'Functional Foods' Worry Health Experts

State laws making a difference, says study

(NEWSER) - Why do teens in California consume fewer calories a day than young people in other states? It's because they snack less when at school, a new study finds, and they snack less because state laws have curbed the sale of junk food and banned the sale of soda and sugary drinks in schools, reports NPR . California teens ingest 158 fewer calories daily than teens in other states, an amount that can have a big cumulative effect for the better. More»

British study links chemicals to disruptive behavior; government issues warning

(NEWSER) - Adding fuel to a long-simmering debate, a British study has found that additives in sweets and soft drinks can indeed produce hyperactivity and disruptive behavior in children. The findings were so dramatic that the British government is issuing guidelines warning parents of kids with behavioral problems to avoid foods containing the additives, the Guardian reports. More»

David Lazarus: It's time to stop the obesity epidemic

(NEWSER) - The obesity news just keeps getting worse, the latest example being the study warning that 4 in 10 American adults could be obese in less than 20 years. "Americans eat too damn much," writes David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times . And though it may be distasteful to get government involved in our dinners, it's become necessary: It's clear that "millions of Americans can't be trusted to look after their own well-being," while everybody else gets stuck with their health bills. More»

Low-fat peanut butter and energy bars make the list

(NEWSER) - Some foods have an underserved reputation as being healthy snacks, writes Katherine Tallmadge at the Washington Post . She runs down five common ones, including:

• Energy bars: These are actually "calorie bombs," she writes. Sugar is usually the first or second ingredient. Going for a hike? Try nuts and dried fruit instead.

Mark Bittman: Corn, potatoes don't deserve their bad rap

(NEWSER) - Corn and potatoes get a bad rap, due to the fact that we mainly consume them in junk food form. But corn and potatoes themselves are, Mark Bittman reminds us in the New York Times , "real food"—unlike, say, Pringles, which are potato chips that contain just 42% actual potato. That brand was just sold to Kellogg's for $2.7 billion last week, and Bittman uses the transaction as a reason to examine our relationship with the crops. "Don’t make the mistake of blaming the potato for Pringles," Bittman urges. "Nor should you blame corn for nachos or, for that matter, metal for guns." More»