Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:09 PM
dkf (37,305 posts)
Hold the Butter: Artificial Flavoring on Popcorn Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease
Though I’m a pretty healthy eater most of the time, one of my few junk food weaknesses is movie theater popcorn -- and the more butter, the better. That oily, artificially flavored buttery topping is what makes the snack worthwhile! It’s also what makes it terrible, apparently. Long suspected as a cause of lung damage, researchers are now linking butter flavoring to Alzheimer’s disease.
The key culprit is a substance called diacetyl, which adds a buttery taste to foods without using any actual butter. It’s found in everything from microwave popcorn and the buttery topping used at movie theaters to snack foods, pet foods, margarines and baked goods. You would probably never know it from looking at ingredient lists, however: Most manufacturers will only list “artificial butter flavoring” without noting the specific compounds that make up that flavoring. In a new study, researchers from the University of Minnesota found that diacetyl can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause a brain protein called beta-amyloid to clump. This clumping of beta-amyloid is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Diacetyl can also inhibit the brain’s ability to clear beta amyloid as well as stop a protective protein called glyoxalase I from working. Whether toxic levels of diacetyl are achieved in various body compartments upon mere (over) consumption of diacetyl-containing food substances is an unanswered but an important question,” said lead researcher Robert Vince. http://blog.aarp.org/2012/08/09/hold-the-butter-artificial-flavoring-on-popcorn-linked-to-alzheimers-disease/ http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20120808/popcorn-butter-flavorant-linked-to-alzheimers
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23 replies, 4134 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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dkf | Aug 2012 | OP |
kestrel91316 | Aug 2012 | #1 | |
dixiegrrrrl | Aug 2012 | #2 | |
gblady | Aug 2012 | #3 | |
dkf | Aug 2012 | #5 | |
Aerows | Aug 2012 | #12 | |
klook | Aug 2012 | #14 | |
hollysmom | Aug 2012 | #4 | |
ChairmanAgnostic | Aug 2012 | #7 | |
HockeyMom | Aug 2012 | #8 | |
Trillo | Aug 2012 | #15 | |
HockeyMom | Aug 2012 | #16 | |
Trillo | Aug 2012 | #20 | |
HockeyMom | Aug 2012 | #22 | |
Trillo | Aug 2012 | #23 | |
redroof | Aug 2012 | #6 | |
loudsue | Aug 2012 | #9 | |
laundry_queen | Aug 2012 | #10 | |
B2G | Aug 2012 | #11 | |
eShirl | Aug 2012 | #13 | |
Agony | Aug 2012 | #17 | |
Auggie | Aug 2012 | #18 | |
markpkessinger | Aug 2012 | #19 | |
hobbit709 | Aug 2012 | #21 |
Response to dkf (Original post)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:14 PM
kestrel91316 (51,666 posts)
1. Damn. No more microwave popcorn for me.
Response to kestrel91316 (Reply #1)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:18 PM
dixiegrrrrl (59,952 posts)
2. Damn..we just bought 2 big boxes =40 pkgs.
I don't eat it often, Mr. Dixie likes it.
It is not "movie theater" but it is off brand microwave popcorn. |
Response to kestrel91316 (Reply #1)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:20 PM
gblady (3,519 posts)
3. I do it an easy way.....
take 3 tablespoons of popcorn, place in brown paper lunch bag, and microwave for about 2 minutes.
then I drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, a tad bit of garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and parmesean cheese....heavenly! |
Response to gblady (Reply #3)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 03:08 PM
Aerows (39,961 posts)
12. Parmesan cheese on popcorn
is wonderful
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Response to gblady (Reply #3)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 09:22 PM
klook (10,960 posts)
14. Great tip - thanks (n/t)
Response to kestrel91316 (Reply #1)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:22 PM
hollysmom (5,946 posts)
4. get a hot air popper
cheaper, doesn't take up that much room, you can use real butter and still won't be as fattening. You can find them for 10 dollars.
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Response to kestrel91316 (Reply #1)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:28 PM
ChairmanAgnostic (28,017 posts)
7. just get the NON-butter flavored, and add your own butter.
