Over at TIME’s new “Ideas” blog, obesity and food policy expert Kelly Brownell makes the case for a soda tax: simply put, it’s good for the country’s waistline and its bottom line.
Diet & Fitness
What We’ve Been Waiting For: Zero-Calorie, ‘Inhalable’ Caffeine
(Updated) Ever wish you could mainline your coffee? Well, here’s the next best thing: AeroShot, a new product that delivers “inhalable” caffeinated puffs, and has got productivity-obsessed technophiles buzzing.
Study: Why People Don’t Read Nutrition Labels
How often do you look at the Nutrition Facts label on the side of the box? A new study reveals that people say they look at it a lot more than they actually do.
U.S. Panel Urges ‘Energy Star’ Nutrition Ratings for Food Labels
Taking a cue from the Energy Star ratings on the front of household appliances, a panel of experts is recommending that a similarly easy-to-read system appear on every packaged food item in American grocery stores so busy …
Vitamins and Supplements Linked to Higher Risk of Death
If you think you’re doing your body good by popping a daily multivitamin or supplementing with extra vitamin C or E, think again. A new study finds that taking supplements is linked to higher odds of early death, at least in older women.
Study: Chocolate Lovers Have Lower Risk of Stroke
The news keeps getting sweeter: eating chocolate has been linked to lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of heart disease and now, in a new study, a lower risk of stroke in women.
Kids’ ER Visits for Head Injury on the Rise — Why That’s a Good Thing
Children’s emergency room visits for concussion increased 60% over eight years, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — but that’s not necessarily bad news.
Nobody Orders Fast-Food Salads, But That’s Not the Real Problem
It doesn’t take much to figure out why healthier menu options like salads and apple slices don’t sell as well as the burgers, fries and Double Downs at fast-food joints. “If I wanted something healthy, I would not even stop in at …
Could Soccer Help Improve Health in the Homeless?
Playing a pickup soccer game two or three times a week could improve health among homeless men, a new study finds.
Saw Palmetto Works No Better Than Placebo for Prostate Symptoms
Millions of middle-aged men take saw palmetto extract to relieve the urinary-tract symptoms of an enlarged prostate, but a new study finds that the supplements work no better than placebo.
‘Flavor Tripping’ Explained: How Miracle Fruit Turns Sour Into Sweet
If you have any foodie friends, you’ve probably heard of miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum), a native West African berry that looks like a cranberry, but acts like a psychedelic for your taste buds.
How Understanding Drug Addiction Can Motivate You to Exercise
Much has been made of the “runner’s high,” the euphoria attributed to pleasure-inducing neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins (the brain’s endogenous opiates) being released in the brain during exercise. But the question …
Study: An Apple a Day May Keep Stroke at Bay
Eating white-fleshed fruits like apples and pears was associated with a significant dip in stroke risk, finds a large new study by Dutch researchers.