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Is hidden sugar sneaking into your diet?

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Who doesn’t love some sweets, some desserts?   Everyone knows candy, cookies, pies, cakes, and other desserts have sugar.    But you may not be aware of the amount of added sugar in everyday foods.   What are some food sources of hidden sugar that may surprise you?   What is the difference between the natural sugar in foods and added sugar?   It is the added sugar in foods that can lead to a number of health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, dental disease and even liver disease.      What foods have natural sugar? When health professionals recommend cutting back on “sugar”, they usually aren’t talking about the natural sugar in foods.   Did you know cow’s milk has some natural sugar called “lactose”?   It is not very sweet so milk doesn’t taste very sweet unless it is chocolate milk and sugar has been added.   Fruit contains a natural sugar called “fructose”.   So why don’t you get a sugar high when you eat an apple or an orange?   Because the fiber in fruit sl
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Triglycerides 101: Your Guide to Understanding These Essential Fats

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A relative just asked me about their triglyceride levels.   She wanted to know what to do if her triglycerides were high.   What are triglycerides?   What does a high level of triglycerides mean for one’s health?   Do we get triglycerides from food?   Does our body need triglycerides? What are triglycerides? Triglycerides are a fat that circulates in your blood and is the most common fat in your body.   After you eat a meal, you burn up some of the calories from food but your body converts the calories it doesn’t need right away to triglycerides and stores these triglycerides in your fat cells.   If you need energy between meals, your body can release some triglycerides from the fat cells to use for energy.   What do high triglyceride levels due to our health? High triglyceride levels in our blood can lead to several health issues including heart disease, stroke and even pancreatitis.   Why?   Too many triglycerides in our blood causes artery walls to thicken which can lead to
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Is Sparkling Water a Good or Bad Choice for Your Health?

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So many of my relatives have switched from drinking sugared sodas to drinking sparkling water.   What are the pros and cons of switching to sparkling water?   My sister sent me several articles about sparkling water that answers these questions. What is sparkling water? Sparkling water is also called “seltzer water” or “carbonated water” as it has carbon dioxide bubbles in it.   There are many kinds of sparkling water including: “club soda, soda water, seltzer water, mineral water, and tonic water”.   Mineral water:   water from a mineral spring or a well that may contain some minerals, sulfur compounds and natural bubbles.   Tonic water:   has quinine and added sugar or added high-fructose corn syrup.   The quinine gives it a bitter taste.   Sparkling water :   Water with carbon dioxide added to make it fizzy and bubbly.   May also have flavorings, some real fruit juice, or artificial sweeteners added.    What are the health benefits of drinking sparkling water? Hydration:  
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Should you try the anti-aging supplement, fish oil?

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Last week we discussed 2 anti-aging supplements many people choose to take, calcium and collagen.   This week’s focus is on another anti-aging supplement that is popular, fish oil. Many commercials push fish oil supplements.   Consumer Reports offers some good guidance on supplements in their article   “7 Anti-Aging Supplements to Try”.      Fish Oil Why do so many people focus on fish oil supplements?   Because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish have so many health benefits: Heart Health:   Omega-3 fats can help lower total cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, and prevent the formation of plaques that can block arteries.   Brain Function:   NIH notes that omega-3 fatty acids “increases learning, memory, cognitive well-being, and blood flow in the brain.   Eye Health:   WebMD notes that “results from some early studies suggest that eating higher amounts of omega-3s could lower your chances of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).   Some studi
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