as their substance is not
spoiled, even though it may lose nutritional or flavor properties. This is
why lately, in this type of products, there is no longer talk of an expiration date, but of a preferred consumption date.
- The favorable or unfavorable effects of
drinking a little wine with meals. First, it was considered proven that drinking half a glass of
wine with each meal (a part of the Mediterranean diet) is good to avoid
heart problems. This favorable effect was later considered applicable only
to males over 50. Later there was another study that asserts that alcohol
consumption is always unfavorable, because it can increase the risk of
cancer. I suppose studies will continue to be carried out and results
published. I don’t know to what extent the current situation can be
considered final. However, a recent analysis of dietary advices on TV
newscasts, says the following: One of the
mantras cited by [the TV] is that drinking one or two glasses of wine a
day is beneficial. But nothing is further from reality: moderate and
healthy alcohol consumption is a great myth that does not prevent
cardiovascular problems and, in fact, can increase the risk of diseases
such as cancer. It is curious, for the link they provide to
support what they say just mentions that the
benefit of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular health likely has been
overstated, and in relation to cancer, points out that excessive use of alcohol should be prevented,
a quite ambiguous phrase.
- The harmful or harmless effects of food
additives. The same
analysis cited in the previous point assures that [the TV] speaks poorly
of additives in its newscasts, despite their being safe
substances that help improve the appearance or texture of [foods] and
preserve them better. We know that there are many controls
on food additives, but it’s also true that companies sometimes abuse,
introducing a large number of colorants, preservatives, flavors,
sweeteners, emulsifiers, thickeners, stabilizers, acidifiers and
antioxidants, whose usefulness could be debatable. The more so, since other
companies put for sale the same products
without additives or with a minimum of additives, thus
attracting public attention, so as to induce them to buy them. In fact,
there is a flourishing market for these products.
I am not saying that these things are wrong. They may all be correct. What I am saying is that it is risky to take as final things that history shows us can change abruptly overnight.
Such disease was
treated with such medication in 20 patients; 20 others were given a placebo.
Three died in the first group; four in the second. Therefore, this medication
reduces the mortality of this disease by 25%.
Mathematically
the result may be correct, but its statistical significance is null.
The same post in Spanish
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