Diet and nutrition
Good health starts with a nutritious diet. Whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein; they have an appeal that endures. That's not to say that fads don't come and go, that research doesn't change, that trends don't shift. They do. The following articles offer a highlight of the latest news — and a snapshot of ever-evolving nutrition science.
6:02 PM PDT, May 22, 2013
Do diet changes help ADHD children?
Dylan Jerrell was having a tough time in kindergarten.
12:15 PM PDT, May 21, 2013
People choose larger portions of 'healthy' foods
People will choose larger portions of food if they are labeled as being "healthier," even if they have the same number of calories, according to a new study.
May 18, 2013
Gluten-free cake options
Baking has been a challenge for people who maintain a gluten-free diet, especially for people trying to make traditional birthday cakes or re-create a childhood favorite. That's in part because flours made from other ingredients (almonds, chickpeas, rice) don't "behave" in the same manner as flour made from wheat.
May 18, 2013
Going gluten-free more common, but not necessarily easier
For more than 20 years, Kristine Kidd tasted what came her way as the food editor at Bon Appetit magazine. But she never felt great.
1:47 PM PDT, May 7, 2013
Spring is the perfect time to taste the rainbow
Spring showers inspire the growth of a colorful array of fruits and vegetables to decorate your dishes, tempt your taste buds and nourish yourself naturally.
5:49 PM PDT, May 14, 2013
Study casts doubt on some findings about sodium
Are Americans getting mixed messages about how much sodium they should be consuming? Lately, yes, and some of those messages are muddled because studies themselves are muddled, a panel of doctors has concluded.
2:26 PM PDT, May 13, 2013
Small restaurants serving big calories, salt: studies
Despite public health progress in cutting calories, as well as salt and fat from fast foods and supermarket products, neighborhood restaurants are still packing big helpings of each into their meals, a trio of studies suggests.
8:47 AM PDT, May 13, 2013
Eating insects could help fight obesity, U.N. says
The thought of eating beetles, caterpillars and ants may give you the creeps, but the authors of a U.N. report published on Monday said the health benefits of consuming nutritious insects could help fight obesity.
5:00 AM PDT, May 13, 2013
Could giving newborns formula help with breast-feeding?
A new study suggests that there are situations in which limited formula use might actually help some mothers breast-feed their children for a longer period of time.
1:45 PM PDT, May 10, 2013
What do we spend to preserve nature? $40 billion
Some say that you can’t put a price on precious natural resources. As of this week, you can.
2:20 PM PDT, May 13, 2013
Ask adult patients about alcohol misuse: panel
Primary care doctors should ask adults how much and how often they drink alcohol and counsel those with risky and dangerous drinking habits, a government-backed panel said today.
9:10 AM PDT, May 7, 2013
Fluids may prevent constipation better than fiber
Everyone knows that getting enough fiber is a secret to staying "regular," but a large new study finds that people who got plenty of fluids were the least likely to suffer constipation.
2:05 PM PDT, May 8, 2013
Study questions fish oil benefit before heart attack
Fish oil supplements did not prevent heart problems in people who hadn't had a heart attack yet, in a large long-term study from Italy.
11:13 AM PDT, May 8, 2013
Packaged diet foods may spur more weight loss
In a head-to-head comparison with a traditional diet, people who stuck to a diet of portion-controlled packaged foods lost almost twice as much weight as those who only got advice on how to trim calories, according to a new study.
4:54 PM PDT, May 9, 2013
Wrigley holds off on caffeinated gum as FDA reviews caffeine
Less than a week after the FDA announced that it would investigate the safety of added caffeine in U.S. food and beverage products, Wrigley North America put its bid to market a caffeinated gum on hold.
12:08 AM PDT, May 9, 2013
What to consume before, during and after exercise
Have you ever been hungry before you workout or even hungrier after you're done? BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois gives tips on what to eat before, during and after workouts.
4:17 PM PDT, May 8, 2013
Posting calories: 'So yesterday' already?
