The 10 "Worst" Foods

[McAuliflower]

There is a problem, though, with oysters and other bivalves: They eat by filtering large quantities of water. Whatever impurities there are in the water get multiplied by a large factor in oysters and the like, and when we eat them, we are eating those impurities because we are eating their filters. So there could be a reason for people to limit their intake of bivalves unless they're really sure the ones they're consuming come from areas with very low levels of heavy metals and so forth in the water.

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True. There are federal programs to monitor the waters and oversea poluiton issues:

To protect consumers from contaminated shellfish and shellfish with paralytic shellfish poisoning, an extensive federal/state program called the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (an organization of shellfish-producing states, the FDA, the shellfish industry, and NMFS) was established to monitor shellfish-growing waters. Those waters that become polluted are closed to commercial shellfishing. Also, under this program, shellfish must be traceable to their source from the moment they are harvested from a bay, river, or estuary to when they end up in a restaurant or market. Each container of shellfish must have a tag or label approved by the appropriate state shellfish control agency that bears the information necessary to trace shellfish, both to a specific area and to a particular harvester. Inspectors can then verify if the shellfish came from approved waters. If the tags are missing, the shellfish are removed and destroyed.

from University of Delaware Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service

this is probably preaching to the choir though

too bad we can't post our comments on the lists themselves!

[Oyster Guy]

The best French terrine is little more than excellent meat loaf. There may be a risk in eating oysters, but there's a risk in crossing the street and I rarely feel as good to have crossed the street as I do after a dozen oysters. I've not noticed an improvement in my sex life directly related to eating oysters, though I think the idea that oysters are an aphrodesiac sometimes helps the mood for many. Liquor on the other hand, works wonders for many people's sex life. If nothing else, it helps make any partner look better, thus increasing the chance of a successful mating session.

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Actually 6 months ago, a scientific report was published by Berkley University where the people working on the genome mapping project had discovered 2 amino acids contained in oysters that are found nowhere else in nature.

When fed to lab rats, they discovered increased levels of proestrogen in the female subjects and testoterone in the males and 5 of the female rats were pregnant.

So, there is some scientific basis to this claim.

I have always been of the mind that if something cold, wet and slimy makes you hot and bothered....whatever floats your boat

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

[BCinBC]

In Jack's defence, he says anything made with poor quality mince. But that is the problem with these articles right there. Let's say you publish this thread's list as "things that are bad for you", and number 7 is "Meatloaf (or almost anything made with poor quality mince)" - the average reader will then just avoid anything called "Meatloaf", even if it is made with hand-minced Kobe sirloin.

Also, shout out to Rich and Petite Tete for the best lines in an entertaining thread:

The only bad food that I know of is arsenic-laced wine.

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Normally I would agree with that, but I served some to my brother-in-law last month and it seemed to work very well. It wasn't bad at all.

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[Patrick S]

The best French terrine is little more than excellent meat loaf. There may be a risk in eating oysters, but there's a risk in crossing the street and I rarely feel as good to have crossed the street as I do after a dozen oysters. I've not noticed an improvement in my sex life directly related to eating oysters, though I think the idea that oysters are an aphrodesiac sometimes helps the mood for many. Liquor on the other hand, works wonders for many people's sex life. If nothing else, it helps make any partner look better, thus increasing the chance of a successful mating session.

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Actually 6 months ago, a scientific report was published by Berkley University where the people working on the genome mapping project had discovered 2 amino acids contained in oysters that are found nowhere else in nature.

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Finally, what I consider a good reason to eat oysters.

Seriously though, the two amino acids in question, D-Asp and NMDA, are found in a great many species, including mammals. NMDA is the methylated version of D-Asp. What's unusual is that they are present in relatively higher contrations in bivavle molluscs, such as oysters. The researchers who did the work were not involved in genomics -- the group consisted of a chemist, two of his grad students, and a neurobiologist.

[Pan]

[...]By the way, I think meatloaf is disgusting and considering the problems they have had with mad cow disease, the antibiotics they pump into the cows and the growth hormones it's way more of a health risk to eat beef than shellfish.

But that's only my opinion.

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You could be right about the relative health risks.

[peppyre]

Did anyone else follow the links in that article?

I followed along, like the good little sheep that I am, and landed at the iVillage Fitness Tracker page.............Sponsored by

McDonald's WTF!!!!!!

Seriously, a weight loss page sponsored by McDonald's??! WTF is wrong with this world.

[Patrick S]

[...]By the way, I think meatloaf is disgusting and considering the problems they have had with mad cow disease, the antibiotics they pump into the cows and the growth hormones it's way more of a health risk to eat beef than shellfish.

