Your morning coffee is mostly free from harmful levels of toxins and contaminants, but a new investigation shows there’s room for improvement. “While some contaminants were present, most were found at minimal levels and well below the European Union’s safety limits per 6-ounce serving. This means coffee is generally safe,” Molly Hamilton, executive director of…  read on >  read on >

Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and other dollar stores are chock full of cheap, highly processed foods — just the sort of eats that can lead to obesity, heart disease and other health problems. But dollar store shoppers are surprisingly savvy, and the foods sold in these discount stores don’t appear to be doing…  read on >  read on >

As a bariatric surgeon, I talk with patients every day about weight loss and improving their overall health. One topic that comes up more and more is intermittent fasting. You’ve probably heard about it from a friend, seen it on social media or read about celebrities who swear by it. But what is it, really?…  read on >  read on >

A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia that was linked to a deadly listeria outbreak last year will reopen soon, federal officials say. But recent inspections show similar sanitation problems at other company sites. The Jarratt, Va., facility was closed down in September 2023 after U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors found the company…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s top vaccine regulator is returning to his post less than two weeks after the White House had him ousted. Dr. Vinay Prasad will again head the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which oversees vaccines and complex treatments for serious diseases, the U.S. Department of Health and…  read on >  read on >

A new weight loss pill made by Eli Lilly helped people lose a significant amount of weight in a recent study. Taken at the highest dose, orforglipron helped patients lose an average 27.3 pounds, or 12.4% of their body weight, over 72 weeks. Eli Lilly says it plans to apply for U.S. Food and Drug…  read on >  read on >

More than 1 in 10 Americans have used a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, a new survey by the RAND research group reveals. About 12% say they’ve tried GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound, with rates of use highest among people ages 50 to 64, survey results show. “Of all demographic groups, women between…  read on >  read on >

Health officials in Florida are warning folks about the dangers of drinking raw milk after 21 people got sick from products linked to a single farm. The Florida Department of Health said six of the sickned individuals are children under age 10. Seven people were hospitalized, and two developed serious complications. “Sanitation practices in this…  read on >  read on >

Want to drop some pounds? Drop the ultra-processed foods, a new study says. People lost twice as much weight on a diet with minimally processed foods compared to one with ultra-processed products, even though both diets were nutritionally matched, researchers reported Aug. 4 in the journal Nature Medicine. “The global food system at the moment…  read on >  read on >