0:00:02 > 0:00:04Today we're asking if some of the foods you thought were healthy
0:00:04 > 0:00:07could actually be doing you all manner of harm.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Quite a few scary reports claim that's the case
0:00:09 > 0:00:11so we've been finding out if you really need to worry.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Every day we're bombarded with conflicting information
0:00:19 > 0:00:21about our favourite foods.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25One minute we're told something's good for us.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27The next it's not, and we're left feeling guilty
0:00:27 > 0:00:29about what we're eating.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33We've been wading through the confusion
0:00:33 > 0:00:36to separate the scare stories from the truth,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39so you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Hello and welcome to Food: Truth or Scare,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50the series that's here to tackle those scare stories head-on
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and find out once and for all if they really stack up.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Do you know, today we're getting to the bottom of more than a few
0:00:56 > 0:01:00very alarming reports claiming that certain foods or diets
0:01:00 > 0:01:03aren't just bad for us, but they're downright dangerous.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And we're not talking here about calorie-laden processed foods that
0:01:06 > 0:01:08we all know we shouldn't eat too often.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11The ones we'll be discovering the truth about are foods
0:01:11 > 0:01:14long considered to be a healthy option.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18So we'll be asking whether it's time to rethink some of the food choices
0:01:18 > 0:01:21we might have assumed were the right ones or if the reports that made you
0:01:21 > 0:01:24think that are just scaremongering nonsense.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27Coming up -
0:01:27 > 0:01:30can fresh fish, something we've been told to eat more of,
0:01:30 > 0:01:32actually be poisoning us?
0:01:32 > 0:01:34You've got to weigh up the benefits of the omega-3
0:01:34 > 0:01:36with the dangers of the mercury.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40And is a plant-based vegan diet the healthy alternative some
0:01:40 > 0:01:44people claim or are vegan parents risking their children's health?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47If you're on a vegan diet, then you're going to end up
0:01:47 > 0:01:49quite likely to be deficient in vitamin B12.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Now as someone who eats fish twice every week,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01just as the doctor ordered, I was particularly worried by a report
0:02:01 > 0:02:04that hit the news last year which said that mercury levels
0:02:04 > 0:02:08in some fish were so high that it could pose a danger to our health.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Now that's a bit of a scary proposition and it goes against
0:02:11 > 0:02:14what we're often told by our doctors, and indeed the government,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18that as a nation, we don't eat as much fish as we should.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21So to find out if my twice-weekly servings are doing me
0:02:21 > 0:02:25the world of good or indeed putting dangerous amounts of mercury into my body,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27there was only one way for it, to get tested.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34At home, my husband Stephen and I eat fish of one kind or another
0:02:34 > 0:02:38at least twice a week, and I have to say Stephen has it almost every day.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But recently I've noticed some reports that have made me question
0:02:41 > 0:02:43whether we're doing the right thing.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48I have never really, particularly thought about mercury in fish
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and yet everybody seems to be writing about it.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- Have you ever thought about it? - No, not really.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55I mean, why is it so...
0:02:57 > 0:02:59- ..dangerous for you?- I don't know.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The reports all seem to be saying that some fish contain high levels
0:03:03 > 0:03:07of mercury which can seriously damage our nervous systems,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10our brains and may even lead to conditions like
0:03:10 > 0:03:12motor neurone disease.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16It's enough to put some people off fish and chip Friday for good.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20I probably would stay away from that if I knew, but I didn't know that.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23I think you have to eat an awful lot to have any sort of mercury poisoning.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26If you stop eating stuff for every scare,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28you'd end up eating nothing, I think.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Faced with health messages about how good fish can be,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34and the scare stories about how dangerous mercury is,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37it can be very hard to know what to do for the best.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40So with the help of nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I want to sort out the fish we should be taking seriously
0:03:43 > 0:03:45from the ones we should be avoiding.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49All these headlines about mercury,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52is there mercury, to a degree, in all fish?
0:03:52 > 0:03:54There is, and mercury matters.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I have to be honest and say the only time I've ever seen mercury is in a
0:03:56 > 0:03:59thermometer, so what does it do to us?