At chain restaurants across the country, the ink is scarcely dry on new menus posting the calorie counts of food and beverage options. But already, public health experts are debating whether there might be better ways to influence Americans' nutritional choices when they're out and about.
11:01 AM PDT, May 8, 2013
Dietary supplement contained erectile dysfunction drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the recall of several dietary supplements that contain the undeclared drug tadalafil, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction.
May 9, 2013
Got diet milk?
In the face of troubling childhood obesity rates and what it sees as low milk consumption rates, the dairy industry says it has a solution: Offer kids flavored milk that uses low-calorie artificial sweeteners.
3:53 PM PDT, May 7, 2013
Teens ate 'too many calories' at Subway and McDonald's, study says
Adolescents who went to McDonald’s and Subway in Los Angeles bought about the same number of calories at each, despite Subway's reputation as a healthier place to eat, researchers said.
3:03 PM PDT, May 6, 2013
Grocery shopping on an empty stomach leads to dieting disaster
Attention dieters: If you want to maximize your chances of success, don’t go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.
2:11 PM PDT, May 1, 2013
Addicted to added sugar? It's 13 percent of calories consumed by Americans
Sugar. Honey. Maple syrup. Molasses. High fructose corn syrup. All of these are “added sugars,” and you are probably eating — and drinking — too much of them.
7:04 PM PDT, April 30, 2013
Monster sues San Francisco city attorney over energy drinks probe
Monster Beverage Corp has sued San Francisco's city attorney over an investigation the city launched last year into the safety and marketing of Monster energy drinks.
11:11 AM PDT, April 30, 2013
FDA looks at caffeine impact on kids after Wrigley gum
Wrigley's new Alert Energy Caffeine Gum has prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to look into the potential impact that added caffeine may have on children and adolescents.
12:49 PM PDT, April 26, 2013
More evidence adding nuts is a healthy choice
People can safely add a few nuts to their diet — or replace other foods with the high-unsaturated fat, high-fiber snacks — without gaining weight, a new review of past studies suggests.
4:21 PM PDT, April 25, 2013
Imported cucumbers sicken 73 people in 18 states with salmonella
More than 70 people in 18 states have fallen ill because of a salmonella outbreak linked to imported Mexican cucumbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
10:03 AM PDT, April 24, 2013
Fruit, Mediterranean diet tied to fewer hot flashes
Women who eat diets high in fruit, certain vegetables, pasta and red wine are less likely to have hot flashes and night sweats during menopause, a new study from Australia suggests.
2:03 PM PDT, April 24, 2013
Gut bugs are implicated in heart attacks and stroke
Thousands of heart attack victims every year have none of the notorious risk factors before their crisis — not high cholesterol, not unhealthy triglycerides. Suspects? The human gut.
2:00 PM PDT, April 19, 2013
Extra fiber tied to lower risk of stroke
People who get more fiber in their diet are less likely to have a stroke than those who skimp on the nutrient, according to a new review of existing research.
April 20, 2013
Set a goal but didn't follow through? Tips to resetting habits
OK, you've had nearly a third of the year. Lost that weight? Smoking a thing of the past? Nicer to your husband? If you are like many people, such resolutions have disappeared as completely as the bubbles in your Champagne toast. But you can start again.
12:18 PM PDT, April 18, 2013
Exercise, diet may keep sleep apnea from worsening
Losing weight through exercise and healthier eating may have long-term benefits for people with mild sleep apnea, a new study suggests.
12:45 PM PDT, April 15, 2013
Beer's taste, sans alcoholic effect, triggers dopamine in brain
Remember that Jamie Foxx song "Blame It (On the Alcohol)"? If not, perhaps it’s just as well, because scientists say that even the taste of beer (without the intoxicating effects of alcohol) can trigger that flow of striatal dopamine in the brain.
