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Sugar Substitutes: Helpful or Harmful?

Since the 1980s there has been an explosion of sugar substitutes in the marketplace. These artificial or highly refined natural compounds are used frequently in beverages and processed foods to lower total calories (so-called diet foods and beverages) or decrease added sugar (as in sugar-free or low-sugar products). The number of products available for use at the table or in cooking and baking at home has also increased. While these compounds are touted as calorie-cutting weight loss aids and an option to people with diabetes looking for sweet choices while sticking to their diet, questions about efficacy and safety have dogged them from the start.

Plant-Based and Unhealthy?

Experts agree plants should make up a large part of a healthy dietary pattern. Humans eat plant roots (carrots and radishes), stems (asparagus and celery), leaves (leafy greens), seeds (including whole grains), flowers (broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke), and the seed-bearing fruits of plants (including fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts).

Are Added Fibers Good for Our Health?

It is recommended that adults consume between 25 and 30 grams of dietary fiber a day. The average American currently gets about half that amount. According to the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, dietary fiber is a nutrient of public health concern, meaning this low level of intake could actually be detrimental to our health. So, its potentially good news that food manufacturers are adding fiber to processed foods. But is that fiber as good for our health as fiber found naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains?

Gum Disease May Raise Cancer Risk

Periodontitis, advanced gum disease caused by bacterial infection that damages the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth, may be linked to higher risk of certain cancers, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study, led by Tufts epidemiologist Dominique Michaud, ScD, analyzed data from dental exams of nearly 7,500 black and white older adults, and compared periodontal disease severity with incident cancers and cancer deaths during an average of 15 years of follow-up.

Nutrition and Plant-Based Milk Substitutes

The market for plant-based alternatives to dairy products continues to grow, as lactose intolerance, dairy allergy, veganism, environmental concerns, and other factors lead Americans to look for alternatives to dairy. So where do these beverages fit into a healthy dietary pattern?

Meeting Varied Dietary Needs

When gathering together for a holiday, or any other group event, people may bring different dietary needs to the table. In addition to varying taste preferences, individuals may have dietary restrictions for medical, religious, or even moral reasons, or they could be following a particular plan they believe will support health or weight loss. Before undertaking preparing food for a group, it can be helpful to have a basic understanding of some of the most common dietary restrictions.

Stop Emotional Eating Patterns By Learning New Habits

You feel stressed out. You are bored. Or you are angry at your spouse. So you walk a short distance to the fridge, swing open the door and look for a solution. Is it the leftover tapioca pudding? A slab of last nights lasagna? That pint of premium ice cream in the freezer?

Why Does Sugar-Free Gum Cause Gas and Bloating?

Why do I get gas and bloating from sugar-free gum?

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.

Do Probiotics Help Gums and Teeth?

Any such potential benefits of probiotic supplements in the oral cavity would depend upon whether they are appropriate to the specific oral problem at hand. That means having the right bacterial composition, dosage level and vehicle for delivery, which may be either directly to oral tissues (for example, by injecting them under the gums or providing them in chewing gum or dissolvable lozenges) or indirectly via salivary or bloodstream effects of a swallowed supplement.