Fitness & Nutrition

Lunch at the West Salem School District in Wisconsin.

Cash Or Credit? How Kids Pay For School Lunch Matters For Health

1:39pm January 17, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

A study in the journal Obesity found that students who used credit or debit cards in the school cafeteria chose fewer fruits and vegetables and more desserts than kids paying with cash. But the researchers say schools should work with the bias instead of trying to fight it.

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A barista makes coffee using the pour-over method at Artifact Coffee in Baltimore.

Health & Safety

Coffee Myth-Busting: Cup Of Joe May Help Hydration And Memory

3:51pm January 16, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

A new study adds to the evidence that among everyday coffee drinkers, the old wives' tale that coffee will lead to dehydration is really just that: a tale. Another study found that caffeine may help to consolidate memories in the short term, but may not help retrieve old memories.

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Want To Make Your Life Better? Keep Track Of It

7:51am January 03, 2014

The Quantified Self movement promotes something called life logging. That means tracking all kinds of details of your life in order to improve it. To find out more about the topic, David Greene talks to two people involved with life logging: Kitty Ireland, who works for a life logging app called Saga, and to David Goldstein, who turned to life logging with the help of a coach.

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Students at Lowell High School in Michigan sit down for lunch. Shorter lunch breaks mean that many kids don't get enough time to eat and socialize.

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

9:09am December 07, 2013

by Eric Westervelt

In a new poll, parents complain that their children are not getting nearly enough time for a basic school ritual: eating lunch. And that's worrying parents and administrators, given that about one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.

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Regular nut consumers had about a 20 percent reduction in all-cause mortality, including lower death rates from heart disease and cancer, a study found.

Health & Safety

Nuts For Longevity: Daily Handful Is Linked To Longer Life

3:02pm November 22, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

Men and women who were regularly munching on peanuts or tree nuts in their 30s and 40s were significantly more likely to reach their 70s, a study found. Researchers say they aren't sure why nuts promote longevity, but they think it has to do with how they affect metabolism and satiety.

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Health & Safety

Antibiotic-Resistant Bugs Turn Up Again In Turkey Meat

5:29pm November 18, 2013

Turkey producers contend that they use antibiotics judiciously to help keep their flocks healthy.

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A crostini of smoked trout, hard-boiled egg, aioli and roe at The Red Hen in Washington, D.C. Owner/Chef Michael Friedman says Mediterranean cooking is simply a tweaking of basic cooking ideas.

Health & Safety

For Mind And Body: Study Finds Mediterranean Diet Boosts Both

11:36am November 08, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

A new study finds that women who followed a Mediterranean style of eating in their 50s were about 40 percent more likely to reach the later decades without developing chronic diseases and memory or physical problems, compared to women who didn't eat as well.

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Shelburne Farms' clothbound cheddar has a bright yellow color because it's made from the milk of cows that graze on grasses high in beta-carotene.

Health & Safety

How 17th Century Fraud Gave Rise To Bright Orange Cheese

9:46am November 08, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

Kraft says it's ditching two artificial dyes in some of its macaroni and cheese products. But why did we start coloring cheeses orange to begin with? Turn's out there's a curious history here.

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The protein, unsaturated fat composition and fiber in almonds all very likely play a role in helping to curb appetites.

Almonds For Skinny Snackers? Yes, They Help Curb Your Appetite

2:54pm October 26, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

The nuts are calorie dense and rich in fat, but munching on them seems to help curb appetites, fresh research shows. Why? The protein, unsaturated fat composition and fiber in almonds all very likely play a role.

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A street vendor fries food for lunch customers in Mexico City on July 10. Mexico has now surpassed the United States in levels of adult obesity, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

World News

Following Bloomberg's Lead, Mexico Aims To Fight Fat

11:10am October 24, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

In the battle against the bulge, lawmakers in Mexico are taking aim at consumers' pocketbooks. They're proposing a series of new taxes on high-calorie food and sodas. Health advocates say the higher prices will get Mexicans to change bad habits, but the beverage industry and small businesses are fighting back.

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