Nutrition

Health News

Red meat battle brewing as feds ponder new dietary guidelines

Cattlemen aren't happy. They say beef provides vital nutrients

Featured Health News photo

A debate is brewing over how much red meat Americans should eat. Scientists advising the U.S. government have proposed limiting red meat in upcoming dietary guidelines to promote more plant-based foods like beans and lentils.

This suggestion has upset the meat industry, which argues against reducing red meat, saying it provides vital nutrients like iron and potassium.

Nutrition experts back the move, noting that red meat's cholesterol and saturated fats can increase the ri...

Read article
Featured Health News photo

Latest Articles

  1. California seizes more than $1 million in flavored tobacco but faces an uphill battle
  2. Americans consume 80 pounds of sugar each year
  3. Cases of flesh-eating bacteria are on the rise in Florida after back-to-back hurricanes
  4. Some hospitals are delaying surgeries to cope with IV fluid shortage
  5. Cancer wrecks consumers' finances for years

Not sure how to choose?

Get expert buying tips about Nutrition delivered to your inbox.

    By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Thanks for subscribing.

    You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.

    Recent Articles

    Newest
    • Newest
    • Oldest
    Article Image

    Jenny Craig is now offering fully prepared meals delivered directly to consumers' homes

    The company says Jenny Fresh can help consumers stay on top of their weight loss goals

    With the start of a  new year, when many people resolve to lose weight, Jenny Craig is tweaking its diet plan. 

    Jenny Craig has announced the launch of Jenny Fresh – a meal delivery service that brings fresh meals right to consumers’ homes. Each meal is under 350 calories and includes fresh ingredients, like antibiotic- and hormone-free meat and organic vegetables. 

    “Jenny Fresh offers elevated meals with exquisite nutrient-rich ingredients, like wheat berries, tricolor quinoa, Himalayan red rice, lime-roasted sweet potatoes, slow-cooked braised pork, and fresh guacamole,” said Kim Doyle, vice president of nutrition and product development at Jenny Craig. 

    Making healthy choices

    Jenny Craig will launch the Jenny Fresh delivery meal service by mid-January, and the rollout will include seven entree options: 

    • Chicken Chile Verde Bake

    • Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

    • Zesty Black Bean Quinoa Bowl

    • Deconstructed Chicken Sausage Pizza

    • Braised Pork Burrito Bowl

    • Chicken Penne Parmesan 

    • Chicken and Red Rice Power Bowl 

    One week of Jenny Fresh meals will run customers $99. Consumers can also choose to get special health or dietary preferences with their meals, such as protein-heavy options, fiber-heavy options, and gluten-free options. 

    The rest of the Jenny Craig meal options will remain separate from the Jenny Fresh deliveries, but those following the weight loss/management program will be able to easily incorporate these new meals. 

    For more information on Jenny Craig’s plan and the Jenny Fresh delivery service, click here.

    With the start of a  new year, when many people resolve to lose weight, Jenny Craig is tweaking its diet plan. Jenny Craig has announced the launch of...

    Article Image

    Plant-based foods are healthier and more sustainable than animal-based products, study finds

    Incorporating more plant-based alternatives can be beneficial in several ways

    A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bath explored some of the benefits of eating more plant-based food options. Rather than sticking to traditional meat, the team says consumers who adopt a plant-based diet are more likely to improve their health and the environment. 

    “Increasingly we’re seeing how plant-based products are able to shift demand away from animal products by appealing to three essential elements consumers want: taste, price, and convenience,” said researcher Dr. Chris Bryant.

    “This review demonstrates overwhelming evidence that, as well as being far more sustainable compared to animal products in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use, plant-based product alternatives also have a wide range of health benefits.” 

    Benefits of plant-based foods

    The researchers analyzed more than 40 earlier studies that looked at the ways plant-based alternatives affect consumers’ health and the environment and compared those results to outcomes from animal-based food products. Ultimately, plant-based foods outperformed animal-based products in every category.