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Mercury is mostly associated with problems in the brain,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and the nervous system and in the kidneys.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It tends to get stored in the brain so it's due to things like memory
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and cognition and fine motor movement.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11It's anything to do with the nervous system.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Mercury occurs naturally all over the planet but the main source of
0:04:15 > 0:04:19mercury in fish is from industrial waste that's pumped into rivers and
0:04:19 > 0:04:23seas, where bacteria turns it into what is known as methylmercury,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25which is much more toxic.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29And it's this that could eventually end up on our dinner plates.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30But as Yvonne explains,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33the amount of mercury depends on the type of fish.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Fish absorb it as methylmercury and then they accumulate it up the food
0:04:38 > 0:04:40chain, so the biggest risk is going to be
0:04:40 > 0:04:42the bigger they are, the older they are.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46For instance if we're looking at the halibut here, it's a really big fish
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- and halibut can live to about 150 years.- Wow.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52So, the age and the size of the fish is key.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Larger, older ones will have absorbed more mercury over their lives.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58The smaller, younger fish will have less.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04So if we start with things like the anchovies and sardines.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08You know, people often forget that sardines are a really healthy fish.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10They are low in mercury levels,
0:05:10 > 0:05:12lower levels of other toxins as well.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Then we start to get to things like the herring, the Atlantic mackerel.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Up until about the size of a salmon
0:05:19 > 0:05:22we're feeling pretty safe on mercury levels.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24- So that would be low risk in your eyes?- Yes.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Small equals safe.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Yvonne says if they are low down the food chain,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31you can eat them as often as you like.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33The same can be said of salmon,
0:05:33 > 0:05:34squid and most white fish,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38the sort you get down the fish and chip shop or inside fish fingers.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43But be a bit more careful with the three fish on the high risk list,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46swordfish, shark and marlin.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49They're big, they live long lives and they absorb a lot of mercury.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52So they are only safe to eat once a week.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Almost everything else,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57including that halibut and firm favourites like tuna,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59fall into the medium risk list.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03For most adults, these are safe to eat multiple times every week.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09But if all this makes you wary about eating any fish at all,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11then in many cases, you'll be missing out
0:06:11 > 0:06:15on the very thing that makes it so good for you, omega-3.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18We can't make omega-3 fatty acid ourselves
0:06:18 > 0:06:21so we have to get it from fish, from plants, from nuts,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23from seeds, from algae.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25There's all sorts of places that will provide us with omega-3
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and we have to get it to be well.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Let's say you were going to do your fish shopping for the week.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- So, what would you buy?- If I wanted to minimise my mercury,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35and if I wanted to get my omega-3 fatty acids,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38then I would be looking at anchovy, I'd be looking at spratts
0:06:38 > 0:06:40or little herring, mackerel.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43You have no salmon in your shopping at all, whereas I would.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Yes, salmon would come in there because of the omega-3 fatty acids
0:06:46 > 0:06:49so yes, you're right, you could put salmon into that group.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53There is one fish that confuses matters, tuna.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55When it's fresh, it's packed with omega-3
0:06:55 > 0:06:57but its mercury levels are some of the highest
0:06:57 > 0:06:59on the acceptable list.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Canned tuna tends to be younger so has less mercury
0:07:02 > 0:07:06but the canning process itself removes the omega-3.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Tuna is something that we need to be wary of.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11You've got to weigh up the benefits of the omega-3
0:07:11 > 0:07:13with the dangers of the mercury,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and it depends on how much of it you're having as a whole.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19So if you're having lots of middle ground fish like sea bass and skate,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23and then you're adding tuna on top, that's going to accumulate.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25But if you're having it on its own,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28fresh tuna is safe to eat up to four times a week.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Stephen and I mostly eat the fish that Yvonne says is either safe or
0:07:32 > 0:07:36medium risk, but the idea of mercury accumulating in our bodies
0:07:36 > 0:07:39is a worrying one.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42To find out if the fish we eat is posing a risk to our health,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Yvonne is running some tests and they will show exactly
0:07:45 > 0:07:48how high our levels of mercury are.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55In the meantime, here's a group of people who should know more about
0:07:55 > 0:07:56mercury than many of us.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01Pregnant women are told to limit their fish intake to avoid mercury
0:08:01 > 0:08:05so Yvonne and I are unearthing how much these recently pregnant mums
0:08:05 > 0:08:07know about the subject.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09So, what do you know about mercury in fish?
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- They tell you not to have too much oily fish...- Yes.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17..but having white fish because there is less mercury in white fish.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20We have white fish mainly.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Prawns, things like that.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26He has fish but we don't do too much of it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29He likes sardines so it's great that he likes fish,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31although I'm not really sure if it's great
0:08:31 > 0:08:33if you're talking to me about mercury.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Do you know how much mercury might be in fish?
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Well, it's to do with the size of the fish so the bigger the fish,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42the less mercury, I think.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- The bigger the fish, the less mercury?- Yes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Oh, dear, that's the wrong way round.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It's time for Yvonne to give the mums a bit of a masterclass.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Which ones do you think would be the safest from a mercury point of view,
0:08:55 > 0:08:56to give yourself or your children?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58That one?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I think it's the white fish.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- Like fish and chips?- Yeah.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04What about the salmon?
0:09:04 > 0:09:09- That would....- I would put that quite high.- Yeah, high in mercuries.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12And that one, tuna, high as well.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The government gives recommendations for us as adults.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18We're told that we should eat, at minimum, two portions of fish
0:09:18 > 0:09:21a week, one of which, as a minimum, should be oily.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24And we're told we can have the fish that have the highest levels
0:09:24 > 0:09:28of mercury, which is the shark, swordfish and the marlin, once a week,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31and that's within what the government considers to be safe.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35The official advice for pregnant and breast-feeding women is to avoid
0:09:35 > 0:09:39shark, swordfish or marlin altogether,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43and limit portions of oily fish to a maximum of two per week.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46All the mums knew that mercury poses a danger
0:09:46 > 0:09:49but they were confused about which fish are safe to eat
0:09:49 > 0:09:51and which are not.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53That's the problem with reports like this one.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57The headlines make it look as if all fish is bad for you.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Professor John Stein has been studying the effects fish
0:10:00 > 0:10:03has on development for over 40 years.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06And he thinks warnings about the risks of eating too much
0:10:06 > 0:10:08only tell one side of the story.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12John, suddenly there seems to be a lot of scaremongering
0:10:12 > 0:10:15about the amount of mercury in our fish in this country.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Are we absorbing enough mercury in fish to worry about it?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21No, not at all, I don't think,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25because the safe level is what's called
0:10:25 > 0:10:27one part per million.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32The average fish that we eat here has 100 times less than that
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and salmon, the sort that we eat in this country,
0:10:35 > 0:10:40has something like a hundredth of the amount that is regarded
0:10:40 > 0:10:43as the amount that might be dangerous.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46So, most of the fish we eat in the UK is perfectly safe,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50but even in countries where they eat fish with higher mercury levels,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53there have been some really surprising findings.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58There's a study from Norway, where they eat a lot of fish,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00where they have shown that actually,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02the more mercury there is in their blood,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04the better their children do.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09And that's not because mercury is helpful at all,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13but because mercury comes from fish which also provide omega-3s
0:11:13 > 0:11:16which are vital for your brain.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Just like a car engine is oiled by oil,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21omega-3s oil your brain, and it speeds up reactions
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and helps the brain to work properly.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27But while omega-3s positive effects on the brain
0:11:27 > 0:11:30seem hard to argue with, anyone faced with these stories
0:11:30 > 0:11:34about mercury's negative effects could still be left confused.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Eating fish and seafood riddled with mercury
0:11:38 > 0:11:42raises the risk of motor neurone disease. True or false?