12:06 PM PDT, April 11, 2013
Raw fruit may not be linked to lower blood pressure
People who eat more raw fruits or drink juice do not necessarily have lower blood pressure, according to a new study that goes against previous evidence.
7:22 AM PDT, April 10, 2013
People eat more unhealthy foods on days they drink
Americans tend to eat more calories and fat on the days they also have alcoholic drinks, a new study suggests.
1:07 PM PDT, April 10, 2013
Small dishes mean less food for kids, study says
Everyone who has ever read a diet book knows this tip: Use a smaller plate, and you are likely to put less food on it. Now researchers have found the same is true for children taking food at school lunch.
2:26 PM PDT, April 9, 2013
Breakfast cereal tied to lower BMI for kids
Regularly eating cereal for breakfast is tied to healthy weight for kids, according to a new study that endorses making breakfast cereal accessible to low-income kids to help fight childhood obesity.
1:25 PM PDT, April 8, 2013
Strict school lunch standards tied to healthy weight
Strict school lunch standards that are similar to new regulations from the U.S. government may be tied to healthier body weights among students, according to a new study.
1:56 PM PDT, April 8, 2013
Red meat and heart disease link: Not all about the fat?
The long-established link between red meat consumption and heart disease may have less to do with the fat in the meat than many have assumed, researchers said Sunday.
10:35 AM PDT, April 8, 2013
The science of a healthful diet explained
Harlan-the-medical-student channeled Harlan-the-chef and wrote "It's Heartly Fare," a guide to healthful eating. His primary advice was simple: "Cut down on saturated fat, sugar and salt."
12:07 PM PDT, April 5, 2013
Non-dairy calcium seen to lower kidney stone risk
Getting plenty of calcium from foods has been shown to lower the likelihood of kidney stones in those most at risk, but a new study makes clear the benefit isn't just linked to milk products.
April 6, 2013
Food as medicine? What to make of the claims
What's a healthful food and what's a healing food? Is there a difference? At least since the mid-19th century, when the Battle Creek Sanitarium opened its doors and people flocked there to follow John Harvey Kellogg's regime of whole grains, nuts and frequent enemas, many Americans have sought food as medicine.
7:41 AM PDT, April 2, 2013
Shoppers may buy more fruit, veggies when prices dip
Cut fruit and vegetable prices in half and people will load up on them, according to a new study that suggests price regulation may play an important role in future public policy.
4:52 PM PDT, April 3, 2013
Whole truth about which whole-grain foods are best
"Whole grain" has become a healthy eating buzz phrase, and food companies aren't shy about using it to entice us to buy products. Browse the bread, cereal or chip aisles of your favorite grocery store, and you'll see the upsell.
12:27 PM PDT, April 2, 2013
Possible E. coli contamination spurs Farm Rich products recall
Possible contamination with E. coli has prompted the Rich Products Corp. to voluntarily recall the following products: Farm Rich Mini Quesadillas, Farm Rich Mini Pizza Slices, Farm Rich Philly Cheese Steaks, Farm Rich Mozzarella Bites and Market Day Mozzarella Bites, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
12:54 PM PDT, April 2, 2013
Undisclosed soy prompts recall by Lisy Corp.
The Miami-based Lisy Corp. is recalling some of its seasoning blends because their labels do not list the ingredient soy, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
10:35 AM PDT, March 29, 2013
Chinese herbs may reduce hot flashes
Women taking a Chinese herbal formula experienced less than half the number of menopausal hot flashes they had before the treatment, according to a new study from Hong Kong.
12:18 PM PDT, March 28, 2013
Prebiotics in baby formula and eczema: mixed picture
There's some evidence to suggest that putting prebiotics in baby formula protects children against the skin condition eczema, according to a fresh look at past research.
3:36 PM PDT, March 28, 2013
Animal rights groups sue FDA over egg labeling concerns
Animal rights advocates on Thursday sued U.S. regulators to correct what they say is misleading labeling on cartons of eggs that come from caged hens.
