junk food

Is American food really unhealthier? How pasta sauce, peanut butter and even Big Macs stack up to their British counterparts

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Is American food really unhealthier? How pasta sauce, peanut butter and even Big Macs stack up to their British counterparts

So much for happy meals. The quality of ultraprocessed American fare — especially President-elect Donald Trump’s beloved Big Macs — is receiving new scrutiny thanks to Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has made headlines for calling legal food additives “poison” and criticizing the … Read more

Eat junk food when you’re stressed? These 2 drinks can help your body reset

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Eat junk food when you’re stressed? These 2 drinks can help your body reset

Just in time for the holidays, some heart-warming news. Flavanol-rich cocoa and green tea can protect your cardiovascular system against stress even after you eat fatty junk food, a new study finds. “We know that when people are stressed, they tend to gravitate towards high-fat foods,” said lead study author Catarina Rendeiro, an assistant professor … Read more

Beer vs. wine and liquor drinkers — here’s who has the absolutely worst diet

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Beer vs. wine and liquor drinkers — here’s who has the absolutely worst diet

Beer drinkers won’t be in good spirits when they read this news. Lager lovers tend to have worse diets, exercise less and smoke more cigarettes than people who drink wine, liquor or a combination, a new study finds. Researchers compared the diets of more than 1,900 US alcohol drinkers — 38.9% consumed only beer, 21.8% … Read more

Your sweet tooth may be genetic — and your DNA could be pushing you to eat more, says new study

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Your sweet tooth may be genetic — and your DNA could be pushing you to eat more, says new study

If sugar is always your jam, your DNA may be to blame. An international team of researchers says that a genetic variation in our ability to digest certain sugars may influence how much we like sweet foods — and how much we consume. The scientists are pointing the finger at the sucrase-isomaltase (SI) gene, which … Read more

You may be aging yourself faster by eating these foods, new study shows — what they’re doing to you

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You may be aging yourself faster by eating these foods, new study shows — what they’re doing to you

So much for aging like fine wine. Yet another study links ultra-processed foods (UPFs) like packaged snacks, sugary drinks, mass-produced bread, fruit yogurt, some breakfast cereals and meat alternatives to accelerated biological aging. A new study out of Italy links UPFs to accelerated biological aging. doucefleur – stock.adobe.com Biological age — the age of our … Read more

Elon Musk’s mother Maye doesn’t keep these two popular snacks in her home: ‘I’ve got no food’

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Elon Musk’s mother Maye doesn’t keep these two popular snacks in her home: ‘I’ve got no food’

Elon Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to nutrition. During a Thursday appearance on Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line,” Musk was asked about “Make America Healthy Again,” the wellness initiative from former President Donald J. Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which focuses on choosing healthier foods. The model and dietitian, … Read more

Is stress causing you to binge eat? Here’s how to deal with it, experts say

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Is stress causing you to binge eat? Here’s how to deal with it, experts say

Everyone knows that stress can cause you to eat — but a new study confirms that those who find themselves frequently overwhelmed can develop a dependency on bad-for-you comfort foods. Researchers published in the journal Neuron said that stress can override components of the brain that treat sweets and junk food as occasional rewards — making us crave … Read more

I’m a weight loss coach — here are 4 tips for healthy holiday eating

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I’m a weight loss coach — here are 4 tips for healthy holiday eating

With Halloween on Thursday and Thanksgiving right around the corner, a Wisconsin weight loss coach is sharing four tips for sleighing the stressful holiday eating season. Amber Clemens — a self-described “former lifelong binge eater” who says she shed 160 pounds from 2018 to 2020 and kept it off — recommends focusing on moderation in your daily … Read more

I’m a doctor — these are the 3 worst chemicals in your food that could damage your health

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I’m a doctor — these are the 3 worst chemicals in your food that could damage your health

Consumers must beware of an unholy trinity of food additives, according to this expert. California gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi has taken to TikTok to call out three potentially carcinogenic chemicals found in many processed foods sold in the U.S. His warning comes as more than 1,000 cereal lovers and health activists marched on Kellogg’s Michigan headquarters earlier this month, … Read more

I’m a weight loss coach — I would never buy these 3 foods

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I’m a weight loss coach — I would never buy these 3 foods

She’s over the moon pie. Jenna Rizzo, a women’s weight loss coach from Georgia, is sharing the three types of groceries banned from her home — individually wrapped pastries, sodas and fruit juices and packaged vegan food. “If you love these foods, go right ahead and eat them,” Rizzo advised her 83,000 TikTok followers in a video … Read more