Response to ChairmanAgnostic (Reply #7)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:30 PM
HockeyMom (14,337 posts)
8. Real butter, and real sugar, in moderation
much better than artifical anything.
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Response to HockeyMom (Reply #8)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 12:02 AM
Trillo (9,154 posts)
15. Unless you have protein allergy to dairy.
RE: Butter
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Response to Trillo (Reply #15)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 11:18 AM
HockeyMom (14,337 posts)
16. My daughter buys Goat's Dairy Products
It is not cheap but you can buy butter and cheeses besides milk.
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Response to HockeyMom (Reply #16)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 12:49 PM
Trillo (9,154 posts)
20. A common misconception. Goats milk protein is much the same as cow's milk protein.
Another very common error is confusing carbohydrate intolerance with protein allergy. Cultured dairy products often reduce carbohydrate intolerances, as the lactobacilli and enzymatic action digests carbohydrates. But cultured dairy doesn't seem to help with milk allergies. All that can be done is to avoid products with milk, including cheeses and butter (dairy).
Even margarines often contain whey, and for someone with a milk allergy, whey should be avoided. "Parve" margarines do not contain whey. I don't know if they contain diacetyl. |
Response to Trillo (Reply #20)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 02:23 PM
HockeyMom (14,337 posts)
22. It works for her, and did,
when she was a baby and I couldn't nurse her. It was LaLeche League, and her doctor, who told me to try the goat's milk when she was a baby. At least when she uses these products she doesn't get pains in her stomach and spend half her life on the John.
Whatever works for that individual. |
Response to HockeyMom (Reply #22)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 04:02 PM
Trillo (9,154 posts)
23. OT. The statistics I've seen are that about 2% of the population has milk allergy
whereas lactose intolerance ranges from 20-90% of the population, depending on geographical ancestry. If I recall correctly, about 75% of people worldwide are lactose intolerant. People of northern European descent are the 20% figure. Lactose is a carbohydrate.
To me, this explains some to a lot of the popularity of culturing dairy products with microbes before human consumption. Yogurt. Kefir. Probably even cheese. They help with issues surrounding lactose intolerance, the microbes eat some to all of it before the human consumes it. Unfortunately, such products do not seem to help with milk allergy. |
Response to dkf (Original post)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:25 PM
redroof (24 posts)
6. Bummer! I eat a ton of that stuff!
Next thing you know.... wait... what were we talking about?
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Response to dkf (Original post)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 02:59 PM
loudsue (14,087 posts)
9. And why doesn't the government OUTLAW this stuff? Pot is illegal, but poison is ok?
This country is so messed up.
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Response to loudsue (Reply #9)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 03:04 PM
laundry_queen (8,646 posts)
10. That's what happens when corporations rule. nt
Response to dkf (Original post)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 03:06 PM
B2G (9,766 posts)
11. Margarine is the devil
I won't touch the stuff.
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Response to dkf (Original post)
Sat Aug 11, 2012, 04:54 PM
eShirl (17,790 posts)
13. ironically, the coconut oil in the butter flavored topping
is all the rage for giving to Alzheimer's patients
we retalking several tablespoons a day |
Response to dkf (Original post)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 11:27 AM
Agony (2,605 posts)
17. diacetyl is naturally in some beer and wine... it is a product of fermentation
Cheers!
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Response to dkf (Original post)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 11:28 AM
Auggie (28,498 posts)
18. Artificial butter flavoring is disgusting ...
Cook, folks -- it isn't that hard.
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Response to dkf (Original post)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 11:31 AM
markpkessinger (8,044 posts)
19. Some brands of microwave popcorn do not use diacetyl
Act II, the brand I buy, ceased using diacetyl in its products several years ago, as did several other brands. Here's an article from 2007 when it was announced:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20605135/ns/health-health_care/t/major-popcorn-makers-drop-toxic-chemical/ |
Response to dkf (Original post)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 12:56 PM
hobbit709 (41,694 posts)
21. I don't go to the movies any more.
Make my own popcorn at home and use REAL butter.
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