1:15 PM PDT, March 28, 2013
Kids' menus are not healthy, nutrition group says
Ninety-one percent of thousands of children’s meals at the biggest restaurant chains don’t meet standards set by the National Restaurant Assn.’s own initiative for healthful kids’ meals, a study out Thursday from a nutrition advocacy group says. And nine chains have no meals that meet those standards, the study says.
6:12 PM PDT, March 27, 2013
What one woman gained by giving up diet foods
I was 13 years old when I ate my first diet meal.
6:00 PM PDT, March 27, 2013
Dried fruits pale to fresh
Q: Are dried fruits a healthy choice compared to fresh fruits?
9:28 AM PDT, March 27, 2013
Julie Deardorff: Does a low-fat diet increase triglycerides?
It’s easy to assume that a low-fat diet is the healthy way to go, especially since a diet low in saturated and trans fat was recommended by government agencies back in the 1980s.
6:00 AM PDT, March 27, 2013
Food deserts may not be key in what people eat, study says
There’s no strong evidence of an association between living within walking distance of places to buy food and being overweight or not, researchers said after interviewing nearly 100,000 Californians.
11:36 PM PDT, March 26, 2013
Adding fiber to your food
According to the National Fiber Council, fiber is the go-to item to lower cholesterol, feel full longer, lowers the risk of certain diseases (heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and certain cancers) and helps with intestinal regularity. Click this photo gallery for food fiber shopping ideas and NFC's infographic to find out more about how fiber works in your body.
10:24 AM PDT, March 26, 2013
Soy tied to better lung cancer survival among women
Women with lung cancer who ate the most soy before their diagnosis might live a little longer than those who ate the least, according to a new study.
12:43 PM PDT, March 26, 2013
Undeclared walnuts prompt recall of coffee cake
Chicago-based Gold Standard Baking has voluntarily recalled Sweet P’s Bake Shop branded Caramel Apple Danish Coffee Cake after discovering that it contained walnuts, but was distributed in packaging that did not state their presence, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
11:59 PM PDT, March 25, 2013
Photos: Sorting through calories at the salad bar
Self Magazine gives tips on calorie counting at the salad bar. Check out this gallery to find out what's the right amount for a serving and how many calories are in each selection.
4:34 PM PDT, March 25, 2013
Too many babies start eating solid foods too soon, CDC study says
Four out of 10 mothers surveyed began feeding their infants solid food when they were only 4 months old and their still-developing bodies weren’t able to process it -- and more than half the moms said they had been advised to do so by a medical professional.
March 26, 2013
Prescription for nutrition
Despite a growing consensus that cardiovascular disease is a "food-borne" illness, many physicians are ill-prepared to advise patients on what they should eat to best protect them from heart attack or stroke.
March 26, 2013
Mediterranean diet: A sample menu
A Mediterranean-style diet emphasizes foods traditionally consumed in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Here is a sample day's menu provided by Dr. Stephen Devries, executive director of the Gaples Institute in Deerfield, which promotes the value of nutrition and natural strategies in medical care.
6:15 AM PDT, March 22, 2013
Warning: Excessive tea drinking can be hazardous to your health
You can never be too rich or too thin, perhaps, but you certainly can drink too much tea.
9:13 AM PDT, March 20, 2013
Allergy alert issued for soybean paste, FDA says
Daesang America Inc. is recalling packages of sesame- and garlic-flavored mixed soy bean paste because they may contain undeclared peanuts, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
5:00 AM PDT, March 20, 2013
Genetically engineered tomato mimics good cholesterol
Researchers at UCLA have genetically engineered tomatoes that, when fed to mice, mimic the beneficial qualities of good cholesterol, according to a new study.
1:54 PM PDT, March 19, 2013
Rebates motivate shoppers to buy produce, whole grains, study says
Rand Corp. research released Tuesday shows that offering discounts on healthful foods increases the amounts people eat ¿ and it appears also to reduce how much foods such as cookies and chips they eat too.
