Your Brain on Fatty Food

Remember those commercials decades ago that showed someone cracking an egg into a frying pan? As you watched it sizzling in the pan, the voiceover said, “This is your brain on drugs.” Well, new research published in the journal Cell made me think of this commercial, except the statement would be, “This is your brain on fatty food.”  Read More >>

Politically Correct Chocolate Penguins in Time for the Holidays!

One of my favorite chocolate companies is Moonstruck Chocolate Co. Awesome-tasting chocolates aside, I love how creative they are with their seasonal offerings. I recently received a box of their holiday collection of penguin truffles (raspberry, orange, lemon, extra bittersweet), and the first thing that popped into my head was that they were politically correct in an election year. No donkeys or elephants in this truffle box! Read More >>

Does Caffeine Increase Your Risk of Cancer?

I love the taste of coffee, but I can’t drink it toward the end of the day because it keeps me up most of the night. And I can’t drink caffeinated coffee first thing in the morning because it stimulates my intestines—not a great idea given I have the type of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that doesn’t need intestinal stimulation. And, unless I’m eating a meal, I can’t really drink caffeinated coffee in the middle of the day because a stiff dose of caffeine tends to give me a pleasant jolt and then send me crashing with weakness, fatigue, and what feels like a low blood sugar level. The caffeine in tea doesn’t seem to bother me at all, so I’m probably sensitive to caffeine, though small amounts don’t seem to be as much of a problem.

But most people drink coffee daily, and some also habitually enjoy caffeinated beverages like soda and tea. Well, the American Institute for Cancer Research recently assembled an expert panel to assess published research regarding diet and cancer. Read More >>

Is “Gluten Free” for You?

“Gluten free” has fast become one of the nutrition buzzwords in the past few years. Inquiring minds want to know who might be helped by eliminating gluten. Some people absolutely need to follow a gluten-free diet owing to the autoimmune disorder of the small intestine called celiac disease. Others want to try it in the hope that it will improve the way they feel. 

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The Three Omegas as the Three Amigos

There are three, count them, three types of omega-3 fatty acids that we get from food. We need each and every one. ALA is the omega-3 fatty acid that we get from plant foods like canola oil, ground flaxseed, and walnuts. EPA and DHA are the two omega-3s we get from fish.

We don't know the whole story yet, but it looks like we need both plant and fish omegas for different and complementary health benefits. Read More >>