    Nutritionally, the researchers found that plant-based foods provide more benefits to consumers’ diets because producers of plant-based foods can actually incorporate more nutrients into their products. Plant-based options were also found to be more effective than animal products at improving muscle mass and losing weight.

    The report highlighted that while 40% of animal-based foods were found to be generally unhealthy, just 14% of plant-based products were considered to be the same.

    Plant-based options also showed better environmental results. When directly comparing plant-based burgers with beef burgers, the former produced 98% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The production of plant-based foods is also more sustainable in terms of both land use and water use when compared to animal meat products. 

    The researchers say it's important for plant-based products to be made more attractive to consumers in terms of taste, price, and nutrition.

    “Despite the incredible advances that plant-based producers have made over recent years, there is still huge potential to improve their taste, texture, and how they cook,” Dr. Bryant said. “There’s also enormous potential to innovate with ingredients and processes to improve their nutritional properties – for example by boosting vitamin content.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bath explored some of the benefits of eating more plant-based food options. Rather than stickin...

    Article Image

    Eating fruit more often can improve your mental health, researchers say

    Study findings show that these foods can also help counter depression symptoms

    Following a healthy diet is a large part of maintaining good physical health, but a recent study shows that it can also benefit your mental health. 

    Researchers from Aston University recently found that eating more fruit was associated with greater overall mental well-being and reduced feelings of depression. 

    "Overall, it's definitely worth trying to get into the habit of reaching for the fruit bowl," said lead author Dr. Nicola-Jayne Tuck. 

    More fruit leads to better mental health

    The researchers surveyed over 400 adults in the U.K. about their psychological health and their diets, including how often they ate fruits, vegetables, and sweet or savory food snacks. After adjusting for factors like age, general health, and exercise habits, they found that participants who ate fruit more often had lower scores for depression and higher scores for mental well-being. 

    In contrast, participants who ate more nutrient-poor savory foods were more likely to experience "everyday mental lapses" and have lower mental well-being.

    "Very little is known about how diet may affect mental health and wellbeing, and while we did not directly examine causality here, our findings could suggest that frequently snacking on nutrient-poor savoury foods may increase everyday mental lapses, which in turn reduces psychological health," said Tuck.

    The researchers point out that fruits and vegetables contain many important vitamins and minerals. However, how consumers choose to eat them could make a big difference when it comes to getting mental health benefits.

    "Both fruit and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fibre and essential micronutrients which promote optimal brain function, but these nutrients can be lost during cooking. As we are more likely to eat fruit raw, this could potentially explain its stronger influence on our psychological health," Tuck stated.

    The full study has been published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

    Following a healthy diet is a large part of maintaining good physical health, but a recent study shows that it can also benefit your mental health. Res...

    Article Image

    Negative emotions influence kids' poor food choices, study finds

    Researchers say there are certain times of the day when poor eating is more likely to happen

    Parents of picky eaters often have to work around their kids' palates to get them the nutrition they need. But findings from a recent study show that catering to their emotional needs might also do the trick. 

    Researchers have found that a child's emotions can influence their eating patterns and diets. Specifically, they say negative emotions can be linked to overeating and choosing unhealthy foods.

    "We found fried food consumption to be higher on days with more variable emotional patterns than days with consistent low negative mood," said Christine Hotaru Naya from the University of Southern California. "These results align with other studies that have found the negative mood to positively predict children's fatty food intake."

    Negative emotions linked to poor eating

    The researchers surveyed nearly 200 young children in California through the use of a mobile app. The participants were asked several times a day how they felt emotionally and what foods they consumed.

    By the end of the study period, the researchers identified several negative mood patterns that contributed to poor eating. They found that the children experienced at least one of those patterns -- stable low negative mood -- on 90% of the days of the study. 

    Breaking it down by the time of day, the team said early in the morning and during the evening were two vulnerable times when negative emotions could influence kids' food choices. 

