Blogs

HBO’s Weight of the Nation is a great reminder of all the things we know about obesity and how incredibly hard it is to treat but that it is possible.  Research over the past 30 years has shown us that “diets” don’t work long term, and that obesity prevention is so much more effective than treatment.  It’s also clear that the best long term health outcomes happen when people focus on eating healthfully and moving more, rather than focusing solely on weight loss.   Finally, physical activity is helpful during weight loss,  but it is most effective in keeping weight oRead more

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has selected "Get Your Plate in Shape" as their 2012 theme for National Nutrition Month (NNM), which supports the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA's new food icon, MyPlate.Read more

You may have noticed that the levels of sodium in the food supply and in Americans’ diets are getting quite a lot of attention in the press these days.  The latest news was generated by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report titled, Where's The Sodium?  There's Too Much In Many Common Foods, which listeRead more

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S.  Approximately 26% of all deaths for women are from heart disease – more than all cancers combined. Heart disease is responsible for about ¼ of all deaths for all ethnicities in the U.S.  With these alarming statistics, it is important that women recognize the leading risk factors (not necessarily in this order):Read more

The Wheat Foods Council is pleased with the treatment of grains in the new school meal nutrition standards released January 25, 2012 by First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.Read more

When I talk to people about healthy eating, the most common response I get is that they don’t understand portion size.  They’re confused about not only what to eat, but how much to eat. 

To focus more attention on portion size, the Wheat Foods Council along with other national strategic partners of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) are emphasizing balancing calories and the message to “enjoy your food, but eat less” between January and April 2012.Read more

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect.  The good news is that there are things women can do to help prevent this from happening, and one of these is eating enriched grain products such as white bread, tortillas, pasta, or fortified cereals.Read more

It’s that time of the year again for New Year’s resolutions. And while many of us make them, statistics show that only about 8 percent of us actually keep them, with 45 percent falling by the wayside by the end of January. Among the most popular New Year’s resolutions are vows to lose weight and become healthier. So what to do?Read more

This time of year always starts me reminiscing about past holidays.  Many of those memories involve food because, like most cultures around the world, it’s such an important part of how we celebrate special occasions.  Given that wheat is widely known as the “staff of life,” it’s not surprising that so many of our celebratory meals include dishes made from wheat or grains – rolls and breads, sweet and savory pies, kugels, cookies, biscuits, and that ubiquitous American Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish – stuffing, to name a few.Read more

The amount of information readily available to us today is astounding. For instance, do a Google search on wheat foods and you’ll end up with more than 40,000 entries. The problem is determining which ones are relevant, current and credible – separating the wheat from the chaff you might say!Read more