6 Vital Nutrients Women May Be Missing
6 Vital Nutrients Women May Be Missing Women's diets often fall short in vital minerals and vitamins. A woman's physiology can make it harder to hang onto some nutrients, too. Women also are more likely than men to develop an eating disorder, which makes it difficult to maintain healthy nutrition. Here are six nutrients that women are often deficient in, either because they lose too much of a nutrient, don't get enough of a nutrient, or both. Calcium Why you need it Calcium builds teeth and bones, curbs...

A Food Lover's Guide
A Food Lover's Guide Drum roll, please. Here's your guide to the best foods to nourish you—body and soul. Here, too, are those foods best left for that occasional need to indulge in guilty pleasures. What follows is not a subjective guide; it's based on research showing that eating certain foods may help prevent heart disease and certain cancers and that eating other types of food may contribute to disease. Use this guide to help you replace less healthy foods with these classics. Food classics Pulp fru...

A Fowl Choice: Make It Turkey
A Fowl Choice: Make It Turkey Does turkey show up regularly on your table? Americans are gobbling more and more of this lean bird. U.S. turkey consumption has risen 108 percent since 1975, the National Turkey Federation reports. What's more, we're not just flocking to turkey around Thanksgiving. Year-round, we're buying a variety of sizes, shapes, and textures of turkey. In your grocer's case, you'll find whole turkeys and parts -- fresh, frozen, and smoked. You'll also see ground turkey, turkey cutlets...

A Guide to Cooking With Herbs
A Guide to Cooking With Herbs Perhaps the most difficult thing about cooking with herbs is figuring out how to pronounce the word. Is it "herb," like the guy next door? Or is it "erb," with a silent "h"? Good news: Either pronunciation is acceptable, according to Webster. So now that we've got that out of the way, let's concentrate on what herbs can add to our cooking: in a word, flavor. But even more important is what they don't add: fat and sodium. Herbs are an excellent way to replace the flavor when...

A Guide to Healthier Eating
A Guide to Healthier Eating Eating less junk food and adding more nutritious food to your diet are simple changes that can make a significant improvement in your nutrition and health. You should cut back on foods that have only limited nutritional value, that are overprocessed, or that contain too much fat, salt, sugar, and refined white flour. Instead, eat more of these kinds of foods: Close to their natural state: fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Less processed: whole grains. Plain rather than f...

A Healthier Hero
A Healthier Hero Whether they're called subs, hoagies, heroes or grinders, long sandwiches stuffed with a variety of ingredients are a favorite lunch choice. The fillings you choose will determine how healthy your meal is. A 6-inch Italian cold-cut sub has 425 calories and 20 grams of fat, but a 6-inch turkey-breast sub has 300 calories and 6 grams of fat Here's how to keep your sub sandwich healthy: Opt for low-fat main ingredients, such as turkey breast, grilled chicken, roast beef or ham instead of s...

A Healthier Pasta Carbonara
A Healthier Pasta Carbonara Pasta is always a favorite, and it's easy to make it a healthful choice. Instead of... 1 cup pasta carbonara made with vermicelli, bacon, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, egg, whole milk, parsley, and black pepper 425 calories / 20 gm. fat Try... 1 cup pasta carbonara made with vermicelli, turkey bacon, garlic, low-fat Parmesan cheese, egg substitute, low-fat milk, parsley, and black pepper 285 calories / 14 gm. fat You save: 140 calories / 6 gm. fat Instead of... 1 crosti...

A Healthy Kitchen Makeover
A Healthy Kitchen Makeover From the food you stock in the freezer to the silverware you put on the table, your kitchen is your partner in health. When you fill your kitchen with the right tools and foods, you reap the benefits. If your kitchen isn't your ally, changing it may be easier than you think. The foods you should stock—fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, and whole grains—taste just as good and can be cooked just as quickly as less wholesome choices that lurk in your cupboard and refrigerator. Up...

A Look at Probiotics and Health
A Look at Probiotics and Health Unlike the bacteria that cause diarrhea, fever, and many other symptoms, probiotics are live microorganisms that may improve your health and boost your resistance to some illnesses. They may also improve intestinal health for some people. Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms. Although few cause illnesses, probiotics may keep the harmful bacteria in check so that you avoid or shorten a bout of stomach upset. Foods rich in probiotics may enhance your immune syste...

A Look at Senior Nutrition
A Look at Senior Nutrition Not everyone's nutrition needs are identical. As we age, our bodies and metabolism change. Although older adults still need plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fiber, they need to add or subtract a few things from the diet they followed earlier in life. Many older adults have a decreased sense of taste and decreased absorption. They need to make sure they get enough water and nutrients, even if they must take supplements to get them. Although we all should drink...

A Rational Diet for Bodybuilders
A Rational Diet for Bodybuilders In the 1970s, weight lifters -- now called bodybuilders -- bragged about eating a dozen egg whites every morning to help them get enough protein to build muscles. On TV, you would see them devour slabs of meat, stacks of toast, and giant milkshakes in preparation for the first workout of the day in late morning. In the 1980s and early '90s, protein supplements in the form of powders, gels, and pills skyrocketed in popularity. Things have changed. Many of the next generat...

A Thanksgiving Menu Tune-Up
A Thanksgiving Menu Tune-Up Holidays bring joy … and food anxiety. How to cook, how to serve, and, finally, how much? In an era when we all seem to be on a diet, do you give in and make everything Grandma did? Today’s goal is not to re-create a Norman Rockwell painting, but to produce a festive meal you will be happy to serve on Thanksgiving Day. The biggest change: If you don’t need to present the whole turkey for carving at the table, cook a turkey breast instead. Cooking times If you start with a fre...

Adding Up the Benefits of Calcium
Adding Up the Benefits of Calcium Calcium, the most common mineral in the body, plays an essential role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission, and bone and tooth formation. Studies indicate that calcium plays a role in blood vessel contraction and dilation which affects blood pressure. Also, the role of calcium in helping with weight control appears promising. A constant level of calcium is maintained in body fluid and tissues so that these vital body processes function effic...

All Fats Are Not Created Equal
All Fats Are Not Created Equal You need to consume some fat to maintain good nutrition, but many Americans eat more fat than they need. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that between 25 and 35 percent of your total calories come from fat, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a range of 20 to 35 percent. You can improve your diet by putting a little knowledge of fats and oils into practice. A gram of fat Nutrition labels on food products and th...

Among the Missing: Vitamin D
Among the Missing: Vitamin D Vitamin D is essential to help your body absorb and use calcium to help build strong bones and teeth. It also helps your body maintain a normal level of phosphorus. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle or misshapen. Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, two forms of skeletal disease that weaken bones. These are sources of vitamin D: Foods fortified with vitamin D, including cereals and milk. (Note: Dairy products made fro...

Are You Getting Enough Fruits and Vegetables Daily?
Are You Getting Enough Fruits and Vegetables Daily? Sure, an apple a day can keep the doctor away. But did you know that eating at least 1½ cups of fruit and two cups of vegetables daily can also reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, and stroke? According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans , consuming 1½ to two cups of fruits and two to four cups of vegetables is optimal. The amount depends on the number of calories per day recommended for your healthy weight. Start boosting your daily c...

As You Age, Be Aware of B12 Deficiency
As You Age, Be Aware of B 12 Deficiency Are you short on stamina? Is your memory fuzzy? Don't assume it's just part of aging. Feeling tired, in a funk, or confused can point to problems you can solve. One of those problems lies in your nutrition. You could be low on vitamin B 12 . This essential nutrient helps make DNA, the genetic material in your body's cells. You also need the vitamin to maintain red blood cells and nerve cells. Along with mental cloudiness, getting too little vitamin B 12 may lead t...

Babies and Toddlers Need Iron to Thrive
Babies and Toddlers Need Iron to Thrive Iron-rich foods may not top your list of what to feed your baby or toddler. Yet this mineral is key to your young child's growing body and mind, experts say. Iron moves oxygen around your child's body. Without enough iron, your child may feel tired and listless or have poor motor skills. Your child also needs iron for sharper thinking. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, current research studies have reported a link between maternal iron d...

Beans: Nutritious and Delicious
Beans: Nutritious and Delicious It’s not enough to hear that beans are good for you. They certainly are nutritious—packed with protein, good carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as fiber and folate. But that doesn’t tell you how tasty they can be. Red beans, white beans, pinto beans, black beans—legumes of many shapes and sizes play prominent roles in ancient and modern cuisine all over the world. Peas, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, and soybeans are on the list, too. Imagine the possibilities t...

Beware of Supplements for Kids
Beware of Supplements for Kids Dietary supplements and herbal mixtures aimed at your children may be a waste of your money—and a threat to their health. Dietary supplement makers advertise herbs and supplements as remedies for everything from colds and asthma to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no control over the quality and reliability of food supplements because they are not labeled as drugs. Many of these products have not been proven to provi...

Breastfeeding Helps Mothers and Children
Breastfeeding Helps Mothers and Children There's nothing like breastfeeding to put kids on the path to good health. Breastfeeding has multiple benefits for babies, including lower risk for ear and respiratory infections, allergic skin disorders, intestinal infections, type 2 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends breastfeeding for at least 6 months because of its association with the reduced risk for SIDS. But the benefits of breastfeedi...

Building a Healthier Sandwich
Building a Healthier Sandwich When John Montague, the 18th-century Earl of Sandwich, slapped two slices of bread around a slab of meat, he probably thought he had reached the peak of dining creativity. After all, he succeeded at being able to eat while playing cards. If you're willing to pull some wild cards of your own, your sandwiches can be far more imaginative. Beyond the ordinary What's between the 50 pounds of bread you eat each year? If you're tired of turkey, bored by bologna, and had it with ha...

Buying Guide: Frozen Juice and Punch
Buying Guide: Frozen Juice and Punch Frozen concentrated fruit juice is the optimal ingredient in frozen juice or punch, but not all such products have much of it. Look at the first two ingredients listed on the product. If they're frozen concentrate and water, the product has more real fruit juice than sugar. But if the first ingredient is corn syrup, the juice content is negligible compared with the sugar. Other buying tips include: Opt for products labeled "juice" rather than "cocktail," "punch" or e...

Chicken Soup: Good for the Body and the Soul
Chicken Soup: Good for the Body and the Soul Some foods are good for the body and the soul. Just thinking about homemade chicken soup conjures up all sorts of good memories. Feeling a cold coming on? Make mine chicken soup, please, with some noodles. Feeling well? How about a robust soup, with lots of colorful vegetables, chunks of chicken and big noodles? Is this making you hungry? There's an easy remedy. Cook up a pot of chicken soup yourself. It's easy, inexpensive and offers the added benefits of li...

Chilling Tales From the Freezer
Chilling Tales From the Freezer Here's a cold, hard fact: Foods shouldn't stay frozen indefinitely. In fact, some foods -- like bacon -- shouldn't be kept in the freezer for much more than a month. A food's freezer life depends on its density, processing, and water and fat content. People tend to forget about things that get shoved to the back of their freezers. But just like refrigerated foods, frozen foods have a limited shelf life. So, what happens when foods linger in a freezer for years at a time? ...

