BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Tag: cardiovascular disease

Do You Really Want that Third Piece of Bacon?

By

On March 18, 2012

In Student Post

This is a picture of a hamburger, which is a form of red meat often consumed by individuals everywhere. Found on Wikimedia Commons.

How many  people do you know that eat bacon every day?

What about a hamburger?

Did you know that the Harvard School of Public Health has recently discovered that red meat consumption can strongly contribute to cardiovascular disease and cancer, ending one’s life prematurely? These days, it is much healthier to eat “poultry, nuts, fish and legumes.” We need alternative sources of protein.

According to Nutrition researcher and author An Pan, who works at the Harvard School of Public Health,

“…eating high amounts of red meat has been associated with type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and certain cancers in other studies.”

It is scary to think that every time someone consumes red meat daily, there is a 13% increased chance of death. Eating processed meat is even worse because if eaten daily, there is a 20% increased chance of death. Every time someone consumes heme iron, carcinogens that are released from the meat during cooking, saturated fat, sodium and nitrates from his or her steak, these risk percentages rise. It has been researched that these risks can be weighted more heavily depending on “age, body mass index, family history of heart disease or major cancers.”

Now, we know that the protein replacements of fish (7%), poultry (14%), nuts (19%), legumes (10%), low-fat dairy products (10%) and whole grain (14%) have great percentages for lower risks of premature death. If people “eat less than 0.5 serving per day of red meat, 9.3% of deaths in men and 7.6% of deaths in women can be prevented.”

Mortality is an important factor for every individual to consider. Why waste life away to eat a slice of bacon each morning?

 

 

The More Chocolate the Better!

By

On September 13, 2011

In Teacher Post

Great news for chocolate lovers (of which I am one!)  Keep eating your M&Ms, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate ice cream!  The more you eat, the healthier your heart….can that be right??!

A recent New York Times article reported that people who ate high quantities of chocolate were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.  The article reported on a review of research studies published in the British Medical Journal that looked for correlation between chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders.  Seven studies were evaluated – 5 out of the 7 found a positive correlation between high levels of chocolate consumption and decreased risk of disorders such as cardiovascular disease and strokes.  

When I posted a link to this article with great excitement a few weeks ago on Facebook, a few of my skeptical “friends” pointed out that none of the studies, as noted in the Times article, “involved randomized, controlled trials.”  A researcher quoted in the Times article was also cautious, indicating that chocolate should only be eaten in moderation.  What do you think?  How important are “randomized, controlled trials”?  Are you likely to dismiss the concerns and eat your Phish Food a pint at a time?

Currently in AP Biology we are studying organic compounds.  Knowing that saturated fats are associated with clogged arteries and poor cardiovascular health, it would be interesting to find out what kinds of fats are in chocolate.  Perhaps it is not the types of lipids, but instead particular chemicals in chocolate that contribute to heart health.    Sounds like something that should be explored by some interested AP Bio students!

Photo by Cleverocity licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike Non-Commercial Generic 2.0

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