Fats

Q. I carefully watch the types of fat that I consume. Should I try to get more fat into my diet, such as a tablespoon or two of olive oil or safflower or sunflower oil?

Americans' craze for plenty of protein may be missing the point, at least as it applies to older adults. For protecting against frailty and retaining muscle mass, when you consume your protein might be as important as how much.

[IMGCAP(1)] Earlier this year, the federal government released the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). (See our March Special Report.) As a cardiologist, public-health advocate and nutrition scientist, I see a lot of good in the DGAs. First, the DGAs emphasize healthful eating patterns and foods. This is an advance over past guidelines, which focused more on isolated nutrient targets. Modern nutrition science tells us that, for preventing major diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancers, its…

Every five years, your Uncle Sam rounds up the latest scientific evidence about nutrition and serves up advice about what to eat and drink for better health. The resulting Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) - whose eighth edition was released in January - provides basic guidance to the American public about healthy eating patterns and shapes nutrition education programs.

When it comes to planning your meals, it's hard to beat seafood as a nutritional powerhouse. Seafood is rich in protein and other important nutrients. Prepared right - without frying, breading, tubs of butter or caloric sauces - it delivers these nutritional benefits without a lot of calories. Many varieties also contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

When the supermarket fish counter fails you, dont hesitate to head for the canned-fish aisle. Canned sardines and salmon are generally sustainable choices; canned tuna, while controversial, typically includes sustainable pole-caught albacore or skipjack varieties.

When Americans are told, "Eat your vegetables," we hear, "Eat white potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce." According to a recent USDA report, those three vegetables account for almost 60% of the veggies and legumes available for consumption.

Seeds and avocados will steal some of the healthy-eating spotlight from kale in 2016, according to a survey of registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).

At least part of the proven cardiovascular benefits of eating nuts can be explained by their effects on cholesterol and other blood lipids, according to new Tufts research.

Consuming a Mediterranean-style diet, already linked to benefits for your heart and brain, might also help protect against the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.