    "Children are more likely to consume unhealthy foods on weekends when meals and snacks are less structured and supervised than on school days," added Naya. 

    "More studies are needed for us to understand the relationship between a child's emotions and their food choices, but this is a good start on that path to recognizing how to approach food choices with a person's mood and emotions in mind."

    Parents of picky eaters often have to work around their kids' palates to get them the nutrition they need. But findings from a recent study show that cater...

    Article Image

    Adding salt to your food can increase your chances of dying prematurely, study finds

    Researchers say removing excess salt from your diet can provide health benefits

    Are you the kind of person who immediately reaches for the salt shaker after getting your meal at a restaurant? If so, you might be taking years off your life.

    Findings from a recent study suggest that adding extra salt to your food increases your risk of dying prematurely. Luckily for consumers, the research team found that reducing the amount of salt you consume and eating more fruits and vegetables can benefit your health.

    "Even a modest reduction in sodium intake, by adding less or no salt to food at the table, is likely to result in substantial health benefits, especially when it is achieved in the general population," said Lu Qi, a professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

    Salt intake and higher risk of premature death

    The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing data on salt use from over 500,000 people. The team adjusted their results for several factors, including age, sex, race, deprivation, body mass index, physical activity, diet, medical conditions, whether participants smoked, and how often they drank alcohol.

    The team found that those who always added salt to their food increased their chances of dying prematurely by 28% when compared to people who never or rarely added salt to their food. 

    The study showed that life expectancies for people who always added salt to their food could be reduced by several years by age 50, with women shortening their lives by 1.5 years and men lowering their life expectancies by 2.28 years when compared to those who rarely or never added salt to their food.

    Fruits and vegetables help

    While consuming more salt was linked to a higher chance of dying prematurely, the researchers found that incorporating more fruits and vegetables into a person's diet could help reduce some of that risk.

    "We were not surprised by this finding as fruits and vegetables are major sources of potassium, which has protective effects and is associated with a lower risk of premature death," said Qi.

    Going forward, the researchers plan to continue analyzing the link between salt intake and life expectancy. Their study has been published in the European Heart Journal. 

    Are you the kind of person who immediately reaches for the salt shaker after getting your meal at a restaurant? If so, you might be taking years off your l...

    Article Image

    Eating one avocado per day can improve cholesterol, study finds

    Researchers say the fruit can boost consumers’ overall diet quality

    A new study conducted by researchers from Penn State explored the health benefits associated with eating avocados on a regular basis. According to their findings, avocados are can help lower bad cholesterol levels and improve diet quality. 

    “Adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is generally poor in the U.S., and our findings suggest that eating an avocado per day can substantially increase overall diet quality,” said researcher Kristina Petersen. “This is important because we know a higher diet quality is associated with lower risk of several diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.” 

    Avocados can improve health long-term

    For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 1,000 participants who were either overweight or obese. One group of participants ate an avocado every day for six months; another group limited their avocado intake to two per month and continued eating as they normally would. The team measured their body weight, cholesterol, and fat in the abdomen at the start and end of the study. 

    The researchers learned that eating avocados every day was linked with important health improvements. One benefit of eating more avocados was lower cholesterol; LDL cholesterol decreased by 2.5 mg/dL and total cholesterol decreased by 2.9 mg/DL. 

    The team found that avocados didn’t play a significant role in the participants’ abdomen fat levels or other cardiometabolic risk factors. However, participants who ate avocados every day had better overall diet quality and didn’t gain weight. 

    “While one avocado a day did not lead to clinically significant improvements in abdominal fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors, consuming one avocado a day did not result in body weight gain,” said researcher Joan Sabaté. “This is positive because eating extra calories from avocados doesn’t impact body weight or abdominal fat, and it slightly decreases total and LDL-cholesterol.”

    Moving forward, the researchers hope consumers consider the health benefits of incorporating more avocados into their diets. 

