Diet

The Mediterranean diet has a long-standing reputation as one of the healthiest eating patterns around. It’s also considered one of the most popular plans among dieters because it’s flexible, rich in flavorful foods, and brimming with health benefits. In fact, the Mediterranean diet has been linked to increased weight loss, decreased inflammation, and a lower risk of chronic disease. What is the Mediterranean diet? The Mediterranean diet is a style of eating that is based on the traditional diets of Mediterranean countries like Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. Researchers noticed that people in these countries had lower rates of chronic disease, compared with those in the United States and Northern Europe, and they attributed this to their unique dietary pattern. How to f...

A coalition for the cattle industry, Center for Consumer Freedom, took full-page ads in U.S. newspapers to let consumers know that plant-based meat substitutes are ultra-processed. Hoping to stem the tidal wave of excitement for eating plant-based meat substitutes, the ad screamed, “What’s hiding in your plant-based meat?” Over the years, the phrase “processed food” has become a negative descriptor. For example, Velveeta is a branded processed cheese product that tastes like American cheese. According to the FDA, Velveeta cannot be called cheese: its real name is “pasteurized prepared cheese product,” a term for which the FDA does not maintain a standard of identity. The days when processed food products like Velveeta could pass as real are long gone. Kraft Heinz, Campbell’s and othe...

There’s no one right answer, says registered dietitian Andrea Dunn, RD. “The best diet is the one you’re going to follow,” she says. “And I don’t say that tongue in cheek! There’s no one diet that will fit everybody’s needs, personalities, lifestyles or food preferences.” Science-backed diets Fad diets have been around forever, and most come and go for a reason: They don’t work long-term. If you’re looking to lose weight — and keep it off — Dunn recommends starting with an eating plan backed by solid science. Here are her top 3 picks: Mediterranean Diet Technically, the Mediterranean diet isn’t a diet, Dunn says. “It’s more of a lifestyle.” Based on typical eating habits from the Mediterranean area, this plan is heavy on plant-based foods. The basics: Load up on veggies, ...

High blood pressure (aka hypertension) affects 1 in 3 Americans. Medication can help control it, but as with most chronic health conditions, having healthy habits is also important. “You should always work with your doctor, but lifestyle can play a huge role in managing hypertension at every age,” says Holly Nicastro, Ph.D., M.P.H., program director in the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. That includes not smoking, controlling stress, exercising, and eating the right kinds of foods. In fact, a healthy diet is one of the most powerful tools for lowering your numbers—and may reduce the need for medication. The DASH Diet The effect of diet on hypertension has been extensively studied. “There are many different diets with purport...

Here’s a statistic that sticks in the throat: since the advent of agriculture, only 7,000 plant species out of a known 250,000 have been used by humans as food, according to UN biodiversity experts. Today, just 12 crops and five animal species make up 75 percent of global calorie intake. This is just one factor driving a new movement: sustainable healthy eating. It is a new aspiration in dietary circles for two reasons: unhealthy diets put more people at risk from death and disease than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined; and global food production is the biggest single driver of environmental degradation. “Taken together, the outcome is dire,” noted a 2019 report by the EAT-Lancet Commission, an influential collective of 37 scientists from 16 countries, tasked with e...

People seeking quick fixes to achieve weight loss might be tempted by the Snake Diet. It promotes prolonged fasts interrupted by a solitary meal. Like most fad diets, it promises quick and drastic results. This article tells you everything you need to know about the Snake Diet, including its safety and whether it works for weight loss. What is the Snake Diet? The Snake Diet promotes itself not as a restrictive diet but rather a lifestyle centered around prolonged fasting. Founded on the belief that humans historically endured periods of famine, it argues that the human body can sustain itself on just one meal a few times a week. It was invented by Cole Robinson, who calls himself a fasting coach but has no qualifications or background in medicine, biology, or nutrition. ...

Two new studies are making the case that people in high-income countries need to cut back on livestock-based foods, but they're also suggesting that one-size-fits-all recommendations won't work in all cases. Though each advocates a major transformation in how the world eats and produces food in order to slow climate change—including a shift toward plant-based diets—they also say that consuming meat and dairy products in certain parts of the world, by certain populations, is critical for meeting nutritional goals. One report explores the economic case for changing current food production and consumption habits, estimating that they cause about $12 trillion a year in damage to the environment, human health and development. If countries invested just half of 1 percent of global GDP in c...

Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. They’re highly nutritious, have a wonderful sweet taste, and serve as the main ingredient in many recipes. Bananas are even used to make a relaxing tea. What is banana tea? Banana tea is made by boiling a whole banana in hot water, then removing it, and drinking the remaining liquid. It can be made with or without the peel, depending on your preferences. If it’s made with the peel, it’s usually referred to as banana peel tea. Because banana peel tea takes longer to make due to its high fiber content, many people choose to omit the peel. Banana tea nutrition Detailed nutrition information for banana tea is unavailable. Still, as it uses whole bananas and water, it likely contains some water-soluble nutrients foun...

If you still think that coffee is bad for you—that it’ll hurt your heart, give you diabetes, and beat up your grandma—it’s time to update your thinking. Yes, many scientists in the 1970s and 1980s feared that coffee could cause health problems, but that was before the research community came to a deeper, richer understanding about antioxidants—compounds that can prevent or delay cell damage. Brewed black coffee is chock full of antioxidants, and its studied benefits go far beyond disease prevention. Coffee may enhance awareness, prevent kidney stones, improve memory, turbocharge your workout, boost your mood, and even block gum inflammation and thereby decrease your risk of tooth loss. Okay, but does the Coffee Diet actually work? First off, when it comes to diets, “work” is a ...