2:40 PM PDT, March 18, 2013
FDA issues salmonella warning for ProtiDiet protein bars
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat certain ProtiDiet High Protein Chocolate Dream bars due to possible contamination with salmonella, according to an FDA statement Monday.
7:21 PM PDT, March 18, 2013
Low-fat milk doesn't help toddlers' weight, study says
Giving toddlers skim or 1 percent milk to keep them from growing overweight doesn’t seem to work, according to a study out Monday that gives pause over the common advice to avoid whole milk from age 2.
March 18, 2013
Doubts surface about safety of common food additive, carrageenan
Sara Baker says the light went on in her head after a cup of hot cocoa set off a storm in her stomach.
1:08 PM PDT, March 15, 2013
Distracted eaters likely to take in more calories
People who eat meals or snacks while watching TV, playing games or reading tend to consume more calories in a sitting, and especially later in the day, according to a review of two dozen past studies.
March 16, 2013
Natural Products Expo lays out the latest, with an emphasis on what's real and what's absent
Consumers say they are too busy to sort through complicated labels and want straightforward products they can trust, according to many of the exhibitors at Natural Products Expo West.
12:12 PM PDT, March 15, 2013
'Sugar-free' baked goods, with sugar? What is a dieter to do?
As if studying product labels to keep tabs on calories, carbs and fat grams wasn't painful enough, now dieters have this to worry about: one bakery's "goodies that taste good without being bad" are actually quite naughty, after all.
4:09 PM PDT, March 13, 2013
New York City's appeal of soda ban ruling to be heard in June
The legal battle over New York City's ban of large sugary drinks is set to continue in early June, after a New York appellate court agreed on Wednesday to hear the city's appeal of a ruling that struck down the new law.
1:07 PM PDT, March 14, 2013
After breast cancer, high-fat dairy foods raise risk of death
Women who have ever had breast cancer might want to walk away from the brie, the butter and the black cherry (and every other flavor) ice cream.
5:10 PM PDT, March 13, 2013
A diet miracle?
The miracle berry has been described as a hallucinogen for the tongue. It can make sour things taste sweet. But can it help solve the obesity crisis? Not so fast, experts say.
10:45 AM PST, March 7, 2013
Study finds association between processed meat and disease
Another study has found an association between eating meat and premature death, this time linking the consumption of bacon, sausage and other processed meats with cardiovascular disease and cancer in a study of nearly a half-million Europeans.
2:58 PM PST, March 7, 2013
Meat Institute finds fault with study on red meat consumption
The American Meat Institute has weighed in on a study published this week about eating red meat, and it objects to the study’s methods and conclusions.
4:50 PM PST, March 6, 2013
Too much salt may trigger autoimmune diseases: studies
Increased salt consumption may be a key culprit behind rising rates of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
10:34 AM PST, March 6, 2013
Despite obesity rise, U.S. calories trending downward
U.S. adults have been eating steadily fewer calories for almost a decade, despite the continued increase in obesity rates, according to survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
12:19 PM PST, March 5, 2013
Getting creative with the coconut
Despite its name, the coconut is a fruit from the coconut palm. Tropical cultures have been using this delicious fruit for everything from food to body lotion and even currency.
March 6, 2013
Oh, that old diet
Although some skeptics remain wary, Mary Tapia, of Mount Prospect, is convinced there are benefits to the "Paleo Diet," which promotes unprocessed foods that were the diet of hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic era — primarily meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables.
4:14 PM PST, March 3, 2013
More iron linked to reduced risk of severe PMS
Women who get a little more than the recommended daily amount of iron in their diets may be less likely to get a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to a U.S. study.
11:58 AM PST, February 28, 2013
Head Start teachers behind on nutrition: study
Preschool teachers scored low on a nutrition knowledge quiz and seemed to have unhealthy eating habits themselves, researchers found in a small study.