    “While the avocados did not affect belly fat or weight gain, the study still provides evidence that avocados can be a beneficial addition to a well-balanced diet,” said researcher Penny Kris-Etherton. “Incorporating an avocado a day per day in this study did not cause weight gain and also caused a slight decrease in LDL cholesterol, which are all important findings for better health.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from Penn State explored the health benefits associated with eating avocados on a regular basis. According to their fi...

    Article Image

    Eating more protein while dieting may lead to healthier food choices overall, study finds

    Consumers may be more likely to incorporate more vegetables when their protein intake is high

    A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University explored how consumers’ eating habits while dieting may affect their food choices long-term. According to their findings, eating more protein while on a diet may prompt consumers to choose healthier options overall. 

    “The impact of self-selected dietary protein on diet quality has not been examined before, to our knowledge, like this,” said researcher Anna Ogilvie. “Exploring the connection between protein intake and diet quality is important because diet quality is often suboptimal in the U.S., and higher-protein weight loss diets are popular.” 

    Improving diet long-term 

    For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 200 overweight or obese men and women between the ages of 24 and 75 involved in a six-month clinical trial. The participants followed a calorie-deficit diet for the duration of the study, and they recorded everything they ate. The team then assessed the quality of their diets to understand how healthy the participants were eating.

    While the researchers recommended that the participants allot 18% of their daily calories to protein, the participants fell into two groups: 18% of calories coming from protein or 20% of calories coming from protein. Though the team found that both groups lost the same amount of weight, eating more protein improved the participants’ diets overall. 

    Those who ate more protein were more likely to adopt other healthier eating habits. The study showed that higher-protein eaters reached for sugary foods less often and for green vegetables more often. Additionally, eating more protein helped the participants retain more of their lean muscle mass, as opposed to eating less protein on a regular basis. 

    The researchers hope that these findings highlight the benefits associated with eating diets higher in protein, as they can help consumers adopt healthier habits long-term. 

    “It’s somewhat remarkable that a self-selected, slightly higher protein intake during dieting is accompanied by higher intake of green vegetables, and reduced intake of refined grains and added sugar,” said researcher Sue Shapses. “But that’s precisely what we found.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University explored how consumers’ eating habits while dieting may affect their food choices long-term. A...

    Article Image

    Eating ultra-processed foods linked to lower physical fitness in kids, study finds

    Prioritizing healthy foods at home can benefit kids in several ways

    A new study conducted by researchers from the American Society for Nutrition explored some of the risks associated with kids’ eating ultra-processed foods. They learned that kids who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods from a young age were more likely to have poorer physical fitness and cardiovascular health in their teens and beyond. 

    “Healthy dietary and exercise behaviors are established at a very young age,” said researcher Jacqueline Vernarelli, Ph.D. “Our findings point to the need to educate families about cost-effective ways to reduce ultra-processed food intake to help decrease the risk for cardiovascular health problems in adulthood.” 

    Long-term health risks

    The researchers analyzed data from over 1,500 U.S. kids between the ages of three and 15 who were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey/National Youth Fitness Survey. The kids were interviewed about their typical diets and exercise habits, and they also completed physical tests to gauge their fitness levels.

    For kids under the age of five, the researchers measured locomotor development; older kids were measured by their cardiovascular fitness.

    The study showed that children who ate more ultra-processed foods were more likely to have poorer physical fitness, regardless of their age. Older kids who had the poorest cardiovascular fitness were more likely to eat an average of nearly 230 more calories per day of ultra-processed foods. Similarly, the younger kids who struggled the most with locomotor development were eating an average of more than 270 calories per day of ultra-processed foods. 

    Kids who ate the most ultra-processed foods reported regularly eating things like hotdogs, pizza, candy, packaged snacks, and chicken nuggets, among several others. While there are health risks for adults who follow this kind of diet, this study shows that there are similar risks for younger people. 

