Nutrition Authority, PLLC

04/17/2026

The easy-to-find loaf comes from a well-known grocery store brand. Click the link in the comments to learn what these experts love about this Pepperidge Farm variety ⤵

04/16/2026

FATTY FOAMS - "Protein never tasted so good" says Starbucks about its new lineup of lattes, cold brews, and matcha drinks. "Crafted to keep up with your goals, your pace and everything the day brings."
Well, if your goal is to get 5 tsps of added sugar along with the 19-24 grams of protein in a 16 oz grande whey protein infused cold foam beverage, two of their featured drinks are just the ticket.
One - the Chocolate Cream Protein Cold Brew - also delivers 330 calories and 10 gms of saturated fat (half a day's max). That rivals the 10 grams you'd get in a Mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream.
And the Iced Banana Cream Protein Matcha may have as much protein as a McDonald's Double Cheese burger, but it also has as many calories (430) and as much saturated fat (13 gms), all in one convenient cup!
How do cold brew coffees and matcha lattes get so fatty? Blame all the cream in the drinks' foam topper.
Don't want a whole new drink? Starbucks has you covered. For a $1 upcharge, you can order a latte, cappuccino, etc., with unsweetened "protein-boosted milk" - 2% milk with whey protein. But if you're like most people in the US, you're already eating enough protein. No need to gulp down more in "boosted" milk or foam.
The only "boost" from paying a premium for protein, cream and sugar is to Starbucks's bottom line ($).

04/13/2026

CAFFEINE AND HEART RHYTHM
Does caffeine promote atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter, two types of irregular heartbeat?
Researchers enrolled 200 people who typically drank at least one cup of coffee a day at some point in the previous 5 years and had AF or atrial flutter and a history of AF.
Before starting the trial, all had electrical cardioversion to treat their AF or flutter.
Each participant was randomly assigned to drink at least one cup of caffeinated coffee a day or to abstain from all coffee, caffeinated drinks, and decaf.
After 6 months, AF or atrial flutter occurred in 64% of the abstainers but only 47% of the coffee drinkers.
WHAT TO DO? In modest quantities (the participants averaged only 7 cups of coffee a week), caffeine does NOT promote - and might curb - AF or flutter.

04/06/2026

GOODBYE, METABOLIC SYNDROME?
42% of US adults have MetS. That means they have at least 3 of these 5 risk factors: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, high triglycerides, and low HDL (good cholesterol).
Researchers assigned 618 people with MetS to 2 groups. For 6 months, the first group had 2 individual and 19 group sessions that focused on building four habits: 1) including vegetables at meals, 2) taking daily brisk walks, 3) pausing before responding to stress or opportunistic eating, 4) and boosting awareness of foods' smells, colors, and tastes. The 2nd group received monthly tip sheets on diet, exercise, and stress management for 2 years and check-in calls every 3 months.
Two years after the study started, 28% of the first group - versus 21% of the second group- were in remission from MetS.
WHAT TO DO: Got Metabolic Syndrome? Give healthy lifestyle changes a whirl!

03/30/2026

ULTRA-PROCESSED OR ULTRA-SOFT?
Do people eat more of many ultra-processed foods because they are 'soft'?
Scientists had 41 adults eat unlimited diets of ultra-processed foods with either a softer or harder texture for 2 weeks each in random order.
People ate more quickly and swallowed roughly 370 more calories a day on the softer versus the harder options.
WHAT TO DO: Limit 'soft' ultra-processed foods that go down too quickly.

03/25/2026

MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND IBS
For people with IBS, guidelines recommend a "traditional" healthy diet that limits fatty, spicy, and processed foods, caffeine, fizzy drinks, and alcohol as an alternative to a more restrictive diet low-FODMAP diet.
Can a Mediterranean diet curb IBS symptoms as well as a 'traditional' healthy diet?
Scientists randomly assigned 139 people with IBS to eat either a Mediterranean or traditional healthy diet. After 6 weeks, 62% of the Mediterranean eaters - versus 42% of the 'traditional healthy diet' eaters had a substantial drop in IBS symptoms.
WHAT TO DO? If you have IBS consider a Mediterranean diet. If it works for you, you may not need a low-FODMAP diet, which can restrict beans, onions, milk, yogurt, apples, watermelon, peaches, wheat, and many other healthy foods.
Ann. Intern. Med. 2025/CSPI.

02/08/2026

05/14/2025

GUT HEALTH GIMMICK...
"Supports digestive health," shouts Arnold Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread. But what is so special about it? "Fiber in whole grains supports digestive wellness," says the smaller print. While this is true, it is no better for you than any other 100% whole wheat bread (generic is fine). Whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables all support your digestive wellness.
Any food can make an impressive sounding claim that it "supports" a structure or function of the body, with little oversight by the FDA. Marketers love this leeway!

Printed from Nutrition Action Health Letter (Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) March/April 2025

05/13/2025

SIX-INGREDIENT HUMMUS: Combine 1 cup no-salt-added canned or cooked (drained) chickpeas, 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbs. tahini (sesame seed paste), 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/4 tsp. lite salt in a food processor and process until smooth.
Optional: for a nice bit of color and a subtle pepper taste, top with a sprinkle of paprika. Makes 1 cup.

04/25/2025

Gluten-free flaws. Unless you NEED to avoid gluten. DON'T! Mimicking gluten's texture is hard to do in the food science world, so most gluten-free breads mix in tapioca or arrowroot. Both of these starchy, fiber-poor ingredients are refined flour (bad).

What's more, any whole grain in gluten-free bread typically comes from brown rice, which is lower in fiber than the whole wheat or rye in other 100% whole grain breads.

WHAT TO DO: if you don't have to eat gluten-free DO NOT. It is not 'healthy'. GF products are formulated specifically for a population of people who have a disease called Celiac Sprue. GF foods are NOT diet foods and should be avoided if unwarranted.

04/25/2025

Do weight loss drugs help with alcohol use disorder (AUD)? Can Semaglutide (sold as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity) really help stop the craving for alcohol?

The answer is PERHAPS IT CAN! Researchers examined hospitalization records on 227,868 people with AUD over roughly nine years. Among the 4,321 semaglutide takers, the risk of being hospitalized for alcohol-related problems was 36% lower while they were taking the drug (for obesity or diabetes) than when they weren't.

WHAT TO DO: This one study can't definitively prove that semaglutide prevents AUD hospitalizations because something else about those who take the drug may explain their lower risk. But clinical trials testing semaglutide or terzepatide versus a placebo CAN determine whether the drugs help people with AUD. Stay tuned for more research on these emerging weight loss medications.

03/23/2025

EAT YOUR CARBS LAST? Eating carbs at the end of your meal may keep a lid on blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes. Researchers provided three meals a day to 20 people taking metformin for their diabetes. For six days, they were told to eat high-fiber vegetables and protein FIRST and carbs last. And for six more days, they were told to reverse the order. Their peak post-meal blood sugar levels were 44% lower when they at the carbs last.