U.S. officials are scrutinizing nutritional claims found on the front of consumer food packaging in an effort to crack down on the use of misleading information. What you see is not always what you get when it comes to “catch phrase” labeling and the actual nutritional value of many food products.
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The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently issued a report that outlines proposed recommendations for improved standards for school-provided meals that offer nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The nutritional standards of the National School Lunch Program have not been reviewed for possible update since the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for America standards were set. If adopted, the new guidelines would also apply to the National School Breakfast Program.
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The most overlooked items on the dinner table have to be the salt and pepper shakers. Besides adding tasty decoration to anyone’s kitchen or dining room table, the salt is used to enhance flavor—although used in moderation, and pepper adds flavor and heat to a dish. However, the spice of pepper is proving to be more and more useful as a health tool instead of just a way to enhance or mask bland flavors. With pepper getting a little more credit now that its healthy qualities are being touted, one company is marketing the good effects of piperine—major component in black pepper that induces enzymes in the body to help breakdown proteins—as an alternative to pepper.
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Throughout the years, parents have urged their children, “Eat your fruits and veggies, they’re good for you!” And guess what? They are good for us. Fruits and vegetables, in general, provide our bodies with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and loads of disease-fighting antioxidants. Almost all are naturally low in fat and calories and none have cholesterol. All of these healthful characteristics may help protect against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Still, according to a new government study, only 14 percent of American adults are eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and less than 10 percent of high school students are getting the proper amounts of these wholesome foods.
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It’s well known that overweight adults are at greater risk for a myriad of health problems and that losing weight can reduce that risk. Just a 10 percent reduction in weight can improve heart function, lower blood pressure and levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and decrease the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And new research shows that obese people with sleep apnea who lose 10 percent of their weight can significantly improve their symptoms and potentially rid themselves of the disorder. (more…)

An experimental weight-loss drug produced by Vivus, Incorporated recently met U.S. guidelines in two late-stage trials. The proven effectiveness of the new obesity drug, known as Qnexa, has paved the way for Vivus to seek regulatory approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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