Special Reports

G It might seem glamorous to pick up the fixings for each days meals at the market that same day, whip- ping up healthy gourmet meals from fresh ingredients like characters do in romantic comedies. But lets face it: In the real world, sometimes dinner comes out of a can or a box. The easi- est meals to make are those assembled from foods readily at hand-such as the contents of your kitchen pantry. But if your pantry is stocked with canned goods high in sodium and packaged foods packed with refined grains and added sugars, those meals you throw together could throw your healthy- eating plans for a loop.

New research makes the choice clearer than ever: Physical activity is key to living healthier longer, while inactivity shortens your life. If you need a push to get off the couch, a flurry of new research should provide plenty of motivation. The findings about the negative effects of inactivity and the benefits of physical activity couldnt be more stark: Sitting too much is dangerous for your health, while getting fit helps protect everything from your waistline to your brain

Inside Tufts HNRCA Laboratory of Nutrition, Exercise, Physiology and Sarcopenia-on the front lines of the fight against frailty. At 711 Washington Street, in the heart of downtown Boston, you will find the worlds largest research center on nutrition and aging. With over 300 scientists, the Tufts Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) has been advancing the knowledge of human nutrition since 1979

Quenching your thirst for answers about sodas and your health. Soft-drink lovers who thought they were doing something good for their health got a jolt-not the highly caffeinated soda kind-earlier this year when a report linked diet sodas to greater risk of stroke and heart attack. The surprising findings captured headlines and blared over the nightly news: In a study of 2,564 people

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

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?

Most of us like fruit-but still dont get enough. Heres how to pick the fiber, potassium, vitamin C, antioxidants and other low-hanging benefits of fruit. With the unveiling of MyPlate choosemyplate.gov, the USDAs replacement for the food pyramid

Take charge of whats become Americas fourth daily meal with these strategies for smarter snacking. If you cant seem to succeed in your healthy-eating goals, despite nutritious meal planning, maybe the problem is what you eat between meals-snacks

Weighing the evidence on how good for you these good bacteria really are. Though probiotics have only recently passed the 8 million mark in Google hits, these good bacteria

Low fat is out and healthy fats are in. Heres how to make heart-smart choices. The American Heart Association recently revised its Heart Check food certification program in a way many people might