NOTE: This is an edited version of portions of Appendices 2 & 3 of the “Revised Stealth Syndromes Study Protocol as approved by the University of California San Francisco Medical School Committee on Human Research.
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Standards and Sourcing (From Appendix 2)
Fresh fruit and nuts allowed. Also bread and baked goods prepared by the investigators using flour described in the bread and grains section.
If possible almonds obtained from a commercial processor directly from the shelling process before encountering plastic materials in the processing and packaging processes. Slight contact with plastic may be encountered as almond nuts exit the sheller into glass or metal containers.
Other tree nuts such as walnuts and pecans and pistachios will not be used because they require more extensive shelling to produce nut meats.
Rationale (From Appendix 3)
Candy, snacks, protein and meal-replacement bars
Candy, snacks, protein and meal-replacement bars are among the most extensively processed foods available.
Candy and snacks tend to be ultra-high fat and/or sugar products. The fat content offers a significant opportunity for the concentration of lipophilic chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.
Chips made from non-GMO corn raised organically and fried in oil which is similarly organic and non-GMO in origin would be acceptable if available.
Nutrition bar contamination
Bodybuilders, people in a hurry and those who opt for a balanced nutrition bar instead of candy bar are, however, getting extra doses of harmful environmental chemicals because these are among the most highly processed foods available.
In addition to the BPA and phthalate exposures inherent in the processing regime, the protein in these bars comes primarily from either soy or whey.
Soy presents a dual concern because it adds compounds that exert estrogen-like effects. I addition, almost all soybean crops are composed of genetically modified cultivars engineered to be immune to the application of pesticides including glyphosate.
Because of soy’s estrogenic effects, many people currently buy bars fortified with whey protein left over from cheesemaking. However, whey presents the same environmental chemical concerns as dairy.