Diet Quotes

Barberries, which can be found inexpensively priced at Middle Eastern groceries in dried form, have been shown to successfully lower LDL cholesterol levels an average of 14 points (mg/dL), as well as improve acne, artery function, triglycerides, blood sugars, and insulin resistance. Eat two teaspoons of barberries three times a day or a single tablespoon twice a day. Eating the whole food is preferable, especially since an analysis of berberine supplements on the market found that 60% failed to match what was claimed on their labels. [2023] - Michael Greger

Black cumin is a plant traditionally used in Middle Eastern cuisines that can boost AMPK. Daily black cumin consumption of 1 or 2 g has been found to significantly improve weight loss, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and blood sugar control. The spice also lowers markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, and has favorable effects on inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and a common cause of hypothyroidism called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Black cumin also appears to help get rid of kidney stones and help with the symptoms of menopause. [2023] - Michael Greger

Hibiscus delivers the tart cranberry-like flavor and bright red color of Red zinger tea. Also known as roselle or jamaica, hibiscus tea has been enjoyed around the world for millennia as both a delicious hot or cold drink and an ancient medicinal remedy. In How Not to Die, I covered its blood pressure benefits, working as well as, or even beating out, some anti-hypertensive medications in head-to-head clinical trials. In How Not to Diet, I describe its role in AMPK activation and in improving blood sugars, LDL cholesterol, artery function, and weight loss, with or without another herbal tea, lemon verbena. [2023] - Michael Greger

Drinking coffee with milk cuts bioavailability of chlorogenic acid, dropping it from 68% (in black coffee) down to 40% (in a latte). Milk protein can also undercut the benefits of tea, berries, and chocolate. [2023] - Michael Greger

Autophagy is considered the "primary system for cleaning the body" from the inside out. Some food components like spermidine can boost the process. Wheat Germ is the cheapest source of spermidine. At sufficient doses, wheat germ can also help control cholesterol, triglycerides, diabetic blood sugars, and pain, fatigue, headache, and mood swings associated with painful periods. It can also boost Bifidobacteria in the gut. Perhaps people with cancer shouldn't go out of their way to increase their spermidine intake. The other group I would advise caution for are those with kidney failure. [2023] - Michael Greger

Meet the 400 μg recommended daily allowance of folate with about a cup of cooked lentils or edamame, a cup and a half of cooked spinach or asparagus, or two and a half cups of broccoli, for example. [2023] - Michael Greger

When type 2 diabetics drank a small cup of chamomile tea after their meals for a few months, they got significant improvement in long-term blood sugar control compared to drinking the same volume of warm water or when pitted head-to-head against black tea. And the side effects? All good——lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a decrease in inflammation, and improved sleep, mood, and antioxidant status. Chamomile tea and green tea appear to share the same mechanisms for blood sugar control: blocking the transport of sugars through the intestinal wall. [2023] - Michael Greger

One of the reasons I don't recommend taking green tea extract supplements is the risk of liver toxicity. We used to think such reactions were rare, on the order of one in a hundred thousand. But, now that there are large studies like the Minnesota Green Tea Trail, we realize it may be more like one in twenty. [2023] - Michael Greger

Red tea should ideally be simmered for at least 5 minutes. Brew black tea for 4 minutes, green tea for 3 minutes at 85°C, and white tea for 7 minutes at 98°C. Surprisingly, bags are better than bulk, because the leaves in tea bags are much more finely chopped, allowing for greater extraction. [2023] - Michael Greger

Morel, shitake, and Agaricus mushrooms, like white, cremini, and portobello, should be cooked before eaten. Oyster mushrooms can be safely consumed raw. [2023] - Michael Greger

Vegans and vegetarians should take vitamin B12 supplements containing at least 50 mcg cyanocobalamin (the most stable form) each day or at least 2,000 mcg once a week, as should all individuals between 50 and 65, regardless of their diets (since we lose some of the ability to absorb B12 from food as we age). I recommend 1,000 mcg of cyanocobalamin a day for everyone after age 65, ideally as a chewable, sublingual, or liquid supplement. [2023] - Michael Greger

Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower bone mineral density (this translates into elevated fracture risk) compared to meat eaters, not only because they are generally more slender but because of the potential for inadequate vitamin D status and calcium intake. I recommend 2,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D a day for those getting inadequate sun exposure and at least 600 mg of calcium daily via calcium-rich plant foods——preferably low-oxalate dark green leafy vegetables, which include all greens except spinach, chard, and beet greens. (All very healthy foods, but just stingy with their calcium.) [2023] - Michael Greger

Flaxseeds can be used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Men given the equivalent of around 3 tablespoons of flaxseeds daily experienced relief comparable to that achieved with commonly prescribed drugs such as Flomax or Proscar——but without their side effects. Pumpkin seeds also work. Significant improvements in BPH symptoms, quality of life, and all urination parameters studied were noted for about tree-quarters of a teaspoon a day of powdered cranberries. [2023] - Michael Greger

Goji berries do actually appear to have relevant, real-world, beneficial effects on immune function. [2023] - Michael Greger

Those who choose organic produce seem to have lower cancer rates after controlling for confounding factors, but even if it's cause and effect, the benefits of consuming conventionally grown produce are likely to outweigh any possible risks from pesticide exposure. So, concerns over pesticide risks should never discourage us from eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible. The potential lifelong damage of any pesticides on produce is estimated to cut only a few minutes off a person's life on average, which is nothing compared to benefits we get from eating fruits and veggies. [2023] - Michael Greger

Nori, the most accessible seaweed, are the sheets used for making sushi rolls, but they can also make quick and easy snacks. It's hard to beat the nutrient density; each sheet has as little as a single calorie. Study participants randomized to a nori extract for 8 weeks experienced an increase in natural killer cell activity. The dose they were given was equivalent to about 7 sheets of nori a day, though, so it's not clear what the effects of smaller does might be. [2023] - Michael Greger

Blueberries, garlic and spinach improve muscle quality, performance, mass, and/ or strength. Older men and women given a tablespoon of natural, unprocessed cocoa a day for 12 weeks experienced a significant improvement in muscle mass index, grip strength, and all four physical function tests. [2023] - Michael Greger

The longevity benefits associated with nuts (including peanuts) do not appear to extend to peanut butter, perhaps due to the lack of intact cellular structures that deliver a bounty of prebiotic goodness to our friendly gut flora. The healthiest nut, however, is probably walnuts. Not only do they have some of the highest antioxidant and omega-3 levels, but walnuts are the only nuts known to significantly improve artery function, and they beat out others in suppressing cancer cell growth in vitro. [2023] - Michael Greger

In a head-to-head comparison between red grapes and green ones, eating about 3 cups a day of red grapes for 8 weeks significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, but the same amount of green grapes did not. Similarly, raisins were not able to acutely improve artery functions, but a cup and a quarter of various fresh grapes, including red and blue-black ones, can even blunt the arterial dysfunction caused by a McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg meal. The skins of grapes hold 30% of the polyphenols, but the seeds contain 64%. I've found the best odds of finding seeded grapes are at Asian markets. [2023] - Michael Greger

Time-restricted eating is defined as fasting for periods of at least 12 hours but less than 24. Early time-restricted eating, a narrow eating window shifted toward the morning, carry a variety of metabolic benefits. Prolonged nightly fasting with reduced evening food intake may decrease cancer risk and recurrence. [2023] - Michael Greger