0:11:42 > 0:11:44It's true but it's a tiny effect.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49This particular study showed that you increased your risk by 20%
0:11:49 > 0:11:51- in a pretty rare disease. - That's high, though, isn't it?
0:11:51 > 0:11:56No, it's not. Motor neurone disease occurs in about one in 10,000 people
0:11:56 > 0:12:00so this is raising it from one in 10,000 to 1.2.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04But there's a lot of evidence that omega-3s
0:12:04 > 0:12:07actually help people with motor neurone disease.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11John says that anyone who avoids fish because they're scared
0:12:11 > 0:12:14about mercury is doing so unnecessarily
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and missing out on vital omega-3.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I get the impression that you're not worried about mercury at all?
0:12:20 > 0:12:25I'm not at all, no, because I think the levels are so low
0:12:25 > 0:12:29and yet the importance of eating enough omega-3s,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32consuming enough omega-3s is so large,
0:12:32 > 0:12:37that it far outweighs the minimal risks from the mercury.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Despite that, there's no escaping the mercury content,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46especially from high-risk fish like swordfish and marlin.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49So where do my husband Stephen and I stand
0:12:49 > 0:12:51after eating years of eating fish?
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Well, Yvonne has got the results of our tests.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57So, all I know, Yvonne, is that you were doing some form
0:12:57 > 0:12:59of hair analysis to do with mercury.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01So what does that hair analysis show?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Well, you didn't do too badly because if we look
0:13:04 > 0:13:07at your test results, we shouldn't have more than one part per million
0:13:07 > 0:13:10and you were 0.8, so you came below what is considered to be
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- a potentially toxic level. - So, that's good?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- That's good, yes, absolutely. - Well done, me, then.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- And Stephen?- He came above.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Stephen actually eats more fish proportionately than I do.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25And we can see that. His came above that threshold so his mercury level
0:13:25 > 0:13:28was just a little bit higher than we would want in a perfect world.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Now, there's no easy way to remove mercury from your body
0:13:32 > 0:13:35but over time, it does disappear.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37While Stephen is not in any danger,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40if he sticks to fish that have very low levels of mercury,
0:13:40 > 0:13:41his reading will drop.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43So, any advice then to pass on to Stephen?
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I would talk to him about what are the high mercury fish?
0:13:46 > 0:13:50How often he should be having the higher ones as opposed to the lower
0:13:50 > 0:13:54mercury fish, maybe sort of suggest he works a little bit lower down the
0:13:54 > 0:13:57food chain, going more for your sardines and your herring.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Well, I have a lot to tell him tonight over dinner
0:13:59 > 0:14:02so thank you very much, Yvonne. Great advice, thank you.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06And I did tell him. Even though Stephen isn't at risk,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09certain fish will be off the menu for him for a while,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12just to get those mercury levels down to below the ideal level.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14It's a huge relief, though,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18to hear that our favourite fish is still overwhelmingly good for us and
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Stephen and I are delighted that we can still enjoy a nice bit of salmon
0:14:22 > 0:14:23with a glass of wine on the side.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29If you'd like ideas for recipes including oily fish that are rich in
0:14:29 > 0:14:32omega-3, you can visit...
0:14:34 > 0:14:36..where you'll also find details of some of the other things
0:14:36 > 0:14:39that we're talking about in this series.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Now, sometimes an eye-catching report might make you feel
0:14:47 > 0:14:50just that bit nervous about eating too much of a particular food
0:14:50 > 0:14:52or following a special diet.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56But when it's a story that focuses on the way you and your family
0:14:56 > 0:15:00eat every single day, well, to me, that can be very worrying indeed.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04And that's very much the case for the topic we're talking about next,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07veganism, which, to those who follow it, I think anyway,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10is a bit of a religion or certainly a way of life.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12But oh, boy, can it polarise opinion!
0:15:12 > 0:15:14It absolutely can.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It's an incredibly divisive subject and I have to say
0:15:17 > 0:15:21there's no shortage of mixed messages about veganism.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22Some say that if you get it right,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25it can be one of the healthiest choices you can make
0:15:25 > 0:15:28but others go to the opposite extreme and say that meat and dairy
0:15:28 > 0:15:31contain so many vital nutrients, it's easy for veganism
0:15:31 > 0:15:34to actually become an unhealthy way of life.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38So I went to find out if it's really possible that a diet based on fruit
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and veg can be bad for you and your family.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Before I got a job on the telly,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49I spent more than a decade working with fruit and veg every day.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I love the stuff, and at home there is one very good reason
0:15:52 > 0:15:54we get through tonnes of it.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58My wife's a vegetarian so that means a lot of the meals
0:15:58 > 0:16:00we eat at home are veggie.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03In fact, I can go days without eating any sort of meat at all.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08But I couldn't go veggie full time and I certainly couldn't go vegan.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11It means cutting out everything that has come from an animal,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15so no meat, fish or dairy, or indeed some surprising foods
0:16:15 > 0:16:19that often contain animal products too like jelly, sweets, cakes
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and certain types of bread, honey and even some wines.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It's a big commitment and it's a choice that's being made
0:16:26 > 0:16:29by more people now than ever before.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31I feel really empowered by making that choice
0:16:31 > 0:16:33because before I was just eating whatever.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Now I'm like, I need to eat this much to get this much magnesium
0:16:35 > 0:16:37and this much iron, and if I eat chickpeas and beans,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40- I'm getting all the protein I need. - Sounds exhausting!