'Choose My Plate' Now Tailored to You
'Choose My Plate' Now Tailored to You Many of us used the old Food Pyramid, also called My Pyramid, for years to help make sure we were following a balanced diet. Its replacement, called Choose My Plate, was introduced in 2011, along with updated dietary and exercise guidelines. The latest revision includes information on how to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet, as well as material on healthy and unhealthy fats and carbohydrate choices. It also includes physical activity recomme...

'Choose My Plate' Shapes a Healthier Senior Diet
'Choose My Plate' Shapes a Healthier Senior Diet What do bananas on your cereal, onions in your chili, and pears for your dessert have in common? They're great ways to get the fruits and vegetables you need to help you live a healthy, active life. Choose My Plate, the federal government's food guidelines, encourages you to eat only the calories you need for your activity level. The calories should come from nutrient-rich foods, those with plenty of vitamins and minerals and relatively few calories. For ...

Choosing a Safe Weight-Loss Program
Choosing a Safe Weight-Loss Program The not-so-secret secret to weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. This can be done safely and effectively by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, according to the Weight-Control Information Network (WIN), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Although many people can lose weight on their own, others believe they'll be more successful if they enroll in a weight-loss program that provides support, informati...

Choosing and Using Leafy Green Veggies
Choosing and Using Leafy Green Veggies If the only leafy green vegetable you're familiar with is iceberg lettuce, you don't know what you're missing. There's a world of greens available that offers you more nutrients than iceberg. Greens are quite versatile vegetables. They are easy to prepare and can be boiled or steamed--or even eaten raw. They can be part of a crisp salad or a hearty soup. Greens are tasty and full of vitamins and nutrients too. Here's a list of some important nutrients you get from ...

Comparing Granola Bars
Comparing Granola Bars Don't confuse granola bars with breakfast/cereal bars. Granola bars are made from whole grains; breakfast bars are typically made with refined grain and look like a smooth pastry. Few granola bars are high in fiber, and some have more sugar than one serving of cereal. But most are low in fat and provide adequate nutrition as a quick breakfast or snack. Here are a few shopping tips: Pay attention to serving size. Larger granola bars are higher in calories, and some products come pa...

Cool Facts About Cold Cuts
Cool Facts About Cold Cuts Most deli-style meats fall into the cold-cut category, including bologna, turkey, ham, salami, pastrami, corned beef and roast beef. Some of these are traditionally high in fat. But as with other high-fat foods, manufacturers have found ways to offer lower-fat versions. These tips will help you shop for healthful cold cuts: Choose products that are low in sodium and get no more than 30 percent of their calories from fat. Turkey and chicken products usually are lowest in fat. T...

COPD: Good Nutrition Is Important
COPD: Good Nutrition Is Important How much do you know about eating well with COPD? Put your knowledge to the test and see whether you know the answers to these questions. Does sodium intake affect COPD? Yes. If you eat too much sodium, your body may retain fluid. This can make it harder to breathe. Limit salt and other sources of sodium in your diet by not adding salt to foods when cooking or eating, ordering unsalted foods at restaurants, and buying low-sodium foods. Why does good nutrition help lower...

Coping with Food Cravings
Coping with Food Cravings If you've ever felt like you had to have a candy bar, some potato chips, or a bowl of ice cream, you've had a food craving—an intense desire for a certain food or foods. Some people experience such cravings only now and then, while others have them daily or weekly. Depending on the person and the craving, food cravings can have a physical and/or psychological basis. There are a number of theories why food cravings occur: The body lacks certain nutrients. Because of a nutritiona...

Could a Nutrition Expert Help You?
Could a Nutrition Expert Help You? Your doctor says that you need to lose weight, but you don't know how to get started. Or, you're finding it difficult to stick with a low-salt diet, even though you know it may help control your high blood pressure. If you need to change your eating habits for the sake of your health, have you considered talking with a registered dietitian (RD)? These health care professionals can help you achieve your desired weight goal or maintain any dietary restrictions your healt...

Counting Liquid Calories
Counting Liquid Calories When counting calories, don’t forget the ones you drink. For many people, these so-called liquid calories can make or break an effort to lose pounds. Beverages with high-fructose corn syrup can be a major contributor to weight gain and obesity, according to the CDC. These include sodas and sports and energy drinks. Americans drink about 1-1/2 cans of soda per person per day, according to the USDA. For regular soda drinkers, that adds up to 240 empty calories per day, or 25 extra...

Cutting Calories and Fat When Eating Out
Cutting Calories and Fat When Eating Out Whether you're trying to lose excess pounds or maintain a healthy weight, eating out in restaurants can sabotage your goals. To better control your calorie intake you need to know how much you eat. But if you're like most Americans, proper serving sizes are a mystery, thanks to mega-burgers, biggie fries, and saucer-sized bagels. The following suggestions can help you downsize restaurant meals and maintain your weight and health when dining out: Plan for huge por...

Diet Drinks, Small Snacks Have Drawbacks
Diet Drinks, Small Snacks Have Drawbacks Diet soft drinks and packaged minisnacks seem like painless ways to provide treats as you trim calories from your child’s diet. Sugar-free soft drinks may be especially tempting. Children get an increasing share of their total calories from sugar-sweetened sodas, and studies link this to kids’ rising weight. And common sense suggests that smaller snack packages will help keep your child from eating too much. But the experts aren’t giving the go-ahead. There are d...

Diet Traps That Keep You From Losing
Diet Traps That Keep You From Losing With all the diets out there to choose from these days, it's hard to know which ones are legitimate and which are diet fads. To help you gain clarity, here are some common diet traps from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Myth: Fad diets will take the weight off and keep it off. Facts: Fad diets that drastically limit calories or ban food groups may help you lose weight, but it'...

Do You Need a Daily Vitamin Supplement?
Do You Need a Daily Vitamin Supplement? Most Americans don't get enough vitamins and minerals in their daily diet. A recent federal survey found that just 11 percent of all U.S. adults meet the USDA guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption. It's small wonder, then, that one in three adults takes a multivitamin. But dietitians say it's better to get all of your vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and other nutrients from food, if possible. That's because foods such as vegetables and fruits have ben...

Do-It-Yourself Pizza
Do-It-Yourself Pizza You can make a flavorful pizza in less time than it takes to call and wait for home delivery. Designing your own pizza is fun, especially if the children pitch in. And, it can be a healthful choice, as long as it's not over-greasy. Think vegetable instead of pepperoni, flavor instead of fat. Spinach and garlic provide lots of taste, plenty of nutrients and no fat. The Do-It-Yourself Pizza Recipe 1 10-ounce package prepared pizza dough, consider using whole wheat dough to boost your ...

Don't Forget the Fiber in Your Low-Carb Diet
Don't Forget the Fiber in Your Low-Carb Diet Low-carb diets can cost some people an important part of a healthy diet: fiber. There's no doubt that fiber is good for you. The problem is that it comes with carbohydrates attached. High-protein diets can push people further away from foods with fiber. Yet doctors and dietitians are recommending people eat more fiber-filled foods. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Some fiber is soluble, meaning it partially dissolves in water. Insolu...

Don't Miss Out on These 5 Nutrients
Don't Miss Out on These 5 Nutrients You've heard of vitamin C and calcium. But have you gotten the word on all the other nutrients you need for a healthy diet? Chances are you're not getting enough of some important nutrients—like these five that get scant attention. You should try to get them from food, but if you think you're falling short, ask your health care provider about supplements. Iron The name symbolizes strength. Still, up to three out of four adolescent girls and women of childbearing age d...

Eat Alone? Make Your Meals Nutritious
Eat Alone? Make Your Meals Nutritious Dinner parties, cooking for a crowd, fixing the family meal -- those are easy compared with the challenges of cooking for one. If you live alone, chances are you don't give your meals a lot of thought or preparation. Many times eating alone means throwing a meal together or getting take out. Such practices may mean unhealthy meals that over time may negatively impact health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend a certain number of c...

Eating on the Run
Eating on the Run Most people find it easier to stick to a healthy diet when they’re at home and can plan their meals. But eating in restaurants, in your car, or at your desk is often a reality of modern life. The following strategies from the American Heart Association and other experts can help you choose sensible foods when you’re out and about: Check out restaurant websites. If you frequent a particular fast-food chain, go online and print out the nutrition information. This can help you make health...

Eating the Right Foods for All-Day Energy
Eating the Right Foods for All-Day Energy Having plenty of zip to meet the demands of your job and personal life starts with your diet. To maintain your energy level, your body breaks down the food you eat into glucose (a type of sugar)—the body's main fuel—and sends a steady stream of it to your cells. But here's the trick: To feel good all day, your blood sugar needs to remain somewhat constant with minimal fluctuations. If your blood sugar drops too low, symptoms of hypoglycemia occur. Hypoglycemic s...

Eating Well When You Have Cancer
Eating Well When You Have Cancer If you have cancer, your diet is an important part of your treatment. Eating the right kinds of foods can help you feel better and stay stronger, but side effects of cancer treatment can make it hard to eat. Cancer treatments kill cancer cells, but in the process of killing cancer cells, some healthy cells are also damaged, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says. Damage to healthy cells is what causes side effects of cancer treatments. The following side effects can in...

Eating Without Heating
Eating Without Heating If you've ever felt like making a meal without turning on the stove or even firing up the grill, this one's for you. With a little imagination, some basic provisions, and a refrigerator, you can prepare a satisfying dinner for four that will make you the star of the patio on a hot summer night. Shop beforehand for summer-fresh fruits and vegetables. Choose them by size and color--small, smooth green beans; bright, unblemished tomatoes; plump, sweet-smelling berries. Buy only what ...

Emotional Eating: How to Cope
Emotional Eating: How to Cope If you raid the fridge when you’re stressed or upset, that’s called emotional eating. Emotional eating affects most everyone from time to time, but regularly letting your feelings guide your food intake can affect your health. Sadness, boredom, and other negative emotions can drive emotional eating—such as polishing off a container of ice cream after a romantic breakup or devouring a bag of potato chips when you’re home alone on a Saturday night. But happy events can lead t...

Enlist These Foods to Help Prevent Cancer
Enlist These Foods to Help Prevent Cancer Plant foods, which contain antioxidants, may help reduce your risk for many cancers. Try to eat approximately 2 cups of fruit, 2½ cups of vegetables, and plenty of grains, of which half should be whole grain, each day. Be sure to make room on your plate for the following nutrition-packed foods. Blueberries These small fruits contain anthocyanins, the antioxidants that give blueberries, cherries, plums, red and purple grapes, and red cabbage their color. Anthocya...

