DEAR DR. BLONZ: In a recent column, you gave some information on roasted nuts. I have read the book “Diet and Salad” by Norman Walker, D.Sc., in which he wrote: “Nuts which have been cooked, roasted or otherwise subjected to excessive heat are harmful on account of the change which takes place in the fat under these conditions. The reaction on (sic) the liver and gall bladder is then detrimental and may sooner or later interfere with the complete and proper function of these organs.”

Given this, you might want to rethink your answer or at least do a bit more research. -- V.R., via email

DEAR V.R.: Thanks for your note, but I have no confidence in the scientific statements and related opinions of Norman W. Walker. The records I consulted indicate that he was a businessman, not a scientist. The book you cite indicates Walker had a D.Sc. (doctor of science), and on others of his books, his name is followed by “Ph.D.” However, I could find no indication of any earned graduate degree in nutrition or any field related to food science or health.

I will certainly acknowledge that peanuts are not “officially” nuts; they are in the legume family, which has been mentioned before in this column and in my books. Even so, the nutrient composition of peanuts makes it reasonable to include them in discussions about nuts and seeds. Those who have adverse reactions to peanuts, including allergies, must certainly stay away from them. But aside from those medical constraints, peanuts -- when properly grown, harvested and roasted -- are not toxic, nor are roasted nuts in general.

Walker was an advocate of raw foods and juicing, so much of his writing reflects a bias against any form of cooking. His paragraph on peanuts uses the term “excessive heat.” Of course, if you burn nuts (or peanuts), they will be damaged and can form harmful substances -- but this can be said for most foods. It does not apply if nuts are correctly roasted. Consider, also, that burned nuts (and peanuts) will have a nasty smell and will no longer be palatable.

Peanuts, and nuts in general, tend to be healthful additions to the diet. Walker’s writings imply that any roasted nuts are dangerous, and I’m afraid that’s not right. We are all entitled to our opinions, but the statements in that paragraph are nutty, to say the least.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: In a cooking show I saw, the chef said that when we eat meat, as with a steak, we are eating cow muscle. I brought the subject up during a conversation recently, and was immediately disagreed with. This person said that we are eating the “fleshy part,” whatever that is. Please elaborate a little so that I may forward it to that individual. -- R.S., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

DEAR R.S.: Steak and other “muscle meats” do come from an animal’s muscle tissue. “Flesh” can refer to meat, soft tissue (including muscle and fat) or organs such as the liver or kidney. As a generic term, it can refer to animal tissue in general.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Do you have any nutritional advice for helping someone avoid the need for dental work? I get all stressed out every time I go to the dentist. -- C.F., Phoenix, Arizona

DEAR C.F.: The nutrients needed for healthy teeth are similar to those needed for healthy bones -- and for health in general. These include calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D and trace elements, including minimal amounts of fluoride.

A good diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and other protein sources can easily provide these things. If dairy isn’t on the menu, then mineral-rich leafy greens and other foods will need to be there. A multivitamin or multimineral can also help as a supplement, but there is no magic there; extra levels of a nutrient don’t make it “work” better, and supplements should never be thought of as a replacement for a healthful diet. Interestingly, our teeth begin to form during the second month of our mothers’ pregnancies -- another reason to ensure that maternal diets have a rich supply of essential nutrients.

Regarding your comment about preventing the need for dental work, I recall a scene from the 1992 movie “Prelude to a Kiss,” starring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin. On the way to the altar to marry Baldwin’s character, Ryan’s character kisses an elderly gentleman, causing their spirits to switch bodies. Everything gets sorted out near the end, when their spirits return to their proper places. During the final scene, the elderly gentleman is asked, in light of his brief re-taste of youth, what he would do if he could live his life over again. He says he wouldn’t change a thing, except that he would floss a bit more.

This story is my “prelude” to the concept that care of the teeth and gums is critical. We need to consider the effects of food and other substances in contact with our teeth. Sticky substances, especially those containing sugars, can serve as fodder for the bacteria that hang out in the mouth, residing in the plaque. The bacteria metabolize the carbs and produce destructive acids that eat away our teeth’s hard enamel. Dental care, including brushing, flossing and rinsing, helps block this process, in part by removing the fuel used by these tooth-destroying bugs.

I can relate to your stress issue. While growing up, I had a problematic relationship with my dental health. Our family had limited resources, and we had to rely on an old-school dentist who was a family friend. Unfortunately, this guy did not believe in Novocain. As a result, I came to fear dental care and its associated discomfort, and never took care of my teeth. (You’d think I would be more diligent, to prevent such problems, but that’s not how I responded.)

It all changed when I was finally able to go to a dentist who used anesthetics. I still tend to sweat at the onset of any dental procedure, but that’s probably deep within my wiring. I had never flossed in my youth, but I now take good care of my teeth without giving it a second thought. I adopted the “only brush and floss those teeth you want to keep” maxim, and it has served me well.

A healthful diet, regular brushing and flossing, and periodic exams and cleanings are the best preventatives I can recommend. Here’s to keeping that smile healthy.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Our family recipe for tamales, which we have made and enjoyed for generations, uses lard, along with corn, meat, almonds, raisins and sauce. Whenever I teach the recipe to Americans, they want to use other fats, but I have found that nothing works as well or tastes as good as the lard. My parents and grandparents have lived in good health to their 90s eating these foods, so I am confused about the concerns about lard. Are these fears justified? -- M.R.S., San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

DEAR M.R.S.: While there are valid concerns about consuming excess saturated fats, the guidance is to limit them, not eliminate them entirely.

Fats and oils are blends of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. With lard, like other food fats, 100% of the calories come from fat. Approximately 39% of the lard’s fats are saturated, 45% are monounsaturated and 11% are polyunsaturated. Compare this with olive oil, where 14% are saturated, 72% are monounsaturated and 9% are polyunsaturated.

Much of the saturated fat in lard comes from stearic acid, which has a somewhat neutral effect on blood lipids. Also, because lard is of animal (pork) origin, it will contain cholesterol: One-fourth of a cup of it contains 49 milligrams of dietary cholesterol.

So what is our bottom line? Lard is not a food fat to be used with abandon -- no fat is. As with any dietary fat, and perhaps especially with one high in saturates, the dangers come not so much from the fat as from the context of the entire diet. Even fats that might be considered “healthful” can compound problems if they are part of an unbalanced, highly processed, fast-food-type diet bereft of vegetables and fruits. It is the whole foods of plant origin that give the body the nutrients and phytochemicals it needs to properly handle dietary fats.

Eat well and stay active, and fat becomes just another element in the foods we make and enjoy. Fat is an integral element of many a traditional dish, such as tamales. Lard can be used, and the foods can and should be treasured for their rich flavors and textures. The excellent health and longevity experienced by your family eating traditional Latin American cuisines speak well to this point.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I can’t tell much difference in the tastes of the wide variety of nondairy milks. Do any of them hold nutritional advantages over the others, or are they all more or less the same? -- S.H., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR S.H.: There’s quite a variety out there: The nondairy milk category now includes products based on soy, almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, coconut, hemp, peas (usually labeled as “plant-based milk”), rice, oats, flax and even bananas.

There can be significant differences in taste, texture, protein, fat and sugar content. Many are marketed as substitutes for cow’s milk, and they are purposefully fortified with calcium and other nutrients typically found in dairy.

The point here is that you cannot generalize the nutritional value for such a diverse group. It is best to view the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient lists for the products you are considering -- alongside dairy milk or other options -- to see how things compare.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.