LiveLongAgeWell

Quick. What’s your guess? No points for you if you say the stuffing or the gravy, but if you guessed the turkey, not bad. If you said sweet potatoes, even better, but the award really goes to the cranberries! (for my Brazilian readers: cranberry is oxicoco). It’s ironic that I’ve been to many Thanksgiving dinners where people make fun of cranberries…but in fact it’s the part of the meal most bursting with healthy anti-oxidants.

Even before the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, North American Indians regarded cranberries as medicine. Later, sailors brought sacks of the vitamin C rich berries on voyages to prevent scurvy. And for generations, American folklore has regarded cranberry juice as prevention from urinary tract infections. Only recently has this been proven and the mechanism discovered: chemical tannins in cranberries called proanthocyanidins prevent the E. coli bacteria from adhering to the lining of the urinary tract, and if the bacteria doesn’t attach, they don’t infect.

Another area where cranberries act as a “natural Teflon” is in the mouth. The main cause of cavities is the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, and cranberries block this bacteria from attaching to the tooth surface and forming the “biofilm” necessary to make cavities and plaque. Blueberries have some anti-cavity activity also, but cranberries are much more potent.

More significant, cranberries are amazing little gems in the anti-oxidant world. On the scale of anti-oxidant activity of all foods, cranberries are almost at the very top, above chocolate, blueberries, red wine, coffee, and broccoli. Cranberries are simply one of the best foods we have, and there is a host of research that—like coffee but without the negatives—they can significantly raise our HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Cranberries are also beneficial for our stomach and gastrointestinal tract (again preventing adherence of various bacteria), and there is growing lab data that they might inhibit various cancers, particularly breast, brain, lung, skin, and prostate.

To prove these anti-cancer benefits in humans, more research is needed. Cranberries though are so wonderful that within the next few months I’ll revisit them and discuss the best ways to enjoy them (emphasizing limiting the sugar that often goes with cranberries).  But for now, just enjoy the cranberry sauce, and think that these little berries will be countering some of the bad heart effects of the gravy.

Finally, another thought on the healthiest part of the Thanksgiving meal. Perhaps it’s really none of the foods at all, but rather the human connection we can make with the others at the table. Please consider that connection, that communion, and give thanks for that.  Connecting well with others is probably better than all the anti-oxidants in the world as a way to age well. So to all, especially my regular readers and subscribers, I thank you for reading, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Occasionally I will post an excerpt from the draft of the book I am writing: How To Drop Dead Dancing In Your 90s: Live Long Age Well. Frequently people ask me about coffee: is it really good for you? is caffeinated OK?  So I chose to include this sample. Here is Part One from the coffee section of my upcoming book…

Antioxidant Rich…Drink It…Especially Caffeinated

It seems almost natural to think that all those great anti-oxidants are found only in colorful fruits and vegetables, so we might find it hard to believe that something so colorless and flat and black as coffee could be so healthy for you, but it is. If you drink caffeinated coffee, lose your guilt, because you are enjoying something that, it turns out, is really good for you, and as a bonus gives you a natural mental and physical boost. Coffee is full of anti-oxidants and there are many studies now that show coffee is almost a new super-food, with little downside. It doesn’t lead to ulcers, hypertension, or cancer. Quite the opposite is true. Recently an international research group rated the per-serving antioxidant content of foods and amazingly, coffee ranked higher on the list than either blueberries or red wine. In the American diet, coffee may be the #1 source of anti-oxidants.

There is excellent evidence coffee protects your liver from damage and decreases the risk of cirrhosis and gallstones, so especially if you do drink more alcohol—even wine or beer—than generally advised (one to two drinks per day), you should probably also drink a few cups of coffee daily (although cutting down on the alcohol would be better). A 2005 Japanese study showed that people who drank 3 or more cups of coffee per day had a 50% less risk of liver cancer, and there is evidence coffee drinkers also have a lower risk for colon cancer. Coffee can temporarily raise your blood pressure and heart rate, but does not lead to the disease of hypertension.

For diabetics and for those worried about becoming diabetic as they get older: coffee should be fine for you. While there is still some controversy, both decaf and caffeinated coffee seem to lower the chance of developing diabetes, though the protective effect is better with caffeinated coffee. Another advantage of caffeinated coffee is that while decaf can lead to an increase in both your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol,  caffeinated coffee will not; in fact, the caffeinated version is most likely good for your heart, as it tends to raise your HDL (good) cholesterol level.

Let’s talk about your brain on coffee. We all know that regular coffee will boost your energy level, temporarily at least, but more important, caffeinated coffee seems to have what is called a “neuroprotective effect”, and a number of studies have shown a 40-80% decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease in people who regularly drink more than one cup of (caffeinated, not decaf) coffee per day. However, if you are a post-menopausal woman who has been on estrogen therapy, this anti-Parkinson’s effect apparently does not hold for you.

All this is remarkable enough, but further studies now are suggesting that caffeinated coffee probably protects you from long-term memory loss, and even cuts your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are now working to develop various coffee-related compounds that might result in treatments for Parkinson’s disease, alcoholism, alcoholic liver disease, and even depression.

On Monday…practical pointers on ways to maximize the health benefits of coffee.

Most likely you have seen the flashy advertising for pomegranate juice, and primarily these ads promote it as a health drink, not for great taste or that it’s refreshing. Fortunately, there is good evidence that this juice is full of wonderful anti-oxidants; it probably cuts the risk of atherosclerosis, and may slow the growth of various cancers, particularly prostate and breast. However it’s expensive, rather bitter, full of calories, and if you buy the most heavily advertised brand, you actually might be getting more cherry juice than pomegranate (for all fruit juices, it’s important to read the label fine print carefully). You might find 100% pomegranate juice—just not the most heavily advertised brand—in some warehouse stores at a reasonable price.

For some years now it has been known that another healthy juice— grapefruit—can cause problems for people taking certain prescription medications, particularly blood pressure and “statin” drugs for high cholesterol. Grapefruit interferes with the metabolism, or breakdown, of certain medications in the body, so if you take one of those medications and also drink grapefruit juice, you could end up with too much of the medication in your system. It seems pomegranate might cause similar problems.

While it’s an ancient fruit that was celebrated centuries ago for its longevity and protective powers, pomegranate has burst into the U.S. scene so recently that scientists need more time and research to figure out exactly how it might interact with medications…still, there is enough concern such that if you take prescription medications, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking grapefruit or pomegranate juice (or eating the fruit, of course). Likewise if you have cancer, or are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment, check with your physician (it could actually impair your treatments). Still, for most people, pomegranate is a very interesting and promising fruit. It just might fulfill its legendary promise and give many health benefits, and I will cover it, and other new, exotic fruits more in future posts (one pleasant Friday post will include the pomegranate martini, otherwise titled: how you can make alcoholic drinks healthier).