Exploring New Food Frontiers
Exploring New Food Frontiers Are you in a food rut? Then it may be time to explore new food frontiers. You'll impress your friends, cut down on mealtime monotony and discover new foods, all while getting a broader range of nutrients in your diet. Join us on a culinary safari, and get a glimpse of some new foods to try. All of these highly nutritious foods have been used in other cultures for hundreds of years. They are now more widely available in this country. Look for them in larger supermarkets, natu...

Fight Asthma with the Right Nutrition
Fight Asthma with the Right Nutrition Some experts believe that you may reduce your asthma symptoms by eating certain foods. Many fruits and vegetables contain potassium and magnesium. Avocados, bananas, and potatoes are especially rich in these nutrients. Legumes, nuts, dairy products, and whole grains also have potassium and magnesium. Not eating enough foods with these nutrients has been linked to poor lung function. Fruits and vegetables also contain vitamin C and a nutrient called quercetin. Some e...

Five Fun Fruits You Should Try
Five Fun Fruits You Should Try Fruit is one of nature's perfect foods. Fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, without fat. Even though they are filling, most are naturally low in calories and delicious. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the American Cancer Society, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute recommend that 5 to 9 servings of fruits (and vegetables) be consumed every day, depending on a person's energy intake, to maintain good health and re...

Five Minerals We All Need
Five Minerals We All Need In the mineral world, iron tends to be featured in the nutrition limelight. But these five minerals deserve to shine as well. Chromium Chromium appears to be involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism and it may enhance blood sugar control in individuals with diabetes. Chocolate and almonds are good chromium sources. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), part of the National Institutes of Health, suggests about 35 micrograms a day for men up to age 50, and 20 micr...

Focusing on Folate
Focusing on Folate The B vitamins are a group of important nutrients you should include in your diet each day. If you're a woman of childbearing age, one of those B vitamins—folate—is especially critical. That's because folate helps prevent certain common serious birth defects called neural tube defects. Getting adequate folate can reduce the risk for neural tube defects by 70 percent. If you are a woman of childbearing age and able to become pregnant, you should get at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of fol...

Food Freshness: What Those Dates Really Mean
Food Freshness: What Those Dates Really Mean Here a rundown on the dates you find on food labels and what those dates mean, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “Packed On” The following outlines what you can assume based on the "packed on" date: This refers to the date the food was packaged. It doesn’t indicate the date the food was picked in the case of fruits and vegetables, or processed in the case of other food. Frozen foods are best used within two months of a pack date. Canne...

Food Preservation: The Case for Irradiation
Food Preservation: The Case for Irradiation Current preservation techniques can kill bacteria on or in many foods, such as milk and eggs, but their use is difficult on raw produce. Meanwhile, the headlines urge us to eat more fruits and vegetables--often raw. But how safe are raw foods? We've all heard of foodborne illness caused by contaminated fruits and vegetables, not to mention tainted meat. Irradiation is slowly gaining consumer acceptance as a way to make foods safer. The Centers for Disease Cont...

Foods That Help You Lose Weight
Foods That Help You Lose Weight Foods that are low in calories can help you with weight control. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the healthiest way to lose weight is to reduce your daily food intake by at least 500 calories. Your meal plan should be divided like this: 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat, 45 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, and the remainder from protein. What to add Here are some ways to add volume to your diet whil...

For Older Adults: When You're Cooking for One
For Older Adults: When You're Cooking for One If you are an older adult who lives alone, you may not be giving your meals and nutrition enough thought. This can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, weight loss or gain, constipation, and energy loss. You can avoid nutritional problems by selecting the right foods, making mealtimes more enjoyable, and adjusting your cooking habits, says the National Institute on Aging. Cooking and nutrition tips Don't skip breakfast. Missing the most important meal o...

Functional Foods—Hype or Health Benefit?
Functional Foods—Hype or Health Benefit? Can you prevent heart disease by eating fish, prevent cancer with tomato sauce, or keep your memory sharp with gingko biloba? Many Americans would answer yes. According to the Nutrition Business Journal, they're betting that these "functional" foods—also called herbs, supplements, nutraceuticals, or phytochemicals—can do all this and more. Whether they get what they pay for—or more than they bargained for—is an issue that concerns some experts. Consumers are floo...

Getting Down to Lunch Basics
Getting Down to Lunch Basics In today's busy world, lunch should be three things: palatable, portable, and potable. Sandwiches don't have to be the same old thing. Try different types of bread to boost your fiber intake. In fact, lunch doesn't have to be a sandwich at all. It can be leftovers or a collection of ingredients that please you or your family. Let your child make his or her own lunch—just send the ingredients. Cherry tomatoes, chunks of pineapple, pieces of cheese, and slivers of ham are the ...

Give Eating Right a Green Light
Give Eating Right a Green Light The government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans says everyone age 2 and older should eat a variety from five basic food groups each day: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and protein foods. You should focus on nutrient-rich foods and avoid empty calories. But the advice raises an old question: How do you get kids to eat right? Well, monkey see, monkey do! If kids see their parents eating healthy foods, then they're much more likely to indulge in fruits and veg...

Give Your Diet a Nutritional Tune-up
Give Your Diet a Nutritional Tune-up Between spending long days at work and evenings and weekends attending to personal and family concerns, few Americans have time to eat right. But you don't have to overhaul your diet completely to improve its healthfulness. Nutritious and delicious foods can easily be added to any diet. Below are some suggestions. Fruits and vegetables Eating five to thirteen servings (or 2½ to 6½ cups) of fruits and vegetables each day can help you prevent cancer, heart disease and ...

Giving Your Baby the Best Nutrition
Giving Your Baby the Best Nutrition As a new parent, you want the best for your child. And that includes the best nutrition. But the proper nutrition for kids can seem baffling, given the latest health headlines. Americans are more overweight than ever, and the trend is spreading to youngsters. In fact, it is so prevalent that infant car-seat manufacturers are producing a line of oversized seats to accommodate the larger-than-average infants and toddlers. Nutrition experts are seeing more and more child...

Go Fish: Catch the Health Benefits
Go Fish: Catch the Health Benefits Seafood can be an important part of a balanced diet. It is a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients, and is low in fat. Many types of fish are also high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential nutrients that help reduce the risk for heart attack, stroke, and mental decline. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can help lower your blood pressure and heart rate and decrease your risk for heart disease. Fish is a good source of proteins fo...

Go for the Whole Grains
Go for the Whole Grains If awards were given out for the healthiest foods, whole grains would win a gold medal every time. Compared with refined grains, they have more fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants. Whole grains are also a healthy way to control weight Because they contain fiber, whole grains are less energy dense (provide less calories per amount of food) and so help you feel full longer on fewer calories. What’s a whole grain? Grains are the seeds of plants. All grains contain carbohydrates,...

Going Bananas
Going Bananas The banana is an excellent choice for a portable, palatable, nutritious food. If you've ever watched a distance race, you've seen runners reach for bananas. The starchy carbohydrates in a banana provide quick energy and are a good source of water and an excellent source of potassium—an electrolyte which is necessary for the heart, nervous system and kidneys to function optimally. Nutritionally, a banana is a powerful package. A medium banana—about seven inches long— -- contains 105 calorie...

Good Sources of Antioxidants
Good Sources of Antioxidants Antioxidants are substances found in food. They may help block damage to cells in the body caused by free radicals. Free radicals are substances formed during normal body processes. If not blocked, free radicals may contribute to the development of certain diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants are found mainly in fruits and vegetables. The most important antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids, including beta carotene. Vitamin C is thought...

Have Meals Lost Their Appeal?
Have Meals Lost Their Appeal? You know that you should eat, but you're not hungry. Even foods that you usually can't resist hold no appeal. Is it normal for your appetite to drop off like this? Having little interest in food once in a while is probably nothing to worry about. "But, any time you have a loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss for more than a couple of weeks, you should check in with your doctor," advises Michael Fleming, M.D., chairman of the board of the American Academy of Family...

Healthful Hot Dogs
Healthful Hot Dogs Although you'll rarely find "healthful" and "hot dog" in the same sentence, the all-American food has gotten a makeover by some manufacturers. Hot dogs have gone "all natural" and even vegetarian, with many varieties as good for you as other healthful foods. When you're shopping for a cookout, these tips will help you choose the most healthful hot dogs: Check the fat content. Turkey franks can be as high in fat as pork or beef hot dogs. Soy-based hot dogs, such as tofu franks or veggi...

Healthy Dining Course
Healthy Dining Course Once upon a time, most Americans ate out only for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. Today, however, restaurant dining is a daily event for many Americans, and this change comes with an unhealthy price tag. Regularly eating out contributes to weight gain because restaurant portions are typically very large. Restaurant food is often high in calories and fat and less nutritious than meals prepared at home. Still, there are strategies you can use to reduce the calor...

Helping Picky Eaters Expand Their Palates
Helping Picky Eaters Expand Their Palates So you think you have a picky eater? Consider the child who would eat just one food: a certain fast-food brand of fried chicken nuggets, only in the original box. When the restaurant changed packages, Mom raced to buy all the old boxes she could find. When it's a problem Although a lot of young children are finicky about food, they need help when they won’t eat the amount or variety required to keep up their nutritional status. A child living on one junk food ma...

Helping Your Kids Get the Fiber They Need
Helping Your Kids Get the Fiber They Need Getting our daily dose of fiber is something we as adults think about as we get older. But fiber is as important for children, too. Often, children don't get enough. Fibrous plant material that can't be digested by humans and is found in nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods—is one thing that's lacking in lots of children's diets. Short-term problems like constipation and gastrointestinal distress are common complaints that may be improved by a...

How Diets Work
How Diets Work If you’ve tried everything, yet weight loss continues to elude you, don’t give up. There are ways to up the odds and increase your chance of success. The first step is to understand how dieting causes weight loss. It's a matter of energy balance. If the number of calories you consume is less than what you need to maintain your body weight, you’ll lose weight. Conversely, if you take in more calories than you burn, over time you’ll gain weight. In general, you’ll take in excess calories if...

How Do You Fuel Your Workout?
How Do You Fuel Your Workout? Energy bars, fitness drinks, protein powders, sports supplements -- are these the best ways to power your workout? Here's the scoop on which foods can help fuel your fitness efforts. What should I eat before a workout? Your body needs fuel for exercise, but eating a large meal right before working out can cause discomfort. To avoid this, wait at least an hour or two after a full meal before exercising. The larger the meal, the longer you should wait. If you haven't eaten in...

How Safe is Nonstick Cookware?
How Safe Is Nonstick Cookware? You probably have some pots, pans, or baking tins in your kitchen that are coated with Teflon. The chemical name for Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This chemical is what keeps food from sticking to nonstick cookware. The potential problem with nonstick cookware comes from another chemical used in making Teflon. This chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals, and possibly linked to elevated cholesterol, thyroid disea...

How Sweet Is It?
How Sweet Is It? It's human nature to like foods that taste sweet. But, as any dentist can tell you, sugar is bad for your teeth. It's also loaded with calories, which can lead to unhealthy weight gain. Because excess weight is linked with diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health conditions, cutting back on sugar is a smart move for many people. Luckily, there are other ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Naturally sweet options If you're trying to cut down on refined sugar without using artifici...

