HealthHacks

Does microwaving food in plastic containers cause dangerous chemicals to leach into the food?

Why does your metabolic rate fall as you age?

Can skin care products really turn back time?

Does smoking marijuana moderately during adolescence cause long-term damage to the brain?

What should my resting heart rate be?

Cutting calories significantly has been shown to slow aging — can more moderate reductions do the same?

Does the cholesterol from eggs really harm the heart?

Which is worse for melanoma: moderate long-term sun exposure or intermittent intense exposure?

[tags]health, fitness, microwaves, metabolism, exercise, cholesterol, aging, melanoma [/tags]

I’ve been waiting some time for the opportunity to try these new “heart healthy” chocolate bars and snacks from Mars, Inc. I finally got the chance the other day when I spotted them in my local Wegman’s.

CocaVia is different from other candy bars and snacks in that it is specifically designed to retain the antioxidant flavanols naturally present in the cocoa plant. Conventional chocolate processing, unfortunately, destroys these beneficial compounds. Additionally, Mars has added plant sterols to the bars and snacks for their reported ability to improve cholesterol profiles.

Each serving contains at least 100 mg of flavanols and 1.5 mg of plant sterols.

I purchased the “Original Chocolate Bars” and the “Chocolate Covered Almonds.” I have to say they are both fantastic. The chocolate taste is very similar to that of Dove’s dark chocolate, but I think this is even better. It has a smoothness and softness that you don’t find in many other chocolates. It is also a very rich. The bars are quite small, but they definitely satisfy any chocolate craving you may have.

The bars have 100 calories, and the chocolate covered almonds have 140.

Some have criticized the idea of candy as a way to improve your heart health, but if you use them to replace existing chocolate snacks or other deserts, they are a great — and tasty — substitute.

[tags]CocoaVia, chocolate, product reviews, snacks, health, nutrition [/tags]

I have taken an omega-3 supplement for years now. I find the research is just too compelling to ignore. But, I also want to make sure my son gets enough omega-3 fatty acids — especially those found in fish oils. There was no way, however, I was going to give him a supplement meant for adults.

So I was pleased to finally find that you can purchase pharmaceutical-grade fish oil for children. It even comes in a chewable, flavored soft-capsule.

Even though it was flavored, I was skeptical if he would really take it. He loves his Flinstones’ vitamins, but this is oil — eek. Would he really take them?

Well, it turns out he loves them — just as much as his Flintstones’. I tried them myself, and — while I’ll stick to swallowing them rather than chewing — they aren’t too bad.

You can purchase them for $15.95 for 90 capsules at VitaCost.

[tags]supplements, omega-3, children, fish oil, reviews [/tags]

Sprint has teamed up with Canadian-based MyFoodPhone to launch a new service aimed at helping people better monitor their diet.

Using a camera phone, users simply snap a photo of whatever they plan to eat. The pictures are then sent to MyFoodPhone’s nutritionists who analyze the meal’s (or snack’s) nutritional content. Subscribers may then log on to see their photo food journal and a complete nutritional analysis.

Also included is area to record any additional information users care to track such as body weight or blood sugar readings.

The highlight of the service, however, is personal feedback provided via video messages recorded by the user’s nutrition advisor.

The service is available now for $9.99 a month exclusively on Sprint phones, but is expected to be available with other carriers soon.
[tags]health, nutrition, Sprint, MyFoodPhone, cell phones, diet, nutritionist, camera phone [/tags]

The Chicago Tribune recently taste-tested several brands of pre-packaged, Oreo-esque cookies. Included in their tests: Oreos (pre- and post-trans fat removal), Joe Joe’s from Trader Joe’s, Newman’s Own O’s, and several others.

The results:

Oreo (7 points. $4.39 per 18-ounce 24 cents per ounce.) “Classic Oreo flavor with a good mix of cocoa and icing.” “Yum, where’s the milk?” “Ah just right, nice sense of personality; great chocolate flavor.”

Joe-Joe’s (5 points. $2.49 per 20-ounce package; 12 cents per ounce.) “Candylike filling.” “Good chocolate taste.” “Very artificial.” “Falls apart.”

Back to Nature (4.6 points. $3.39 per 12-ounce package; 28 cents per ounce.) “Good but a bit bland.” “Wholesome; not too sweet.” “Stale filling.” “Very sweet.” “Little chocolate taste.”

And unfortunately, the Oreos with trans fat beat those without by a 2 to 1 margin.

[tags]food, cookies, Oreos, trans fats[/tags]