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More Health and Nutrition Bites

When is the best time to exercise? 01/18/23
Too much coffee might be bad - for some 01/11/23
Stay hydrated 01/04/23
Lower risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes with a Mediterranean diet 12/28/22
Stay sharp with flavonols 12/14/22
Salting at the table 12/07/22
On time - and Velveeta 11/30/22
Cut calories vs. cut protein intake: the results will surprise you 11/16/22
Mediterranean Diet Improves Symptoms of Depression in Young Men 11/09/22
Weight and vision 10/26/22
When you eat might matter more than previously thought 10/19/22
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Health & Nutrition Bites

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Our Favorite Health and Nutrition Bites

Since 2006 we've written over 400 Health and Nutrition Bites. Some were certainly more interesting than others, but they're all reporting on current (at the time) research so that you know what it means for you and what, if anything, you can or should do in response to that news. Today we'd like to share with you some of our favorites: funny, thought-provoking, or just plain important.

Right Size Your Recipes
As you might expect, I collect cookbooks. The first cookbook I bought for myself was the Peanuts Cook Book, but the one my mother used most (and I bet yours did too) was The Joy of Cooking. I actually have several copies of this venerable cookbook, from the two-paperback edition from 1974 to the 1946 hardback that my wife bought me for Christmas last year.

Does Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Make You Fat?
A couple of years ago I responded to an Ask Dr. Gourmet question about MSG and obesity. This was referring to a study done by researchers in North Carolina who looked at 752 middle-aged Chinese persons, of whom 82% used MSG regularly. They did indeed see a relationship between using MSG and being overweight. Other research has been done on animals, yielding similar results.

Alcohol-Free Beer: An Antioxidant?
Leaving aside for the moment the medical terms, just look at what's being researched and upon whom: alcohol-free beer and elderly women. You have to ask yourself: where did these researchers find a group of elderly women to drink alcohol-free beer?

The Evidence for Weight Loss Supplements
...It would certainly be easier for me, as a doctor, to hand people a safe, effective pill that would fix their weight problem. Instead of talking about calories in versus calories out, explaining the Mediterranean diet and portion control, encouraging people to exercise and cheering them on when they make progress, I could just give them a pill! I could (almost) shut down Dr. Gourmet completely!