How to Cook Faster, Healthier Meals
How to Cook Faster, Healthier Meals Cooking a healthful, low-fat meal doesn't take any longer than cooking one that's high in fat, cholesterol and sodium. The following suggestions will help get you in and out of the kitchen more quickly and with more healthful dishes. Get organized Store frequently used dishes, pots and pans on cabinet shelves and in drawers you can reach easily. Keep those you use infrequently -- such as a lemon squeezer, holiday cookie cutters and other seasonal items -- on higher sh...

How to Cut the Fat and Keep the Flavor
How to Cut the Fat and Keep the Flavor You probably know that cutting calories and increasing your exercise are the keys to weight loss. Reducing the fat in your diet is one way to reduce your calorie intake, as long as you don’t replace the fat calories with additional calories from carbohydrate or protein. By adopting a dozen or so of the following eating habits, most people can continue to enjoy the foods they like and still lose pounds. Don't forget to include daily exercise in the plan. The U.S. De...

How to Junk a Junk-Food Diet
How to Junk a Junk-Food Diet Whether you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or improve your health, junk food can sabotage a worthy effort. Weaning yourself from these unhealthy foods can reap big benefits. Salted snacks, sodas, juice drinks, potato chips, candy bars, cookies, french fries, doughnuts, and other deep-fried foods—it’s not hard for most people to identify these as junk food. What’s much more difficult for most Americans is to eat less of them. And therein lies the problem. By definitio...

How to Make Heart-Healthy Food Choices
How to Make Heart-Healthy Food Choices Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best weapons for fighting cardiovascular disease and other heart conditions. Assuming most Americans are familiar with this fact, why is heart disease still the number one killer among adults? A major reason is that most Americans eat too many high-fat, high-calorie foods. These steps will help you reduce your risk for this condition: Eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 2½ to 3 cups of vegetables every day. Produce is packed wi...

How to Make Tastier Veggies
How to Make Tastier Veggies To help boost your chances for good health, nutritionists recommend eating more fruits and vegetables. Eating two to four cups of fruit and three to five servings vegetables a day may lower your risk for heart disease and some cancers, and bolster your immune system. Adding more fruit to our diet is easy for most of us. It's the vegetables that hang up many people. Think Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and other strong-tasting vegetables. It's common for people to tu...

How to Raise Healthy Eaters
How to Raise Healthy Eaters Parents of overweight and obese children often put their youngsters on diets. But according to health and nutrition experts, doing so rarely works and may even be harmful. Healthy diets are important, but kids need more family time and exercise, and less TV and video-gaming. They also need rest and healthy food served at home. The following suggestions can help you help your children attain and maintain a healthy weight. Eat together Interaction with family around the table i...

How Women Can Avoid Midlife Weight Gain
How Women Can Avoid Midlife Weight Gain Most women between ages 35 and 55 find it difficult to avoid gaining weight, especially inches that tend to settle around their waistlines. In fact, on average, women gain about a pound a year during the years leading up to menopause and beyond. But middle-life weight gain doesn't have to be inevitable. Weight gain during middle age is caused by a combination of factors: Pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy is normal and necessary for a healthy baby, but most w...

Ignore These Diet ‘Rules’
Ignore These Diet ‘Rules’ Some rules were meant to be broken, including any that promote unhealthy or unsuccessful modes of weight loss. If you’ve been trying to lose extra pounds without success, you may want to take a look at the diet rules you’ve taken to heart. If you’re eating according to outdated or untrue dietary commandments, all your efforts could be in vain. To turn things around, note these eight so-called diet “rules” and change your ways if you’ve been following the wrong path. Bailing out...

Individual Fruit Cup Dessert
Individual Fruit Cup Dessert Your children can help you make this easy dessert that's colorful and good for them to eat. Have all of your supplies and ingredients ready before you begin. Be careful with boiling water and small children. Ingredients 1 15-ounce can fruit cocktail (in its own juice) 1 3-ounce package sugar-free Jell-O, or any other gelatin mix, any flavor 1 cup boiling water 1 cup cold water Directions Place equal amount of fruit cocktail in each of four small bowls. Put boiling water into...

Iron: An Important Mineral in Your Diet
Iron: An Important Mineral in Your Diet Iron is a metal that is essential for life. It is a part of proteins and enzymes found throughout your body, including hemoglobin and myoglobin, both of which help carry oxygen in the blood. Iron is an important component of your muscles, and it helps regulate the growth of cells. Iron comes from foods you eat and any excess iron is stored for future use. Iron in foods comes in two forms: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is found in animal foods that originally contain...

Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe? The color pink in cooked turkey meat raises a "red flag" to many diners and cooks. Conditioned to be wary of pink in fresh pork, they question the safety of cooked poultry and other meats that have a rosy blush. Many people who call the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-535-4555) report being alarmed when seeing "pink." To them, it means "unsafe" or "under-done." The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sure sign of its degree of doneness. Only a meat thermomet...

It's Time to Veg Out
It's Time to Veg Out Few of us eat 2.5 cups of vegetables per day recommended as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Why are vegetables vital? They're good sources of fiber. Fiber makes you feel full and can help control calorie consumption. Vegetables also promote regularity and may play a role in preventing heart disease. They provide vitamins and minerals. This is especially true for the darker-colored, stronger-flavored vegetables. They don't provide fat. T...

Keep Moving to Manage Your Weight
Keep Moving to Manage Your Weight You can lose weight by dieting, exercising, or a combination of both. Including exercise into your daily routine offers other benefits besides weight control: it boosts your stamina, increases your muscle strength, improves your balance and your mood, and can reduce your risk for some cancers. Exercise helps build lean muscle. Muscle mass burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. If you don't exercise, or slack off on yo...

Keeping Blood Sugar in Check
Keeping Blood Sugar in Check The words "blood" and "sugar" are a single phrase for millions of Americans: "blood sugar." The official term is glucose, and keeping it within a certain range occupies the minds of people with diabetes daily--sometimes even hourly. People with diabetes either do not produce insulin, do not produce enough insulin or their body's cells don't use the insulin produced efficiently. Insulin is necessary for the cells to use sugar from food as fuel. Insulin allows sugar carried by...

Keeping Your Kitchen Under Control
Keeping Your Kitchen Under Control The "dirtiest" rooms in your house are probably the kitchen and bathroom(s). The kitchen leads the list, according to a recent study, because people are less likely to use strong cleaners and disinfectants in that room. They aren't as shy about using cleaners and chemicals in the bathroom. Sources of contamination People are the most common source of contamination in the kitchen, because people carry diseases that other people get. Most viruses and bacteria that cause ...

Kids' Healthy Eating Not Just About Food
Kids' Healthy Eating Not Just About Food Healthy eating habits are especially important during childhood. Children learning and growing at a rapid rate use up lots of energy, and their bodies need healthy foods to provide that energy. Most parents are concerned about how they can get their children to eat nutritious foods. Mealtime can become stressful for the whole family when children won't eat what parents think they should. Children learn food preferences from parents, siblings, family members, and ...

Kids in the Kitchen: Let Them in on the Fun
Kids in the Kitchen: Let Them in on the Fun Kids in the kitchen: If you're trying to watch them at the same time as you cook, they can be a real pain in the neck. But if you let them in on the fun, they can be a joy to behold. They don't have to know from the beginning that you're giving them recipes for treats that are good for them—all that counts for now is that it's fun to do and tastes good. Start with the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Gather your ingredients and utensils before you begin and you'l...

Kids Need Their Nutrients
Kids Need Their Nutrients Most parents know that children need vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. But knowing exactly what nutrients and how much they need of each is not always easy. Learning a bit more about vitamins and minerals can help ensure your kids are on the right nutritional track. Despite parents’ best efforts, kids may not always get all the vitamins and minerals they need. To make sure your kids are getting the full range of nutrients that they need, be sure to offer your children a va...

Label Lesson: Flavored Rice Mixes
Label Lesson: Flavored Rice Mixes Put plain rice on the menu, and your family make just turn up its nose. Instead, try one of the many flavored rice mixes now on the market. Although the mixes are relatively low in fat, they can be high in sodium. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for rice mixes: Some mixes contain more than 1,000 mg. of sodium per serving. Look for those that contain lower amounts. A surprise ingredient in some mixes is sugar. To avoid it, look on the nutritional and ...

Let's Do Lunch
Let's Do Lunch Does your lunch just happen? Is it often a last-minute decision of where to eat and whether or not you want fries with your burger? If so, maybe it's time to show lunch a little more respect. Experts agree - lunch is an important meal. Be sure to include foods with a mix of nutrients that will give you energy and keep you satisfied late into the afternoon, so you're not tempted by that high-calorie, high-fat snack later in the day. Consider the difference A deluxe-type burger with regular...

Living Well to Reach Age 100
Living Well to Reach Age 100 An American born in 1970 can expect to reach the age of about 71. For a baby born today, life expectancy is about 78 years old, and for babies born in 2020, it will be about 80. Many of us are already pushing past those age expectancies. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 300,000 Americans are over age 95. Between the years 1990 and 2000, the percentage of Americans over age 95 grew by about 35 percent, making these oldest Americans one of the fastest growing seg...

Low-Fat BBQ: Cooking as Delicious as It Looks
Low-Fat BBQ: Cooking as Delicious as It Looks This is the season for outdoor cooking. Many foods can be grilled, including vegetables and fruit. And, nutrition experts say, barbecuing uses healthy cooking techniques for a low-fat, healthy lifestyle--especially when compared with frying. That's not to say that a barbecue can't deteriorate into an artery-clogging, calorie-laden meal. To avoid that, choose the right foods and follow some simple guidelines. What to grill? For traditional red meat, nutrition...

Maintain a Healthy Weight for a Lifetime
Maintain a Healthy Weight for a Lifetime How do some people lose weight and keep it off? How do some people avoid the natural tendency to gain weight as they age? If you have achieved your weight loss goals, or if you didn't but want to keep your weight in a healthy range, consider these recommendations from the National Weight Control Registry, a program of the National Institutes of Health, for weight management over a lifetime. Focus on health, not weight Which is more important to you—being able to ...

Make a Sensation with Sauce
Make a Sensation with Sauce Sauce (sôs) n. A liquid dressing served with food. The dictionary makes sauce sound simple, but it can be many things. A sauce can be hot or cold--think gravy or salad dressing--chunky or creamy, sweet or savory. You can put it over, under or on the side, depending on your mood and your food. The idea is to dress up a meal's look as well as its flavor. Picture burgundy cranberry sauce with fresh turkey or zesty red cocktail sauce with shrimp. What you don't want is too many s...

Make Healthy Eating a Habit
Make Healthy Eating a Habit The earlier you teach children sound eating habits, the more likely they are to maintain a healthy weight. But helping a child learn the right skills takes patience and repetition. Well-meaning parents often fear their children are eating too little rather than too much. Overfeeding starts as early as the toddler years. For toddlers, serve a tablespoon of vegetables per meal for each year of age. This may help head off future struggles over getting your child to eat vegetable...

