Introduction Beverage Guidelines from the Experts Water Tea and Coffee Low-Fat and Skim Milk and Soy Beverages Noncalorically Sweetened Beverages Caloric Beverages with Some Nutrients Calorically Sweetened Beverages Putting it All Together: A Sample Beverage Plan References Introduction In the beginning there was water—abundant, refreshing, providing everything the body needs to replenish the fluids it … Continue reading “Healthy Beverage Guidelines”
Moderate drinking can be healthy—but not for everyone. You must weigh the risks and benefits. –Introduction –What’s Moderate Alcohol Intake? What’s a Drink? –The Downside of Alcohol –Possible Health Benefits of Alcohol –Genes Play a Role –Shifting Benefits and Risks –The Bottom Line: Balancing Risks and Benefits Introduction Throughout the 10,000 or so years that … Continue reading “Alcohol: Balancing Risks and Benefits”
Many people think of nuts as just another junk food snack. In reality, nuts are excellent sources of healthy fat, protein, and other healthful nutrients. One surprising finding from nutrition research is that people who regularly eat nuts are less likely to have heart attacks or die from heart disease than those who rarely eat them. Several … Continue reading “Nuts for the Heart”
Almost 200 years ago, an Irish doctor noted that chest pain (angina) was far less common in France than in Ireland. He attributed the difference to “the French habits and mode of living.” [1] The comparatively low rate of heart disease in France despite a diet that includes plenty of butter and cheese has come … Continue reading “Is Wine Fine, or Beer Better?”
Fears of contaminants make many unnecessarily shy away from fish. Fish is a very important part of a healthy diet. Fish and other seafood are the major sources of healthful long-chain omega-3 fats and are also rich in other nutrients such as vitamin D and selenium, high in protein, and low in saturated fat. There … Continue reading “Fish: Friend or Foe?”
Often used as a marketing buzzword, learn about the role of antioxidants beyond the hype, and some of the research on health and disease prevention. Jump to: –What are antioxidants? –Health benefits of antioxidants: what’s the buzz? –Studies of antioxidant supplements and disease prevention –Antioxidants in food –Bottom line on antioxidants and disease prevention What … Continue reading “Antioxidants”
Long-vilified for their high cholesterol content by well-meaning doctors and scientists researching heart disease, eggs now seem to be making a bit of a comeback. So what changed? While it’s true that just one large egg yolk has 200 mg of cholesterol—making it one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol—eggs also contain additional nutrients … Continue reading “Eggs”
Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9, water-soluble and naturally found in many foods. It is also added to foods and sold as a supplement in the form of folic acid; this form is actually better absorbed than that from food sources—85% vs. 50%, respectively. Folate helps to form DNA and RNA and is … Continue reading “Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9”
Nearly half of adults in the U.S. and 70% of older adults ages 71+ take a vitamin; about one-third of them use a comprehensive multivitamin pill. [1] But is this truly a necessity? There are certainly diseases caused by a lack of specific nutrients in the diet. Classic examples include scurvy (from a lack of … Continue reading “Should I Take a Daily Multivitamin?”
Is a glass of OJ or vitamin C tablets your go-to when the sniffles come? Loading up on this vitamin was a practice spurred by Linus Pauling in the 1970s, a double Nobel laureate and self-proclaimed champion of vitamin C who promoted daily megadoses (the amount in 12 to 24 oranges) as a way to … Continue reading “Vitamin C”