0:16:40 > 0:16:42I actually find it really empowering.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44While some reports say it's supremely healthy,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47others say it's downright dangerous.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I have never recommended any of my patients follow a vegan diet.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53It would be very hard for me on a day-to-day basis to make sure I was
0:16:53 > 0:16:55meeting all my nutritional requirements.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Very difficult, very challenging to be fully nutritionally adequate
0:16:58 > 0:16:59on a vegan diet.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03And the debate gets really heated when it comes to children,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07with some reports suggesting parents are irresponsibly gambling
0:17:07 > 0:17:09with their family's health.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Why, you look delicious.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I think I shall have to eat you!
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Holly Driver and her boyfriend, Ben, have been vegan for eight months.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Did it bite you?
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Four months ago, Holly decided to put kids on a vegan diet, too.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Well, we went vegan initially for the ethical side, for the animals,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and every good thing that you can get from animal products,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40you can get elsewhere.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42I felt it was the right thing to do.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Like many kids their age, two-year-old Morgan
0:17:45 > 0:17:49and four-year-old Jay used to get through lots of things like milk,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53chicken and a toddler favourite, ham and cheese sandwiches,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55but of course, now that's all changed.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57- So your children are four and two, aren't they?- Yes.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Are you worried about your children getting enough nutrients
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- and vitamins from the food they're eating?- I have been initially.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08I think the first thing is having to learn what it is
0:18:08 > 0:18:12that they are missing, what was good about meat and dairy,
0:18:12 > 0:18:13and it's calories.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15They need a lot of physical energy.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17I do have concerns sometimes that perhaps the amount they eat
0:18:17 > 0:18:19just isn't enough.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22And also calcium and protein.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25I try my best but it is a bit of a concern sometimes.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28And it's easy to see why Holly often struggles.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Take for example a typical kids' favourite,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35fish fingers with mash and two veg, a glass of milk and a yoghurt.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38A vegan equivalent will have less protein and calcium,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41which can easily be replaced by adding enriched soya milk.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44But Holly's most concerned that Morgan and Jay
0:18:44 > 0:18:46are missing out on energy.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50This vegan meal has a third fewer calories than the fish finger meal.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Replacing those could mean as much as a whole extra veggie burger.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56That's a lot for a four-year-old.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57As any parent knows,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00getting children to eat what they're told isn't always easy.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03When they're so young, they can be quite picky
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and, for example, my son will not eat beans if he knows there's beans.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08If they've been blended up, he'll eat them.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Holly's seen the reports that criticise parents
0:19:11 > 0:19:13who choose to bring their kids up vegan,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16and she's desperate to make sure Morgan and Jay
0:19:16 > 0:19:17aren't missing out nutritionally.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20There's some things they're happy to eat, sort of,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22if bribed with a treat.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25You know, you'll get your biscuit if you eat your broccoli and that sort of thing.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30But that's not a long-term solution so Holly wants to find out what she
0:19:30 > 0:19:33needs to do to make sure the kids are getting all they need.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37She'll be keeping a video diary of the family meals and we'll meet up
0:19:37 > 0:19:39in a week to put it under some expert scrutiny.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44This is what I've made for dinner on Wednesday, a salad.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48And there's some couscous with hummus mixed in.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50So, yeah, hopefully this will go OK.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53They've had rice before and they usually don't make a fuss about it.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58While Holly is determined to find a way to make sure her family is healthy,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01some of the reports about the potential side effects
0:20:01 > 0:20:04of going vegan are enough to make many people think again.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08They're warnings that dietitian Alison Clark is familiar with.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Some have a little bit of truth in them, in the fact that you can
0:20:11 > 0:20:13become deficient in certain nutrients if you don't plan
0:20:13 > 0:20:15your diet well.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18And you need to pay particular attention to the calcium, omega-3,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21fatty acids, iodine, selenium and B12.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25They're all nutrients that non-vegans easily get
0:20:25 > 0:20:27from animal products, and being deficient in them
0:20:27 > 0:20:31can have serious consequences, ranging from slowed mental health
0:20:31 > 0:20:33and physical development in children,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37to osteoporosis and neurological problems in adults.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41But with the right foods, and in some cases the right supplements,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44a vegan diet can be extremely healthy.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46We know that people following a good, healthy,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50well-balanced vegan diet will have more fruit and veg in their diet,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52will have more whole grains, so generally more fibre
0:20:52 > 0:20:55and this leads on to actually reducing health risks
0:20:55 > 0:20:57such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00cardiovascular disease, strokes as well.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03They're just some of the reasons that Holly decided
0:21:03 > 0:21:05to make the whole family go vegan.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09But back in Southampton, it's proving easier said than done.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13So, Morgan is tucking into her mac and cheese-style dinner
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and Jay is currently in a time out
0:21:15 > 0:21:19because he had such a big strop about it and is refusing to eat it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22This is the kind of thing that when I was a meat eater,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24I probably would have just said, never mind, have a slice of ham
0:21:24 > 0:21:26and some cheese or something.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31So, I'm at a bit of a loss when he just refuses to eat dinner.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35When Morgan or Jay refuse to eat, it just adds to Holly's concerns
0:21:35 > 0:21:38that they're not getting the right nutrients.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41So she and I are on our way to meet dietitian Priya Tew,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44who's been scrutinising Holly's food diaries
0:21:44 > 0:21:46to see how much she's getting right.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So what does Holly and her family need to be doing to make sure
0:21:49 > 0:21:52they're getting all their vitamins and nutrients?
