With so many food options out there, it is helpful to have information on food packages that can empower you to identify healthier choices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to update its definition of “healthy.” That includes the nutritional standards a product must meet to put the claim “healthy” on the… Continue reading Updating the Definition of “Healthy”
Tag: sugar
Ultra-Processed Food and Dementia
People who eat the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who eat the lowest amounts, according to a new study published in the July 27, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers… Continue reading Ultra-Processed Food and Dementia
The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Sugar and Sweeteners
Most of us love sweet foods and drinks. But after that short burst of sweetness, you may worry about how sweets affect your waistline and your overall health. Is sugar truly bad for us? How about artificial or low-calorie sweeteners? What have scientists learned about the sweet things that most of us eat and drink… Continue reading The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Sugar and Sweeteners
High Fat? Low Fat? The Newest Diet Controversy
It used to be that we avoided eating fat, ignoring everything else. Remember candy ads that boasted how the high sugar treats were “fat free”? Since then we’ve come to realize the dangers of sugar (often found in “fat free foods”) in our diets. The biggest trend in weight loss has many variations—the high-protein Atkins… Continue reading High Fat? Low Fat? The Newest Diet Controversy
Can “Fake” Medicine Help You?
Linda Buonanno dealt with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) for years, suffering serious pain and stomach issues. She got involved with a study for a new IBS treatment. The doctor gave her this new medication: sugar pills with no active ingredients. She took the pills When new medicines are developed, they have to go and started… Continue reading Can “Fake” Medicine Help You?
Hard Cider, With a Shot of Sugar
Autumn is the season for falling leaves, pumpkin-spice-flavored everything, and apple cider. Yet research done in 2018 indicates that, in addition to alcohol, some hard ciders may contain a hefty dose of added sugar, which may not be disclosed on the label. The researchers reported their results in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.… Continue reading Hard Cider, With a Shot of Sugar
5 Ways for Parents to Become Savvy about Hidden Sugars
Ask ten parents how much added sugar their child consumes each day and there’s a good chance that at least nine of them will have no clue or will underestimate it. In fact, research published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that 92 percent of the parents surveyed in the study underestimated the added… Continue reading 5 Ways for Parents to Become Savvy about Hidden Sugars
Sugar Content of Most Supermarket Yogurts Well Above Recommended Threshold
Yogurt may be an “unrecognized” source of dietary sugar, particularly for young children, who eat a lot of it, according to researchers who published their results in the online journal BMJ Open in September 2018. A release from BMJ notes that the evidence suggests that yogurt and other fermented dairy products aid digestive and overall… Continue reading Sugar Content of Most Supermarket Yogurts Well Above Recommended Threshold
Can Sugar Dissolve Your Memory?
Recent studies conclude that high glucose levels can negatively affect memory and impair cognition. In fact, individuals with diabetes, a condition that causes elevated high blood sugar levels, are known to have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia. It seems that the brain in type II diabetes, just like the… Continue reading Can Sugar Dissolve Your Memory?
Choosing the Right Yogurt
During an hourlong cable show I recently watched. there were ads for three different brands of yogurt. In 2016, Americans spent $7.7 billion on yogurt—up 20% from 2011. Your yogurt shelves are fuller than ever with varieties named after all sorts of countries—Greece, Australia, Iceland. With mix-ins, fat-free, and other options, choosing a cup of… Continue reading Choosing the Right Yogurt
Simple Steps to Reduce Breast-Cancer Risk
When it comes to breast-cancer prevention, most women know about the importance of self-examinations, mammograms and any genetic factors. But other steps that can help women avoid breast cancer may not be as well known, or at least not as often discussed. “Although breast cancer is, rightfully, a significant concern, every woman should keep in… Continue reading Simple Steps to Reduce Breast-Cancer Risk
The Hidden Health Hazard in Alcohol
Editor’s note: Junk food (and beverages) are heavy on what experts call empty calories – i.e. the calories add up, but without any benefit to you. They won’t leave you satisfied until your next meal, in other words. Here, in a Mayo Clinic Minute broadcast program, Donald Hensrud, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy… Continue reading The Hidden Health Hazard in Alcohol
Sugar Alert
Editor’s note: Sugar plays a role in serious conditions such as diabetes and obesity. And even for the healthiest among us, it provides only empty calories. You might think it’s easy to recognize sugars when checking a food label. But sugar comes under a number of different names, and it can benefit your health to… Continue reading Sugar Alert
Simple Steps To Reduce The Odds Of Developing Breast Cancer
When it comes to breast-cancer prevention, most women are probably aware of the need for self examinations and mammograms, as well as awareness of a family history for breast cancer. But other factors that can help women avoid breast cancer may not be as well known, or at least not as often discussed. With October… Continue reading Simple Steps To Reduce The Odds Of Developing Breast Cancer
Fructose and Metabolic Disease
Investigators have found further proof that consuming too much of the sugar fructose is linked to a global rise in metabolic disease. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. It was conducted in mice and corroborated in human liver samples, unveiing a metabolic process that could upend previous ideas about how the… Continue reading Fructose and Metabolic Disease
Why Artificial Sweeteners Increase Appetite
Researchers have found exactly how artificial sweeteners can make people feel hungry and eat more. Studies have already suggested a link between these sweeteners and increased appetite, but the newest study explores how this procedure works. The investigation, co-led by the University of Sydney, was published in the journal Cell Metabolism. “After chronic exposure to… Continue reading Why Artificial Sweeteners Increase Appetite
The Hidden Sugars in Your Food
Any healthy diet should be low in sugars as well as fat. But sometimes it’s hard to determine just how much, and what kind, of the sweet stuff is in your food. Here, from the experts at SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institutes of Health, is a guide to recognize the different kinds of… Continue reading The Hidden Sugars in Your Food
Another Reason Why Red Meat Is Bad for You
Researchers have found that eating red meat, already known to be a bad health habit, may also introduce a tumor-forming substance into the body. The discovery was made by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco and was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists focused on the possibly… Continue reading Another Reason Why Red Meat Is Bad for You