I’m a nutritionist — beware these 5 sneaky ultra-processed foods that seem to be ‘healthy’

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I’m a nutritionist — beware these 5 sneaky ultra-processed foods that seem to be ‘healthy’

Packaged foods and frozen meals have become ubiquitous in US diets, with recent research revealing that a shocking 60% of Americans’ daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). UPFs often contain high levels of sodium, refined sugars, cholesterol-spiking fats and other controversial lab-based ingredients. A recent study linked exposure to UPFs to 32 poor … Read more

The ancient disease scurvy is shockingly making a comeback — here’s why

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The ancient disease scurvy is shockingly making a comeback — here’s why

Arrrrrr you kidding? Scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency disease that plagued sailors and pirates centuries ago, appears to be re-emerging thanks to the rising cost of living and the popularity of weight loss surgery, a new study finds. “Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries,” Australian doctors wrote … Read more

Ex-FDA food expert reveals worst cereal in America with link to cancer

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Ex-FDA food expert reveals worst cereal in America with link to cancer

Is this the most-wanted cereal killer? An ex-FDA employee has revealed what he claims is the most harmful breakfast cereal on the U.S. market. Dr. Darin Detwiler, who previously served as a food safety expert for the agency, told the Daily Mail that Kellogg’s Froot Loops are the worst of the bunch, pointing out, or … Read more

I’m a doctor — you shouldn’t drink diet soda for these 4 alarming reasons

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I’m a doctor — you shouldn’t drink diet soda for these 4 alarming reasons

A Harvard-educated gastroenterologist has taken to TikTok to share the four shocking reasons you should never drink diet soda. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a California-based GI doctor and popular healthcare influencer, was asked whether diet soda is a “healthier alternative” to regular soda. It’s a hard no, folks, and here are the four reasons why, according … Read more

I’m a brain doctor — here’s the 1 thing to avoid if you’re depressed

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I’m a brain doctor — here’s the 1 thing to avoid if you’re depressed

So long, suckers, gummy bears and candy corn — a renowned psychiatrist says the one thing you should definitely do if you’re depressed is trash the junk food. “Your gut health is critical to brain health,” Dr. Daniel Amen, a brain-imaging researcher in California, said in a TikTok last week. “If you have, for example, … Read more

I’m a doctor — here are 4 things I would never do because they’re bad for your body

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I’m a doctor — here are 4 things I would never do because they’re bad for your body

She’s giving her TikTok followers the 4-1-1 on four bad habits to avoid. Dr. Jess Andrade, a sports medicine specialist and pediatrics doctor in Massachusetts, is sharing the four activities she won’t do — vape, pull an all-nighter, exercise for less than 150 minutes a week and consume too many artificial ingredients and preservatives. Vaping Bronchiolitis obliterans, … Read more

Expert sounds the alarm on popular foods Americans eat posing serious health risks

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Expert sounds the alarm on popular foods Americans eat posing serious health risks

Super-processed, packaged foods have become prevalent in US diets — and experts are warning of the potential effects. Recent research has shown that 60% of Americans’ daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). A study published by the BMJ revealed that exposure to UPFs was associated with 32 poor health outcomes, including mental, respiratory, … Read more

I’m a dietitian — here’s how you can enjoy ultra-processed foods without guilt

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I’m a dietitian — here’s how you can enjoy ultra-processed foods without guilt

In the wake of new research confirming the link between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and the development of Type 2 diabetes, a dietitian is sharing how to safely incorporate guilty pleasures into a balanced diet. The latest study, published this week in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, analyzed the UPF consumption of nearly 312,000 people from eight European countries. … Read more

I’m an airline pilot — passengers really should avoid these 5 foods and beverages when they fly

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I’m an airline pilot — passengers really should avoid these 5 foods and beverages when they fly

Complimentary beverage? Negative, ghost rider. Be careful what you eat or drink on your next flight — passengers unfamiliar with the way their bodies handle certain foods and beverages could be in for a rough landing, a pro warns. First Officer Paul Janowicz, experienced Delta pilot, explained that for those trying to keep things at … Read more

These 4 ultra-processed foods can raise your diabetes risk more than others: study

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These 4 ultra-processed foods can raise your diabetes risk more than others: study

Ultra-processed foods have long held a bad reputation for having lots of calories, sugar, fat and salt — now, UK researchers have identified the four types most likely to lead to Type 2 diabetes. The highest-risk UPFs are savory snacks, animal-based products such as processed meats, ready-to-eat meals and beverages sweetened by sugar or an … Read more