Fats

Could a Bit of Chocolate Help Keep Your Heart on Beat?

About one in four adults will develop atrial fibrillation (the most common type of irregular heartbeat) in their lifetime. Thats a big deal because atrial fibrillation increases risk of stroke by five-fold. Atrial fibrillation also increases risk of heart failure and impaired cognition (brain function). A recent study in the journal Heart showed moderate chocolate intake was associated with a 10 to 20% decreased risk of being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. But, is nibbling on chocolate for prevention too good to be true?

Lowered School Lunch Standards

Healthier school meals have been in place for five years. But, the government recently relaxed a few Obama-era rulings for the federally-funded National School Lunch Program.

Diet Quality May Impact Belly & Liver Fat

Eating a higher-quality diet may lead to a more favorable body fat distribution, says Gertraud Maskarinec, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, who recently coauthored a study on the topic published in the journal Obesity.

Making Healthy Meals with Minimal Fuss

Many people are pressed for time (and sometimes energy) when it comes to putting dinner on the table. But, sometimes we make it harder than it needs to be. You'll be ready to whip up a quick meal any day of the week if you stock your kitchen with minimally-prepped, nutritious ingredients (think: frozen vegetables, precooked brown rice and frozen fish fillets) and simple ideas for quick-fix dishes.

New Insights: Glycemic Index

Guessing the effects of a meal on your blood sugar isn't easy, even if you use the glycemic index. That's a ranking of how much standardized (50-gram available carbohydrate) portions of individual foods increase blood sugar. But, people typically eat a mix of different foods at any one time, which makes using the glycemic index less straightforward.

Nutrition Then and Now

Advice about how to eat for good health sometimes changes. To you, it may seem like scientists can't make up their minds. What's really happening is that scientists are continually learning new things about nutrition and health through research studies. Experts modify dietary guidance based on the totality of scientific evidence on a given topic.

Moderate Alcohol Intake May Help Preserve “Good” Cholesterol

For years we've heard that drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages in moderation may be good for our heart. The majority of alcohol's cardiovascular benefits have been attributed to its association with higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which helps protect artery health. But how does alcohol affect your HDL over the long term, and does it matter what kind of alcoholic beverage it is?

Physical Activity Is Anti-Inflammatory

Physical activity is good for your heart, but why? A big reason may be its role in lowering inflammation.

Seeking Sustainable Protein Sources

Getting protein from insects and soy-based imitation meat instead of livestock are efficient ways to reduce our agricultural land use and harmful emissions (such as greenhouse gases), says a recent analysis in Global Food Security.

Diet Causing 300,000+ Annual Cardiovascular & Diabetes Deaths

We're often told to eat better to ward off risk of disease and dying early. In that effort, knowing which eating habits to focus on could be helpful. Findings from a new study in JAMA show the large potential impact of 10 dietary factors on Americans' risk of dying from heart disease, stroke or type 2 diabetes. These three conditions encompass the term cardiometabolic disease.