“Diet” snacks usually contain some sort of fake fat or sugar — a synthetic substitute that helps make the food taste as sweet or as rich as the real thing, but without the calories. The thinking is that eating fake fats will …
Nutrition
Whole Grains Are Better, But Refined Grains Aren’t Bad
The federal government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that half your daily grain intake be from high-fiber whole-grain sources, foods like brown rice, oatmeal and whole-wheat bread. Nutritionists often exhort …
The USDA Ditches the Food Pyramid for a Plate
So long, pyramid. Welcome, MyPlate! First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled on Thursday the government’s new symbol for healthy eating, a colorful plate divided into the basic food groups, which will officially replace the …
Cafeteria Cams Track Students’ Calorie Consumption at School
School lunches have been getting a lot of attention, especially since President Obama signed a $4.5-billion bill last December to improve the quality of students’ meals. In Los Angeles, the schools superintendent announced this …
Low-Salt Diets Reduce Heart Disease Risk, Right? A Study Disagrees
The government’s recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans had some familiar recommendations for health: eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise more and lower the amount of salt you eat.
The Sad State of American Kids’ Food Environments
Nearly half of all American children and teens are overweight or obese, according to government statistics, and a large part of the problem may be lack of access to healthy foods in kids’ environments.
Diet Food: Red Hot Chili Peppers May Help You Eat Less
It’s long been known that spicy red peppers can help suppress appetite and burn calories. But most scientific studies of red peppers’ properties used quantities of the stuff that were too large to be applicable to Americans. Now, …
Can Blueberries Help Fight Fat?
You’ve heard blueberries referred to as a “superfood,” thanks to their abundance of antioxidants called polyphenols, which are thought to fight cancer and boost heart health. Now a new study suggests that the healthful fruit …
Study: Eating a Regular Breakfast May Help Reduce Lead Poisoning
Eating breakfast is good for you — it’s been linked to weight loss and improved nutrition — and now new research suggests it may also help protect children from lead poisoning.
The Supernut: Walnuts Pack a Powerful Dose of Antioxidants
If you’re eager to boost your body’s levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants, look no further than the walnut.
Cap’n Crunch Will Not Retire, But He Probably Should
Is Cap’n Crunch retiring or not? Earlier this week, news reports noted that parent company PepsiCo had quietly removed the Quaker Oats spokescartoon from its first-string marketing roster — possibly under pressure from the …
Calorie Counts on Menus: Apparently, Nobody Cares
Chain restaurants have been posting calorie counts on menus in New York City since 2008, but it’s not clear that the information actually helps anyone eat better. If the latest study on food-buying behavior at four fast-food …
Is School Lunch Making Your Kids Fat?
In addition to the usual contributors to child obesity — excessive TV watching and indulging in sugary sodas, for instance — a new study finds another major culprit: eating school lunches.