Vitamins, additives and nutrition BLOG

“High intakes of red or processed meat may increase your risk of mortality.” So conclude the authors of a ten-year study involving half a million people, published in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine.

The authors found that those who ate the most red meat were about 20% more likely to die of cancer than those who ate the least. The risk of cardiovascular disease was also elevated in those who ate more red meat. (Eating more Read the rest of this entry »

Q. Please comment on the relationship between potassium and sodium. How can I be sure that I’m not getting too much potassium as I continue to decrease the amount of sodium in my daily diet?

A. Decreasing the amount of sodium in your diet won’t necessarily affect the amount of potassium you’re getting but it will probably increase the ratio of potassium to sodium in your diet–and many believe that this is a good thing!

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COOL stands for Country of Origin Label and is now found on many foods sold in grocery stores in the United States, including meats, poultry, fish, some raw nuts and produce. The addition of the COOL label is meant to help consumers know a little bit more about the foods they choose. These new labels state which country the food came from before it made it’s way to the grocery store.

This label isn’t required on processed Read the rest of this entry »

Written by Tena Moore

Statistics show that nearly one in every 200 kids is vegetarian. Although that number is decreasing with time, it is still quite high. As vegetarians, kids should be able to get more than enough protein through dairy and eggs, but what if they are vegan? Vegan children do not eat any animal products whatsoever; that means no dairy and no eggs, two of the highest forms of protein other than meat.
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Q. I’m concerned with blood sugar control and am wondering what kind of milk (low-fat, whole, soy, almond, lactose-free, etc.) would be best to put on my breakfast cereal?

A. If you’re concerned with blood sugar control, you should get acquainted with the estimated glycemic load (eGL) tool here on Nutrition Data. The eGL predicts how various foods affect your blood sugar. (You can read more about how the eGL is calculated on our eGL Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the perfect diet for you? That’s the question many people ask themselves. Just as we change outfits because they don’t feel right, some of us do the same with diets. We’re searching for that perfect fit. How do you know which one is right for you?

The South Beach diet was created by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a highly respected cardiologist. He wanted to create a meal plan that would be a safe and effective way to lose weight. Read the rest of this entry »

If losing weight is one of your New Year’s resolutions, sooner or later you’ll probably find your resolve tested by an overwhelming desire for something really naughty. Hopefully, you’ll reach for a diet-friendly snack instead. But your chances of heading off dietary disaster will be higher if you choose an alternative that is a good match for your particular craving.

if you’re craving chocolate, for example, another stick of celery Read the rest of this entry »

There’s been a lot of talk lately about eating with the seasons as a way to maximize nutrition and minimize the environmental costs of our foods. Foods that are fresh (i.e., in season) and locally-grown are going to be more nutritious because nutrients degrade during shipping and storage. It’s also better for the environment (and the economy) because the alternative (shipping foods long distances) uses so much energy.

Eating seasonally Read the rest of this entry »

Sugar is a sweet crystalline carbohydrate that is obtained by crystallizing the evaporated juice of certain plants. Sugar can be made from sorghum, beet root, sugar maple, sugar cane, sugar beet, honey and fruit. Sugar is a food carbohydrate and is added to many foods and drinks for its sweet flavor. Too much sugar can cause tooth decay and is also associated with obesity. Sugar enters the blood stream quickly and can cause an unhealthy spike Read the rest of this entry »

Q. How are Daily Values calculated?

A. The Daily Values (DV) are a set of reference values developed by the FDA specifically for food labeling. They are a sort of one-size-fits-all recommendation, designed to help you plan a healthy diet. In addition to guidelines for how much calcium, fiber, or iron you should be getting, they also suggest maximum amounts for fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The DV assume that you eat about 2,000 calories Read the rest of this entry »