General Nutrition

Fad diets have touted using the glycemic index (GI)-a measure of how quickly a food boosts blood sugar-as a magic bullet for targeting weight loss. But science keeps finding that the facts are more complicated

Combining diet and exercise is the most effective formula for obese seniors who want to improve physical performance, according to a new year-long study. For older people, the findings suggest, losing weight may be just as important for fighting off frailty as for avoiding obesity-related medical conditions

People think organic means healthier and lower in calories-even for processed foods such as cookies and potato chips, a new study reports. Cornell researchers wanted to test the widespread perception that organic foods are healthier

Pathogens in meat and poultry cost the US economy more than any other sources of food-borne illnesses, according to a new study, and the top 10 most damaging pathogens take an annual toll of $8.1 billion

Break out beyond beans with our complete guide to these little nutrition standouts. Lentils are the dried seeds of a type of legume. They have long been valued for the healthy vegetable protein they provide, as well as their fiber, folate, iron and potassium content. There are a number of different types of lentils, each with slightly different cooking characteristics, and myriad ways to use them

If youre 50 or older, Uncle Sam says yes. Heres why and how best to get it. When the latest federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released earlier this year with the recommendation that people age 50 and older should get extra vitamin B12 through fortified foods or supplements, one expert commented, Its not very difficult to anticipate the sudden spate of fortified with vitamin B12 as recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines messaging that will populate the fronts of boxes and bags. Before the hype hits the grocery stores

In a sure-to-be-controversial new study, Belgian researchers have challenged the conventional wisdom that cutting back on salt reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure and dying from cardiovascular causes

Goodbye food pyramid, hello plate-with a side order of science-based dietary advice. After nearly two decades, the familiar if sometimes confusing food pyramid has gone the way of the pharaohs, replaced by a new official icon to remind Americans how to eat right: MyPlate. In unveiling the symbol along with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, First Lady Michelle Obama said, When it comes to eating, whats more simple than a plate?

Score another one for the Mediterranean-style diet, a pattern of eating characterized by high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and olive oil, along with more fish and less meat

A new American Cancer Society study concludes that theres no evidence folic acid from fortified foods or supplements increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Earlier research, including a 2007 Tufts study