Diet Quotes

Throughout life, all the products we consume affect our teeth. Sometimes, acidic apple juice, sports drinks, sodas, coffee, and beer harm our teeth. At other times, our teeth may benefit from mineral-rich drinking water, vegetable juices, dairy products, xylitol, and alkaline soups and broths. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Avoid mouth acidity as much as possible and encourage healthy plaque by consuming sufficient 100% xylitol each day, especially after meals and beverages. At least 6-10 grams of xylitol per day is recommended in (at least 5-6) divided doses. Mints, gum, breath sprays or granular xylitol are all acceptable. My general recommendation is to dissolve one teaspoon (4 grams) of granulated xylitol in 6-8 ounces of water and drink this each morning. This can be repeated again in the afternoon, or mints and gum can be eaten at the end of snacks or meals. Frequency is believed to play a major role in reducing plaque. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

To prevent gum disease, watch for the first signs of infection (bleeding gums) and take action immediately. When you prevent or stop gum disease at the early stage, you avoid all the problems that aggressive periodontal bacteria can inflict on your gums, bones, and health. When your teeth have multiple exposures to xylitol each day, totaling at least 6.5 and 10 grams of xylitol, studies show that you can radically change the kind of bacteria in your mouth within one year. The next thing to do is visit a dentist as soon as possible to have an evaluation to learn about remedies that can help return your mouth to health. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Sweeteners like stevia and xylitol are derived from natural sources and are healthy and safe sugar substitutes, despite the fact that they have such off-putting and chemical-sounding names. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, often have alluring names like Splenda, Sweet'N Low, and Equal. There are great differences for teeth between the effects of consuming the natural and dentally beneficial sugar substitute xylitol and xylitol's ugly stepsister, the artificial sugarless sweetener called sorbitol. Sorbitol can cause gastric problems like bloating and stomach cramps at low dosage. Many people who consume sorbitol find they develop acid reflux symptoms. Don't believe that when a product says it's sugar free it means it's "safe or good for teeth." Sugar-free products, especially chewing gum and diet drinks, may contain sorbitol. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Few mineral waters are alkaline, and even tap water may be acidic. As a generalization, the more expensive bottled waters, originating from various regions of the world, seem to be alkaline. Evian is a brand of bottled water and is mildly alkaline, with a pH of 7.2, and Fiji water from the island of Fiji, has a pH of 7.4. People who wake and need a drink during the night, people with a dry mouth, or those who are dehydrated or sick may want to take particular interest in the pH value of the water they are consuming. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Citric acid is damaging in any mouth, and in a dry mouth, where it is not diluted or washed off teeth by saliva, the damage will be more extreme. Many fruits contain citric acid, as do the drinks made from them: grapefruit, oranges, limes, or lemons. Other foods, such as bananas, almonds, potatoes, vegetables of all kinds, fresh apples, and even pineapple, can make the mouth alkaline. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Several foods are not only safe for teeth but also have tooth-protective or anti-cavity features: 1) Cow's milk; 2) Cheese; 3) Dark chocolate; 4) Certain plant fibers and leaves (sugarcane, fresh apples, tea, etc.); 5) Intense sweeteners (glycyrrhizin from licorice root, thaumatin, miraculin, etc.); 6) Propolis. Finishing a meal or a snack with something dentally healthy can alter the chemistry of your mouth and leave it safe for teeth. Know at least one or two foods that you like and which are safe for teeth so that you can eat these to complete any meal or snack made up of foods that are damaging. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Tomatoes and pink grapefruit contain special nutrients called bioactives, which can protect the DNA of cells from damage that may occur during X-rays, provided that they're consumed prior to any radiation. Fresh apples are a great example of a food rich in probiotic properties (together with the aforementioned bioactives) that help to speed up the repair of DNA damage to reduce damaging effects. This is why apples are useful when they're consumed after one has undergone X-rays, or for patients with disrupted salivary glands who are following a course of radiation and/or chemotherapy.  [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Papaya and pineapple are two unique fruits for digestive health, each contributing enzymes that can be eaten right before a meal as an appetizer-which allows these enzymes to help support improved upper digestive health. The process helps to reduce the unpleasant and painful symptoms of acid or gastric reflux-a problem that negatively influences mouth health in many ways, especially as it can cause erosion of teeth and promotion of unhealthy mouth conditions. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Healthy Food Pairings: Banana with some dairy product (like yogurt, milk, custard, or kefir) / Tomatoes with olive oil / Citrus fruits with spinach / Avocado and carrots / Salad greens with an egg / Oatmeal and berries / Broccoli and mustard / Beans and rice / Salmon and broccoli / Eggs and spinach / Chickpeas and lemon juice / Fresh strawberries with cream  [2025] - Ellie Phillips

Specific foods stimulate an improved wound response, and some of these foods include: Dark chocolate (which can stimulate stem cells); black and green teas (which can mobilize stem cells); grains (especially barley); and seeds (including flax, sunflower, pumpkin, and chia), all of which can speed up the process of angiogenesis to bring a needed blood flow to the gums. Herbs like rosemary, peppermint, and ginseng can be useful, as well as the fruit and peels of fresh apples and plums, which help the repair process. Capers and onions, dried cherries, sultana raisins, and blueberries are similarly beneficial for wound healing. [2025] - Ellie Phillips

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