Food & Diet, features and articles | Educational Science

Mar 31, 2009

Mom's Diet Can Change Unborn Baby's Genetics

There's an old phrase that an expectant mother is eating for two. A new study indicates it's more apt than was known. A bad diet can actually alter a baby's genes. If a mother rat does not eat well, her offspring exhibit genetic changes that affect what they'll become. Because...

Jan 31, 2009

First Sign of Chocolate in Ancient U.S. Found

Chocolate residues left on ancient jars mark cacao's earliest known presence north of what is now the U.S.-Mexico border. The residues, found on pottery shards excavated from a large pueblo (called Pueblo Bonito) in Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico, suggest the practice of drinking chocolate had traveled from what...

Dec 31, 2008

The Recession Could Make You Fat

Studies have shown that obesity and income are related. One reason: Poor neighborhoods tend to have more fast food restaurants and fewer grocery stores, so it's harder for residents to eat well. In Seattle we have found that there are fivefold differences in obesity rates depending on the zip code...

Dec 31, 2008

Caffeine Can Cause Hallucinations

People who take in the caffeine equivalent of three cups of brewed coffee (or seven cups of instant) are more likely to hallucinate, a new study suggests. The researchers found that people with a caffeine intake that high, whether it came from coffee, tea, chocolate or caffeinated energy drinks or...

Sep 30, 2010

Halloween Treats: 6 Sweet Facts

Intro (Image credit: Dreamstime)The mention of Halloween brings up images of trick-or-treaters with plastic jack-o'-lantern pails full of candy. Here are six facts about the spooky holiday's sweets. Side 2 (Image credit: Creative Commons | Matanya)Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America. Inventor Leo Hirschfield gave the...

Aug 31, 2010

How Do They Make Spam?

Though often jokingly referred to as the supermarket equivalent of the mystery meat consumed in school cafeterias, there really is no puzzle about what constitutes Spam, the rectangular meat many of us have come to love. After all, the contents are clearly labeled on the can: Pork with ham meat...

Jul 31, 2010

Why Don't Fad Diets Work?

The bevy of diets available to consumers is overwhelming from Slim-Fast to the acai berry diet, there always seems to be a new diet hitting the market. But, as many people struggling to lose weight already know, dieters that follow fad diets are rarely successful. Even when a diet leads...

Jul 31, 2010

Bottled vs. Brewed: Study Reveals Healthiest Teas

Labels on bottled tea beverages are typically plastered with declarations of their rich antioxidant content. But a new study suggests, if you're looking for high doses of healthful antioxidants, you might be better off brewing your tea at home. Many of the popular beverages included in the study contain fewer...

Jun 30, 2010

The Mysterious Health Benefits of Chocolate

Chocolate has been credited with everything from reducing stress to helping to decrease the risk of heart disease. But do these claims hold a nugget of truth? Over the past several years, studies have steadily uncovered the numerous health benefits of chocolate. Most recently, it was found that people who...

May 31, 2010

Why Do Bottles of Water Have Expiration Dates?

You've just finished an intense workout, and you reach for a cold bottle of water. You crack open the seal and as you bring the bottle to your lips, you notice the expiration date says the water expired two months ago. You thought the bottle seemed a little dusty. Should...

May 31, 2010

Is Sugar Bad for You?

Over the past few years, some soda makers switched from corn syrup to sugar to sweeten their soft drinks. This was partly in response to a corn shortage, but also because many people believe that sugar is healthier or more natural than the high fructose corn syrup previously used. On...

Apr 30, 2010

What's a Gluten-Free Diet?

Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat and barley, and is known to cause inflammation in the intestines of people with celiac disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with celiac disease need to be on a gluten-free diet, since ingesting . In people with this disease,...

Nov 30, 2011

Secret Coca-Cola Recipe Displayed at Museum

The secret recipe for Coca-Cola, the world's best-selling soft drink, has stayed under lock and key in a bank vault in Atlanta since 1925. That is, until today (Dec. 8), when the priceless list of ingredients was carefully moved to a new vault that is now on display at the...

Nov 30, 2011

11 Health Benefits of Christmas Dinner

Christmas Dinner Surprise (Image credit: Ingrid Balabanova | shutterstock)Besides providing you with quality family time and good cheer, Christmas dinner offers a bevy of surprisingly healthy dishes, as long as you don't overdo it. From the main course and yummy sides to desserts and holiday beverages, here are 11 healthy...

Oct 31, 2011

Americans Continue to Pack on the Pounds

We have stuffed ourselves with turkey, and even before the leftovers are gone, it's time for a reality check. American men and women, on average, report weighing nearly 20 pounds (9 kilograms) more than they did in 1990, according to the annual Health and Healthcare survey conducted by Gallup in...