Diet and Nutrition

Kroger Makes Healthy Shopping Easy as 1-2-3

NuVal in KrogerThe nation’s largest supermarket chain, Kroger, has rolled out the NuVal nutrition scoring system to 23 Lexington, Kentucky stores to help shoppers make healthier food choices. The scoring system gives each food a score, from 1 to 100. Foods with high scores are more nutritious, foods with low scores are less. Shoppers also have the added confidence that the ranking system is provided by a third party, not food or beverage producers. NuVal was developed by nutrition and medical experts from top health organizations and universities.

Perhaps the most surprising part of the NuVal scores is how poorly some of the “health” foods ranked against regular snacks. For example, Garden of Eatin’ no salt added blue corn chips actually score better than an Odwalla Fruit smoothie: the chips earn a score of 52 while the smoothie gets a 49.  Fresh fruits and vegetables get scores near to 100.

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Posted on October 7, 2024 by Margaret

How to Limit the Halloween Candy Eating Frenzy

The question of the month is: How do you manage trick-or-treating overload without being coined the Grinch Who Stole Halloween?

Here are a few suggestions to keep the kids’ sugar comas and your day-after guilt to a minimum:

First off, limit the frenzy altogether. Don’t allow your kids to trick-or-treat for hours. Discuss, ahead of time, that they are only allowed to trick-or-treat until their bag (or bucket) is full. Make your rules about obtaining and consuming candy very clear. Take the opportunity to explain some healthy-living tips to your young ones.

Shift the focus away from candy. Host a Halloween party that encourages other festive activities. (more…)

Posted on October 7, 2024 by Theresa

Sugar 101: Know the Different Types of Sugar on the Market

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different types of sugar in your grocery store? Last week, consumers responded, some in outrage, to the latest announcement from the Corn Refiner’s Association that high-fructose corn syrup is changing its name to “corn sugar.” While sweet-tooth beholders across America struggle to understand what kind of impact the allegedly nefarious “corn sugar” has on our bodies, we tend to overlook another important distinction: what is real sugar? (more…)

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Maris

Hormone-Free Milk Can Keep its Label

Dairy CowThis past week a federal judge repealed the Ohio law banning “rbST free” and “rbGH free” milk labels. The court further ruled that milk from cows treated with hormones is constitutionally different from hormone-free milk, overturning the FDA’s finding that there is “no significant difference” between the two. The 17-year-old study was much-touted by those in the dairy industry who use artificial hormones to increase their production.

The Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit cited the following three differences in milk from cows treated with rbST and rbGH:

  • Higher counts of somatic cells, which means there’s more pus in the milk
  • A period of milk with lower nutritional quality during each lactation
  • Increased levels of the hormone IGF-1, which is an insulin-like growth factor

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Posted on October 6, 2024 by Health Buzz

The Colors of Fall Point to the Healthiest Foods

Guest blogger, Vicki L. VanArsdale is a freelance writer, certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. By adopting a healthy and active lifestyle, she has lost 100 lbs. Her mission is to motivate and inspire people through her actions and words. Get healthy from the inside, out is her motto. Learn more on Vicki’s blog.

Fall brings cooler weather and beautiful fall foliage on the East coast, which is why it’s my favorite season. In addition, I love the food. Hearty and healthy soups and stews come to life and herbal teas bring comfort. Besides apples and squash, some of my favorite fall foods are figs, pumpkin and cranberries. Other fall favorites are beets, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. These are all nutritional superstars, which should be part of any healthy diet.  (more…)

Posted on October 6, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Coffee, Tea Connected to Reduced Tumor Risk

According to the findings from a study of more than 500,000 European adults, coffee and tea may help decrease the chances of adults developing the most common type of malignant brain tumor. Gliomas are a group of tumors that make up about 80 percent of malignant brain cancer cases in adults.

While this is potentially good news, it doesn’t mean that people should start drinking coffee for tumor prevention. For one, tumors are generally rare. The odds that you will develop a malignant brain tumor in your lifetime are less than one percent.

