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FOOD

To eat or not to eat?

We revisit 6 controversial foods and ask experts to weigh in on the latest thinking.

By Kelly DiNardo

Politicians aren't the only ones accused of flip-flopping. Food news whips by us at such speeds that what once was taboo is now OK and vice versa. So USA WEEKEND turned to food experts for the bottom line.

1. Soy
The flip-flop: "Soy has been touted as a superfood because research showed that cultures with soy in their diets tended to be far healthier," says Wendy Bazilian, author of "The SuperFoodsRx Diet." But a review of 178 studies by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that soy had little effect on bone health, cancer and kidney disease.
The bottom line: "Americans go for the gusto," Bazilian says. "We hear good evidence on a food and then put it out the next month in 15 other products in every other form. When soy comes into the diet in its whole, natural form, it can have positive health benefits. Avoid supplements and minimize consumption of refined and processed forms of soy. Instead, stick with miso, tempeh, tofu and soybeans."

2. Chocolate
The flip-flop: "Chocolate was demonized for a long time because it's high in fat and sugar," says Barry Glassner, author of "The Gospel of Food." "Then there were some studies that showed there were benefits to moderate chocolate consumption. It's full of antioxidants and richin chemicals that improve your mood."
The bottom line: "Unadulterated dark chocolate is where you find the most benefits," Glassner says. "Many popular commercial chocolates aren't going to give you these benefits. Enjoy chocolate, but in moderation."

3. Pasta & Bread
The flip-flop: "We went through this period where the dietary Satan was fat," says Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food." "Pasta and bread used to be the base of the food pyramid. In the popular mind, only fat could make you fat. Well, we learned some fats were good for you -- like the ones found in nuts and avocados. We also learned that refined carbohydrates may be a more serious risk than dietary fat. Suddenly, pasta and bread are getting the evil eye."
The bottom line: "There is nothing wrong with bread and pasta," Pollan says. "It's better to eat whole grains, but in moderate amounts. I think we need to get out of labeling food as good or bad. We've stuffed our brains with food science. People ate very well for thousands of years without knowing what an antioxidant was. As long as we eat real foods, we'll be fine. Eat food, not too much and mostly plants. That can help you navigate the landscape without having to get a degreein chemistry."

4. Bottled Water
The flip-flop: "There was the perception that bottled water was somehow healthier water," says Josh Dorfman, author of "The Lazy Environmentalist." "Then people began to wonder about what's happening with all those water bottles: About 50 billion are disposed of each year in this country. As people investigated further, they looked at the health aspects. A lot of the brands are just filtered municipal water. Then people thought, 'well, if it's really coming from Fiji, how much energy does it take to ship it from Fiji?' "
The bottom line: "Use filtered water from home and carry it in a BPA-free, reusable bottle," Dorfman says. "Bottled water isn't going away. It's really convenient. A lot of the big bottled water makers are looking at what they can do with their bottles. Encourage them."

5. Eggs
The flip-flop: "The biggest flip-flop ever in America is eggs," Glassner says. "In the 1970s and 1980s, the experts were warning the public that eggs were deadly. They were seen as potentially lethal because of their cholesterol content and the fear that they would lead to heart attacks. There is no correlation between egg eating and increased risk of heart attacks."
The bottom line: "Eggs have a lot to commend them as staples in the human diet," Glassner says. "They have a lot of nutrients, including protein, and vitamins. They are rich in flavor."

6. Swordfish
The flip-flop: "In the late '90s, a number of environmental groups and chefs were concerned about the sustainability of swordfish, and they put together a campaign to stop serving it," says Michael Kelly, who compiled the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's FishWatch site (www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch). A decade later, swordfish has rebounded, and "it's back on the menu," he says.
The bottom line: "There's a lot of misinformation, and as [fish] populations change, what is OK to eat and what's not changes," Kelly says. "The most important thing a consumer can do is to get the facts. FishWatch has information about 80 fish species, and you can see exactly the status of any one." Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch site (seafoodwatch.org) has a pocket-size guide to eco-friendly sushi picks. Blue Ocean Institute (blueocean.org) offers a downloadable wallet-size list of sustainable seafoods.