Environmental Nutrition

Lots of Cookies Now “Trans-Free,” But Not All Are Healthful

Subscribers Only Sandwich cookies, fruit-filled cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies...whatever your favorite, it's likely been reformulated it to minimize artery-clogging trans fats. But simply reducing trans does not a healthful cookie make. EN 's brand-by-brand comparison.

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Research Roundup

Subscribers Only • Eating lots of fruit and especially vegetables may reduce your risk of kidney cancer, according to Italian researchers. • Selenium may prevent some of the mental decline that occurs with age suggest French researchers. • Men who lose weight are at lower risk for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Multi-ple Failures

Subscribers Only Multivitamins are basic supplements. Reliable, you’d think. But ConsumerLab.com, an independent evaluator, recently tested multis and found that more than half had significant problems, including lead contampination.

Can Beverage “Boost” Blood Sugar Control?

Subscribers Only Novartis, the maker of Boost Glucose Control , boasts its new product is: “Specifically formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of people with type 2 diabetes....” But is it necessary?

Chickpeas, Garbanzos: The Same Nutritious Food

Subscribers Only The ancient Mesopotamians believed that chickpeas, aka garbanzos, boosted performance under stress. Maybe. Chickpeas are high in fiber, rich in minerals and a good source of vitamin B6 and folate. Try them in EN 's own Curried Chickpeas recipe.

Chai Calorie Caution

Subscribers Only Q. What is chai? Is it healthful? A. Chai, a traditional Asian drink, has many variations, but always contains tea, milk and spices. Whether it’s healthful depends on how it’s prepared.

Raw Milk: Some Say It’s Better, EN Plays It Safe

Subscribers Only Q. I found a local dairy that sells raw milk. Is it safe to drink? A. That depends on who you ask. Raw milk advocates claim that raw, unpasteurized milk is more nutritious, among other positives. But government agencies say that raw milk is not safe for anyone to drink.

Vitamin K Builds Bone and Prevents Fractures; Is it the New Calcium?

Subscribers Only Q. Is vitamin K important for bones? A. Yes, likely very important. A growing body of research suggests that healthy bones need vitamin K just as much as they need calcium.

What Goes Around, Comes Around: Waistline Is Best Measure of Health

Subscribers Only Have a “spare tire?” If so, it may up your risk of lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Canadian researchers studied nearly 1,700 adults and found that lung function diminished as waist size grew.

Time for a Margarine Makeover: EN Shows the Way

Subscribers Only Are you in a margarine rut? If so, it’s time to re-evaluate. Recent changes in bread spreads mean more healthful options, but also make it harder to choose. Try our at-a-glance comparison of stick, tubs and sprays. Plus, the answer to "how can a margarine be fat free?"

To Keep Prostate From Enlarging, Eat Veggies

Subscribers Only Men whose diets are high in vitamin C, beta-carotene and lutein are significantly less likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) than men whose diets contain little of these three nutrients.

Can Nutrient-Laced Cosmetics Help You Conquer Aging Skin? EN’s 7 Tips

Subscribers Only While there are plenty of positives about growing older, wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin are not among them. Cosmetic companies are attacking the problem with an ever-expanding lineup of so-called cosmeceuticals that offer the elusive promise of younger-looking skin. EN looks at the pros and cons.

Stop Trouble Before It Starts:
How To Get 4 “Prediseases” Under Control

Subscribers Only Preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and obesity can begin before symptoms really take hold, at the point, for instance, where blood sugar is a little high or bone is beginning to thin. Such conditions are now called "prediseases;" here’s what you need to know about four of them.