Nuts, Corn and The Correct View of Nutrition

Nuts, Corn and The Correct View of Nutrition

I received the following message via email from a visitor to the web site:

“I’m reading a book on brain health,  “Feel Better Fast and Make it Last” by Dr. Daniel Amen and he talks about diet.” 

 “Are peanuts bad? I eat a handful probably every other day.  He has them grouped with bacon, cold cuts, etc as an unhealthy saturated fat.”     

 “He also says corn should be avoided entirely as its high in omega 6, low in omega 3 and can create leaky gut.” 

Reductionism

I don’t know much about Dr. Amen, but he, like most people, probably takes a very reductionist view of nutrition. Reductionism, as it pertains to nutrition, focuses on the individual components of a food taken out of context of the whole food. Dr. Amen’s reductionist view of nutrition allows him to do something as ridiculous as grouping peanuts with bacon because they each contain saturated fats.  It would be akin to grouping bananas with tuna fish because they are both high in potassium.

I strongly believe a reductionist view of nutrition is a mistake. I also understand how difficult it is to avoid viewing nutrition in a reductionist way, as nutrition is still being taught in a reductionist manner. I still find myself falling down the “reductionist rabbit hole” on occasion and I’m always appreciative when this is brought to my attention.

Dr. Liu on Nuts

Rui Hai Liu is a professor of food science at Cornell University who understands the importance of viewing nutrition with a Wholistic lens. This earlier article demonstrates Dr. Liu’s approach to nutrition.

Back in April of 2013, Liu answered some questions in the NY Times about raw and roasted nuts. Here are some quotes from the article:

• “I predict you will get health benefits from consuming either raw or roasted nuts.”
• “I don’t think processing (roasting) will decrease the benefits, and it may actually improve the bioavailability of some bioactive compounds,”
• “Phenolic compounds in nuts have high antioxidant activity and are able to quench free radicals that lead to cell damage and oxidative stress.”
• “Nuts also have a very nice fatty-acid balance and are a good source of vegetable proteins.”
• “Walnuts have the most phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, followed by pecans. Then come peanuts, actually a legume. Pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts and almonds also have high levels.”

Dr. Liu mentioned phenolic compounds, protein and fatty acid profiles, but he didn’t get bogged down with specific phenols, amino acids and fatty acids. Dr. Liu understands that the components in whole foods act in synergistic ways. He does not fall into the trap of focusing on individual components. Therefore, he avoids what I call “majoring in minor details”.

Minor Detail About Corn

Dr. Amen recommends avoiding corn because of its high Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratio and for its potential to create leaky gut syndrome. I have to plead ignorance as far as my knowledge about the associations between corn (and other foods) and gut permeability. According to the Mayo Clinic, food sensitivities may affect gut barrier function, but it appears that there is a lot we have to learn in this area.

Gastroenterologist/Researcher Maria I. Vazquez Roque, M.D. states:

“The methodology for studying barrier function is very heterogeneous; depending on the disease, you may study the large or small intestine. There is also great variability in how intestinal permeability is measured, including differences between in vitro and in vivo studies. The difficulties multiply when studies look beyond known environmental triggers such as gluten and gut microbes. Studying the barrier function in people with suspected food sensitivities is particularly challenging.”

If you have a gut sensitivity to corn, don’t eat it. Otherwise, organic corn can certainly be part of your whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. I prefer organic corn because most conventional corn in the US has been genetically modified.   Don’t let corn’s high Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratio dissuade you from eating it. This ratio is only one aspect of the food.  Corn contains protein, vitamins, minerals, health-promoting phytonutrients and fiber. The benefits of corn and other whole and minimally processed plant foods come from the synergistic interactions of countless nutrients

If you are eating a WFPB diet with a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans with no added extracted oils, the Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratio of your entire diet should be fine. You can always add some ground flax seeds, chia seeds and/or walnuts to your diet to increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Avoiding corn because of its high Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratio is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.   If you’d like to learn more specifics about Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, check out this earlier article.

More About Wholism

If you’d like to learn more about the concept of wholism as it applies to nutrition, you can check out T. Colin Campbell’s book “Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition” If you are unable to obtain this book, I encourage you to read this article by Dr. Campbell.

Stay Healthy and Strong!