Q. I find it difficult and off-putting to calculate the calories in all the...
A. Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and editor-in-chief of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter answers: “Counting calories is not necessary, and, I believe, not desirable when trying to lose weight. Calories of course matter, but the number of calories we ultimately eat—and burn—is influenced long-term by […]
Q. Some dietary advice treats corn as a starch, but some says it’s a...
A. Helen Rasmussen, PhD, RD, FADA, LDN, a research dietitian at the HNRCA, answers: “There is a lot of confusion about where corn should fit in your dietary pattern, and for good reason. In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, corn is classified as both a vegetable and a grain. Botanically, it’s actually a fruit! All […]
Q. Does the amount of deuterium in drinking water matter to one’s health?
A. Judith C. Thalheimer, RD, LDN, managing editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: “Deuterium is a naturally-occurring isotope of hydrogen. Most hydrogen atoms have one proton and no neutrons. When a hydrogen atom does contain a neutron, it is called deuterium. Deuterium is also known as heavy hydrogen. Since water is made up […]
Q. I have a normal BMI, I eat right, and I stay quite active...
A. Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSC, director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory and executive editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: “A large waist (over 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men) is one of the components of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that increases risk for heart attack, stroke, and type […]
Q. I have been told I shouldn’t eat nuts because of my diverticulosis. Is...
A. Alicia Romano, MS, RD, a dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center, answers: “Nuts are healthy foods that are good choices to incorporate into your diet for the long term, given their general healthy nutrient profile. They are a plant source of protein and naturally high in fiber and healthy fats (omega-3 and polyunsaturated […]
Q. Should I buy white peaches/nectarines, or yellow? Are purple and yellow carrots a...
A. Jeffrey B. Blumberg, PhD, a professor at the Friedman School and an expert on dietary bioactive components, answers: “The color of a plant food is a clue to which health-promoting phytochemicals it contains: ➧ Blue and purple (e.g.: blueberries, plums, black beans, eggplant) indicates the presence of anthocyanins ➧ Green colors (e.g.: asparagus, broccoli, […]
Nutrition Lessons from a Global Pandemic:
Here at Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter we strive to provide you with the latest, science-based health and nutrition information to help contribute to...
Q. Can peppermint oil help my irritable bowel syndrome?
A. Judith C. Thalheimer, RD, LDN, managing editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: While a handful of small studies suggested that peppermint...
Q. Is it true that percentage intake of macronutrients (protein, CHO, fat) should be...
A. Lauren McAvoy, a dietetic intern at Tufts Medical Center, answers: “While there are claims that individuals with different body types metabolize nutrients differently,...
Q. Do I need to throw out food as soon as the printed expiration...
A. Judith C. Thalheimer, RDN, LDN, managing editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers: “Those ‘sell by’ and ‘best by’ dates on packages...