Ask the Experts

Q: I have read that eggs from free-range chickens have less cholesterol than from...

Answer : Given the growing popularity of free-range chickens, surprisingly little scientific research has been done on the nutritional differences, if any...

Q: In the April Healthletter, you report on research in which adding a little...

Answer : There have been very few studies of the effect of added milk on the bioavailability and/or bioactivity of the antioxidants in coffee, which are called phenolics.

Q: Recently a friend of mine started taking a colorless liquid given to him...

Answer : A Vitamin O is not a scientifically recognized vitamin at all, but rather a supplement sold since 1998 whose maker has repeatedly been cited by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ...

Q: Are all saturated fats, regardless of their source (animal vs. vegetable), created equal?...

Answer : Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director of Tufts HNRCA Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, answers...

Q: My neurologist told me that blood pressure has no relation whatsoever to everyday...

Answer : In fact, one of the most common types of stress that can boost blood-pressure readings comes from sitting in the doctors office...

Q: In your Special Report on cholesterol (May), you mention studies on phytosterols. One...

Answer : Studies often use formulations that are not commercially available...

Q: Why do sliced fruits turn brown when sitting for a period of time...

Answer : Fruits such as apples, as well as some vegetables including potatoes, turn brown when their flesh is exposed to air for much the same reason iron turns rusty: oxidation.

Q: Is there a difference in the cholesterol-fighting power of instant or quick-cooking (threeminute)...

Answer : The quick answer would seem to lie in the USDA nutrient database, where regular, quick and instant oatmeal all share a single listing.

Q: Im confused by something in the new TV ads for Total cereal, which...

Answer : Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director of Tufts HNRCA Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, answers that there is no Daily Value for the omega-3s found in fish...

Q: I would like to use a salt substitute consisting mostly of potassium chloride....

Answer : Not only does potassium chloride replace the sodium in regular salt (sodium chloride) thats responsible for boosting blood pressure...