Quercetin – a treatment for coronavirus?

Chemical structures of the drug hydroxychloroquine and the natural product quercetin

Hey readers. Hope you are well, physically and mentally. Here are some tentative ideas about the link between coronavirus, zinc, and a natural product called quercetin, which is a flavonoid found in food. You’ve probably heard by now of the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) that has been under investigation for treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). … Continue reading Quercetin – a treatment for coronavirus?

Why are legumes banned by the Paleo Diet?

Why are legumes banned by the Paleo Diet? The image shows six types of legumes in wooden spoons, against a black background.

Hey Folks! You would think that I’m finished critiquing the Paleo diet after the last post, but I want to focus on one major issue in this post: why are legumes banned by the Paleo Diet? Legumes (peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, etc.) are widely considered to be sustainable and healthy sources of protein, fiber, … Continue reading Why are legumes banned by the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet: science, health, and sustainability

Is the Paleo Diet heathy? A 20th century painting of two hunter-gatherers hunting a glyptodon in the Paleolithic era.

In this post I’m going to take a look at the “Paleo Diet” from a few perspectives: Is it based on solid science? Is it healthy? Is it good for the planet? In the last post I reviewed the scientific literature on the impact of low-carb diets on health and found that the evidence overwhelmingly … Continue reading The Paleo Diet: science, health, and sustainability

Are low-carb diets good for you? Sustainability and health benefits of carbs

Are low-carb diets good for you? A photo of various varieties of potatoes in crates.

Continuing on the theme of ethical consumerism and health, I’m going to take a look at the sustainability and health benefits of carbohydrates, and especially on the question of whether low-carb diets are good for you. But there’s a lot of material to cover, so I’m going to first look at scientific studies on low-carb … Continue reading Are low-carb diets good for you? Sustainability and health benefits of carbs

Why you should eat seaweed: sustainability and health benefits

The left image shows the red seaweed dulse growing in blue ocean water. The right image shows crispy dulse on a wooden board.

In this first post on the relationship between ethical consumerism and health I’m going to take a look at the sustainability and health benefits of... seaweed! First I'll cover the sustainability of seaweed and then the health benefits – and one health benefit in particular that made science headlines this month. Sustainability of seaweed I … Continue reading Why you should eat seaweed: sustainability and health benefits

Proteinaholic / Integrity in Science

Diet Books! How many do we need, really? I have to admit though, when I see a shiny new hardback in the local bookstore with an eye-catching image (a big stack of sinister-looking bagels, or a piece of broccoli in the shape of a brain) and an author with credentials – Dr. Mitch Somebody, M.D. … Continue reading Proteinaholic / Integrity in Science