Drinks marketed to children often contain loads of unhealthy sugars and sweeteners, and they come in packages that deliver too-large servings, a new report finds. None of 34 sweetened drinks aimed at the youth market meet nutrition recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), according to University of Connecticut researchers. “Sweetened drinks are about two-thirds of children’s drink sales, compared to 100% juice-and-water blends,” said lead researcher Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives for the university’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity in Hartford. “Parents may be surprised to know that pediatricians, dentists and other nutrition experts recommend against serving any of these drinks to children.” Sweetened drinks have been identified as a major source of excess calories for kids. Added sugars account for 17% of the total caloric intake of children and teens, and sugary beverages contribute almost half of those added sugars, according to AAP. For this study, Harris and her team looked only at products marketed for children, ignoring sodas, sports drinks and iced teas that are promoted for a wider audience. They identified 67 products from 23 drink brands. About half contained added sweeteners; the others didn’t. The sweetened drinks made up 62% of the $2.2 billion in children’s drink sales in 2018, researchers said. Pure juice or juice/water blends accounted for 38% of sales. One serving of many…  read on >

You’ve worked hard to curb mindless eating by not watching TV with a bag of chips in your lap, and you log everything you do eat in your smartphone app. But you could still be taking in more calories than you realize. The fact is that throughout each day, you’re bombarded by sneaky sources of extra calories that never get recorded in that journal of yours. And the result could sabotage your weight-loss diet or add unwanted weight. For instance, your office could be a diet war zone if bowls of candy sit on every other desk. That nibbling adds up, so swear off these caloric pit stops. The same goes for the lollipop bowl at your bank or dry cleaners. Go “hands-free” on the free samples at your favorite food stores — those tiny cups of mac and cheese and donut holes can add up as you walk the aisles. Be careful at home, too. Are you a repeat taste tester when cooking? Even if your recipes are healthy, every spoonful that passes your lips has calories, so limit yourself to one or two, or spread the wealth and let other family members taste-test for you. Finally, resign from the clean-plate club. Stop finishing off the last bites on your child’s plate or in serving bowls. If you can’t bear to throw out bits…  read on >

Whether you’re tailgating, cooking for a potluck or bringing in a treat for co-workers, keep safety in mind to avoid food-borne illnesses. Safe handling is always important, but it’s an even bigger priority when you’re away from your kitchen, without the benefit of your fridge and oven to control food temperatures. The key is to plan ahead to keep food safe until eaten. The golden rule is to keep cold foods cold — below 40 degrees, and keep hot foods hot — above 140 degrees. Keeping cold food cold means you’ll need to use a cooler with cold packs or lots of ice, and keep it in the shade. Foods that don’t need to be stored in the cooler include whole fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and peanut butter and jelly. If you’ll be cooking, such as grilling, at the venue, carry raw food in its own cooler, double wrapped in plastic to contain any juices. Bring disposable wipes for hand washing. If you’re taking food to a friend’s home for a BBQ, for instance, keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to put on the grill. Since food may brown before it’s cooked through, test with an instant-read thermometer for safety. Best Internal Temperature for Cooked Meats Red meat: 145 degrees All ground meat: 160 degrees Poultry: 165 degrees If cooking in batches, place…  read on >

Want to add pizzazz to your morning bowl of oats? Here’s how to spice things up and boost the nutrition. Oats are rich in important minerals like manganese, which plays a role in controlling blood sugar. They also happen to be very high in fiber, important for gut and heart health. Nuts and seeds are great toppings for oats that you might be enjoying already. But adding fruit and spices boosts the antioxidant level of your breakfast with very few extra calories. The following recipe hits the mark on many counts. It includes turmeric, a healing spice with thousands of medical studies behind it. Turmeric also tastes great when combined with fruit, so this recipe includes mango, rich in vitamins A and C, among others. Black pepper adds a pinch of heat and helps turbo-charge turmeric’s healing properties. Like turmeric, cinnamon is full of antibacterial compounds and has a naturally sweet flavor. Coconut is high in fiber and its fats help curb hunger. Mango-Coconut Oats 1 cup rolled oats 1-3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup diced mango 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons shredded coconut Place oats in a small saucepan with the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes. While the oats cook, make…  read on >