Have you ever noticed that every month seems to bring a trendy new diet and yet obesity

rates continue to rise and with it a growing number of health problems?

That's why I wrote my new book How Not To Diet.

Check it out at your local public library.

Welcome to the Nutrition Facts Podcast.

I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger.

It's time for the Nutrition Facts Grab Bag where we look at the latest science and whole

variety of topics.

First up, we look at the exotic star fruit.

Did you know it contains a neurotoxin called caromboxin that can cause irreversible brain damage

at high enough doses?

Someone walks into the ER with intractable hiccups.

One of the questions you emergency room physician should ask is, have you been eating star fruit?

The best of consumption of star fruit has been associated with the development of oxalate

kidney damage, less than a cup of star fruit juice or three whole fruits.

They're not that big.

Can result in acute star fruit nephrotoxicity.

Ingestion of even modest quantities of star fruits can produce kidney problems.

So it's essential to educate the public to avoid consuming star fruit, especially on an

empty stomach or in a dehydrated state to prevent star fruit nephrotoxicity.

But what about the neurotoxicity?

We've known for more than a quarter century now about the neurotoxic effects, but few seem

...