THURSDAY, Oct. 10, 2019America’s child obesity epidemic shows no signs of shrinking. About 4.8 million American kids aged 10 to 17 — just over 15% — were obese in 2017-2018, according to a new report. “These new data show that this challenge touches the lives of far too many children in this country,” said Dr.…  read on >

Looking for a simple yet delicious way to enjoy whole grains? Start with nutritious, easy-to-cook barley, a great swap for processed grains like white rice. When shopping, choose hulled barley instead of pearl. Hulled barley retains more of the outer bran layer with its fiber and nutrients. Pearl parley has had most of the bran…  read on >

How do you make healthy food more popular? Start by giving it a yummy-sounding name, researchers say. People are much more likely to choose good-for-you foods like broccoli or carrots if labeled with names that emphasize taste over nutritional value, according to Alia Crum, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford University, and her colleagues.…  read on >

You might think of a slow cooker as your grandma’s favorite timesaver, but this countertop device has many modern benefits — from making healthier meals and cutting calories to saving you time at the stove. Because almost all you need to do is cut, measure and add ingredients, you can set a slow cooker in…  read on >

From crooked to crowded teeth, children need braces for a variety of reasons, says KidsHealth. Because it’s so easy for food to get stuck in braces, children need to take extra steps to keep their teeth clean. To care for braces, KidsHealth encourages: Brushing after meals and flossing daily. Scheduling regular dental cleanings and checkups.…  read on >

Scientists are taking the wrappings off an age-old malady. Clogged arteries are a heart problem that’s dogged humanity for millennia, finds a new imaging study of mummies. Mummified arterial tissue shows evidence of cholesterol plaque buildup in people who lived anywhere from 2000 BC to 1000 AD, said lead researcher Dr. Mohammad Madjid. These weren’t…  read on >

If you’ve been relegating parsnips to the stock pot (their sweetness enhances both chicken and vegetable broth) or have been skipping over them altogether, you’re missing out on a hearty side-dish choice for fall evenings and winter holidays alike. Think of parsnips as a healthy comfort food, because cooking them brings out their naturally creamy…  read on >

When you hear the word diet, you might think only of weight loss. But a lifestyle diet can bring even greater benefits. One option that belongs on your radar is the MIND diet created by researchers at Rush University in Chicago. MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It’s a hybrid of those two…  read on >

Love those artichoke appetizers you get at restaurants but stop in your tracks when you see them on display at the store? Yes, artichokes look intimidating, but once you know the secret of artichoke prep, you’ll look for opportunities to prepare them at home. Artichokes, a plant in the thistle family, are one of the…  read on >