For over a decade, biomedical researcher Navindra Seeram praised maple syrup, calling it “hero ingredients” and “champion food,” and could have a wide range of health benefits.
Dr. Sheelam, dean of the University of New England’s Pharmacy, has published more than three dozen studies celebrating the power of maple. Much of his work is bankrolled by the Canadian maple syrup industry and the Canadian and American governments.
At the same time, he took on another role: Maple Syrup Pitchman.
“I am uniquely qualified as a world-leading researcher on the benefits of maple health due to its scientific reputation and reliability to promote the sale of maple products,” he wrote in his grant application. He assures Canadian industry leaders that he will always support Quebec’s maple, according to emails obtained in the request for public records.
As he spans the real-world meaning of his research and exaggerated health benefits, he distorted the real-world meaning of his research and exaggerated health benefits. Videos and press releases suggest that taking maple syrup can help stop illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. Other scientists said they thought he exaggerated and misleading the test and the findings of his lab.
Industry funding is common in nutrition research and could become even more important as scientists tackle drastic cuts in the Trump administration. Dr. Seeram’s work illustrates the dangers of a science-sales intertwining that drives information that can shape consumer habits and public health.
At the University of Rhode Island, where he worked until last year, Dr. Sheelam oversaw a project awarded $2.6 million in US government funding, including grants aimed at explicitly increasing sales of maple syrup. That promotional work produced streams of Social Media Posts “The benefits of maple syrup: anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agents.”
in video Posted on YouTube in 2019, Dr. Seeram said the nutrients in maple syrup “may prevent and/or delay the onset of conditions” such as “cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, brain disease, etc.”.
However, his research found something more limited. Maple syrup contains small amounts of polyphenols in plant compounds that are generally considered beneficial. To demonstrate their effects, he tested highly concentrated maple extracts in lab settings rather than people’s consumption of commercial maple syrup.
Dr. Sheelam told the exam he believes in the power of natural medicines, part of the upbringing in South America. And he defended how he spoke about his findings. “No one can go back to quote directly from me.
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Source: www.nytimes.com
