Todays Newsbites

If you're the "canary in the coal mine" who's always the first to get sick from that undercooked burger or picnic potato salad, blame your genes.

Efforts to increase whole grains' share of total grain consumption are slowly paying off, but most Americans still fall far short of targets for whole-grain intake.

Switching to soy flour doesn't help improve cholesterol levels, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers compared muffins made with soy protein, with a mixture of soy and wheat, and with a whey-protein control on 213 adults with elevated LDL cholesterol.

Has the obesity epidemic finally plateaued? Fat chance, says a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on 2013-2014 national nutrition survey data.

Many athletes are going gluten-free in hopes of boosting their performance, even without a diagnosis of celiac disease that requires eliminating gluten. A small but well-designed Australian study finds theyre likely to be disappointed.

Americans may be getting the message about cutting down on added sugars, a focus of the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,883 US adults reports that 58% say they tried to limit sugar in their diets in the past 30 days. While there's no previous such poll to compare to, that number does exceed those trying to cut down on calories, sodium, fats, cholesterol or carbohydrates. Another sign: Google Trends…

Mistaken perceptions that healthier foods are also "less filling" might cause consumers to overeat such foods, even when calorie counts are clearly displayed.

The number of Americans newly diagnosed with diabetes fell for the fifth straight year in 2014, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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).