Sodium: Questions Remain
After many years of study, researchers now say that sodium may influence the blood pressure and heart health of some people more than others. Meanwhile, research has raised questions about how sodium consumption may affect two other serious health concerns: stomach cancer and osteoporosis.
Fast Food: Is Portion the Problem?
People eating at fast food restaurants often underestimate the calories in their meals by 12 to 41 percent, according to studies. The bad news is the more you eat, the more likely you are to underestimate your meal's calories.
When Exercise is a Battle
We are surrounded by messages about the importance of physical activity. So why do so many of us have such trouble starting or sticking with a plan to be more active?
Changing Beverages at School: What Will It Mean?
When students get back to school this year, some may be surprised by the changes in beverage choices, with fewer carbonated soft drinks and more juice, sports drinks and water options. However, any parents assuming that their children's beverage choices have become more healthful should check their school's plans.
Your Heart May Not Need More Vitamin B
The use of three B vitamins folate, B-6 and B-12 as a sound strategy to promote heart health may be coming to an end. These three vitamins still seem to lower blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, but this reduction doesn’t appear to affect heart disease or stroke risk.
Can Healthful Eating Save Your Eyes?
Although age-related macular degeneration is still not fully understood, experts say it may stem from damage caused by oxidation reactions. A past large study showed that high doses of antioxidant supplements might slow a person's progression from early to late AMD.
Making Sense of Nutrition Research
Publicity about the recently released results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) on lowfat diets is a good example of the confusion the media causes when headlines seem to contradict earlier research results and common sense.
Flavor: Friend or Foe of Healthy Eating?
Experts say the real reason behind the success, and ultimately the failure, of many weight loss diets is that their limited variety of foods and flavors makes people so bored with the food that they eat less and lose weight.
Do Diet Meals Help?
The frozen food section of the grocery store contains foods ranging from pizza and snack foods to traditional meat-loaf-and-mashed-potato dinners to meals targeted at people with health concerns including weight loss, heart health and vegetarian eating.
Chicken Nuggets: Good Intentions Gone Bad?
If white meat is a healthier choice than red meat, many consumers wonder, "Does that include chicken nuggets?" Are they really a better fast-food choice than burgers?
How to Keep Trans Fats Under Control
Food labels now list the amount of trans fat in foods. Consumers, however, need to develop some strategies to use this new information effectively. Learn about trans fat and incorporate these simple strategies as you choose what to eat.
Why Olive Oil is Part of Mediterranean Health
It's no surprise that the Mediterranean diet is linked to good health. Small reliance on meat and scant use of butter limit the saturated fat that raises blood cholesterol and promotes development of other health conditions.
Obsessed with Weight and Still Overweight
Whether you count the number of people unhappy with their shape, the percentage on a diet, or the billions of dollars spent on diet programs, books, foods and supplements, the figures all show that our society has become more obsessed with weight in the past decade or two than ever before.
Men: What Eating Group Are You In?
People's eating choices usually fall into certain patterns. A recent study of men's eating patterns points out the various health risks each poses. Different groups of men may need to take specific steps to eat better, but some problems are unfortunately common.
