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Is microwaving safe? Do vinegar pills dissolve fat? Is coral calcium a cure-all? Read on for the answers to those questions and more.

I have heard that microwave cooking destroys or alters the makeup of food and generally is not good for us. What do you think?
Lu Walsh, Napa, Calif.

I haven’t seen any convincing evidence that microwave cooking is anything but beneficial. Research shows that microwaving food preserves more vitamins and antioxidants, such as C and folic acid, and creates fewer carcinogens than other cooking methods. Microwaving meat, notably bacon, cuts the formation of cancer-causing chemicals by up to 90%. And microwaved onions have 30% more antioxidants than boiled onions, according to new research. Microwaving, in my view, makes food safer and more nutritious.

I am concerned about a recent study on ginkgo biloba that showed no benefits. What is your opinion?
Don Caskey, Lula, Ga.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association tested only one brand of unknown potency and does not mean ginkgo has no benefits, says Jerry Cott, Ph.D., former chief of psychopharmacology research at the National Institute of Mental Health. He and other experts contend the study has flaws and contradicts much research finding that ginkgo boosts mental functioning in healthy people and those with age-related memory decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Cott, 56, continues to take ginkgo.

Do you recommend coral calcium? It sounds beneficial, but I’m leery of much of the advertising.
Judy Provencher, Manassas, Va.

According to its promoters, coral calcium is a high-mineral, highly absorbable form of calcium with magical healing powers. In truth, coral calcium is chemically identical to common calcium carbonate, or Tums, says expert Robert Heaney, M.D., of Creighton University in Omaha. “The advertising claims for coral calcium are outlandish,” he says. Nevertheless, it’s a huge moneymaking fad. One U.S. maker turns out 80,000 bottles a week at a cost of less than $2 a bottle; it retails for about $30 a pop.

What do you think of apple cider vinegar for weight loss, especially in tablet or capsule form?
Beth Missel, Great Falls, Mont.

There’s no evidence that apple cider vinegar pills cause weight loss or “flush out” or “melt away” fat. The idea, however, has a grain of truth. A tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, as in salad dressing, can reduce blood sugar spikes from a meal by 30%, says Jennie Brand-Miller, Ph.D., of the University of Sydney. It also can suppress your appetite, as a University of Arizona study found. So forget the pills; just pour on the vinegar. Red wine, white wine and balsamic vinegar are the best, Brand-Miller says.

This EatSmart column is reprinted from USAWEEKEND Magazine and is copyrighted by Jean Carper. It cannot be reprinted without permission from Jean Carper.

Tags: antioxidants, calcium, folic acid, ginkgo, holistic nutrition, natural health, natural weight loss, vinegar, weight loss