Berries are incredibly healthful foods, and it's smart to seek out organic berries, grown without synthetic pesticides.

Our organic berries come in convenient one pound bags, each yielding about 3-1/2 cups. They freeze well, so you can keep plenty on hand!

These experts included nutrition guru Walter Willett, M.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, with whom we had the pleasure to speak at the recent “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference. (See “Vital Choice Fish Feeds CIA-Harvard Culinary Conference”.)

To read about prior findings concerning vitamin D’s effect on cancer and other health conditions – and the downside to doctors’ overblown sun-avoidance advice – search our newsletter archives for “vitamin D”.

Let’s take a quick look at each of three recent studies that confirm the overlooked importance of vitamin D.

Vitamin D pills urged to protect aging brains

When renowned UCLA researcher Bruce Ames, Ph.D. speaks, other scientists listen hard.

Dr. Ames is one of the most widely published and respected researchers of the past 50 years. He is best known as the inventor of what became known as the “Ames test”, which is still used worldwide to gauge the toxicity of chemicals.

Last year, he and colleague Joyce McCann released an evidence review, in which they concluded that vitamin D is likey related to brain health, and recommended supplements to the many Americans with low vitamin D levels (McCann JC, Ames BN 2008).

 

Fish fit the vitamin D bill; Sockeye salmon stand out Certain fish rank among the very few substantial food sources of vitamin D. Among fish, wild Sockeye Salmon may be the richest source of all, with a single 3.5 ounce serving surpassing the US RDA of 400 IU by about 70 percent:   Vitamin D per 3.5 ounce serving* Sockeye Salmon  687 IU Albacore Tuna  544 IU Silver Salmon  430 IU King Salmon  236 IU Sardines  222 IU Sablefish  169 IU Halibut  162 IU   *For our full test results, click here.

The pair noted that the need is especially urgent for nursing infants, the elderly, and African Americans, because vitamin D levels are exceptionally low among these three groups.

Because of Americans’ low intake of vitamin D from foods or supplements – and the lack of sun exposure among people living in northern states or who work indoors – estimates are that as many as 60 percent of us may be vitamin D deficient.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

In his new paper, Dr. Ames notes the wide distribution of vitamin D receptors throughout the brain, and underscores the role of the vitamin in maintaining brain health.

He emphasized that vitamin D appears to affect brain proteins responsible for learning and memory, motor control, and behavior.

Although the evidence remains inconclusive, the results of previous human and animal studies indicate that inadequate vitamin D levels may impair cognition and give rise to behavior problems.

As Drs. Ames and McCann wrote, “We conclude there is ample biological evidence to suggest an important role for vitamin D in brain development and function … recommendations for vitamin D supplementation of at-risk groups, including nursing infants, the elderly, and African-Americans appear warranted to ensure adequacy.” (McCann JC, Ames BN 2008)

Reasons for apparent colon benefits pinpointed

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

If diagnosis is made early, it’s one of the most curable cancers. But despite advances in screening methods and treatments, the death rate hasn’t declined much over the last 30 years.

Epidemiological studies suggest strongly that vitamin D and calcium may protect against colorectal cancers.

We should note that the authors of the large Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial reported that vitamin D and calcium supplements did not appear to cut participants’ risk of colon cancer (Wactawski-Wende J et al 2006).

However, the soundness of this conclusion was challenged by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who wrote that the study’s complexities made this conclusion unreliable (Forman MR, Levin B 2006).

And last month, researchers reported the results of clinical and epidemiological (case-control) studies, which affirm these nutrients’ combined ability to deter colon cancer development, and help explain how they bring this benefit about.

The new studies indicate that together, vitamin D and calcium increase body levels of chemicals that discourage development and spread of colon ...

The real reason may be coloration, but the meat industry justifies its use of nitrite and nitrate on anti-bacterial grounds. In fact, freezing and refrigeration work just as well, and the USDA has developed an alternative method using lactic-acid-producing bacteria.

The nitrites in meat can form cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines, and this happens much more when nitrite-cured meats such as bacon are cooked.

Because lab evidence raises concern about people – especially children and prengnant mothers – who might eat a lot of bacon, U.S. companies must add vitamin C or erythorbate to reduce nitrosamine formation.

Despite dire indications from lab tests, the epidemiological evidence hasn’t shown a convincing link between nitrites or nitrates and cancer risk (Eichholzer M et al. 1998; Blot WJ et al. 1999).

While the cancer risks associated with red and cured meats may stem as much from their iron and/or salt content as to nitrites, both foods are linked strongly to higher colon cancer risk, so it seems wise to minimize consumption.

We now know that people's oral bacteria convert the nitrates that occur naturally in common vegetables into nitrites.

And that unexpected fact leads us to today’s story.

Human mouths produce nitrites in abundance

Some fruits and vegetables are rich in nitrates, with the levels dependent to some extent on ...