Artificial sweeteners positively associated with urinary tract tumors

This post include a synopsis of a study published in Preventive Medicine 2008 Jul;47(1):136-9 and a recipe for Louisiana fillets.

Study title and authors:
Artificial sweetener consumption and urinary tract tumors in Cordoba, Argentina.
Andreatta MM, Muñoz SE, Lantieri MJ, Eynard AR, Navarro A.
Escuela de Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18495230

Books:

The objective of the study was to determine the role of the habitual use of the most common artificial sweeteners in the development of urinary tract tumors. The study consisted of 197 patients with  confirmed urinary tract tumors and 397 controls with non-urinary tract diseases, admitted to the same hospitals.

 
The study found that:
(a) Those that had used artificial sweeteners for only a short time had a 10% increase in urinary tract tumors compared to those who were non-users.
(b) Those that had used artificial sweeteners for more than ten years had a 118% increase in urinary tract tumors compared to those who were non-users.
 
To conclude: Regular use of artificial sweeteners for 10 years or more is positively associated with urinary tract tumors.

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Recipe of the day

Louisiana Fillets

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Trout

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 pounds of fish fillets - sole, trout, snapper or catfish

2 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp. lemon and pepper spice
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Heat oil with lemon juice in a shallow pan. Coat both sides of fillets with this mix. Lay fillets side by side, overlapping slightly if necessary, in a pan. Mix spices together, and sprinkle over fillets. Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on size of fillets and type of fish (catfish bakes the longest). Also, the pan may blacken, but that's fine, the liquid will keep the fish moist. Serve immediately.



Aspartame linked to increase in brain tumors

This post includes a summary of a study published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology 1996 Nov;55(11):1115-23 and a recipe for grilled cod with cayenne citrus marinade.

Study title and authors:
Increasing brain tumor rates: is there a link to aspartame?

Books:

Olney JW, Farber NB, Spitznagel E, Robins LN.

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8939194
 
The authors analyzed data about brain tumor incidence from 1975 to 1992 and found that the brain tumor increases in the United States occurred in two distinct phases, an early modest increase that may primarily reflect improved diagnostic technology, and a more recent sustained increase in the incidence and shift toward greater malignancy that must be explained by some other factor(s).
 
They concluded that, compared to other environmental factors putatively linked to brain tumors, the artificial sweetener aspartame is a promising candidate to explain the recent increase in incidence and degree of malignancy of brain tumors.
 
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Recipe of the day

Grilled Cod with Cayenne Citrus Marinade

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Cod Fillets

• 1 1/2 T lemon juice

• 3 T lime juice
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 lb cod filets
• 2 T finely chopped chives
• 1 T finely chopped thyme

Instructions:
Combine lemon and lime juices in a bowl with cayenne pepper, garlic, olive oil, and 1/3 c of water to make the marinade.

Place fish in a flat dish, pour in the marinade, and marinate the fish 15 minutes.

Light grill and add the fish. Grill fish 3-4 minutes per side, basting often with the marinade.

Serve the fish with a spoonful of marinade and sprinkle with chives and thyme.