5:00 PM PST, February 27, 2013
Photos: 8 ways to eat healthier, from PresidentsChallenge.org
It's so easy to find junk food that eating healthy can be a challenge. Here are eight recommendations for eating healthier straight from the President's Challenge website.
February 27, 2013
Babies of obese moms show lower vitamin D levels
Babies born to women who are obese at the start of pregnancy tend to have one-third less vitamin D than the infants of lean women, according to a new study led by a Northwestern Medicine professor.
2:15 PM PST, February 25, 2013
Older women, don't take vitamin D for bones: Panel
Older women shouldn't take vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent broken bones, and there's not enough evidence to say whether it would help anyone else either, says a U.S. government-backed panel.
10:26 AM PST, February 25, 2013
Mediterranean diet can ward off heart disease: study
A Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, nuts, fish and fresh fruits and vegetables may help prevent heart disease and strokes, according to a new large study from Spain.
12:07 PM PST, February 21, 2013
Adults cut back fast food, but U.S. kids still eat too much fat: CDC
American adults have made a little progress in recent years in cutting back on calories from fast food, but children are still consuming too much fat, U.S. health researchers say.
4:30 PM PST, February 20, 2013
Ditching dairy
"Canned salmon: It does a body good" doesn't pack quite the same punch as that other slogan.
1:19 PM PST, February 20, 2013
Antioxidants may not ward off strokes, dementia
Older adults who eat diets high in antioxidants may not have a lower risk of dementia or stroke, a new study suggests.
5:00 AM PST, February 20, 2013
Cooking up toxic air pollution
When UC Davis scientists collected air pollution particles in Fresno and then exposed laboratory mice to them, they found that one of the most toxic sources was the backyard grill.
9:21 AM PST, February 20, 2013
Diet drinks may not fuel your appetite: study
Take another sip of that Diet Coke without fear that it may be spurring your appetite. Apparently, diet soda drinkers don't eat any more sugary or fatty foods than people who stick with water instead, according to a U.S. study.
3:23 PM PST, February 15, 2013
Menu labels may sway those who need them most
Showing diners how many calories are in restaurant food items may influence how much they eat ¿ especially among the least health-conscious people, a new study suggests.
3:44 PM PST, February 18, 2013
Doctors who cook say they give better nutrition advice
Perhaps the next time you see your doctor, he might finish the visit with a reminder to take a medication and a conversation about cooking salmon.
5:06 PM PST, February 13, 2013
Exercise: Choose your own potential
Long ago I had one of those "choose-your-own adventure" books based on a James Bond movie, and I made bad choices; the poor British spy kept getting consumed in a vat of molten lava, impaled on a bunch of spiky things or became an appetizer for saltwater crocodiles.
1:39 PM PST, February 13, 2013
Nutrition group petitions for federal regulation of sugary drinks
A nutrition advocacy group joined with scientists and health agencies Wednesday to ask the federal government to decide just how much sugar is “safe” in sodas, raising the bar in its crusade to curb the “dangerously high” amounts Americans consume.
10:51 AM PST, February 11, 2013
Tesco's spaghetti bolognese tests positive for horse DNA
Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, said on Monday it had found horse DNA exceeding 60 percent in some of its own-brand frozen spaghetti bolognese meals withdrawn from stores last week.
February 11, 2013
Nowadays, Valentine's Day is less sweet — and peanut-free
The rules for 7-year-old Riley Krieger's Valentine's Day party recently arrived from school: Bring one valentine addressed to each child on the list attached. Make a heart-covered shoe box on your own time or just bring a bag. Any treats for the class must be individually wrapped and, as always, peanut-free.
1:17 PM PST, February 8, 2013
No sign that omega-3s benefit babies' brains
A review of the existing evidence finds it to be inconclusive about whether omega-3 fatty acids taken by mothers during pregnancy boost their kids' brain development early in life.
2:46 PM PST, February 8, 2013
Are plant-based diets environmentally friendly?
A nutritious diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables might not be the greenest in its environmental impact, according to a new study from France.
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