Ask the Experts: Biotin; Decaf Coffee; Frozen Sweet Potato Nutrients
Q: What is the most recent thinking on biotin?
A: Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, Stanley N. Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at the Friedman School and executive editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: “Biotin is a member of the B vitamin family that receives relatively little attention. Deficiencies are rare and have never been reported in healthy individuals. The only cases of diet-induced biotin deficiency have been attributed to the habitual consumption of raw egg whites over a period of months to years. (Raw eggs contain a compound, avidin, that prevents biotin from being absorbed. Cooking destroys avidin.) Inadequate intakes are so rare that we don’t actually know how much biotin we need, hence, recommendations are in terms of Adequate Intake values. An Adequate Intake value represents a level assumed to cover the needs of the vast majority of the population. For adults, the value is 30 micrograms (ug) per day, for both women and men. In the U.S. intakes are estimated to range from 35 to 70 ug per day. Biotin in present in a wide range of foods, including organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes). There are no data to indicate that subgroups benefit from greater intakes of biotin. Individuals who chronically take anticonvulsants should check with their healthcare provider.”
Q: I have read reports that coffee is good for health. I cannot consume caffeine. Does decaf coffee have any health benefits?
A: Judith C. Thalheimer, RDN, LND, managing editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: “Caffeine is only one of the more than 1,000 bioactive compounds found in coffee. Many of these compounds may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or anticancer properties. An umbrella analysis designed to assess results of all of the existing evidence on the effects of coffee consumption on health published in the BMJ in 2017 concluded that consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk of death from all causes. The analysis found that both decaf and regular coffee were associated with lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but caffeinated coffee was more strongly associated with lower cancer risk than decaffeinated coffee.
“If you enjoy coffee but can’t tolerate caffeine, rest assured that you are still getting beneficial compounds from your cup of decaf. If you don’t enjoy coffee, the potential health benefits are not a good enough reason to force it down. One note of caution: all coffee drinkers should avoid the large amounts of sweeteners and cream that often go into store-bought coffee drinks (as well as the pastries and cookies that sometimes accompany that cup of Joe).”
Q: Why don’t I see vitamin A on my package of ready-to-steam frozen sweet potatoes?
A: Leah Rainville, a dietetic intern at Tufts Medical Center, answers: “Don’t worry, your sweet potatoes are still a great source of Vitamin A! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food companies to list vitamin D, potassium, iron, and calcium on the Nutrition Facts label. Food companies can voluntarily list additional nutrients, but they are not required to, so the fact that you don’t see vitamin A listed doesn’t mean it isn’t in the food.
“You may recall seeing vitamin A listed on Nutrition Facts labels in the past. The old Nutrition Facts label, created in 1990, required listing vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. At that time, many American’s diets were low in these nutrients. In 2016, the FDA announced an updated Nutrition Facts label to reflect new scientific findings and the new dietary needs of the population. Recent nationwide food surveys show that vitamin A and vitamin C are no longer nutrients of public health concern for Americans. Now, Americans may not be consuming enough vitamin D or potassium, which have replaced vitamin A and vitamin C on the new Nutrition Facts label. You may still see the old Nutrition Facts label at the grocery store. Large food companies must comply with the updated Nutrition Facts label requirements by January 2020, while smaller food companies have until January 2021.”
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