Ask the Experts

Q: Is there any difference in the nutritional value of golden flaxseeds versus brown...

Answer : Both contain four grams of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), in a three-tablespoon serving.

Q: Can coffee or tea help take the place of the recommended eight daily...

Answer : Yes, says Health & Nutrition Letter editor Irwin R. Rosenberg, MD, coffee and tea count toward meeting your bodys fluid requirements.

Should You Eat the Dark Meat of Fish?

For most people, according to a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the benefits of eating fish like salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids outweigh any risks from contaminants.

Q: For a long time I’ve eaten 1.5 ounces daily of walnuts. Then I...

Answer : Jeffrey B. Blumberg, PhD, director of Tufts HNRCA Antioxidants Research Laboratory, checked on this study...

Q: I enjoyed your Special Report on potassium (March). Coconut water supposedly has only...

Answer : Health & Nutrition Letter editor Irwin H. Rosenberg, MD, replies, There are no downsides to the consumption of coconut water that I am aware of.

Q: Is it true that you can lose weight faster by eliminating wheat from...

Answer : Susan Roberts, PhD, director of Tufts HNRCA Energy Metabolism Laboratory, responds: There is no evidence that eliminating wheat...

Q: Should Atlantic sardines be avoided in favor of Pacific sardines? If so, why?

Answer : The choice of Pacific over Atlantic sardines comes from concerns about the health of the oceans, rather than the health of consumers.

Q: Before cooking steel-cut oats, I grind them for 30 seconds until they get...

Answer : We checked with our recipe editor, Patsy Jamieson, who replies: When you grind the oats, you retain the fiber and phytonutrients in the oat...

Q: How high should the blood level of vitamin D be? I take 3,500...

Answer : Bess Dawson-Hughes, MD, director of Tufts HNRCA Bone Metabolism Laboratory, answers: Current recommendations are based on the effect of vitamin D ...

Q: I read some years ago that one of the biomarkers of healthy aging...

Answer : Youre recalling the book Biomarkers: The 10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control by Tufts William Evans, PhD, and Irwin H. Rosenberg, MD.