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It looks like you've been doing really well.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58There's some lovely variety in there and I can see that you've been
0:21:58 > 0:22:01spending some time planning out some of those meals.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04While Priya is not overly concerned the kids are missing out,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07there are some holes in the family's diet.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Although you did have a range of protein,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12you were kind of reliant on the same ones perhaps for the children.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16I wondered about whether you could try some different protein sources
0:22:16 > 0:22:21with them, so whether they might like tofu or tempeh.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Nuts can be a really great addition.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25You don't have to have them whole,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28so you could try sliced almonds for example.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32That would also help with another of Holly's big concerns,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35that Morgan and Jay aren't getting enough calories.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I find it hard to work out how to get those extra calories in.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Seeds are also good, so you can sprinkle seeds into a flapjack
0:22:42 > 0:22:45for example, putting them onto cereals,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47if you were to add some dried fruit.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52- But it's just making a little bit more out of what you're having. - Yeah.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Priya says Holly has the building blocks of a healthy diet in place
0:22:56 > 0:22:59but there is one essential nutrient every vegan
0:22:59 > 0:23:01needs to pay attention to, vitamin B12.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04And it's behind one of the most alarming stories about the risks
0:23:04 > 0:23:06of following a vegan diet.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10If you're on a vegan diet, then you're going to end up quite likely
0:23:10 > 0:23:12to be deficient in vitamin B12.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17So a large-scale study that was done found that up to 50% of vegans and
0:23:17 > 0:23:20vegetarians had an increased risk of depression.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23So not having enough vitamin B12 can have a detrimental effect
0:23:23 > 0:23:27- on your mood potentially? - It could do, yes.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30But Priya says there's an easy fix as dairy alternatives
0:23:30 > 0:23:34fortified with vitamins and minerals are a great way
0:23:34 > 0:23:36to boost your level of B12.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I must admit, I've never been a fan of dairy substitutes
0:23:39 > 0:23:43but Priya has laid on a taste test of some of the most popular options.
0:23:45 > 0:23:46Here we have some...
0:23:48 > 0:23:50..coconut milk, almond milk and we've got oat milk.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Let's try it then. Come on then.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Coconut is very flavoursome, isn't it?
0:23:57 > 0:23:59On its own, that's actually quite pleasant.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02So now we have got the almond milk.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04It's quite strong.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Oi!
0:24:05 > 0:24:08That's not for me.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10- What's the last one?- Oat milk.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Yeah, it's quite sweet.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14The oat milk is a lot nicer.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It's got a real sweetness, a natural sort of creaminess to it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20The great thing about these milks is they're fortified,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25so they've got vitamin D in, we've got calcium, we've got B12 in there
0:24:25 > 0:24:27so they're providing you with those nutrients
0:24:27 > 0:24:30that you might otherwise be missing out on.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32The importance to research it and make sure
0:24:32 > 0:24:35you're replacing like-for-like is even more important, isn't it?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38It can be harder on a vegan diet to get all of the nutrition
0:24:38 > 0:24:42that you need but there's no reason you can't do it.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46It's just the planning and the thinking it through.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50As well as tips for increasing protein, healthy fats and B12,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Holly is also leaving armed with advice for how to ensure the kids
0:24:54 > 0:24:59eat more calcium and iron, and she's keen to get started.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01So after meeting with Priya,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04I think she had a lot of really useful things to say
0:25:04 > 0:25:07and she gave me a lot of advice like,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11ground almonds and sesame seeds were two things
0:25:11 > 0:25:14that I'm definitely going to get hold of.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Holly is optimistic she's now armed with tips to help ensure Morgan
0:25:18 > 0:25:20and Jay get everything they need.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24But some reports suggest that not all vegan parents
0:25:24 > 0:25:25are in such a good position,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28and that vegan diets can leave children malnourished
0:25:28 > 0:25:31and with irreversible health problems.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Nicole Rothband is a specialist paediatric dietitian.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- Come through.- Thank you. - If you want to take a seat here.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48It can hamper a child's growth and they may not actually achieve
0:25:48 > 0:25:50their full growth potential.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55It can also slow down and affect their intellectual development
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and that can obviously have impacts long-term on their life chances.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04Nichole sees patients who have a whole host of nutritional issues
0:26:04 > 0:26:07and vegans make up just a tiny proportion of them.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Sometimes children on a vegan diet will be referred to us
0:26:11 > 0:26:13because their growth is faltering.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18We can do an assessment of the diet and then advise parents
0:26:18 > 0:26:22on how to make sure that those elements, those nutrients
0:26:22 > 0:26:27that are missing are supplemented or added into the diet.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30But while Nicole does see children who are being brought up vegan,
0:26:30 > 0:26:35she says she sees the very same problems with other children too.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39We have to be very careful that we don't tar every vegan with the same
0:26:39 > 0:26:43brush and decide that veganism is going to, inevitably,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47lead to malnutrition because that's not the case at all.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Most parents that choose to do it,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52do it really responsibly because it's a lifestyle choice that they're
0:26:52 > 0:26:56making, and normally they are very aware of the nutrition deficiencies
0:26:56 > 0:27:00that might be a consequence of following a vegan diet.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02So with the right guidance,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Nicole is confident a vegan diet won't leave children malnourished.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09But back in Southampton,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12putting Priya's advice into action isn't going too smoothly for Holly.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17For lunch they had the usual, like, peanut butter sandwich.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19There was a bit of a failure there because they wouldn't eat
0:27:19 > 0:27:23their banana with it, but they did eat an apple later.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27When Priya took a look at Holly's food diaries,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31she could see Holly was relying on many of the same meals.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34So to help her vary Morgan and Jay's diet,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38she's come to meet fellow vegan mum and food writer, Lizzie Tighe,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41who first started cooking vegan food four years ago.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Hi, come in.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45As well as practical tips,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Lizzie's going to show Holly some of the ways she gets her kids to eat
0:27:49 > 0:27:54nutrient rich vegan foods, starting with a snack rich in protein,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56calcium and good fats.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58So what actually is in this?
