In one of the most rigorous studies ever conducted to determine how well people comprehend the information provided on food nutrition labels, researchers have found that the reading and math skills of a significant number of people may not be sufficient to extract the needed information, according to an article published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

So after seeing that report and of course precious little on what the problems really were that people had trouble with I thought I would pull out a box of Honey Nut Cheerios (They are for the kids, really I am not just right now popping them in my mouth as an evening snack) and a box of Kellogg�s All Bran and am going to try to decipher what the lies are on the labeling.

A List of Food Labeling Lies

1. First of all we all need to know that labels lie. The best example of lying on labels is that PAM cooking spray is low in fat….It is all fat folks but the “serving size” is so low in actual grams of fat that the company can call it fat free or some ridiculous thing.

2. Serving Size - This is dumb but on the Honey Nut Cheerios it says that a serving is 3/4 of a cup or 30 grams I think because they want to use the fact that it is only 110 calories a serving (without milk, I tried to eat my cereal this morning with water instead and it was terrible), my Kellogg�s All Bran says that a serving is 1/2 cup which is actually 36 grams. The difference in this case is that the All Bran wants to use the number of 12 grams of Fiber per serving so they decided that I should eat a half cup as a serving (I really eat about a cup instead in real life).
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Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Tags: allergies, Canada, fda, food, food label, food labeling, food labels, food nutrition labels, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kellogg, nut allergies, the American Journal, unknown chemicals, vitamin a, Vitamin D

I really enjoy making scrambled eggs and toast for me and the kids on a Saturday morning but I have always been careful not to eat to many eggs because you know, we have always heard that they are bad for the heart…or are they?

The American Heart Association says “A single egg contains about 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. So an egg a day could fit within an individual’s dietary budget only if dietary cholesterol from other sources, such as meats, poultry and dairy products were limited.”

Eggs could actually protect against heart disease, breast cancer and eye problems and even help you to lose weight.

For years people assumed eggs were bad for cholesterol levels. But a review just published in the British Nutrition Foundation’s Nutrition Bulletin found they ‘have no clinically significant impact’ on heart disease or cholesterol levels.
Dr Bruce Griffin of the University of Surrey’s school of biomedical and molecular science analysed 30 egg studies, among them one from Harvard University which showed people who consumed one or more eggs a day were at no more risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease than non-egg eaters.
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Tags: American Heart Association, blindness, breast cancer, British Egg Information Service, British Nutrition Foundation, Bruce Griffin, cancers, cardiovascular disease, dairy products, Detroit, diabetes, end product, food, Harvard University, heart attacks, heart disease, Joanne Lunn, macular degeneration, nutrition scientist, obesity, the American College, University of Surrey, vitamin a, Vitamin D, Wayne State University in Detroit

Here are 10 foods that will increase your metabolism and help you lose weight. This great article from Sheri Strykowski is sure to have you nodding your head in agreement but there are a few that will probably be new to you as well. I have made comments in bold just to highlight some of my own opinions

Stoke your metabolic fire and burn calories faster with diet-friendly foods and beverages. Post this list on your fridge next to the photo of you in your “skinny jeans” and make a copy to bring with you the next time you shop for groceries.

Just remember: Calories count, portion control rules and there’s no substitute for a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. So get moving!

Here are the top picks culled from some of the latest research:

1. Water! A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss. Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates (the rate at which calories are burned) by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloat as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. So drink up! Make sure that you are starting your day with a big big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.

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Tags: calorie bank, Canada, cancer, chemical found, chemical properties, christmas, energy, food, freelance journalist, Germany, head, heart disease, Laval University in Canada, Lerner, National Safety Council, Penn State University, Scripps Clinic, Sheri Strykowski, State University of Rio de Janeiro, steel cut, thanksgiving, The Chicago Tribune, Turkey, vitamin a

I just ran into some interesting information on vitamins that are useful in the prevention and treatment of acne. I can not seem to find the original source of this research as it seems to have bee ncopied around to various sites around the internet.