Make Room for Versatile Rice
Make Room for Versatile Rice Inside your kitchen cabinet, you'll probably find one of the world's most versatile foods. It has been a central ingredient in salads, entrees and desserts for thousands of years. Packed with energy-yielding carbohydrates and practically fat-free, its popularity continues to soar. Since it also is allergen-free, it has been embraced by people who are allergic to other staples. Have you guessed? It's rice. Rice gets around Archaeologists have determined that rice has been cul...

Making Sense of Nutrition Labels
Making Sense of Nutrition Labels Learning to maintain a healthy weight is more important than ever, given that the percentage of American's that are overweight or obese is increasing. One of the easiest tools to help you watch your weight is the nutrition label on packaged foods. The label gives you a guide for both calories and nutrition by letting you know what's in the foods you eat. At first glance, a nutrition label may seem confusing or overwhelming. Because packaging space is often limited, the n...

Making the Transition to a Vegetarian Diet
Making the Transition to a Vegetarian Diet People decide to eat a vegetarian diet for a variety of reasons. But how they make the change requires they take one of two routes—the overnight approach or the gradual one. The following suggestions can help you make the transition to a meat-free diet using either method. The overnight approach Changing from eating steak to veggie stir-fries overnight isn't easy, but people who like to take immediate action when making lifestyle changes prefer this route. Whil...

Managing Food Cravings
Managing Food Cravings If you’ve ever felt you had to have chocolate or pasta or a bag of potato chips, you’ve had a food craving. Although there’s nothing wrong with wanting a particular food, giving in to cravings can make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. Hunger vs. craving There's a big difference between cravings and hunger pangs. When you’re hungry, you’re responding to a physical need, but cravings are usually from an emotional or psychological trigger and are often for a specific type o...

Managing Hypertension with the DASH Diet
Managing Hypertension with the DASH Diet What you eat can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for stroke and heart disease. One such diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, has been shown to reduce blood pressure. This diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), blood pressure can be unhealthy even if it stays only slightly...

Memory Boosters
Memory Boosters Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to remember names, appointments, and where you left your keys just by taking an over-the-counter (OTC) memory pill? Some natural supplements are supposed to improve memory and concentration. But is staying sharp as simple as taking a supplement? Most experts agree that there is no solid proof that memory-enhancing supplements work. These products may not even contain much of their "active herbal ingredients." The strength and purity of natural suppleme...

Modifying Recipes for Better Health
Modifying Recipes for Better Health Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and obesity. And modifying your favorite recipes is an easy way to go. Make them more nutritious and lower in fat by reducing high-fat ingredients or substituting healthier ingredients. The following suggestions are designed to help you lighten up your recipes to improve your and your family's health and weight. Cut fat and calories Reduce the amount of fat used...

Nutrition Glossary
Nutrition Glossary Whether you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or lose a few pounds, knowing the definitions of terms relating to diet and exercise can help you make good choices. Body mass index (BMI). One method of estimating body fat. (The other method is by waist circumference.) BMI is calculated by multiplying your weight in pounds by 703, and then dividing that number by your height in inches squared. Calorie. A unit of measure for the amount of energy released when the body breaks down foo...

Nutrition Needs in Older Adults
Nutrition Needs in Older Adults As we grow older and our bodies and lifestyles change, our nutritional needs change, as well. We need about 20 percent fewer calories at age 80 than at age 30. About two-thirds of this decrease can be blamed on a more sedentary lifestyle that often comes with getting older, and the rest on a lower metabolic rate. Although healthy older adults who eat a balanced diet don't need a dietary supplement, several aspects of aging may increase the likelihood of a deficiency in ke...

Nutrition's Role in Disease Prevention
Nutrition's Role in Disease Prevention Evidence is mounting that a healthy diet can help protect you from some diseases. What you eat -- or don't eat -- may help prevent heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes. With this in mind, here's how to use your diet to help reduce your risk of disease. Beat heart disease To help prevent heart disease, you need to keep your blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight under control. Healthy eating habits can help you accomplish this, as well as ...

Nuts to You!
Nuts to You! Squirrels and dietitians agree: From acorns to walnuts, nuts are good food. Nuts offer valuable fiber, protein, and nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and vitamin E. Research studies indicate that there is an association between increased nut consumption and a reduction of heart disease. Nuts also contain fat. They range from 146 calories for an ounce of pine nuts (about three tablespoons) to 200 calories for an ounce of macadamias (about 12 nuts). Pecans have as much fat as ...

Nuts: Snack Causes Problems for Some Kids
Nuts: Snack Causes Problems for Some Kids If your child is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, it's important that you teach him or her to ask about any treats offered at school or day care before eating it. Allergic reactions to eating peanuts or nuts include vomiting, diarrhea, hives, eczema, difficulty breathing and anaphylactic shock. Most experts recommend those with peanut allergy also avoid tree nuts, and vice versa, because of manufacturing cross-contamination. If your c...

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease Most Americans eat too much fat--and too many calories. That, along with a lack of exercise, has led to an epidemic of obesity and diabetes and contributed to keeping heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. But what about omega-3 fatty acids? Omega-3s are a beneficial and essential form of fat, one that your body needs but can't make. Although your body needs two forms of omega fatty acids--omega-3 and omega-6, it is the omega-3s t...

On the Barbecue, Charred Is Barred
On the Barbecue, Charred Is Barred Many foods seem to taste better hot off the grill. But there's a dilemma facing those of us who love to barbecue in warm weather. Researchers have found that cooking muscle meats—beef, pork, poultry, and fish—at high temperatures may pose a risk for cancer. The cooking process can cause amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and creatine, a chemical in muscles, to react and form heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Seventeen different HCAs from the cooking of muscle meats...

Opposites Attract
Balancing Food Flavors, Textures Hot and cold. Sweet and sour. Hard and soft. Creamy and crunchy. Yin and yang. You don't need a course in Chinese philosophy to understand yin and yang, the concept of balancing opposites or complementary pairs to create harmony. That balance comes into play when you serve cooling (yin) fruits and leafy vegetable salads in summer and warming (yang) roasted root vegetables and meat in winter. Combining opposing flavors and textures can add interest without adding much fat...

Persuading Kids to Eat Nutritious Meals
Persuading Kids to Eat Nutritious Meals It's a familiar family scene: Mom and Dad cajoling their youngsters at the dinner table: "Eat your vegetables." The National Cancer Institute says that only one child out of five eats enough fruits or vegetables to satisfy the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which recommends five or more servings per day. And nearly one-fourth of the vegetables eaten by children are french fries. What can you do? Kids won't eat vegetables just because they're good for them. And th...

Picking Snacks for Picky Eaters
Picking Snacks for Picky Eaters Snacking isn't bad for kids. Nutrition experts agree that a wide assortment of healthy snacks, served in moderation, can be an essential part of a child's diet. Children need calories from food for energy, and vitamins and minerals to foster healthy growth and development. Snacks can provide kids with up to 20 percent of their daily energy and nutrient needs. It's all in the balance Is your child a picky eater? As you may know, kids are notoriously finicky. One minute the...

Potato's Potential Lies Far Beyond French Fries
Potato's Potential Lies Far Beyond French Fries Bake it, boil it, steam it, fry it. There's no question that America's favorite vegetable is the potato. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) each American eats an average of more than 100 pounds of potatoes annually. Fresh potatoes accounted for half. Frozen fries, chips, or dehydrated mashed made up the rest. A potato is low in calories and has no fat. It's a good source of vitamin C, folate, and other B vitamins. Potato skin is a good ...

Preventing the Midafternoon Slump
Overcoming Your Midafternoon Energy Slump You may charge into the day full of energy, but by midafternoon, a wave of sleepiness hits you. You find it hard to keep your eyes open, or you find yourself yawning. Many people experience these late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them. Here are suggestions for healthy ways to keep your energy flowing throughout the day. Don't miss breakfast The best way to keep your energy level at peak performance is to start the day with breakfast....

Prevention of Heart Disease Starts in Childhood
Prevention of Heart Disease Starts in Childhood You may have heard the old adage: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." It is sage advice when it comes to heart disease. By teaching your kids to follow a healthy lifestyle, you can help reduce their risk for heart disease later in life. Although children and teens usually don't show the symptoms of heart disease, the silent buildup of plaque (fatty deposits) can start in childhood and can have a serious impact on their adult life. "The kinds...

Prevention of Heart Disease Starts in Childhood
Prevention of Heart Disease Starts in Childhood You may think of heart disease as a problem for adults, not your young children. But diet and exercise habits started in childhood can begin a lifetime of heart health . . . or a lifetime of heart damage. Some of the preventable causes of adult heart disease that begin in childhood are: Obesity Buildup of plaque (or fat deposits) in the arteries Unhealthy changes in cholesterol levels Although it’s true that heart disease risk can run in families, a health...

Put Up a Food Fight Against Disease
Put Up a Food Fight Against Disease You can't change your family medical history, which may put you at increased risk for chronic disease, heart disease, or cancer. But you can fight back against such conditions by altering your lifestyle, particularly your diet. Nutrition is a critical component to promoting good health, and if certain diseases run in your family, you'll want to make your diet as preventive as possible. Here's food for thought on dietary changes that can help you prevent several seriou...

Putting Healthy Fats on Your Plate
Putting Healthy Fats on Your Plate Some people believe that the less fat you eat, the better. You, too, may think that all fat is bad. The truth is, certain types of fat can actually help your heart, so you don't need to avoid fat altogether. Instead, watch how much and what type you eat. For a heart-healthy diet, the USDA recommends that you limit your daily fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of the calories you consume. For children, the daily fat intake should be 30 to 35 percent for those between ages 2...

Putting the Brakes on Fast Food
Putting the Brakes on Fast Food Eating light when you're on the go is no picnic. Consider this: The average fast-food "value" meal weighs in at 1,200 calories, 53 grams of total fat, and a large dose of salt (sodium). In just a few speedy bites, you'll consume more than half your fat, calorie, and sodium allotment for the entire day. With "heavy-weight" offerings like these, it's no wonder Americans are getting heftier and the country is ranking right up there among those with the highest rates for hear...

Recommended Temperatures for Safe Cooking
Recommended Temperatures for Safe Cooking Eggs, meat, and poultry not cooked to a safe internal temperature can cause food-borne illness, leading to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Using a meat thermometer to make sure these foods reach the following recommended internal temperatures can protect your family from salmonella, E. coli, and other infectious illnesses. Insert the thermometer into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to get an accurate measurement. Food product: Eggs a...

Reducing the Sodium in Your Diet
Reducing the Sodium in Your Diet Step 1—Hide the saltshaker One of the first steps to reducing the sodium in your diet is to stop salting your food. Put the saltshaker in the cupboard and leave it there. This will immediately reduce the amount of sodium in your diet. Most foods in their natural state contain some level of sodium. With time, your tastes will likely adapt to a lower sodium intake. Step 2—Watch what you put on your food Many of the seasonings and condiments that we use on food are high in ...

