Healthy Eating

You may not give much thought to adding a splash of cream and a spoonful of sugar to your coffee or tea, but these add-ins can add up in calories. A study published in Public Health aimed to figure out just how much.

This colorful whole-grain pilaf is an excellent accompaniment to fish and chicken. If you have any pilaf leftover, toss in cherry tomatoes, scallions and whatever salad fixings you have on hand, moisten with lemon juice and olive oil, and you have a delicious quinoa salad.

Not only can substitution save the day when you lack an ingredient called for in a recipe, but it also enables you to make a recipe better for you. That's helpful whether you are trying to improve your overall eating pattern or are cooking for a specific health condition.

Seeing you're down several pounds or finding your clothes are fitting looser may sound like a good thing - but not when you aren't trying to lose weight. Unwanted weight loss is of special concern in aging since it could point to an undiagnosed illness, leave you prone to infections or decrease your independence.

If you start exercise low on fuel, you could end up feeling weak and run out of steam. Or, you may simply feel hungry, making it hard to focus on your exercise. However, unnecessary snacking before a workout may make exercise uncomfortable and add calories you dont need, counteracting the calorie burn of your physical activity.

Should you buy the big 2-quart bottle of vegetable oil for $2.50 or spend $12 on a 1-quart bottle of extra-virgin olive oil? "Olive oil has been regarded by many as a unique oil for cardiovascular health, but the data dont really support it as being superior to common vegetable oils," says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director of Tufts' HNRCA Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory.

Approximately 35 million Americans are afflicted with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), marked by chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, and often nausea, bloating and excess gas, too. IBS is the most common gut condition diagnosed by gastroenterologists (specialists in digestive tract diseases). There isn't a test for IBS per se, but tests can help rule out other causes.

Have you read your groceries lately? Many of them tout reasons why health-minded shoppers should buy them, such as to lower cholesterol, reduce risk of osteoporosis or prevent cancer. Some sport bright red hearts claiming the products are heart healthy. But can you trust such health claims?

Fortunately for those who avoid meat and meat products, there are numerous other suitable protein sources to choose from. Protein is comprised of building blocks' called amino acids that our bodies need to function. Though meat is a notable protein source because it contains all nine of the essential amino acids (which we must get from food), it is not the only one - eggs, dairy and soy products (like soy milk and tofu) also provide all of the essential amino acids in the desired proportions.

Beetroot juice is currently a 'hot' nutritional supplement for its touted effects both on reducing cardiovascular disease risk and its potential to improve endurance exercise performance. Beetroot is naturally high in nitrate, which is converted to a signaling molecule called nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide has beneficial effects on vasodilation (relaxation and widening of blood vessels, increasing blood flow).