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Conscious Eating

Last Updated: Feb 28, 2017 11:45AM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Thumbs-Up on Fats: Good Fat Doesn’t Make Us Fat

Feb 28, 2017 11:45AM ● By Judith Fertig

Fat used to be the nemesis of good nutrition, but the latest research overturns that theory: The right fats actually keep us thin without harming our hearts.

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Fearless Eating: How to Move Past Food Sensitivities

Feb 28, 2017 11:45AM ● By Kathleen Barnes

The queasy stomach, brain fog or food cravings we’re experiencing might be caused by food sensitivities and a leaky gut—but there are some practical, simple solutions.

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No Benefit to Cutting Fat in Cheese: Does Not Affect Cholesterol Levels

Feb 28, 2017 11:25AM

Danish researchers found no difference in LDL “bad cholesterol” levels between people that ate low-fat cheese or regular-fat cheese for 12 weeks.

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The Five-Second Rule Debunked: Researchers Disprove the Thought

Feb 28, 2017 11:25AM

Rutgers researchers found that food dropped on the floor for even one second can be contaminated with bacteria, and that carpet transferred fewer bacteria than tile and stainless steel.

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Veggie, Fish and Nut Fats Preserve Heart Health: Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Feb 28, 2017 11:25AM

In a Harvard study, people that replaced a portion of their normal dairy foods with vegetables, nuts and fish reduced their heart-disease risk by a quarter, while people that replaced the dairy with animal fats increased their risk by six percent.

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Botanical Breakthrough: Oregano Oil Proves a Safe Antibiotic for Poultry

Feb 28, 2017 11:25AM

Spurred by consumer demand, pioneering chicken farmers are replacing antibiotics with oregano oil and cinnamon.

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Fortified Foods Cut Into Supplement Use: Adults Turning to Added Nutrients

Jan 31, 2017 11:46AM

Nutritional supplements sales are growing nationwide, in spite of the fact that up to a fifth of U.S. adults often pass them up for fortified foods.

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Aloe Vera Juice Allays Diabetes: Reduces Fasting Blood Glucose

Jan 31, 2017 11:46AM

Data from nine clinical studies found that oral doses of aloe vera reduced two common markers of Type 2 diabetes.

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Fungus Among Us: Genetically Altered Mushrooms Approved for Consumption

Jan 31, 2017 11:46AM

A Penn State plant pathologist has received federal approval for gene-altered mushrooms that don’t brown as rapidly when sliced and exposed to oxygen.

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Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Easy-Grow Microgreens Are Big on Nutrition

Jan 31, 2017 11:46AM ● By Barbara Pleasant

Alfalfa, wheat, popcorn, radishes, red cabbage, snow peas and more can be grown in soil in tiny kitchen containers, producing quick harvests of tasty nutrients.

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Eat Safer: Website Screens Packaging for Toxin

Dec 28, 2016 12:43PM

To help consumers know which drinks and foods are still being sold in cans lined with endocrine-disrupting BPA, the Environmental working Group’s website lists 16,000 BPA-tainted products.

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The Dark Side of Gluten-Free Living: Most People Benefit from Gluten

Dec 28, 2016 12:43PM ● By Judith Fertig

For the majority of people, those that aren’t gluten-sensitive, removing it from our plates can hurt our gut flora and depress immune function, new studies show.

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A Cup of Peppermint Tea Boosts Alertness: Increases Attention and Improves Memory

Nov 30, 2016 11:34AM

After sipping peppermint tea, people’s alertness and memory improved, while chamomile tea slowed thinking.

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Bright Lights Encourage Healthy Eating: Lighting the Way to Nutritious Food

Nov 30, 2016 11:34AM

Diners at a chain restaurant picked healthier choices from the menu when a dining area was brightly lit.

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Cranberries Reduce Urinary Tract Infections: Healthy Holiday Staple

Nov 30, 2016 11:34AM

Pile on the cranberry sauce. Women given 500 milligrams of cranberry powder daily for six months had significantly fewer UTIs.