Refreshing Summer Meals
Refreshing Summer Meals Turn off the stove. Put away the pots and pans. Forget about cooking. It's time for the cool, easy foods of late summer. There's a good reason to make the switch, if you haven't already this season. When the mercury is high, we all crave meals that are cool and refreshing, nutrition experts say. We instinctively turn to meals that have a high water content to replace the steady water loss that we experience in the summertime. Where to begin? Start with soups. Buttermilk is the pe...

Room for Mushrooms
Room for Mushrooms Are you a "fungophobe"? That's what mushroom lovers call people who are afraid to eat mushrooms. True, some wild ones are deadly -- but that's no reason to fear the rich variety of fresh and dried mushrooms popping up in supermarkets. Nutritionally, we should all be fungophiles -- mushroom lovers -- because they're high in fiber, low in calories and free of sodium, fat and cholesterol. The common white cultivated mushroom has lots of potassium; the exotic but often-available shiitake ...

Safe Food-Handling Tips
Safe Food-Handling Tips From shopping to storing to cooking, food is a big part of our lives. However, foodborne illness don't have to be included. Unfortunately, millions of Americans are sickened each year by improper handling of food. You can protect yourself and your family by following these suggestions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Grocery shopping Put cold and frozen food last on your grocery list and get it home as soon as possible. Minimize the time that perishable foods are a...

Salad Days: It’s Easy Eating Green
Salad Days: It’s Easy Eating Green Green salads are full of nutrients, including fiber and cancer-fighting antioxidants. They also can help you lose weight. Experts say that when they're prepared with health in mind, salads are filling and low in calories, which can be helpful if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. But even more important, they’re a great way to get your five-a-day servings of vegetables and fruit. At home or when dining out, the following suggestions can help you add the goodness...

Savoring the Ease of a Casserole Meal
Savoring the Ease of a Casserole Meal Casseroles are all about efficiency. Making a meal in one pot means you do everything at the same time. There's less cleanup and, in many cases, you can do the prep work in advance. In our busy society, any time we can get in and out of the kitchen with as little fuss as possible, we do it. One-dish meals are especially good. It's a meal that's thrown together, but seasoning everything at once can give flavors a chance to mix and make the dish particularly tasty. Ma...

Say Cheese the Low-Fat Way
Say Cheese the Low-Fat Way As a word, "cheese" always brings a smile for photographers. As a food, it brings lots of flavor to breakfast omelets, luncheon sandwiches, or dinner entrees. It's got plenty of bodybuilding protein and bone-building calcium, as well. All this would be fine, but for one depressing fact: Cheese tends to be high in fat. Very high. A gourmet cheese such as brie, for example, has about 8 grams of fat per ounce. Ounce for ounce, that's twice as much fat as a sirloin steak. Still, c...

School Lunches: Going Beyond Peanut Butter
School Lunches: Going Beyond Peanut Butter Still sticking to peanut butter sandwiches for school lunches? They're a brown bagger's favorite, but today's markets offer lots of new options. Some children will refuse any changes to their lunch routine and that's OK as long as what you've been sending with them is nourishing. Every week or so, parents should try to slip in something different. A variety of foods gives children a variety of nutrients and expands their palates. Lunches should include protein,...

Seniors Can Cook With Class
Seniors Can Cook With Class Cooking is all the rage, and you can enjoy cooking classes, even if you've prepared meals most of your life. You can learn techniques that help your health and your budget while you're having fun. You don't eat the way you did when you were in your 20s. You've probably cut back on calories and fat and reduced your sodium intake. A cooking class can show you how to make those changes taste better as you create a healthy, balanced diet. In addition to cooking, classes may cover...

Serve a Super Summer Salad
Serve a Super Summer Salad Fast-food outlets and many other restaurants have embraced the idea that salad is the future. Some salads are better for you than others, but choosing a menu item with more vegetables is a good start. Today's salads offer a variety of greens, often with fruits, nuts, cheese, seeds, roasted or grilled vegetables, and beef, chicken, or fish. Eating salads out is fine, but you can build a better salad at home, even if you buy a lot of the ingredients already cut. Today's most imp...

Shake the Salt Habit
Shake the Salt Habit Too much salt in your diet can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems. But salt, or sodium chloride, is hard to avoid. It’s in just about every processed or packaged food in the supermarket aisle. The American Medical Association (AMA) is concerned about the high rate of cardiovascular disease in the United States. It is urging food manufacturers and the government to help Americans shake the salt habit. Americans consume two to three times more sodium than is healthy...

Simple Ways to Improve Your Diet
Simple Ways to Make Your Diet Better Good nutrition is a cornerstone of good health. A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet can reduce your risk for heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and other diseases. One way to improve your diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables. For adults, the 2010 U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines recommend 2 cups of fruit and 2½ to 3 cups of vegetables each day. You should also get at least 6 ounces a day of grains (3 to 4 ounces should come from whole...

Smart Choices: Eating Healthy at Any Age
Smart Choices: Eating Healthy at Any Age At every stage of life, smart food choices fuel good health. You can benefit from following an eating plan that emphasizes food choices appropriate for your age and personal needs. Every person needs the same nutrients but in varying amounts. Age, gender, and activity level all influence nutrient needs. Everyone should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables; whole-grain breads; moderate amounts of low-fat dairy foods; lean meat, chicken, fish, and legumes; and small...

Smile! Are You Eating Healthy?
Smile! Are You Eating Healthy? If you're not eating right, you may be at risk for problems with your teeth and mouth. Bad eating habits can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Children's teeth are at special risk because they are still developing. Here's how foods cause tooth decay: When you eat, food meets germs that live in your mouth. When you don't clean your teeth after eating, germs use sugar and starches found in many foods to make acids. These acids destroy the tooth's hard surface (the enamel) b...

Smoothie: A Milkshake Without Fat
Smoothie: A Milkshake Without Fat You like a sweet, thick, icy drink to quench summer thirst. But you also know you should have less fat and more fruit in your diet. So on a regular basis, the old-fashioned high fat milkshake is out. It has too much fat and too many calories to be a daily treat. Consider, then, the smoothie. All you need is a blender, some fresh fruit, some nonfat yogurt and a vivid imagination to concoct something that's pureed heaven. Fruit is a necessary part of your diet—two to four...

Snacking Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight
Snacking Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight If you’re trying to maintain or reach a healthy weight, eating between meals may seem like the last thing you should do. Many nutrition experts say, however, that having a healthy snack midmorning or midafternoon can help you maintain your energy and prevent you from eating too much at lunch or dinner. The following suggestions can help you keep your appetite and weight in check: Keep snacks between 100 and 200 calories. Snacks with fewer than 50 calories ...

Someone's in the Kitchen with Grandma
Someone's in the Kitchen with Grandma Are you famous for your homemade mac-n-cheese, chocolate cake, or barbecued ribs? Can you whip up a tasty meal from odds and ends in your pantry? Now is the time to share your tried-and-true recipes and kitchen sense with those who will appreciate them the most: your grandchildren. With families today living a busier, faster-paced life, we have lost some of that special time spent cooking with children. Too often, many kids mainly eat prepackaged, processed food, or...

Stocking Your Kitchen With Healthy Foods
Stocking Your Kitchen With Healthy Foods You've promised yourself to eat better, but then you realize: Where do I start? Try the grocery cart. One way to ensure that you are able to prepare healthy meals is to buy healthy foods. If you have healthy snacks on hand, when the munchies strike, you can reach for fruits and vegetables instead of chips. The following tips can help you choose healthy foods when you shop. Fresh produce Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and fat and provide...

Sweetness and Light
Sweetness and Light How sweet it is depends entirely on you. Whether you reach for the sugar bowl, the honey pot or a packet of artificial sweetener, it's all a matter of taste and calories. Sugar fuels the body and every cell in it. The more you eat it, the more you want. A variety of foods naturally contain sugar. The most common sugars are in fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose). No matter how sugar starts out, your body turns it into glucose. Table sugar, whether it's white and granular, or brown and...

Take a Hard Line Against Soft Drinks
Take a Hard Line Against Soft Drinks Children often switch from drinking milk to drinking soda when they become preteens or teens. These kids tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, and get less calcium, protein, and vitamins A and D, because they are drinking less milk. They also take in more calories. Because one in seven U.S. youths weighs too much, health professionals are sounding the alarm. Soft drinks can't take all the blame for the weight crisis. But kids can reduce their calorie intake by dri...

Take-Out Foods, Restaurant Meals Tied to Obesity Trend
Take-Out Foods, Restaurant Meals Tied to Obesity Trend Obesity has become a public health crisis in the United States, in part, because Americans are consuming more calories than they did 30 years ago. A large part of that increase in consumption can be pinned on a greater use of foods prepared away from home -- those ready-to-eat items available at restaurants, grocery store food counters, and fast-food eateries. That's the conclusion of a panel funded by the FDA. The Keystone Forum looked at the assoc...

Taking Time for Tea
Taking Time for Tea The spotlight is on tea, with questions about whether it may be the ultimate health drink. Drinking this age-old beverage has been reported to potentially protect the body from ailments as serious as cancer. Do these claims hold water? For now at least, scientists are taking a wait-and-see approach, as research continues. Antioxidant power True tea—black, green, white, and oolong—all come from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. What interests researchers are the chemica...

Tap the Power of Water
Tap the Power of Water Water is one of the most important parts of your diet. With the summer sun out in full force, remembering to drink enough water is even more crucial to your health. Your body needs water for basic chemical reactions to take place. In fact, water accounts for much of your body weight (about 60 percent for men and about 50 percent for women). When you don't drink enough water, your body can't function at its best. As dehydration sets in, you'll feel tired, lethargic, and you may hav...

The Appeal of the Apple
The Appeal of the Apple A is for apple: appealing, appetizing, and available all around. Studies show the nutrients and fiber in apples have health benefits that range from better digestion to lower cholesterol, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) says. A medium apple—about 3 inches in diameter—contains about 3 grams of fiber if you eat the peel. Fresh apples also offer a good dose of vitamin C. With obesity on the rise, it's lowest among those who regularly eat fruits and vegetables. Apples are a c...

The Benefits of Adding Soy to Your Diet
The Benefits of Adding Soy to Your Diet Soy and soy products have been consumed for centuries. But only in the past several decades have Americans started adding soy to their diet. Soy is a great source of protein, and also contains iron and calcium. Soy is a good alternative to meat and other animal-based products because it contains little saturated fat. Soy's health benefits Research is inconclusive as to the real health benefits of soy and/or soy products. However, using soy products as a substitute...

The Benefits of Beans
The Benefits of Beans From a health standpoint, beans are every bit as magical as the beans Jack of "Jack and the Beanstalk" fame exchanged for a cow—and much less expensive. Packed with protein and fiber, beans are a cholesterol-free and virtually fat-free food. And with this inexpensive protein source, you can prepare many different and flavorful hearty bean recipes. For that, you get a highly versatile food that keeps well, is easy to cook and, unlike meat or poultry, has no waste. We're not talking ...

The Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth
The Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth If you are what you eat, that's particularly true for your teeth and gums. When you drink and munch starchy or sugary foods, you're not only feeding yourself, you're feeding the plaque that can cause havoc in your mouth. Plaque is a thin, invisible film of sticky bacteria and other materials that covers all the surfaces of all your teeth. When sugars or starches in your mouth come in contact with plaque, the acids that result can attack teeth for 20 minutes or mor...

The Egg Bounces Back
The Egg Bounces Back Whether you eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, eggs are an excellent choice. The two-word reason: "nutrient dense." That means you get a lot of good stuff—protein, vitamins, minerals—in a few calories. Eggs are a great protein source. An omelet is a better choice than pancakes, but make it with two eggs, not five, and pile on veggies to fill the plate. One large egg has about 5 grams of fat, but more of the fat is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (2.6 grams) than unhealthy...

The Facts on Fat: What a Healthful Diet Should Include
The Facts on Fat: What a Healthy Diet Should Include Surprise: Fat’s not all bad. You just have to know how to maximize the healthy fats and minimize the unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats contribute to hardening of the arteries and can lead to heart disease and stroke. The following fat facts and tips can help you understand how fat should fit in your healthy eating habits. Change your fat mix Fact: Monounsaturated fats like canola oil and olive oil can improve blood-cholesterol levels and reduce the risk ...

The Healing Power of Tomatoes
Tomatoes, a Good Source of Lycopene Pat yourself on the back the next time you open a jar of red spaghetti sauce. You might just be serving up a healthier future for yourself and your family. Tomatoes and tomato-based products, such as marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, and pizza sauce, are both tasty and nutritious. They're relatively low in fat and calories and high in nutrients, including potassium and vitamins A and C. There is new evidence that indicates spaghetti sauce and other tomato products offe...

The Healthy-Bones Diet
The Healthy-Bones Diet Adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet help maintain your bone strength, reducing your risk for osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak because of the loss of bone density. Although you can take supplements that provide calcium and vitamin D, the best way to get adequate calcium is by eating calcium-rich foods. One in every two women and one in four men older than 50 will have a bone fracture caused by weak bones in their lifetime. Fortunately, followi...

The Importance of Eating Together as a Family
The Importance of Eating Together as a Family Eating together as a family has many benefits not only for you, but also for your children. Despite today’s fast-paced lifestyle that seems to include more drive-throughs and diners than dinners at home, people still believe that this traditional practice is important. One recent study showed just why people believe eating as a family can be so valuable. Researchers surveyed 107 parents of 8- to 10-year-old children and found that parents believe eating toge...

The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers
The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers After a long day at work, getting dinner on the table for your family can be a challenge. Because of this, more often than not you may end up serving fast-food, takeout meals, or convenience foods. Did you know you can serve healthier foods at a fraction of the cost? Meal makeover plan Taking small steps each week in the right direction in terms of what you buy and cook can improve your family's eating habits. Here are some ideas: Week one. Add one extra serving of frui...

The Nutritious Apple
The Nutritious Apple A is for apple: an appealing fruit that's attractive, appetizing, and available year round. We use apples to evoke love and patriotism. "You're the apple of my eye," we say, or "as American as apple pie. Experts say another apple adage is true, too: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The nutrients and fiber in apples have whole-body health benefits, from better digestion to lower cholesterol. Apples contain a variety of heart disease and cancer-fighting substances called phytoc...

The Perfectly Healthy Pumpkin
The Perfectly Healthy Pumpkin For most of us, pumpkins—especially when baked into pies—are an essential part of the Thanksgiving holiday. Lucky for us, they're also packed full of nutrition, adding a healthy touch to our holiday meal. A little history People have prized pumpkins for centuries. The name "pumpkin" originated from the Greek word pepon , which means "large melon." Pumpkins have been associated with Thanksgiving since the Pilgrims learned from the American Indians just how versatile the pump...

The Power of a Food Diary
The Power of a Food Diary You can lose weight without a food diary, but according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, you’re more likely to be successful if you keep one that tracks what, why, when, and where you eat. A food diary can provide insight into your hunger patterns and highlight emotional eating binges. In addition, you become much more aware when eating because of hunger or boredom. Diary details The easiest way to keep a food diary is to use a small notebook. This is what your diary ...

The Road to Table Food
The Road to Table Food Feeding your child during his or her first year of life can be challenging and stressful, especially if you're a first-time parent. But keeping an open mind and an eye on your child are the best ways to make the road to table food an easy path. Breast milk, formula are primary Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants during their first year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Formula is the next-best choice, if breastfeeding isn't possible. Solid...

The Seven Best Foods We Never Eat
The Seven Best Foods We Never Eat Stuck in a food rut? You don't have to go far to find some overlooked food choices that are easy to prepare, pack a nutritional wallop, and avoid unhealthy fats. Avocado Sure, it’s great in guacamole. But why not try chopping it into chunks for a super salad topper? Or next time you make a sandwich, add thin avocado slices for a superfood treat. Avocado offers: Heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat Vitamins A and E B vitamins Potassium Copper Sweet potato Toss cubes of the...

The Skinny on Fat-Free Foods
The Skinny on Fat-Free Foods Attaining and maintaining a healthy weight is an ongoing battle that for many adults involves endless dieting—and a search for a magic bullet to blast away those extra pounds. One weapon Americans have pinned their hopes on is fat-free foods—but are they effective in helping you battle the bulges? The truth is, eating fat-free foods won’t necessarily make you lose weight. That’s because it’s the amount of calories you take in, not the amount of fat, that determines whether y...

The Supermarket as Classroom
The Supermarket as Classroom You can turn a trip to the grocery store into a fun outing that teaches children valuable lessons. Walking the aisles, you can talk about making wholesome food choices, show how ads drive purchases, and expose your child to new fruits and vegetables. With your help, even preschoolers can start to make healthy food decisions The earlier you start, the better. Young adults who shop for and cook meals are more likely to have nutritious diets, says a study in the Journal of the ...

The Truth About Triglycerides
The Truth About Triglycerides You’ve probably had your blood tested for cholesterol by your health care provider. This lipid, or fat, test measures your total cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. It also measures your triglycerides, which can tell your provider a lot about your health. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. Most of your body's fat is stored as triglycerides. Cholesterol and fat Cholesterol and other fats in your blood are needed for cer...

The World's Best Anti-Cancer Diet
The World's Best Anti-Cancer Diet In your quest to reduce your cancer risk, don't overlook the obvious: Improving your diet can play a substantial role in preventing the disease. Helpful lessons can be learned from other countries that report lower levels of nutrition-related cancers than in the United States. If you are in doubt, consider the following examples. Choose plant power Eating a variety of plant-based foods—fruits and vegetables—is the number one rule for cancer prevention because such foods...

Think About Your Drink
Think About Your Beverage If you've walked through a supermarket lately, you've probably noticed the flood of drink products. Consider the refrigerated section: where milk and orange juice once ruled, you'll find a rainbow of fruit juice blends and yogurt drinks. Down another aisle you'll see countless fruity beverages in bottles, cans, plastic, and packets of powder. Varieties aim at everyone from adults to toddlers. Check the labels and you may be surprised at the amount of sugar added to drinks that ...

Three Cheers for Breakfast!
Three Cheers for Breakfast! Does your day start like this? The alarm rings, and you're off and running, maybe without enough time to have breakfast. Even if you're not in a rush, breakfast foods may not appeal to you. Or, you think that skipping breakfast will help you lose weight. Whatever your reason, you may be missing out on more than a meal. There are at least three great reasons to have a morning meal, according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA): You need the energy. Imagine trying to sta...

Tips for a Healthy Restaurant Breakfast
Tips for a Healthy Restaurant Breakfast Do you want to cut fat out of your diet, but not give up breakfast at your favorite restaurant? Try healthy alternatives such as eliminating bacon and sausage on your egg sandwich, or having a small low-fat bran muffin instead of hash browns. You'll be able to eat a healthier breakfast without scrimping on your morning enjoyment. Occasionally, it is okay to order up the big breakfast of bacon and eggs. When you do, be sure to make it your main meal of the day. In ...

Tips for Healthy Marinades
Tips for Healthy Marinades Most marinades are low in calories and fat-free, but they can also be high in sodium and many contain sugar. One serving of a marinade can be as small as one teaspoon, which doesn't stretch very far. The calorie and sodium count can multiply quickly when you need several tablespoons -- or even a half-cup -- of marinade. These shopping tips will help you select the most healthful marinades: Pay attention to serving sizes. Marinades with larger serving sizes allow you to more re...

Tips for Tuning Up Your Nutrition
Tips for Tuning Up Your Nutrition Eating healthier food to improve your health or reduce your waistline isn't as difficult as you may think. Small dietary changes, made gradually, can result in substantial improvement over time, according to nutrition experts. Nutrition experts offer the following guidelines for improving your diet and your health. Look for variety Varying your food provides a much greater range of nutrients. Eating the same foods over and over supply your body with the same vitamins an...

To Eat Less, Pay Attention
To Eat Less, Pay Attention Being exhausted or stressed can cause you to overeat. Inattentiveness is also to blame. Who counts the french fries eaten while driving or the doughnut downed at the computer? Even when you sit down to a meal, you may not know how many calories you’re consuming. Many people don’t know how to stop eating when they’ve had enough. When people are given oversized restaurant portions, for instance, studies show they get eaten. People are programmed to eat what they’re served, not w...

Too Much Juice?
Too Much Juice? Although most children love fruit juice, that tasty beverage has a price. Juice contains a lot of natural sugar, so drinking too much can lead to obesity, digestive problems, and tooth decay. A typical 8-ounce glass of apple juice has 120 calories. Unless the juice is fortified with vitamin C and calcium, it contains negligible nutrients. Since juice tastes good, children often drink several glasses a day. When children are filling up on juice and skipping other nutrient-dense foods, the...

Turn High-Fat Recipes Into Low-Fat Dishes
Turn High-Fat Recipes Into Low-Fat Dishes Most of us know we should eat less fat and cholesterol, yet changing eating habits that have developed over a lifetime is tough. It's difficult to be satisfied with poached salmon if you've grown up eating fried chicken. Fortunately, there are ways to eat a healthy diet and still enjoy your favorite foods. The secret? Prepare the foods differently. Substitute lower-fat ingredients and preparation methods for traditional higher-fat ones. With a little experimenta...

Type 2 Diabetes and Food Choices
Type 2 Diabetes and Food Choices You make food choices every day. Whole wheat or white bread? A side of french fries or fresh fruit? Eat now or later? Choices about what, when, and how much you eat affect your blood glucose. Understanding how food affects blood glucose is the first step in managing diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, following a diabetes meal plan can help you keep your blood glucose levels on track. Prevent problems Having type 2 diabetes means that your body does...

