Show 987: Benefits of Coffee, Tea & Chocolate

Heated disagreements about whether or not Americans all need to reduce their salt intake have reached the Wall Street Journal. Many public health agencies recommend that we cut back on salt to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But how well does that approach work? We talk with contrarian David McCarron, MD, about whether serious sodium restriction is feasible or even desirable for most of us. Favorite Hot Drinks Many of us would be lost without our stimulant beverages: coffee, tea or cocoa. Are these favorite hot drinks undermining our health, or do they offer benefits? We look at the latest research. We also consider food and drug interactions. What do you need to know? Call in your questions and comments at 888-472-3366 or email [email protected] between 7 and 8 am EDT. This Week’s Guest: David A. McCarron, MD, is a nephrologist and chaired the Department of Nephrology at Oregon Health Sciences University for two decades. He is now an adjunct professor in the University of California-Davis Department of Nutrition and chairman-elect of the American Society for Nutrition’s Medical/Nutrition Council. To read Dr. McCarron’s essay in the Wall Street Journal and the opposing viewpoint by Dr. Elliott Antman, President of the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, here is a link to the Journal‘s feature: “Are Low-Salt Diets Necessary (or Healthy) for Most People?” Listen to the Podcast: The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free. Download the mp3