Nutrition Archive

Updates that may benefit heart health include details on added sugars and more accurate serving sizes.

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The information on the Nutrition Facts label—that small box of nutrition-related data on the back of all food packages—has stayed pretty much the same since its introduction back in 1993. But earlier this year, the FDA approved a number of revisions to the panel. The changes reflect the evolving scientific evidence on the connections between diet and chronic illness—particularly obesity and heart disease.

The updated labels won't be mandatory for nearly two years, but the agency provided a preview (see "The new label: What's different?"). These changes may benefit consumers not only by helping them choose more nutritious foods, but also by driving the food industry to make products healthier, says Dr. Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Many of the changes are relevant for people concerned about heart disease—especially the new data on added sugars.

People who eat more plant-based proteins from beans, nuts, and grains may have a lower risk of dying from heart disease or any cause, compared with people who eat more animal-based proteins such as meat or eggs. 

Your dietary habits can promote cancer or protect against it.

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The link between cancer and diet is just as mysterious as the disease itself. Much research has pointed toward certain foods and nutrients that may help prevent—or, conversely, contribute to—certain types of cancer.

While there are many factors you can't change that increase your cancer risk, such as genetics and environment, there are others you can control. In fact, estimates suggest that less than 30% of a person's lifetime risk of getting cancer results from uncontrollable factors. The rest you have the power to change, including your diet.

Eating 70 grams (four servings) of whole grains daily may lower your risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a study in Circulation. One serving of 100% whole-grain food contains about 16 grams. Examples include one slice of 100% whole-grain bread or a half cup of oatmeal or cooked whole-grain pasta. 

An analysis of two observational studies involving 130,000 participants suggests that substituting plant protein for some animal protein may reduce the risk of early death by one-third in people with unhealthy lifestyles.

Cold-pressed juices and smoothies can add fruits and vegetables to your diet, but they can also pack in calories.

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According to food industry statistics, there's a healthy trend afoot. People are shifting from sugary sodas and processed bottled juice drinks to beverages like cold-pressed juices and smoothies. Sales of juice extractors and blenders lead the small-appliance market, and juice bars continue to spring up on city streets, in shopping malls, and even in supermarkets.

There are a couple of reasons people are taking to these beverages, says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "They think they are doing something healthy, and the beverages can be time savers. It can be faster to grab a smoothie in the morning instead of sitting down to breakfast."

Both wearing a bite counter and eating from a small plate were linked to lower calorie consumption. 

Long-term doses of certain medications may rob you of calcium, folic acid, and crucial B vitamins.

Short-term medication use will not lead to nutrient deficiency. But long-term use may interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients or produce them.
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Medications are well known for causing side effects such as nausea or drowsiness. These are the kinds of side effects you notice and can do something about. But sometimes a lesser known side effect happens without giving you any warning: nutrient deficiency.

Most food manufacturers have until July 2018 to implement the changes.

Nutrition Facts labels on food packages made headlines when the FDA ordered a makeover for them in May of this year. But will the big to-do translate to big changes in the way you make food choices? "I'm hopeful it will," says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "It will be great if the labels can get people to look at the numbers and think more about their health."

Grabbing your attention

Nutrient changes

Boosting intake of whole grains, such as wheat or oats, may reduce the risk of an early death.