0:27:58 > 0:28:02One avocado and then some oats, we've got some hemp seeds here,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and you've got sesame seeds which are really good
0:28:04 > 0:28:06for calcium and protein.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I do think these will be really good for the kids actually
0:28:09 > 0:28:11because they do love joining in in the kitchen.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And Lizzie has another trick up her sleeve for sneaking extra nutrition
0:28:15 > 0:28:17into her kids' diets.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Smoothies.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So in here we have got frozen banana, pumpkin seed butter,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27a little bit of maple syrup, organic cacao powder, cashew butter,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29hemp seeds and a little bit of almond milk.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31So we're going to whizz this up.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41Yeah, that's really nice. It's really cold and really banana-y,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45- and I think the kids will really like that because they already love bananas.- Yeah.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49So it's kind of like a special chocolate sundae-type treat.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55In no time, Holly was whizzing up Lizzie's recipes at home.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59I've just made this as like a post-lunch snack.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03The kids helped me make it and I'm going to put
0:29:03 > 0:29:05some walnuts on the top.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11And a month later, I'm giving her a call to see how things are going.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- Hello, Holly, how are you? - Hi, I'm doing really well, thanks.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Excellent. And how's the vegan diet going?
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- How have the kids been getting on? - Yeah, we're doing really well now.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23I'm feeling really confident that the calories are being met,
0:29:23 > 0:29:24they're getting all their fats.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27They have a lot of energy and they sleep well so I think, yeah,
0:29:27 > 0:29:30they must be feeling good in themselves.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33As a result, I'm eating a bigger variety of things as well.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Proof then that with the right planning and determination,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39there's nothing a vegan diet has to miss out,
0:29:39 > 0:29:41which is great news for these two.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Did you like that?
0:29:43 > 0:29:45Yeah? Looks like you did.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Was it yummy? Yeah?
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Did you like yours, Jay?
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Still to come -
0:29:58 > 0:30:00We're a nation of Cheddar lovers but is it possible
0:30:00 > 0:30:02we're addicted to cheese?
0:30:02 > 0:30:06The brain's response to food, alcohol and cigarettes
0:30:06 > 0:30:09involves the same areas of the brain.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18All week we're tackling some of the trendiest food fads head-on
0:30:18 > 0:30:22to find out if the health claims that make these things so popular
0:30:22 > 0:30:25really stack up. So what have you got for me today then, Gloria?
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Oh, let me think. I'm going to give you some clues, is that OK?
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Once they were known as alligator pears.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Then their colour inspired many a '70s bathroom suite.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I think I might have had one of those myself.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Last autumn, one supermarket started selling stoneless versions to cut
0:30:42 > 0:30:45down the number of people injuring their hands when they were trying to
0:30:45 > 0:30:49- eat them. So, got any answers?- No, I think I'm at a loss. What is it?
0:30:49 > 0:30:53It is the avocado, and it's now so popular that you can find entire
0:30:53 > 0:30:56restaurants devoted to serving only these.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59But are their much-celebrated benefits for real
0:30:59 > 0:31:03or is the avocado craze just a fashionable fleeting fad?
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Once the favourite of '80s dinner party menus,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16avocados have exploded in popularity and become the go-to food
0:31:16 > 0:31:18for the health-conscious.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21It's really good, it's fresh, it's healthy.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26They're pretty healthy, they make you feel good when you eat them.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28I don't know whether it's the colour, the texture, the taste
0:31:28 > 0:31:31but it just gives me the impression that when I'm eating it, I'm doing a healthy thing.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33I like making guacamole.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36I try making some into salads, yeah.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39But they're a huge thing at the moment, aren't they?
0:31:39 > 0:31:40Everyone's going crazy for them.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45The avocado craze shows no sign of stopping.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Sales have increased nearly 200% in the last five years
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and if you believe the hype,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54there's no end to the knobbly fruit's superpowers,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57and for the most part, dietitian Linia Patel says
0:31:57 > 0:31:59this is a fad we can believe in.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Avocados contain monounsaturated fats,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04which is basically a good type of fat,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07that has been linked to helping prevent heart disease.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12Avocados also claim to be very high in antioxidants such as vitamin E.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Vitamin E has a role in your immune system but it also has a role in
0:32:16 > 0:32:20helping prevent diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25With credentials like that, there's no wonder avocados are so popular
0:32:25 > 0:32:28but it turns out there can be too much of a good thing.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Because all those healthy fats come alongside a serving
0:32:31 > 0:32:33of more than 300 calories.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37So do these shoppers know what the recommended portion size is?