But that's only my opinion.

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You could be right about the relative health risks.

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I don't think the evidence supports the view that beef is "way more of a health risk to eat" than beef, at least not for the reasons stated above. So far as we know, no one has ever gotten vCJD from eating US beef, and the practices that spread BSE in the UK were banned in the US a number of years ago. So I don't know how one would really calculate the health risks of "mad cow" from beef for US consumers.

And as far as growth hormones in beef goes, I don't think there is any evidence that this presents any health risk either. The biggest concern seems to be over estrogens like estradiol. A 3oz serving of beef from a hormone-implanted steer has about 1.9ng of estrogen (compared to 1.3ng for a nonimplanted steer). By way of comparison, a glass of milk has 35ng, and a hen's egg has 1,750ng. A serving of cabbage has the phytoestrogen equivalent of 2,000ng of estrogen, while soy oil has the phytoestrogen equivalent of over 1,000,000ng of estrogen. To look at it another way, the endocrine system of the average adult human male produces 136,000ng of estrogen a day, while that of the adult human female produces an average of 480,000ng/day.

[Rebecca263]

I only have one basic no no. Don't eat it if the first bite doesn't taste GOOD! Other than that, it's pretty much a free for all. And after reading this forum I'm serving #1 boy a dozen oysters and a bottle of vodka next visit!

[jgm]

I've grown extremely cynical about dietary "do's and don'ts".

St. Julia was right, and always will be: everything in moderation.

I have decided that no matter what I eat, there's a reason I shouldn't eat it. I'm going to, then, improve my quality of life by paying no further attention to scientific studies and lists. There is much we don't know, and I don't think that's going to change in my lifetime, no matter how long that is.

[Oyster Guy]

[...]By the way, I think meatloaf is disgusting and considering the problems they have had with mad cow disease, the antibiotics they pump into the cows and the growth hormones it's way more of a health risk to eat beef than shellfish.

But that's only my opinion.

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You could be right about the relative health risks.

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I don't think the evidence supports the view that beef is "way more of a health risk to eat" than beef, at least not for the reasons stated above. So far as we know, no one has ever gotten vCJD from eating US beef, and the practices that spread BSE in the UK were banned in the US a number of years ago. So I don't know how one would really calculate the health risks of "mad cow" from beef for US consumers.

And as far as growth hormones in beef goes, I don't think there is any evidence that this presents any health risk either. The biggest concern seems to be over estrogens like estradiol. A 3oz serving of beef from a hormone-implanted steer has about 1.9ng of estrogen (compared to 1.3ng for a nonimplanted steer). By way of comparison, a glass of milk has 35ng, and a hen's egg has 1,750ng. A serving of cabbage has the phytoestrogen equivalent of 2,000ng of estrogen, while soy oil has the phytoestrogen equivalent of over 1,000,000ng of estrogen. To look at it another way, the endocrine system of the average adult human male produces 136,000ng of estrogen a day, while that of the adult human female produces an average of 480,000ng/day.

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While the evidence might not bear me out, I have had milk that I swear on a stack of bibles smells and tastes like medicine.

As far the mad cow thing goes in the U.S., the Department of Agriculture there up to only 2 years ago only tested cows that "appeared" sick.

This does not fill me with great confidence in regards to their safety procedures.

Let's face it, most governments don't do anything unless someone dies first.

I appreciate your input and knowledge and I thank you for it.

I'll still stick to oysters for most of my protein needs.

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

[MarketStEl]

yet another list ...

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Quoting from that link:

Potatoes are bad enough when consumed in their raw state,

He's writing for people who are ready to consume raw potatoes?? What's next, raw eggplant?

And yes, I know there's a thread somewhere here about people who are happy to eat raw potato, but it's still hardly mainstream...

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I'm hoping that by "raw" he also means baked, the one cooked state in which no other substances are added in the cooking.

Anyway, the fellow who put together this list, Dr. Joseph Mercola, is something of a diet heretic in one important respect: He says you shouldn't worry so much about your consumption of saturated fat. If you click on the link above, you will see that he recommends you use tropical plant oils, especially coconut, for cooking.

If we follow that logic, we should go back to cooking our French fries in lard.

OTOH, his argument, which is based on his contention that the "lipid hypothesis" -- the theory that the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you consume directly contributes to the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream -- is all wrong, permits me to eat all the cheese I want.

You all may recall a better-known doctor whose diet was also based on an argument that the lipid hypothesis is all wrong. Fellow named Atkins, if memory serves me right.