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America Outdone: Venezuela Bans GMOs

Nov 30, 2016 11:33AM

To protect its traditional seeds and agriculture, Venezuela has passed perhaps the toughest law in the world regulating the use and research of genetically modified organisms.

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Healthy Holiday Libations: Restorative Drinks Revive Good Cheer

Nov 30, 2016 11:33AM ● By Judith Fertig

If holidays leave us feeling stressed, hung over or sniffle-prone, sipping a healthy drink can revive body and spirit.

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Message Received: Conventional Grocery Chains Go Organic

Oct 31, 2016 10:13AM

Enthusiastic consumer demand is driving Kroger’s and Walmart’s new emphasis on organic sales.

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Festive Sips and Nibbles: Vegan Holiday Treats that Everyone Loves

Oct 31, 2016 10:13AM ● By Judith Fertig

Tempted by not-so-healthy holiday fare? With a little preparation, we can munch on plant-based snacks and drinks every bit as enticing as former favorites.

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Organic Rally: October is Non-GMO Month

Sep 30, 2016 09:59AM

The Non GMO Project is sponsoring National Non-GMO Month in October to increase education and awareness of unlabeled genetically modified food products.

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Born to Eat Wild: Why Ancestral Diets Boost Health

Sep 30, 2016 09:59AM ● By Judith Fertig

The hunter-gatherers that preceded us ate healthier wild foods that tasted bitter, astringent, sour and earthy rather than blandly sweet like today’s fruits and vegetables.

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Black Raspberries Bolster Heart Health: Decrease Artery Stiffness and Repair Blood Vessels

Aug 31, 2016 12:44PM

In a Korean study, the robust compounds in black raspberries significantly decreased artery stiffness and increased cells that help repair blood vessels.

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Vitamin C-Rich Produce Guards Against Cataracts: Certain Foods Provide Vision Protection

Aug 31, 2016 12:44PM

In a British study of twins, those that consumed the most fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C developed fewer cataracts than their sibling.

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Lying Labels: New Term Disguises High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Aug 31, 2016 12:44PM

Faced with rising consumer resistance to High-Fructose Corn Syrup, the corn refiners industry has created the terms “fructose syrup” or just “fructose” to hide its intense use in processed foods.

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Healing Recipe: Cooking May Be the Future of Medicine

Aug 31, 2016 12:44PM

At more than 20 medical schools, doctors-to-be are learning about healthy diets and food preparation, often in hands-on cooking classes.

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Vegan Lunchbox: Plant-Based Choices Provide Midday Boost

Aug 31, 2016 12:43PM ● By Judith Fertig

Those curious about veganism can try switching to a plant-based diet just for lunches—and see what kinds of differences follow.

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Grape Juice Boosts Memory and Driving Skills: Benefits of Polyphenols

Jul 29, 2016 10:50AM

Busy working mothers between the ages of 40 and 50 that drank Concord grape juice daily improved their performance on a driving test, results that lasted after the study ended.

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A Good Food Fight: Keeping Food Out of the Trash Bin

Jul 29, 2016 10:50AM ● By April Thompson

Concerned that more than $160 billion worth of uneaten food ends up annually in landfills, college-age entrepreneurs are figuring out how to redirect still-good edibles to people and animals.

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Colorful Produce Slows Cell Aging: Carotenoids Linked to Longevity

Jun 30, 2016 10:14AM

Adults that eat hefty amounts of plants high in carotenoids have five- to eight-percent longer telomeres, cellular markers that typically grow shorter with age.

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Energy Drinks Harm the Heart: Produces Abnormalities and Raises Blood Pressure

Jun 30, 2016 10:14AM

Two cans of an energy drink per day produced abnormal heart rhythms and higher blood pressure in healthy adults.

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Farm-to-Work: Fresh Veggies Come Direct to Offices

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM

Small farmers across the country are now delivering fresh produce and organic goods directly to workplaces.

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GMO-Free Pioneer: New Grain Transport to be Contaminant-Free

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM

A North Dakota grain plant has acquired a million-bushel terminal that will enable GMO-free grains to be safely transported by rail to food suppliers.

