I want to touch on one of the provisions included in the new health care bill.  No political ramblings here, really.  Not republican, democrat, independent, or tea party.

The FDA has been charged with creating a national standard for menu labeling within the next year that will affect all restaurants with more than 20 locations.  These fast food and sit-down restaurants will be required to display nutritional information on their menu or next to the item on the menu board.  While there are exceptions, such as meal specials available for less than 60 days, nearly all items will be covered by this law.

There is obviously a lot to work through such as exactly what will be included, how the restaurants will meet the new requirements, how it will be enforced, and the fact that this will supercede the laws many cities and states have already enacted.

I've blogged before about studies showing that while some restaurants have listed certain calorie amounts for their meals but when tested, the actual caloric content was significantly higher.

Still, this is a step in the right direction.  It gives the consumer the power and knowledge to make better educated decisions.  What do you think?  Will it make a difference?

Do you really know what you are eating? After this, you might not want to know! A recent Men’s Health article researched the ingredients in the popular chicken nuggets sold at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King.

Let's start with Chicken McNuggets from McDonald's.  How many ingredients do you think it takes to make these?  That would be 27!  McDonald's isn't the only restaurant who uses yeast extract, dextrose, and the like.  Wendy's Chicken Nuggets has 30 ingredients, and Burger King's Chicken Fries has 35!  Now I'm not a master chef, but I were to make chicken nuggets at home, I would use chicken, bread crumbs, egg and maybe one or two seasonings.  Hmmm.....35 ingredients versus 5?  Wonder which is better for you to eat?

How about a Wendy's Frosty?  Yum - a chocolate frosty, right?  Umm....not so much.  14 ingredients!  And don't even ask about the Twisted Frosties!  Again, if I were to make one at home, wouldn't I just need ice cream, milk, and maybe chocolate syrup?  Oh, and a cherry too!  What about you?

"I'll just have a salad."

How many people say this in a restaurant, thinking they are making a healthy choice?  The answer:  WAY TOO MANY!

Salads can be healthy meals, but more often than not, the typical ingredients make them calorie- and fat-laden.  Salad dressing, bacon, and....

Each day in May I’ll post one healthy food. Some are nutrient-dense while others are rich in at least one vitamin, mineral, or other compound known to protect against cancer, heart disease or other diseases.

I’m not saying these are the absolute, best-of-all-time foods and there aren’t any better, anywhere. And I’m not suggesting that you eat all 31 everyday. What I am saying is that these are healthy foods, and if you aren’t allergic to them (let’s use common sense here), you should try to incorporate them in to your diet.

You’ll see they are in alphabetical order because frankly, I couldn’t figure out a better way to organize them!

If you like one, write back and tell us your favorite way to eat it!

Many people say they can’t afford to buy “healthy” food. They claim that fruits and vegetables, lean ground beef, turkey, fish, and chicken, and whole wheat grains and pasta just cost too much.

My response? Baloney (not bologna).

Let’s compare the long-term cost of regularly eating and drinking soda, candy, cakes and cookies, potato chips, alcohol, pizza, and fast food. I could price check each of these at local grocery stores, but since I'm not Consumer Reports, I offer the following:

Most will agree that.....

Why eat NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER?

This is a favorite food of mine. Peanut butter has Vitamin B3, folate, tryptophan, manganese, protein, and resveratrol. Although it is high in fat, it is monounsaturated fat which is heart-healthy. Peanut butter reduces the risk of heart disease and helps to protect against colon cancer.

There are so many ways to incorporate peanut butter into your diet that I couldn’t list even half of them here, but a few are: making a traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread (of course), spreading it on a banana, dipping a piece of dark chocolate in it, or baking with it. Follow this recipe link to learn how to easily make your own crunchy or creamy natural peanut butter.

Why drink GREEN TEA?

Green tea has been in the news lately, with good reason. It’s loaded with antioxidants and doesn’t have any calories. Many studies have shown numerous health benefits including preventing cancer, balancing cholesterol, reducing risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, and lowering blood pressure among others.

Do you drink green tea?

Why eat DARK CHOCOLATE?

Why not?

Ok, for those of you who need other reasons, dark chocolate has antioxidants which fight free radicals, and it helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It also tastes really good!

Most dog lovers know that chocolate is very dangerous for dogs.  So while you enjoy it, don't give your dog any, as it can cause death!

Keep in mind that the health benefits of dark chocolate don’t apply to milk chocolate. And did you know that white chocolate, by definition, isn’t chocolate because it doesn’t contain cocoa solids?

Why eat EGGS?

May is National Egg Month. In honor of this, let’s answer the age old question. No, not “Which came first – the chicken or the egg?” But instead, “Are eggs good for you?”

The answer is a resounding yes. Eggs contain the highest quality protein to build tissue that you can buy, and at a very low cost. As a note, the only higher quality protein is in breast milk.

There are 13 essential vitamins and minerals in eggs, primarily found in the yolk. Eggs contain branch chain amino acids that are needed for muscle repair, rebuilding, and growth, and also choline which reduces systemic inflammation.

Although previous studies reported eating eggs increases your bad cholesterol, the more recent studies have negated this. Eggs are good for you.

A medium-sized egg has about 65 calories, 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 0 carbohydrates. There are no nutritional differences between white and brown eggs. The difference in color is due to the hen. Hens with white feathers and ear lobes produce white-shelled eggs, and hens with red feathers and ear lobes produce brown-shelled eggs.

Both egg beaters and egg whites are good substitutes for cooking and baking. One egg beater has 30 calories, 0 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrates.

With this in mind, doesn’t an omelet with a slice of whole wheat toast and a fruit salad sound good? Yum – I’m hungry now!

Why eat FLAX SEEDS?

Flax seeds are high in fiber, manganese, and omega-3 fatty acids. They help protect against heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

They have a nutty flavor, and are often added to yogurt or oatmeal, or ground and added to baked goods. Recently many products such as crackers and bread are touting flax seeds as one of their ingredients.  Have you tried any of these?  What did you think?