“This is all very preliminary,” said lead researcher Dominique Michaud, of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and Imperial College London. “This study shouldn’t be the reason that anyone changes their coffee or tea intake.” (more…)

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Health Buzz

Chicken Nuggets: Made From Pink Goo

Have you ever seen one of those dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets and wondered, how do they do that? I personally imagined some kind of cookie-cutter shaped blade on a big machine.

Wrong. Apparently, this is what chicken nuggets look like before they’re cooked. The chicken is mechanically separated and de-boned, then the remaining meat is ground-down into this unappetizing paste. According to Michael Kindt, the goop is then disinfected, re-flavored and bleached back to the whitish color we all associate with cooked chicken breast. And of course, shaped along the way.

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Posted on October 4, 2024 by Margaret

Are Fiber-Fortified Foods as Good as the Real Deal?

Fiber-Fortified FoodDietitians recommend that we eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily, but the average American only gets less than half this amount, according to WebMD. There are many reasons why fiber is important to your health, from lowering your cholesterol to helping regulate your digestion. Plus, high-fiber diets can help you to lose weight and feel full and satisfied from fewer calories.

More and more fiber-enriched food products are popping up in grocery stores. You can find fiber-enhanced yogurt, toaster pastries and muffin mix. But are these foods as good for you as good for you as naturally occurring fibers? Nutrition scientists don’t think that fiber additives like inulin, maltodextrose and polydextrose have as many of the health benefits as naturally occurring fiber, although there is debate as to why.

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Posted on October 4, 2024 by Health Buzz

Drew Carey’s Diet Cured His Diabetes

Drew Carey stunned The Price is Right fans when he appeared on the show’s 39th season premier as a whole new person. Thanks to his dedication to health, Carey has lost 80 astonishing pounds since January and hopes to lose 12 more by October 31st.

You might remember Drew Carey as the roly-poly, round and cuddly character from The Drew Carey Show. In real life, being the ‘big guy’ was starting to cause some big problems for Carey. He developed Type-2 diabetes and could no longer keep up with his five year old son, Connor. He’s been reported as saying, “It sucks being fat, you know.” We do know, Drew. Excess weight causes significant damage to our bodies physically and mentally. It’s bad enough when you can’t keep up with your kids, but knowing you inflicted diabetes upon yourself is nearly unbearable.

It takes education, dedication and determination to lead a healthy life. Many of us can’t seem to find ample motivation to do that. Drew’s motivation was mortality. He was faced with the news of his diabetes and also with the fact that there’s a solution. So, how did he do it? How did Drew Carey lose 80 pounds and eliminate the symptoms of his diabetes? (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Theresa

Bill Clinton Adopts Nearly Vegan Diet to Improve Health

It seems that vegan and vegetarian diets are infiltrating the lives of nearly everyone. Thankfully, plant-based diets are not a dangerous trend. Many fad diets tend to deprive the body of essential nutrients but primarily plant-based diets do not. Whether or not you want to go full-vegan or vegetarian, plant-based diets provide a healthy foundation for your body and the environment.

The latest news in mainstream veganism is that Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, has been reported to join the throngs of herbivores. Many of you remember that he has suffered from high cholesterol and heart conditions for years. He underwent a bypass surgery but Clinton’s cholesterol was still out of control. After undergoing extensive research, he decided to adopt a nearly-vegan lifestyle. He eats small amounts of fish on occasion, but he’s essentially cut all animal products from his diet. He consumes no dairy and has added a protein supplement to his diet. (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Theresa

Seven Tips to Make This Your Losing Season

Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. To receive your free E-course “How to Burn Calories While you Sleep,” visit her website: OptimumBodySculpting.com.

The holiday season is almost here. I know it’s hard to think about or even believe but soon you’ll be humming the reindeer song and thinking about the best dessert to bring to Aunt Mary’s soiree. Turn the tide this holiday season and come out on the losing end with these easy-to-follow tips. (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by GuestBlogger