0:32:39 > 0:32:43For a day, avocado, say half an avocado?
0:32:43 > 0:32:45They're quite fattening, aren't they?
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Yeah, lots of calories.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Whilst avocados are full of lots of good nutrients,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53what we've got to remember is they also contain a lot of fat.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55So this avocado for example, a whole avocado,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58contains about 22 grams of fat.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Now that's a lot, so what's important to remember
0:33:00 > 0:33:02is you've got to get the portion size right.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07And the recommended amount is half an avocado per day.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Really?
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I don't eat it every day so perhaps that's a good thing.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Ah, but before you say, but it's good fat, isn't it,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18too much of any fat can lead to weight gain
0:33:18 > 0:33:21so it's very important to get your nutrients from a variety
0:33:21 > 0:33:24of foods that don't always come with as much fat.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27The vitamins and minerals that you get in avocado,
0:33:27 > 0:33:28you can get in other foods.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31So for example, the potassium you find in avocado
0:33:31 > 0:33:34can also be found in a banana.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36The key is that you get a varied diet
0:33:36 > 0:33:39rather than what we're doing now with this fad,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41having an avocado a day, or two,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44because we think it's the right thing to do.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49It might not quite be a super food, but within reason there's no need
0:33:49 > 0:33:52to avoid the avocado, however you prefer it.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I like them in a guacamole with a tequila!
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Whatever your favourite type and however you like it,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12I bet many of us think the most dangerous thing about cheese
0:34:12 > 0:34:14can be the way the strongest ones smell.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18But some reports claim that this kitchen staple has a dark side,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22that it could increase your risk of heart attacks or cancer
0:34:22 > 0:34:25and might even be as addictive as some hard drugs.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28But don't panic yet because, as usual,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32for every scare story saying cheese is extremely bad for us,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34there's another report saying just the opposite.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38So we asked Danny Crates to find out which we should really believe.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45To say this lot love cheese would be an understatement.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Where shall I sit? I'll sit here where I normally sit.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51The Colchester Cheese Appreciation Society meet once a month
0:34:51 > 0:34:53to pay homage to the fromage.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55And over the years, they've tasted and tested
0:34:55 > 0:34:58over 500 different varieties.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Four yummy cheeses that have been sitting there breathing for, oh,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03about two hours now so they should be nice and ripe.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05So come and fill your boots.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13The wine this evening is a Rio Rica Malbec.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Cheers, everybody.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Cheers!
0:35:17 > 0:35:21So as a self-professed cheese lover, what is your favourite cheese?
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- Stilton.- Probably a Jarlsberg.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Soft, runny, pungent, brie-style.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28The more it's running off the plate, the happier I am.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33They might eat more than their fair share but we are definitely a nation
0:35:33 > 0:35:35of cheese lovers.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39In the UK, we spend almost £3 billion on the stuff each year,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42eating around ten kilos per person.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45And although our favourite by some distance is the humble cheddar,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49we make around 700 different varieties here in the UK,
0:35:49 > 0:35:54perhaps spurred on by claims that cheese has all manner of superpowers.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Some say it can help you live longer.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Others, that it's the key to a healthy heart.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Is it even better if it tastes good and it can do you good at the same
0:36:03 > 0:36:06- time?- We love it.- Yes, that would be great news, wouldn't it, really?
0:36:06 > 0:36:09We already know it's a good source of calcium. If it proved to be a super food as well,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12that would be absolutely superb. I could eat even more often than I do now.
0:36:14 > 0:36:15But the news isn't all great
0:36:15 > 0:36:18because some reports paint a much more dangerous picture,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21even linking cheese to cancer.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23What does that make you think about cheese?
0:36:23 > 0:36:25WOMAN CHUCKLES
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Don't know whether I believe it or not, though.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31No, but... I'd want to read the research.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Without seeing research and there being lots of it,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37- would it affect your cheese eating habits?- Probably not in the short-term.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40No, probably not in the short-term, so I'll have it back!
0:36:40 > 0:36:44I eat what I like, to be honest, and I like cheese.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47So loving cheese as much as you do, if those headlines were proven true,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50how hard would it be for you to cut cheese out of your diet?
0:36:50 > 0:36:54If they were proven 100% true, I think it would be a no-brainer,
0:36:54 > 0:36:55but it would be difficult, yeah.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00They're just two headlines from a huge selection of stories
0:37:00 > 0:37:03that are enough to leave the best of us baffled.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06So is cheese a super food, as some say,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08or could it cause cancer as other reports claim?
0:37:10 > 0:37:13I'm meeting up with dietitian Monika Siemicka
0:37:13 > 0:37:16to see which, if any, of those stories stack up.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20First up, those scary claims linking the nation's favourite
0:37:20 > 0:37:22with breast cancer.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24This is the one we know and love best
0:37:24 > 0:37:26but there's concerns about cheddar.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Yeah, a recent study did say that cheddar cheese has been linked to
0:37:29 > 0:37:33breast cancer, but the study that we're talking about
0:37:33 > 0:37:34is a little bit flawed.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37It was actually conducted in the United States
0:37:37 > 0:37:39and what they did was ask participants to recall
0:37:39 > 0:37:42what they'd eaten over the past year.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44And it's difficult to draw a conclusion because
0:37:44 > 0:37:47there are lots of things that the study didn't look at
0:37:47 > 0:37:50like alcohol intake or how much exercise the participants were doing.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52You need to look at it in the context as a whole
0:37:52 > 0:37:54in terms of lifestyle.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58As ever, more research is needed to conclusively prove
0:37:58 > 0:38:01any link between cheese and cancer.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04So if it's not as simple as some of those reports make out,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08what about the ones that any cheese lover would read with glee?
