Consumers can safely enjoy a range of sweeteners, both full-calorie and low-calorie ones, as part of a healthy diet guided by current nutrition recommendations, according to a newly updated position paper by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association).
The need for public and health professional education about dietary fiber is crucial since consumption of fiber is low enough to be of public health concern for both adults and children, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Objective and credible information on dietary fibers is now available on the Web via a new site - www.fiberfacts.org.
It's that time of year when extra calories lurk around every corner – baked goods at the office, cocktails and snacks at holiday parties, chocolates in stockings and holiday dinners that can average more than 4,500 calories and 220 grams of fat, according to the Calorie Control Council. All these extras can add up to weight gain during the holiday season.
The Calorie Control Council announced the publication of “Alternative Sweeteners, Fourth Edition,” the updated textbook edited by well-known sweetener authority Lyn O’Brien Nabors. Chapters have been updated for aspartame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose, among other sweeteners.
Despite all the recent hype, restrictive diets such as the Dukan Diet and Atkins – and dieting programs such as Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers – appear at the bottom of the list of popular weight control methods, according to a new national survey released this week by the Calorie Control Council (CCC). At the top of the list are cutting back on sugar, eating smaller portions, using low-calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages and combining calorie reduction with exercise.
Accurate and reliable information regarding stevia, a natural, zero calorie sweetener is now available on the Web via a new site – http://www.steviabenefits.org.
Dr. David Barker's research, featured in the February edition of the Journal of Nutrition, finds that the effect of breastfeeding on obesity disappears by age 7.
As the year comes to a close, many spend time reflecting on the past 12 months as well as making resolutions about the coming year. As 2008 ends, what new dieting and exercise trends can be expected for 2009? Beth Hubrich, MS, RD, of the Calorie Control Council weighed in on this issue stating, "With the continued rise in obesity, weight gain prevention has become just as important as weight loss. This, coupled with a decline in the economy, has many consumers searching for quality nutrition on a budget."
A small rat study reported in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience alleging a link between low-calorie sweeteners and weight gain, needs to be considered in the proper scientific context, especially in relation to other previously published research that has reached the opposite conclusion. Previous studies in humans have shown that low-calorie sweeteners are indeed beneficial for weight control.
Super Bowl Sunday is the "Super Bowl" of snacking. Research by the Calorie Control Council and the Snack Food Association finds that Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks on the big game day. That breaks down to 11.2 million pounds of potato chips, 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips, 4.3 million pounds of pretzels, 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 million pounds of nuts.
As the holiday season comes to a close and the champagne glasses and party trays are put away for next year, many people are finding the high-calorie foods and beverages of the holiday season have had a serious impact on their waistlines.
Every year around the holidays Americans pledge that this will be the year they lose weight and get healthy. Although many will make weight loss a New Year's resolution, the extra pounds have been "weighing" on people's minds throughout the year. In fact, a recent survey from the Calorie Control Council indicates that for 95 million Americans, dieting is a constant concern.
An independent study conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers, published in the July edition of the International Journal of Obesity, finds that women who were breastfed did not have lower incidence of overweight or obesity in adulthood when compared to women who were not breastfed.
The findings of a new rat study conducted by Italy's Ramazzini Institute are contradictory to the extensive scientific research and regulatory reviews conducted on aspartame. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has stated they are not recommending any changes in the use of aspartame.
The Calorie Control Council today stated that an unpublished rat study conducted by Italy's Ramazzini Institute is totally contradictory to the extensive scientific research and regulatory reviews conducted on aspartame. The FDA is not recommending any changes in the use of aspartame.
Most health professionals agree the average weight gain is approximately one pound during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Although this may not seem a concern, that one extra pound is often never lost and over several years, this often adds up to five, ten, even 20 extra pounds.
However, with a little determination and some planning, the holiday season does not have to lead to weight gain. The Calorie Control Council offers suggestion on how to not gain weight this holidays season.
A glass of fruit juice has long been thought of as a healthy daily habit. Recently, people have been confused about how much juice to drink, partly because of the natural sweet taste of fruit juice. Parents should be confident serving their children appropriate amounts of 100 percent fruit juice.