/oss/taxonomy/term/279/all en /oss/article/nutrition-did-you-know/cashews-and-almonds-arent-technically-nuts-so-what-are-they <p>You may have already heard that peanuts are not nuts. They are actually legumes and are members of the pea family. But did you know that cashews, almonds, and several other common “culinary nuts” are not true nuts either? To help us understand why this is, it is important to know what the definition of a true "nut" is. Botanically, a nut is a dry fruit that consists of a hard shell covering a single seed.  Some examples of true nuts include acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. </p> Wed, 08 Jul 2020 12:37:29 +0000 Caitlin Bard, OSS Intern 8330 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-videos/right-chemistry-science-selenium <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-hf1z436aapg" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the science of selenium" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Hf1z436AApg?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-hf1z436aapg&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the science of selenium" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz on the science of selenium</iframe> </div> </p> Mon, 22 Jul 2019 18:26:06 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7837 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/nut-allergies-and-shampoo <p><span>Nut allergies affect about</span><a href="http://allergen-nce.ca/wp-content/uploads/Canadian-food-allergy-prevalence-Jul-2017.pdf"> 2% of the Canadian population</a> and can be broken down into tree nut allergies (like almonds or cashews) and<a href="/oss/article/health-and-nutrition/peanut-allergies"> peanut allergies</a> (peanuts aren’t actually nuts but legumes). These allergies are caused by ingesting or inhaling certain<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5548240/"> allergenic nut proteins</a>, not all of which have been identified yet.</p> Thu, 05 Apr 2018 19:30:00 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6988 at /oss /oss/article/diets-food-health-news/nuts-you <p>“Observational” studies are interesting but “interventional” studies are the nuts and bolts of nutritional science. And talking about nuts, a study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine is sure to generate a plethora of nutty headlines about nuts reducing the risk of death. Well, the risk of death cannot be reduced, it is 100%, save perhaps for one questionable example two thousand years ago. But the risk of death during a specific period can be reduced, and that is just what happened in this study.</p> Wed, 22 Jan 2014 02:26:11 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2074 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/can-walnuts-reduce-risk-heart-disease Want to reduce your risk of heart disease? The California Walnut Commission makes it simple. Eat Walnuts. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration agrees. Sort of. The following claim is allowed on packages of walnuts. "Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." How do walnuts do this? They are rich in many healthful ingredients such as polyunsaturated fats, antioxidants, fiber and folic acid. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:33:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1553 at /oss /oss/article/food-health-you-asked/can-nuts-reduce-your-risks-heart-disease <p>One third of North Americans may have high blood cholesterol levels. This of course puts them at an increased risk for heart disease, the number one killer in North America. But cholesterol can be reduced by paying attention to the diet. Cutting way back on fat intake can certainly lower it, but this may not be necessary. Not all fats are equally culpable in boosting blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fats, found in meat and dairy products as well as in palm and coconut oil can do it, as can the “trans fatty acids” that lurk in a variety of processed foods.</p> Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:28:56 +0000 OSS 1759 at /oss