dietary guidelines

A study finds that consuming two eggs per day was linked to a 27 percent higher risk of developing heart disease. But many experts say this new finding is no justification to drop eggs from your diet.

Health & Safety

Cholesterol Redux: As Eggs Make A Comeback, New Questions About Health Risks

10:46am March 16, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

A study found consuming two eggs per day was linked to a 27 percent higher risk of developing heart disease. The finding reopens the debate about the potential risks of too much dietary cholesterol.

A serving of salmon contains about 600 IUs of vitamin D, researchers say, and a cup of fortified milk around 100. Cereals and juices are sometimes fortified, too. Check the labels, researchers say, and aim for 600 IUs daily, or 800 if you're older than 70

Does Vitamin D Really Protect Against Colorectal Cancer?

7:38pm June 14, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

The jury's been out on whether low blood levels of vitamin D increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Researchers say a new review involving more than 12,000 people strongly suggests the answer is yes.

Queue Listen Now

Doug Brown and his brother Roger, right, operate Slopeside Syrup in Richmond, Vt. They're challenging a proposed federal label that would say maple syrup has "added sugar."

Health & Safety

Sweet Talk: FDA's 'Added Sugar' Label Hits Sour Note With Maple Syrup Makers

9:26am June 06, 2018

by John Dillon

The FDA means sugar added to your diet, not just to a specific food. But honey and syrup makers say that natural sugar is not added. Though a compromise is on the table, some say it's still confusing.

As more research suggests some degree of dietary cholesterol is harmless, if not healthy, the egg's reputation is slowly returning. Yet some experts worry the science is being misinterpreted and spun.

Health & Safety

Unscrambling The Nutrition Science On Eggs

4:51pm March 06, 2017

by Bret Stetka

As more research suggests some degree of dietary cholesterol is harmless, if not healthy, the egg's reputation is slowly returning. Yet some experts worry the science is being misinterpreted and spun.

The MyPlate icon is the visual centerpiece of the USDA's advice for healthy eating aimed at the general public. Scientists and other public health advocates had called for adding a water symbol to the icon, but that didn't happen.

Health & Safety

Uncle Sam Just Told Us To Drink Water, Not Soda. You Might've Missed It

5:52pm January 08, 2016

by Maria Godoy

Scientists had asked the USDA to add a water symbol to MyPlate when it updated the Dietary Guidelines. It didn't happen. Instead, there's language to opt for H20 instead of soda — if you can find it.

Eat This, Not That: The U.S. government's latest Dietary Guidelines call on Americans to eat more vegetables and fruits, more seafood and whole grains, and to cool it on foods high in sugar, refined grains, sodium and saturated fats.

New Dietary Guidelines Crack Down On Sugar. But Red Meat Gets A Pass

4:49pm January 07, 2016

An advisory panel had recommended telling Americans to cut back on red and processed meats. But that controversial advice is missing from the update to the government's official nutrition guidelines.

Queue Listen Now

The debate about sustainable diets has focused on meat production, which requires lots of land and water to grow grain to feed livestock. It also contributes to methane emissions. But the Cabinet secretaries with final authority say the 2015 dietary guide

New Dietary Guidelines Will Not Include Sustainability Goal

6:10pm October 08, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

A government-appointed panel wanted the federal government's 2015 nutrition advice to consider a food's environmental impact. But the Cabinet secretaries with final authority say it won't happen.

Queue Listen Now

Despite losing his sense of taste and smell to Alzheimer's disease, Greg O'Brien says grilling supper on the back deck with his son on a summer evening is still fun.

When Alzheimer's Steals Your Appetite, Remember To Laugh

5:59pm July 25, 2015

by Rebecca Hersher

Fresh grilled swordfish now tastes like rolled newspapers to Greg O'Brien, an unexpected effect of his Alzheimer's. And shopping without a grocery list is futile. But summer barbecues are still sweet.

Queue Listen Now

On the left, olive oil, which is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat, which may lower bad cholesterol levels. On the right, coconut oil, which is 90 percent saturated fat and may raise bad cholesterol levels.

Farewell, Low-Fat: Why Scientists Applaud Lifting A Ban On Fat

4:23pm June 30, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report that came out in February contained some pretty game-changing advice that's largely been overlooked: Don't worry about the total amount of fat you eat.

Why There's A Big Battle Brewing Over The Lean Meat In Your Diet

1:22pm March 24, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

Should the government recommend lean meat as part of a healthy diet? That's emerged as a political flashpoint. The panel working on federal guidelines says the evidence on lean meat is muddled.