Environmental Nutrition

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Research Roundup

Subscribers Only • Higher dietary intakes of lignans are linked to better cognitive function in healthy postmenopausal women who have not taken hormone replacement therapy. . • Men with a high intake of dairy foods , particularly low-fat dairy, are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. • Vitamin B12 supplements are as effective as injections for correcting B12 deficiency, but the doses required are higher than previously thought.

“Less Sugar”? Translation: Splenda Inside

Subscribers Only As the low-carb craze loses steam and products are whisked off supermarket shelves, low-sugar foods are taking their place. But many foods labeled as having less sugar taste just as sweet as their original versions. Why? There’s a hidden ingredient in many of these new low-sugar products—the artificial sweetener Splenda .

Multipurpose Papaya Earns A+ in Nutrition

Subscribers Only Grown worldwide in tropical climates, papaya ( Carica papaya ) has been used for centuries to treat worms and parasites. A low-calorie, nutrient-packed powerhouse, a papaya has more vitamin C than an orange. The succulent fruit is a rich source of the eye-saving carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.

Is Raw Really Better? EN Weighs In on the Raw vs Cooked Debate

Subscribers Only Q . I’ve heard celebrities touting how healthy it is to eat only raw foods. Are raw foods really more nutritious than cooked? A . Not always. Eating uncooked foods does ensure that nutrients are not lost to heat, but cooking can offer a nutrition advantage.

Are Ester-C and Ester-E Better Absorbed? More Potent?

Subscribers Only Q . Are Ester-C and Ester-E better than regular vitamin C or E supplements? A . Different? Yes. Better? That’s debatable. The maker of these patented forms of vitamins C and E certainly claims they are superior. But EN thinks the differences are overblown.

Strong Women, Strong Hearts

Subscribers Only Here’s a shocker: Did you know heart disease kills more women than men every year? And that not only is heart disease the number one killer of women, but it strikes down 10 times as many women as breast cancer. That’s why this book may well be the most important book you read this year

Low-Fat Diet Prevents Breast Cancer Recurrence

Subscribers Only For years, researchers have unsuccessfully debated a possible link between fat intake and breast cancer. Now, for the first time, a large clinical trial has found that women who cut the fat in their diets following standard treatment for early breast cancer significantly reduced their risk of recurrent cancer.

EN Sheds Some Light on “Lite” Ice Creams

Subscribers Only Nothing beats a cool cone on a hot July day. But if summertime finds you regularly treating yourself to a cone or cup, you’d be smart to select a scoop that doesn’t do your diet in. Before you buy "lite," be sure you know what “lite” refers to. Is it light in fat, sugar or calories?

Natural, Free Range, Bird Friendly: Can You Trust Labels?

Subscribers Only The term “organic” is now a label you can trust. But what about all those other phrases you see on products that sound environmentally friendly and healthful—how meaningful are they? Here, EN reveals the truth behind some appealing package claims.

When Diets Don’t Work: Losing Weight With Prescription Drugs or Surgery

Subscribers Only As the number of overweight Americans grows, so does the number of frustrated dieters. For some, turning to drugs or surgery might actually be a better answer than calorie counting and yo-yoing up and down on the scales.

Walking Boosts Survival After Breast Cancer

Subscribers Only Women who are physically active after being diagnosed with breast cancer—especially those with stage 3 disease and those with estrogen-sensitive tumors—are likely to live longer than inactive women, researchers of the Nurses' Health Study found.

Meat and Poultry: How to Defend Against Microbes, Mad Cow and More

Subscribers Only (Part 2 of a 3-part series on food safety.) As the mercury rises, so does the likelihood of getting sick from meat and poultry, because bacteria breed faster in hot and humid summer air. Not only are animals more likely to be contaminated, but the heat makes it more likely that bacteria on meat will multiply.