Iceberg Offers Titanic Benefit

Q. I prefer iceberg lettuce to dark lettuce varieties, but I’ve heard that iceberg lettuce has no vitamins. Is this true?

A. There is good news for people who enjoy iceberg lettuce; studies show that it is good for you. For years it was thought that only darker lettuce has beneficial vitamins, but a study cited in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has linked “regular consumption of iceberg lettuce to a reduced risk of hip fractures in middle-aged and older women.” The reason is that iceberg lettuce contains Vitamin K, which influences bone calcification. The study shows that women who ate the lettuce one or more times per day were 45% less likely to break a hip than were women who ate lettuce once a week or less.

So if you like iceberg lettuce, enjoy, and know that it is having a positive effect on your bones. Don’t forget, however, that dark lettuce remains preferred.

Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections

People with a urinary tract infection (UTI) are told to drink cranberry juice — but does it work? The answer seems to be yes. Although researchers are not absolutely certain, laboratory studies confirm that cranberries prevent bacteria from adhering to the lining of the urinary tract. Instead the bacteria is flushed out of the area. The compound that promotes the cleaning is believed to be proanthocyanidins (which is also found in blueberries). Most herbalists feel, however, that if one takes this compound out of its whole (the cranberry in this case), the active ingredient does not work as well.

Capsules are available, but you would do best to purchase cranberry concentrate. Organic concentrates with a hechsher are sold in most health food stores. These natural concentrates can be added to teas or yogurt, mixed with honey, or poured over ice cream. Try to stay away from cranberry juice that is filled with sweeteners and artificial colors.

How much cranberry concentrate do you need? If your UTI’s are recurring, it is advisable to take four to eight ounces daily. If the infection is acute, you must seek professional help, but even if you are on antibiotics, cranberry juice will help decrease the symptoms and aid in healing.

Pesticide Exposure Begins Early

Does today’s fetus live in amniotic fluid that is contaminated with pesticides and industrial chemicals? That is the conclusion of a small study conducted in California. Science News, Vol. 156 No. 3, reports, “In tests on fifty-three pregnant women, researchers found that one-third of their future offspring were being exposed in the womb to detectable amounts of DDE, a by-product of the pesticide DDT, which has been banned in this country since 1972. The pesticide and its byproducts block the action of the male hormone testosterone.”

The report continues: “The researchers also found traces of the industrial chemical known as polychlorinated biphenyl and the by-products of the pesticide lindane in the amniotic fluid of the women, who were 16-20 weeks pregnant.”

The researchers conclude that “the question of whether or not these chemicals have effects remains to be seen, although we are certainly concerned they might.”

While the results are not conclusive, what safety steps can a pregnant woman take? She may choose to eat organic vegetables and to keep her exposure to chemicals to a minimum.