Ask Dr. D'Adamo

Ask Dr. D'Adamo Index | Latest Entry | Pull a Random Question

Questions About The Diets

Peanuts, Type A and Aflatoxin

QUESTION

I've begun to incorporate many of your recommendations and have begun to see marked differences in my health. Thank you. My question is, if types A's are supposed to eat peanuts, where does this put the issue of aflatoxin?

ANSWER

Recently, a well-known figure in alternative medicine, Dr. andrew Weil, made several statements which cast doubt upon the safety of commercially available peanuts. As an answer to the question "Does peanut butter cause cancer?" the authority answered that 'it's relatively common for aflatoxin to cause a type of poisoning called aflatoxicosis."

This assertion is questionable at best. There are no reported incidences of aflatoxicosis in the United States contained in MEDLINE, the medical database, and only a few isolated instances in Third World countries (Uganda 1971, India 1975 and Malaysia 1991) where methods of storage and identification are suspect. Indeed, in even these reported 'outbreaks' none were associated with peanut consumption! In Uganda and India the cause was contaminated corn, and in Malaysia a type of noodle.

This does not sound 'relatively common' to me, nor does it directly implicate peanuts as a dangerous source of aflatoxin any more than corn or walnuts.

In the United States, the FDA regulates aflatoxin, and it because it can be avoided or minimized with proper agricultural and manufacturing practices. Aflatoxins are highly controlled in food products for consumption and the concern for safety has been reduced drastically. FDA's efforts to ensure the safety and quality of foods and feeds are complemented by control programs carried out by USDA, state departments of agriculture, and various industrial trade associations.

The Ask Dr. D'Adamo internet advice column ran from 1996 to 2009, at which time Dr. D'Adamo's teaching and programming responsibilities no longer allowed him to devote time and resources to directly answering visitor questions. However we've recently reorganized this treasure-trove of material and made it again available to his readership. He occasionally posts new entries. These are marked with a NEW tag.

SPOTLIGHT

QUERCETIN PLUS

Quercetin capsules were developed by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, author of Eat Right 4 Your Type to give your body the antioxidant support it needs for healthy function.Quercetin has been used for decades to help support a healthy cardiovascular and immune system. Research also supports the findings that Quercetin may support a healthy response to occasional inflammation following sports activity and provide relief from seasonal symptoms.

Click to learn more