Seafood, Mercury, and the Brain. Though scientists have long warned against eating large quantities of fish known to contain high levels of mercury, a new study finds the brains of individuals with greater mercury exposure did not exhibit the kind of brain that is typically seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of…

Eating Eggs Does Not Increase the Risk of Heart Disease. Researchers analyzed the dietary habits of 1,032 men and found a relatively high intake of dietary cholesterol (from eating eggs daily, for example) is not associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease, not even in people genetically predisposed for higher blood cholesterol…

Iron-Rich Foods. Iron is essential for healthy red blood cells, and if you fail to get enough from your diet, your health can suffer. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises eating the following iron-rich foods: lean beef and pork, chicken, turkey, fish, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, rice, and other iron-enriched…

New US Dietary Guidelines. The United States (US) government’s latest version of its Dietary Guidelines recommends that Americans cut back on added sugars, saturated fats, and salt if they want to improve their health. The new guidelines ask that people limit saturated fats to less than 10% of their daily calories and consume less than…

Soda Tax Linked to Reduced Consumption. In 2014, the Mexican government introduced a 10% sales tax on the sale of sugary drinks, and after one year, sales of such beverages decreased 12% while untaxed beverages such as water experienced a 4% increase in sales. The American Heart Association writes, “Scientific research shows that overconsumption of…

Eating Fruit and Veggies Linked to Better Grades. Using data collected from 47,203 Canadian adolescents as part of the 2012-2013 Youth Smoking Survey, researchers from the University of Waterloo conclude that only about 10% currently meet the Canadian government’s national fruit and vegetable intake recommendations (7-8 servings per day). The researchers also found that those…

Omega-3 May Help Reduce Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis. If individuals at risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) consume more omega-3 fatty acids, they may be able to decrease their chance of developing the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that usually affects the small joints in the hands and feet. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis…

Magnesium Intake May Prevent Deadly Cancer. Investigators have found that increased magnesium intake may be beneficial in preventing pancreatic cancer. An analysis of data on more than 66,000 adults aged 50 to 76 revealed that every 100 mg per day decrease in magnesium intake was associated with a 24% increase in the occurrence of pancreatic…

Diets Are Becoming Sweeter. Investigators analyzed global nutrition and discovered that sales of sugar-sweetened drinks are rising around the world in terms of calories sold per person per day, as well as volume sold per person per day. This finding is concerning for researchers as it is well known that greater added sugar intake can…

Fruits and Veggies Can Lower Hypertension Risk! Using multi-decade data concerning over 200,000 men and women, researchers have found an association between fruit and vegetable consumption and blood pressure. They observed that those who consumed four or more servings per day of fruits and vegetables had a 5-8% lower risk for developing hypertension. The researchers…