Walnuts could be “Drugs” – Instead eat Frito Lay for Health

There are enough evidences on the health benefits of the phytonutrients found in walnuts, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Some phytonutrients found in walnuts such as the quinone juglone, are unique and not found in other commonly eaten foods. Other phytonutrients like the tannin tellimagrandin or the flavonol morin—are also rare and valuable as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. These anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrients also help explain the decreased risk of certain cancers and their protective properties against metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular problems, and type2 diabetes.

But be careful how you legally promote the health benefits of walnuts, without getting in trouble with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The FDA sent a warning letter to Diamond Foods telling them that the claims they were making for their walnuts place the walnuts into the category of “drug”. Based on the FDA review of the label and website of the “Diamond of California Shelled Walnuts” products, they have concluded that the walnut products sold by the company are in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), because the walnuts are

“…promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease…”

Strange as it looks, the FDA has no problem with Frito-Lay® – a subsidiary of the Pepsi-Cola company – who sells $12 billion a year chips made products. Frito-Lay® made claims that their products are made with ingredients that help lower total and LDL “bad” cholesterol and maintain HDL “good” cholesterol levels, which can support a healthy heart. Even salt, according to Frito-Lay® website, when eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, is essential for the body.

What I see is that FDA allows Frito-Lay® to pretend there are heart health benefits in ingesting fat-calories and loaded fried carbohydrates, while censoring the ability of walnut companies to make some scientifically-proved claims.

And beside “healthy chips”  don’t forget the acrylamides formed when carbohydrate foods such potatoes are fried at high temperatures in sunflower oils to make potato chips,  increases the risk of cancers of the large bowel, bladder, or kidney.

This is how food business and unscrupulous people in search for profit, are getting advantage of many people’s ignorance.

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Sources:

• http://www.fda.gov/iceci/enforcementactions/warningletters/ucm202825.htm
• http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/whats-in-our-snacks.html
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2376776/?tool=pmcentrez