Understanding Menu Terms
Understanding Menu Terms One of the challenges of healthy eating is knowing how to spot lower-calorie, lower-fat dishes on a menu. The following guide can help you make informed choices. Sauces Sauces that are lower in calories and fat: Bourguignon. Sauce made by braising meat with red wine, carrots, onion, flour and mushrooms. Marinara. A highly seasoned tomato sauce made with onions, garlic and oregano. Sauces that are high in calories and fat: Alfredo. Creamy Italian sauce prepared with butter, heavy...

Understanding the Latest Diet, Nutrition News
Understanding the Latest Diet, Nutrition News Does a low-fat diet protect against heart disease? Will taking calcium supplements help reduce the risk for osteoporosis? Can staying hydrated while running a marathon actually be dangerous? These days, the rules change so quickly that it's tough to get a definite answer about how to optimize your health and improve your quality of life or your athletic performance. Scientific research uses several different types of studies to reach a conclusion. It can be ...

Understanding Trans Fat
Understanding Trans Fat Trans fat is a type of dietary fat that raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. Saturated fat and dietary cholesterol also raise LDL. Because of this, all three types of fat can boost your risk for heart disease. All fats are not equal Fat, as essential fatty acids, is needed in the body as a source of energy and to help absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, the FDA says. Fat is important for proper growth and development, as well as to maintain good health. Fat mak...

Up for Breakfast? Try this Low-Fat Combo
Up for Breakfast? Try this Low-Fat Combo We skip it, postpone it, rush through it, rarely look forward to it and too often just ignore it. All too often it's only during a vacation that we seem to take time for it. But breakfast can help us maintain good health and increase morning productivity. Remember, the food you put into your body is your fuel for the day. The all too popular coffee and danish (or doughnut) provides a minimum of vitamins and minerals and includes far too much sugar and fat. The su...

Vegetarian Diets: The Myths vs. Facts
Vegetarian Diets: The Myths vs. Facts Roughly 20 million Americans are vegetarians, from partial vegetarians who limit the amount of animal flesh they eat, to vegans, who eat only plant foods—no meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, or eggs. A vegetarian diet may take a little extra planning—especially at first—but it is easy to learn how to ensure your diet is healthy. As with any diet, you have to make the right choices. Here are some myths surrounding vegetarian diets. Myth: Vegetarian diets are alway...

Vegetarian Kids
Vegetarian Kids Some vegetarian children are that way because that's how their family eats. Other youngsters, almost all usually in their teens and predominantly female, have made their own decision to ban meat from their diet. Most nutrition experts and dietitians say that children of any age—even infants—can safely follow a vegetarian diet, but planning and daily close attention to the diet are involved to be sure that children receive the proper nutrients, especially if their diet does not include eg...

Vegetarian Teens Need Diet Advice
Vegetarian Teens Need Diet Advice At a young age, some children who make the connection between their hamburger and the barnyard animals in their books announce that they're no longer eating meat. More often, though, children decide to shun animal-based food as teens. The vegetarian rate among U.S. children and teens is a steady 2 percent. But the popularity of vegetarian diets among Hollywood stars and others in the media can influence teens. Vegetarians fall into four major categories: ovo vegetarians...

Visions of Light Desserts Dance in Our Heads
Visions of Light Desserts Dance in Our Heads Ah, the holidays. Visions of sugarplums, cookie exchanges, and company parties dance in our heads. Trouble is, we often find ourselves with several post-holiday pounds dancing around our hips. Research has shown that the average person gains nearly seven pounds between Halloween and New Year's Day. The good news? You don't have to entirely give up your holiday favorites, including delicious desserts, in order to lighten up the season. There are a few simple w...

Vitamin Supplement Advice
Vitamin Supplement Advice When do you need a vitamin supplement? According to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, a daily multivitamin may be a good idea for most adults. That's not to say you should abandon good nutrition in your daily diet. If you eat a varied diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, you're likely to get all the vitamins and minerals that you need. If you take a dietary supplement that focuses just on one or two nutrients, you may end up with too much of those nutrient...

Vitamins: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Vitamins: Too Much of a Good Thing? A balanced diet is your best source for essential vitamins and minerals, but sometimes a dietary supplement is necessary. Your health care provider can help you determine what kind of supplement you need. Beyond that, higher doses of supplements may be harmful, says the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). If you make a habit of taking large, or "mega-doses," of nutrients, you could risk serious or even fatal illness. Always check with your health care provider before...

Warming Up to the Microwaves
Warming Up to the Microwaves Cool, clean, and quick, microwave ovens help feed millions of U.S. households. More often than not, we use them to make popcorn, reheat coffee, "fry" bacon, or "bake" a potato. When we cook a complete dinner in the microwave, the meal usually comes from a box. If you've read the package of your favorite entree, you may have gulped at the fat content or cringed at the carbohydrate and sodium levels. It doesn't have to be that way. Strengths and weaknesses of microwave cooking...

What About Energy Drinks for Kids?
What About Energy Drinks for Kids? As some schools ban colas from vending machines, ads are hyping a source of even more caffeine: energy drinks. The pitch: These drinks can aid both mental and physical performance. In reasonable amounts, caffeine isn't harmful for children, but some experts suggest that kids not go overboard on caffeinated drinks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not restrict caffeine in energy drinks, but it limits caffeine in cola to about 5.4 mg per ounce. Most cola ...

What Kids Drink Is Important, Too
What Kids Drink Is Important, Too If your children fill up on high-calorie fruit drinks and soft drinks, they may skip food containing essential nutrients—and pack on extra pounds. That's what one recent study concluded about kids who drink a lot of juice and turn out shorter or heavier than average. Over the past three decades, children started drinking more carbonated soft drinks and noncitrus food drinks and less water and milk. Here are some disturbing facts about soft drinks: Soft drinks don't sati...

What's Good (and Bad) About Our Favorite Foods
What's Good (and Bad) About Our Favorite Foods Here are some foods whose virtues you may be overestimating and foods you can substitute for increased nutrition. Apple juice One cup of apple juice has 120 calories and 0.3 gram of fiber. For better cholesterol and weight control, and improved digestion, choose an actual apple instead. A medium one has 80 calories and 3 grams of fiber. Baked potato chips They're significantly lower in fat than regular potato chips, but they have little to offer nutritional...

What's in the Food You Eat?
What's in the Food You Eat? Take a look at the ingredients of the packaged foods you eat. You'll quickly move from foods you know, such as tomato puree or wheat flour, into the strange world of food additives. Names like calcium propionate (used to control mold) or ascorbic acid (an antioxidant and color stabilizer) abound on labels. Most additives are safe and beneficial, experts say. What's more, they're everywhere. It's tough to find an additive-free processed food, although natural food stores offer...

When Your Diet 'Disconnects'
When Your Diet 'Disconnects' If you’re like most American adults, you really do mean to lose weight. But exactly how you're going to do it has stumped you. The results of the 2007 International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation Food and Health Survey found that 75 percent of Americans are concerned about their weight. In addition, 70 percent have made dietary changes “to lose weight,” and 56 percent are “trying to lose weight.” Yet, even with some basic knowledge about how to accomplish these g...

Whole Grains in the Teen Diet
Whole Grains in the Teen Diet Better health for your teen could be as close as your breadbox. The more whole grains teenagers eat, the leaner they are and the less likely they are to develop diabetes, a recent University of Minnesota study found. With obesity and diabetes rising among children, that's a slice of good news. Why are whole grains healthy? "They provide protein, complex carbohydrates, several vitamins and are good sources of iron and zinc (important to sexual development),” says Connie Diek...

Why Calcium Is a Children's Health Priority
Why Calcium Is a Children's Health Priority What's a simple way to improve your children's nutrition? Add milk and other calcium-rich foods to their diet. Nutrition experts say that maintaining a diet with adequate calcium will allow a child to achieve maximum bone density. An important mineral Calcium is one of the most important minerals in the body, making up 1.5 to 2 percent of total adult body weight. Besides providing the skeletal structure for bones and teeth, calcium plays a key role in many fun...

Why It May Be Time to Throw Away Your Scale
Why It May Be Time to Throw Away Your Scale If you're trying to achieve a healthy weight, you've probably formed a close relationship with your scale. You know what you weigh today, what you weighed yesterday, and what you hope to weigh tomorrow. This numbers game is an integral part of most weight-loss programs. Some experts, however, wonder whether the scale is the only—or even the best—way to measure your success. The scale is not always the best indicator of progress. It does tell you whether or not...

Why the Family Meal Is Important
Why the Family Meal Is Important For many parents, it would be much easier and simpler to forget about family dinners. Jobs, children, after-school activities all contribute to families being constantly on the go, thus feeling the need to eat on the run. But more and more parents are realizing the importance of shared family time at the dinner table. Often, this is the only time when all family members are all together in one place. Although family dinners are viewed by some people as another burdensome...

With Diabetes and Insulin, Carbohydrates Count
With Diabetes and Insulin, Carbohydrates Count It's easy to settle into a dietary rut when you have diabetes and take insulin. Once you've figured out a few menus that keep your blood glucose in a good range, you may feel like you can't stray from the formula. The same old meals and snacks may be nutritious, but they can become boring. What if there were a way to make your eating plan more flexible--and balance your blood glucose better? There is. It's known as counting carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are ...

You Can Outwit Your Appetite
You Can Outwit Your Appetite If you're trying to lose weight, here's good news: You can control your appetite and feel satisfied eating less food and fewer calories without feeling deprived. That's because appetite isn't governed only by the area of the brain that controls hunger and thirst. "Appetite also is independently influenced by portion size, the sight of food and what the people around you are eating or ordering," says Gerard J. Musante, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and founder of Structure H...

Your Guide to Condiments
Your Guide to Condiments Condiments can be the perfect topping to your favorite sandwich, salad, or taco. But you can undermine a nutritious diet by adding too many dollops of ketchup, mustard, or other favorite seasoning. Condiments can add flavor and zest to your meals. But be careful! They can add calories, too. Condiments sneak in more fat, sugar, sodium, and calories than you might realize. And the result can create more than weight gain: Excess sodium is a major culprit in raising high blood press...

Your Guide to Food Additives
Your Guide to Food Additives Almost all foods in U.S. supermarkets contain additives, most with long names derived from chemical formulas. A food additive can be something intentionally added to a food by the manufacturer or a substance that ends up in the food during the production process. Substances can be added to a food for several reasons. They can make the food item more uniform throughout. An emulsifier helps keep a food item from separating into different elements. A stabilizer or thickener hel...

Your Guide to Organic Foods
Your Guide to Organic Foods The demand for organic foods continues to grow in the U.S. If you're like many American consumers, you want foods that are high in nutrition and safe for you and your family. The term organic sounds as though it fits the bill, but is it really superior to nonorganic foods? Although words like natural and whole can be used freely to advertise foods, the term organic can only be used to describe foods that meet specific standards set by the USDA. In fact, calling food organic w...

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