    Moving forward, the researchers plan to get a better understanding of which types of processed foods kids are most drawn to and what meals tend to include these unhealthier options.

    “Though highly-processed convenience foods are easy to throw into a school bag, our research shows the importance of preparing healthy snacks and meals,” said Dr. Vernarelli. “Think of it like saving for retirement: You’re making decisions now that will influence your child’s future.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from the American Society for Nutrition explored some of the risks associated with kids’ eating ultra-processed foods....

    Article Image

    Most consumers are likely to overestimate the quality of their diets, study finds

    People tend to think they’re eating much healthier than they actually are

    A new study conducted by researchers from the American Society for Nutrition assessed how consumers think about their own diets. Ultimately, the majority of people are likely to report that they eat much healthier than they actually do. 

    “We found that only a small percentage of U.S. adults can accurately assess the healthfulness of their diet, and interestingly, it’s mostly those who perceive their diet as poor who are able to accurately assess their diet,” said researcher Jessica Thomson. “Additionally, most adults overrate the quality of their diet, sometimes to a substantial degree.” 

    Who’s eating healthy?

    The researchers analyzed responses from nearly 10,000 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants completed questionnaires about what they ate and drank in the last 24-hour period and then ranked how healthy they believed their diets to be. The researchers gave participants four categories to describe their diets: poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent. 

    The researchers then used the questionnaires to come up with an overall rating of the participants' actual diets. Ultimately, about 85% of the participants inaccurately assessed their own diets, and 99% of those people scored their diets healthier than they actually were. 

    Among participants who rated their diets as fair, good, very good or excellent, they only matched the researchers’ rankings between 1% and 18% of the time. However, those who determined their diets to be poor had much better success, matching the team’s ranking 97% of the time. 

    Moving forward, the researchers hope that more work is done to get a better baseline understanding of consumers’ thought processes when choosing and ranking certain foods.  

    “It’s difficult for us to say whether U.S. adults lack an accurate understanding of the components of a healthful versus unhealthful diet or whether adults perceive the healthfulness of their diet as they wish it to be – that is, higher in quality than it actually is,” Thomson said. “Until we have a better understanding of what individuals consider when assessing the healthfulness of their diet, it will be difficult to determine what knowledge and skills are necessary to improve self-assessment or perception of one’s diet quality.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from the American Society for Nutrition assessed how consumers think about their own diets. Ultimately, the majority o...

    Article Image

    Eating eggs improves heart health, study finds

    Having one egg each day can lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease

    A new study conducted by researchers from eLife explored some of the heart health benefits consumers can gain by eating eggs. The study showed that having just one egg per day may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease

    “Few studies have looked at the role that plasma cholesterol metabolism plays in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, so we wanted to help address this gap,” said researcher Lang Pan. 

    Eggs may benefit good cholesterol

    The researchers analyzed data from nearly 5,000 people enrolled in the China Kadoorie Biobank. The participants left blood samples and the researchers analyzed their plasma for 225 metabolites that could be linked to egg consumption. When the study began, over 3,400 participants had cardiovascular disease and nearly 1,400 didn’t. 

    Ultimately, the researchers identified a link between egg consumption and heart health. Participants who ate eggs on a regular basis had lower levels of potentially harmful metabolites and higher levels of beneficial metabolites. The opposite was also true; those who didn’t or rarely ate eggs had more metabolites in their blood linked with heart disease. 

    The study also showed that eating more eggs was linked with improvements in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol. Participants who regularly ate eggs had higher levels of the apolipoprotein A1 protein, which helps build up HDL levels. It also helps absorb cholesterol from blood vessels and lowers the risk of blockages. 

    “Together, our results provide a potential explanation for how eating a moderate amount of eggs can help protect against heart disease,” said researcher Canqing Yu. “More studies are needed to verify the causal role that lipid metabolites play in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease.” 

    A new study conducted by researchers from eLife explored some of the heart health benefits consumers can gain by eating eggs. The study showed that having...