Nutrition, Health and Wellness
“It’s time to start thinking of Starbucks for great food”. Or so says the promo material for the new La Boulange line of “artisanal pastries” being offered at the ubiquitous coffee shop. La Boulange Bakery is a San Francisco institution that has been serving up “fantastic brunches and healthful lunches” in the Bay Area since … Read more
Oatmeal is one of America’s favorite breakfast foods, and National Oatmeal Day is celebrated on October 29, each year. It is a themed celebration and, to a moderate extent, under the radar. Oats are fiber-rich whole grains and an excellent source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Oatmeal is made of ground oats. Oats are … Read more
General Mills announced recently that it has filed a patent on a technique to pelletize fiber and calcium for use in ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals. The process will use a gelatinized starch to coalesce calcium and fiber for the purpose of supplementing processed cereals. Mmmm… Is this a big deal? Well…General Mills thinks so. The … Read more
Even whole-grain gurus have a tough time deciphering front of package whole-grain claims. With 34,000 new whole grain products introduced in 2012 (compared to just 264 in 2001), it has become increasingly difficult to determine just how different “made with whole grain” really is from “100% whole grain”. Now, from the Harvard School of Public … Read more
If you have a gut – it is trendy to be referring to it not as a gut, but rather as a “Wheat Belly”. The Wheat Belly craze – based on the eponymous diet book – claims (erroneously) that wheat-containing and processed foods made with wheat act like opiate drugs, promoting addictive behaviors and leading … Read more
An inquisitive reader wrote to ask about one of her favorite cereals, Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran: “I’m concerned about my fiber intake and I have been eating Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran…is this a good source of fiber?” – Jamie from San Diego Great question Jamie! So, what about this Cracklin’ Oat Bran? Should you be … Read more
Bill Joel sang about “Gettin’ put on the back in the discount rack…” like it was a bad thing. The grocery store discount rack is a virtual treasure trove of stuff most people would not otherwise buy, were it not for the enticingly marked down prices. Check out this find from my downtown San Diego … Read more
The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics offers the following ideas to get you packing your plate with nutrient-dense, lower calorie fruit and vegetable options: Begin with Breakfast Wake up to fruit; make a habit of adding fruit to your morning oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal, yogurt or toaster waffle Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat … Read more
In a recent study of general knowledge about dietary fiber, the Kellogg Company found that Americans are not-so-surprisingly, not-so-knowledgeable about the roles and sources of dietary fiber. In a study of 1,006 adults conducted in November 2010, Kellogg’s found that of those surveyed: 20% mistakenly believed that meats and seafoods are a good source of … Read more
If you have traveled or lived anywhere with a British influence, you’ve no doubt come into contact with Weetabix Cereal. It’s a simple, straightforward whole wheat cereal, and only recently available – but not that well-received – in US grocery stores. Here at home, Post Cereals now offers a very similar product, Post Wheat ‘n … Read more