There is widespread scientific consensus that dining out increases the risk of eating excess calories and well-conducted studies confirm it. According to a comprehensive evaluation by USDA researchers, here is what you can expect in terms of extra calories when you choose to eat foods away from home. Each additional meal or snack consumed outside […]
Sugar substitutes’ reputation as a useful tool for weight control and a “safe” substitute for sugar just received a major setback. In this study, scientists could not identify a sufficient level of evidence to indicate that sugar substitutes help us with weight control. To the contrary, the studies that followed individuals for the longest periods […]
The stunning blue to purple hues in plant-based foods come from a special class of plant pigments called anthocyanins. In the lab, anthocyanins exhibit dazzling anti-inflammatory power, but studies in real people have been lacking. In one of the very first large-scale studies in human subjects, these potent plant-based compounds displayed great promise for improving […]
Over the past twenty years, fiber has acquired a sparking scientific reputation for safeguarding against obesity and diabetes. And now, researchers think they have finally cracked the code on how fiber’s fat-fighting, metabolic magic works. For this groundbreaking study, a team of European scientists conducted a series of lab experiments with rats. They carefully monitored […]
Studies over the past decade have consistently shown that belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is notoriously dangerous. In an evaluation involving over 100,000 adults, researchers found the bigger the belly, the greater the risk of death from any cause. Even study subjects with normal BMI’s, but larger bellies had a higher risk of […]
Over the past two decades, whole grains have garnered a sparkling reputation for broad-spectrum disease protection and a large review of past studies adds further credibility to this wholesome food group. For the review, the researchers selected studies that focused on whole grains and the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. When […]
In one of the largest evaluation to date, scientists concluded that normal weight individuals (those with a normal BMI) that carry their excess weight in the midsection (central obesity) are at the greatest risk of death from any cause relative to those who are overweight or obese and carry their weight elsewhere. In this large-scale […]
Genetic influences on obesity are a well-documented reality, but thanks to an encouraging study, we have further evidence that our behaviors have tremendous influence on whether or not obesity genes will do their dirty work. In this Harvard based study that included over 12,000 adults, researchers determined that taking a brisk walk for an hour […]
In a this revealing study, scientists were able to show that consuming a high fat diet could disrupt normal brain function by altering the bacteria in the gut. There is growing evidence that the ecosystem of bacteria that reside in our guts, referred to as “the microbiome,” plays a pivotal role in mental health. The scientists […]
Evidence is rapidly mounting that junk foods may be truly addicting. Both in animal and human studies, it seems that ultra palatable foods, especially those high in both fat and sugar (think donuts, milk shakes, cheesecake) can highjack our normal appetite regulatory mechanisms, throwing us into a perpetual cycle of desire and binging. A laboratory study […]
Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout life is second only to avoiding tobacco as the most powerful thing an individual can do to decrease their cancer risk – yet studies repeatedly show only a minority of the population is aware of the body weight cancer link (so help me spread the word by forwarding this […]
The alarm bells for exposure to BPA have been getting louder over that past few years, and higher blood pressure may indeed be another cause for concern. BPA is a compound found in some plastics as well as the liners used for most canned foods and beverages. Although a definitive verdict on BPA exposure and health is […]