In a double-blind trial, topical application of a 4% niacinamide gel twice daily for two months resulted in significant in improvement in people with acne.4 However, there is little reason to believe this vitamin would have similar actions if taken orally.

Several double-blind trials indicate that zinc supplements reduce the severity of acne.5 6 7 8 In one double-blind trial,9 though not in another,10 zinc was found to be as effective as oral antibiotic therapy. Doctors sometimes suggest that people with acne take 30 mg of zinc two or three times per day for a few months, then 30 mg per day thereafter. It often takes 12 weeks before any improvement is seen. Long-term zinc supplementation requires 1 or 2 mg of copper per day to prevent copper deficiency.

Large quantities of vitamin A�such as 300,000 IU per day for females and 400,000 to 500,000 IU per day for males�have been used successfully to treat severe acne.11 However, unlike the long-lasting benefits of the synthetic prescription version of vitamin A (isotretinoin as Accutane�), the acne typically returns several months after natural vitamin A is discontinued. In addition, the large amounts of vitamin A needed to control acne can be toxic and should be used only under careful medical supervision.

In a preliminary trial, people with acne were given 2.5 grams of pantothenic acid orally four times per day, for a total of 10 grams per day a remarkably high amount.12 A cream containing 20% pantothenic acid was also applied topically four to six times per day. With moderate acne, near-complete relief was seen within two months, while severe conditions took at least six months to respond. Eventually, the intake of pantothenic acid was reduced to 1 to 5 grams per day�still a very high amount.

A preliminary report suggested that vitamin B6 at 50 mg per day may alleviate premenstrual flare-ups of acne experienced by some women.13 While no controlled research has evaluated this possibility, an older controlled trial of resistant adolescent acne found that 50�250 mg per day decreased skin oiliness and improved acne in 75% of the participants.14 However, another preliminary report suggested that vitamin B6 supplements might exacerbate acne.

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Tags: acne, antibiotic therapy, B6, Beauty, copper deficiency, isotretinoin, natural vitamin, pantothenic acid, severe acne, Skin Care, USD, vitamin a, zinc supplements

Vitamins are a little controversial as there are two sides to an argument as to whether our diets in North America have enough nutrients or not.

I eat what I think is a full diet of the good food that I need but still am not sure as to weather I eat all the vitamins and minerals necessary to stay healthy and to allow myself to rebuild my body from the environment and my daily exercise so I take some Vitamins.

Here is what I take:
2 multivitamin pills per day one in the morning and one in the evening
1 calcium pill in the evening with dinner
1 omega 3-6-9 in the evening with dinner

This may seem to some as overkill but I know that I have always felt better day in and day our when I am remembering to take multivitamins.

There are a few things to look for in a multivitamin that I always look for myself. The first thing is looking for B vitamins; B vitamins are good for combating stress to the body so I find they are important. In a multi you will find that the B vitamins are usually 2-3 milligrams as they are more expensive to produce and most companies minimize their costs by keeping the amount of this essential vitamin down. Look through all of the multi vitamins in the stores nearby for B vitamins in the 40-50 milligram range instead but still be aware of the price that you are paying.

I try also to stay away from the health food and nutrition stores as the vitamins that they sell are a lot more expensive and I am not sure that they are worth it, so I usually just go to the local grocery store or pharmacy and look there.

Among the other vitamins that I take Calcium I take as I am not sure that I am taking in enough and my wife worries about osteoporosis and who would really want brittle bones anyway. I take the Omega vitamins as they are good for your heart. Also be aware of antioxidants, these are vitamins Beta Carotene (Vitamin A), C, and E are thought to slow down the aging process by removing free radicals from your body.

Although I may be a little aggressive with my vitamin intake compared to some people it seems to me good prevention to at least take a multivitamin once a day and to try to keep up with nutritional info as you see it in the news.

Tags: food, health food, north America, osteoporosis, vitamin a