Want some calcium stearoyl lactylate with that meal? Say what???! Doesn’t sound too appetizing, does it? But it’s one of the many ingredients in those packaged foods we eat. The dangers of food additives and preservatives are revealed in a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). CSPI says most food additives and preservatives are safe and can sometimes even make the food more nutritious. But some of them haven’t been tested enough. And others can be dangerous.

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Spice up your salsa this Cinco de Mayo with a new version of this healthy dip. Combine chopped vegetables, fruits, herbs and even hot sauce into a delicious salsa that is low in calories and bursting with flavor. There’s one for every flavor palate, including:

• Tomato salsa: Combine chopped, plum tomatoes, onions, canned green chilies, cilantro and lime juice.

• Pineapple salsa: Combine chopped, fresh pineapple with chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice and a touch of sugar and minced garlic.

• Black bean salsa: Combine canned, drained black beans with chopped tomato, chopped onion and chopped cilantro.

One-half cup of an all-vegetable salsa counts as one vegetable serving. Make salsa with mango or another fruit and a ½-cup portion counts toward both your daily fruit and vegetable requirements.

Source: American Dietetic Association

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The food guide pyramid may have gotten a new look a few years ago, but Americans are still not getting the message. Instead of following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid guidelines to eat a diet filled with nutrients, a new report finds Americans prefer foods high in solid fats and added sugar. Continue reading this post…

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It’s the ultimate girl’s day out for fitness lovers. SELF Magazine kicked off its annual Workout in the Park last weekend in San Diego. This weekend, you can catch up with the event in Miami. Continue reading this post…

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Seriously, I love saving money and I’m always on the lookout for Kashi coupons. But an even better find - free Kashi granola. Yep, Kashi is giving away free samples of its new Mountain Medley blend. Continue reading this post…

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Pinch me now. Am I sleeping? Or is this really a chocoholic’s dream come true? Researchers are looking for volunteers to yes, eat candy bars for a year… so they can test the health benefits of chocolate. No joke!

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This is just the kind of story I like to hear - some Philadelphia elementary schools made changes to fight fat… and they won big! It was all part of a government-funded study to see if a few healthy tweaks could reduce the number of overweight kids. Continue reading this post…

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The effects of lack of sleep start at a young age - not getting enough Zzzs could determine your kids’ weight. A new report finds infants and toddlers who sleep less than 12 hours a day are twice as likely to become overweight by age three than children who sleep longer. And if they sleep less than 12 hours plus watch TV two or more hours a day, they have a 16 percent chance of becoming overweight by age three. Continue reading this post…

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Sometimes getting a few weight loss tips from those who have successfully shed some pounds can give you new ideas to try in your own journey. I think it’s also a good way to get motivated. Consumer Reports (CR) rated some popular diet books - from them they picked eight practical strategies that just might work for you. So give them a try, and let me know what you think. Continue reading this post…

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The next time you have an apple, why not go nuts? It’ll keep things interesting for you or your kids… or both. Here’s a quick apple recipe I found from Kraft Foods that turns the plain old fruit into a fun, healthy, and delicious snack. Continue reading this post…

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