The Hot Dog Dilemma

Beware the quarter-pound franks

We all know they aren’t good for us, but sometimes a hot dog just hits the spot. (Can you say “barbecues” and “sports”?") The frankfurter belongs in the American Hall of Food Fame, right there with apple pie and its frequent dining companion, the potato chip. Read More >>

A Bone-Building Dynamic Duo: Vitamin D Plus Calcium

A perfect example of how a vitamin works with a mineral to benefit the body

Perhaps you’ve already heard that not getting enough dietary calcium and vitamin D increases your risk of low bone-mineral density and stress fractures. Here are some practical ways to increase your intake of this bone-building duo. Read More >>

Make Tonight Pasta Night!

Adding fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals

There’s never been a better time to switch to whole grains. You can pick from several brands of whole grain or whole grain–blend pastas. You can even find whole wheat lasagna noodles in some supermarkets. If you’re just starting to venture into whole grain pasta, start with Barilla Plus—it looks and tastes the most like white pasta—and graduate to the 100% whole grain brands when you are ready. Read More >>

Eat Breakfast at Home to Avoid Trans Fats

Staying "heart healthy"

Some fast-food chains have jumped on the trans-free train and successfully eliminated these fats from most of their choices. Other chains have not. A quick look at the nutrition information for Jack in the Box breakfast items clearly shows that these fats are still on the menu. Read More >>

Save Money While Cutting Extra Calories!

Soda is responsible for a lot of unwanted extras

Add it up: sodas, booze, and coffee drinks wreak havoc on your weight and wallet.

Think about how much money you spend in a week’s time just on beverages. Do you order soda along with your fast food? Do you stock the refrigerator with soda, bottled teas, and such? Do you order one of those fancy coffee drinks that run you over three bucks a pop? Do you drink alcohol when dining out? Each soda you order in a restaurant is about $2; each glass of wine or cup of coffee is about $3 to $4. If you just cut out two of these a day, you could save $6 a day or $42 a week or $2,184 a year.  Read More >>