[Bux]

Actually 6 months ago, a scientific report was published by Berkley University where the people working on the genome mapping project had discovered 2 amino acids contained in oysters that are found nowhere else in nature.

When fed to lab rats, they discovered increased levels of proestrogen in the female subjects and testoterone in the males and 5 of the female rats were pregnant.

. . . .

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Wait, if you could get pregnant eating oysters, it could wipe out sex.

Just kidding.

[divalasvegas]

Did anyone else follow the links in that article?

I followed along, like the good little sheep that I am, and landed at the iVillage Fitness Tracker page.............Sponsored by

McDonald's     WTF!!!!!!

Seriously, a weight loss page sponsored by McDonald's??!  WTF is wrong with this world.

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WTF is wrong with the world indeed peppyre! If MickyD's wanted to perform a public service, they would bring back their ORIGINAL recipe for french fries--cooked with beef tallow I believe. What they have now tastes like how I would imagine fried cotton might taste. I remember that those things used to taste delicious even when they cooled off. Then they need to add those to a list of must have/must eat foods.

Edited January 15, 2006 by divalasvegas (log)

[MarketStEl]

WTF is wrong with the world indeed peppyre!  If MickyD's wanted to perform a public service, they would bring back their ORIGINAL recipe for french fries--cooked with beef tallow I believe.  What they have now tastes like how I would imagine fried cotton might taste. I remember that those things used to taste delicious even when they cooled off.  Then they need to add those to a list of must have/must eat foods.

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Didja see my post two up from this one (#36)?

Maybe we can get a campaign going: the Campaign for Real Fat!

[divalasvegas]

WTF is wrong with the world indeed peppyre!  If MickyD's wanted to perform a public service, they would bring back their ORIGINAL recipe for french fries--cooked with beef tallow I believe.  What they have now tastes like how I would imagine fried cotton might taste. I remember that those things used to taste delicious even when they cooled off.  Then they need to add those to a list of must have/must eat foods.

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Didja see my post two up from this one (#36)?

Maybe we can get a campaign going: the Campaign for Real Fat!

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Mmmmmmmm MarketStEl eating all the cheese that I want as referenced in post #36. Yes, yes, yes, I'm there. Mmmmmmmm, "THE POWER OF CHEESE!" One of the best series of commercials ever.

And I am so up for that campaign: duck fat, goose fat, butter, olive oil, nut oils, chicken fat/schmaltz, beef tallow, lard......................... Absolutely yes. OLESTRA be damned!

[MarketStEl]

And I am so up for that campaign: duck fat, goose fat, butter, olive oil, nut oils, chicken fat/schmaltz, beef tallow, lard.........................  Absolutely yes. OLESTRA be damned! 

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Here's our bible.

[jfrater]

Allow me to retort to those lists with one that debunks many of them: Top 10 things that are surprisingly good for you

[jfrater]

Actually 6 months ago, a scientific report was published by Berkley University where the people working on the genome mapping project had discovered 2 amino acids contained in oysters that are found nowhere else in nature.

When fed to lab rats, they discovered increased levels of proestrogen in the female subjects and testoterone in the males and 5 of the female rats were pregnant.

So, there is some scientific basis to this claim.

Actually this is not true - there is no scientific basis to the claim that oysters are human aphrodisiacs. All the scientists have shown that in a number of rats on which they tested, two amino acids extracted from oysters possibly increase testosterone etc.

It is a giant leap to say an effect observed in a set number of rats is evidence towards the effects of oysters on humans.

Modern science loves to observe a minuscule set and declare it evidence of something it is not. 5 rats may have become pregnant - but that doesn't show anything at all - they may have become pregnant without the amino acids - science can't tell as it can't go back in time and try the same test on the same rats without the amino acids.

At best. modern science can only ever say something is possible - modern science can never prove something in a perfect way.

That aside - I love oysters - raw or cooked - and intend to continue to consume them in large quantities

[Mjx]

The only foods I'd put on a 'worst' list are junk items specifically designed and marketed to little kids. Apart from that, however, any list of this sort is in direct denial of the concept of 'adult', which at its most fundamental level refers to someone who takes responsibility for his or her actions (i.e. considers their consequences, and is willing to be fully accountable for them, without whining or acting victimized), including the actions of eating pork rinds, or having cake and gin for breakfast.

I mean, what's 'bad'? I find people who think they themselves naughtily adventurous because they eat baby eels that happen to be on the endangered list beneath contempt and childish, but that doesn't make the eels 'bad food', it just makes eating them now, and not allowing them time to recover their numbers, a stupid idea.

Wait: Olestra actually is a bad idea, although I confess to finding its side effects entertaining to contemplate.