Nutrition

Nutrition Articles

Food truck fare: Trendy eats, but are they safe?

Ordering food from a food truck poses several health challenges. Dishes may be loaded with saturated fat, salt, refined carbohydrates, sugar, and calories. There’s no way to know how often a food truck kitchen is cleaned or if food truck operators are trained in proper food safety and handling. Also, food trucks don’t always post the ingredients of food they serve, which can be risky for people on restricted diets. It helps to watch for health inspection documents that are sometimes posted in a food truck window, and to ask food truck operators about the ingredients in food they serve. (Locked) More »

Mediterranean diet works by adding up small improvements

Small changes inside the body may add up to a larger cardiovascular risk reduction—up to 25%—in people who eat the Mediterranean-style diet versus those who do not. One of the biggest changes thought to reduce overall risk in heart and blood vessel disease is a drop in chronic inflammation, a known risk factor for heart disease. (Locked) More »

Fill up on phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants that may benefit human health. For example, carotenoids found in red, orange, yellow, and green plants (cooked tomatoes, carrots, squash, and broccoli) may inhibit cancer growth and cardiovascular disease, and boost the immune system. Flavonoids found in berries, apples, citrus, onions, soybeans, and coffee may fight inflammation and tumor growth. One can get a wide variety of phytochemicals by simply eating a varied diet that includes five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. (Locked) More »