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Toxic Teflon: Scientists Increasingly Find It Dangerous

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM

The DuPont Teflon residues found in the blood of more than 99 percent of Americans is now linked to cancer, birth defects, heart disease and a weakened immune system.

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Low-Cost Largesse: Nonprofit Grocery Sells Good Food at Low Prices

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM

By rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted, a former Trader Joe’s president is bringing high-quality nutrient-rich foods into poor neighborhoods.

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Locavore Lingo: What All the Food Labels Really Mean

Jun 30, 2016 10:13AM ● By Judith Fertig

Certified, Organic, Humane—how can we distinguish good, better and best from among the healthier choices?

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Bye-Bye Dye: Mars and Others Abandoning Artificial Colors

May 31, 2016 12:07PM

In the face of consumer concerns, major U.S. food companies are phasing out artificial dyes from candies, drink mixes and other kid-targeted foods.

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Fast Whole-Food Munchies: Tasty Homemade Alternatives to Junk Food

May 31, 2016 12:07PM ● By Judith Fertig

With a little advance preparation, we can fill our fridge with sweet and savory snacks made from whole foods.

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Legumes Keep Colorectal Cancer at Bay: Nuts and Beans for Colon Health

Apr 29, 2016 10:02AM

People who eat high amounts of nuts and beans slash their risk of colorectal cancer by a third, Korean scientists report.

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Salmon Scam: Farmed Fish Mislabeled as Wild-Caught

Apr 29, 2016 10:01AM

A DNA sampling of 82 purchases found that 43 percent of the so-called “wild-caught” salmon was farmed.

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Mm-mm Good: Campbell’s Endorses GMO Labeling

Apr 29, 2016 10:01AM

Campbell Soup Company has pledged to label its genetically modified (GMO) products and is urging the U.S. government to mandate GMO labeling nationwide.

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How to Reboot Your Eating Habits: Small Shifts Can Drop Pounds and Gain Health

Apr 29, 2016 10:01AM ● By Judith Fertig

Chewing natural gum while shopping and adding coconut oil to our coffee are among the simple steps that can perk up health.

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Kiwis Boost Heart Health: Tasty Way to Improve Cardiovascular Wellness

Mar 31, 2016 09:48AM

Just one kiwi fruit a week significantly improved markers of heart health in Spanish subjects.

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Grading Grocers: Greenpeace Issues Report on Seafood

Mar 31, 2016 09:48AM

To help consumers choose sustainable seafood, Greenpeace evaluates and rates grocery chains on their seafood purchasing policies and labeling.

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GMO-Free Germany: Five Dozen Countries Now Ban or Label GMO Crops

Mar 31, 2016 09:48AM

Germany has followed Scotland’s lead in the European Union by blocking the use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in agriculture.

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DARK Act Defeated: Senate Vote Reflects Citizen Demands

Mar 31, 2016 09:47AM

The Deny Americans the Right to Know, or DARK Act, was defeated in the U.S. Senate, representing a major victory for consumers.

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Edible Heirlooms: Old-Fashioned Fruits and Veggies Return to the Table

Mar 31, 2016 09:47AM ● By Avery Mack

The healthy, tasty, GMO-free varieties of produce that our grandparents enjoyed are making a comeback.

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Meaty Truths: Choosing Meat that’s Sustainable and Safe

Feb 29, 2016 04:15PM ● By Melinda Hemmelgarn

When it comes to steaks, hamburgers and other red meats on the menu, what’s better for the environment turns out to better for animals and people, too.

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Apple Munching Makes for Healthier Shopping: Eating this Fruit Helps Consumers Make Better Choices

Feb 29, 2016 03:55PM

People that ate an apple before grocery shopping stocked their cart with a healthier portion of fruits and vegetables.

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Nixing Monsanto: Guatemala Just Says No

Feb 29, 2016 03:54PM

Following widespread public protests, Guatemala repealed a law that formerly gave Monsanto the right to plant its genetically modified seeds in ancestral lands.

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Food Fight: College Cafeterias Lead the Way in Sustainable Eating

Feb 29, 2016 03:54PM

Students can increasingly find healthy, sustainable options and locally-sourced food in their dining halls.

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