0:38:10 > 0:38:13There is a headline that cheese could be a super food.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14Please, please, tell me it's true.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19There are scientists in South Korea that fed roundworm some Swiss cheese
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and what they found is that they actually live longer.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26So they think that's all down to a probiotic which is really good
0:38:26 > 0:38:28at balancing out the gut bacteria
0:38:28 > 0:38:30and that can boost your immune system, so you're better off at
0:38:30 > 0:38:32fighting infections.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35But it's still very early in the research so there's a lot more
0:38:35 > 0:38:38that needs to be done before we can be sure about the health benefits.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Not only is the research in its infancy,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44the scientists behind it only found the probiotic,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47which the headlines claim make cheese a super food,
0:38:47 > 0:38:48in a few cheeses.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52With hundreds of varieties on sale in the UK,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56it's impossible to say they're all good or bad.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Not all cheeses are equal.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01So we have a huge array of cheeses in front of us
0:39:01 > 0:39:04but is there a healthier end of the spectrum?
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Some are going to be slightly higher in salts like halloumi.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11Some will be naturally lower in fat like cottage cheese,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and then the processed cheeses, so the ones that have had extra
0:39:14 > 0:39:17salt and fat added, are probably not the best ones to go for.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22The ingredients in cheese are simple - milk, salt and rennet,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24or an acid-like vinegar or lemon juice.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29The type of milk and the amount used changes the fat content,
0:39:29 > 0:39:34and with some cheeses requiring up to ten litres of milk to make just one kilo of cheese,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37the high level of fat means that whatever cheese you choose,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39the key is not to have too much.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44What people don't realise is that when you're eating cheese,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47a portion is actually 30 grams, which is a matchbox size.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51- I call that a mouthful. - That is kind of a mouthful, yes.
0:39:52 > 0:39:5430 grams a day really isn't very much.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59It's less than it takes to make one slice of cheese on toast.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02It might not go very far on top of a jacket potato,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and it's less than half a portion of macaroni cheese.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08But the good news is, you can save up your allowance.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10If you fancy a cheese covered pizza,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13you'd need to have four days with no cheese to make up for it.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20But that might send the most ardent cheese lovers into cold sweats
0:40:20 > 0:40:22according to these reports,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25which say cheese could be as addictive as hard drugs.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29To find out if they've got it right,
0:40:29 > 0:40:31I've come to meet Dr Tony Goldstone
0:40:31 > 0:40:34who's a specialist in the science of addiction.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- Hi, Dr...- Lovely to meet you. Come on through.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41He's studied the brain scans of over 1,000 subjects.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45The brain's response to food, alcohol and cigarettes
0:40:45 > 0:40:48involves the same areas of the brain.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51When you eat foods that you individually like,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54you tend to release more dopamine in the brain.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Now that happens if you take many drugs as well.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01But even though food causes your brain to release the same chemicals
0:41:01 > 0:41:05as something that is addictive, that doesn't mean that food is.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08The amount of dopamine that's released with these drugs
0:41:08 > 0:41:10is very much greater.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13It is ten to a hundred times greater than it would be with the food.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18Dr Goldstone says it's not addiction but a different reason entirely
0:41:18 > 0:41:21that we often crave some foods.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26We've evolved to like foods that are high in fat, like cheese.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Those foods give us energy that we need to maintain a life
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and reproduce and be resistant against disease.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37In your opinion, could there be any scientific evidence that there is
0:41:37 > 0:41:39something in cheese that could be addictive?
0:41:39 > 0:41:43I'm not aware of any studies in humans that have in any way
0:41:43 > 0:41:46directly proven that that is a true statement.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52So, while the cheese lovers back in Colchester might crave their monthly
0:41:52 > 0:41:55tastings, they're not hooked.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Cheers, everybody!
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Cheers!
0:42:03 > 0:42:06You know, as someone who loves their cheese and eats a fair bit of the stuff,
0:42:06 > 0:42:08I was quite surprised to find out that a portion size
0:42:08 > 0:42:10should be no bigger than a matchbox.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I think I eat more than that every time I eat cheese.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I must say I was very surprised at that.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17You must have been relieved to find out that all the fish you've been
0:42:17 > 0:42:19eating haven't left you with high levels of mercury in your blood?
0:42:19 > 0:42:22I thought that study of mercury and fish, it's a really topical story
0:42:22 > 0:42:25and very interesting, but I wasn't at all surprised that Stephen
0:42:25 > 0:42:28had far more mercury than me in his body because all the time
0:42:28 > 0:42:32he would eat more fish than I would in restaurants or even at home.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35But I think what I took away from that film more than anything else
0:42:35 > 0:42:38was just how much the benefits of the omega-3,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41particularly in oily fish, outweigh the risks of mercury
0:42:41 > 0:42:45and unless you're pregnant, there's really nothing to worry about
0:42:45 > 0:42:47with the vast majority of the fish we eat here in the UK.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50On that note, we've just about run out of time for today.
0:42:50 > 0:42:56But don't forget, you can get in touch with us by e-mailing:
0:42:56 > 0:42:59So, until the next time, thank you very much indeed for your company
0:42:59 > 0:43:01and we hope we've given you some food for thought!
0:43:01 > 0:43:03- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.