Tofu hasn't had the best rap sheet—it is continuously lambasted for tasting too bland and for being used to make unpalatable faux meat products. Additionally, while it is often seen as a health food, it has also been attacked for posing certain health risks. The latest risks come from a new study suggesting that high consumption of certain soy products, including tofu, may increase risk of dementia, particularly for people over 65. Researchers say that phytoestrogens—micronutrients in soy products that mimic the function of the estrogen hormone—could be to blame. While phytoestrogens may help protect the brains of younger and middle-aged people, their tendency to promote cell growth may have a negative effect on aging brains. Increased levels of estrogen... More

Yogurt has long been promoted for its health benefits due to its live bacteria cultures, cited to strengthen your immune system and promote digestive health. Dannon's Activia brand capitalizes on this last bit, pushing Activia as the female-friendly staple to cure tummy woes. The campaign, however, is vaguely worded on what Activia does, saying simply that it "helps to naturally regulate your slow intestinal transit." Ambiguous much? Slate even wonders if there are any health benefits at all in eating Activia yogurt considering how vague their health claims are. Any product claiming to treat a disease must have an FDA-approved health claim (yes, constipation is classified as a disease by the FDA), which Activia doesn't have. Instead, the studies on... More

I've been up on the Cape all this week and yes, I brought my scale (right). But having the scale with me only begs the question of how often I should weigh myself no matter where I am. I brought the scale to hold myself accountable for any forays into vacation gluttony I might embark on, but the fact of the matter is that this question of how often I should be getting on the scale has been weighing on me for months. I know there is no right answer to this almost cosmic question. I last attended a Weight Watchers' meeting 20 years ago, so I don't know where those eminently sensible folks are on this issue now. Other... More

Tara Parker Pope asked 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth author Jonny Bowden for an updated list of foods most serious eaters aren't eating but should be. The list isn't all that surprising, since it includes the oft-mentioned pomegranate juice and prunes (or what they're now trying to call "dried plums"), but I must admit I had no idea that turmeric had anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Bowden's list is below. What do you eat to maintain health? BeetsCabbageSwiss chardCinnamonPomegranate juicePrunes (dried plums)Pumpkin seedsSardinesTurmericFrozen blueberriesCanned pumpkin Moral of the story: If we wrap prunes with bacon, we get the best of both worlds.... More

Is peanut butter the devil to a serious dieter--or an angel? To eat peanut butter or not to eat peanut butter? That is the question. I love peanut butter. Who doesn't? But does peanut butter love me and my diet back? My wife says no, that peanut butter is no serious dieter's friend. "The peanut butter thing is a problem, Ed," she says. "Nothing good comes out of having a jar of peanut butter in this house." The first five months of watching my weight I swore off peanut butter, mostly because I find it incredibly difficult to exert any self-control when a full jar of peanut butter is nearby. Jars of Cream-Nut peanut butter (made by Koeze &... More

©iStockphoto.com/Cardston I thought I was past the part of my pregnancy where I worry about what to eat and onto the part where I worry about what we’re going to do with the kid when she’s out and about. But I just managed to find another source of concern, one I could have allayed easily enough at the beginning: most pregnant women should use iodized salt for cooking and seasoning, and I don’t. The vast majority Americans are using iodized salt without even thinking about it. We began adding iodine to much of our salt in the 1920s, after the draft during World War I revealed the extent to which hypothyroidism, a result of iodine deficiency, plagued the population. Thanks... More

Photograph by Senorananderson on Flickr The notion of eating healthy is too often dismissed as too expensive. Sure, buying organic does cost more, and fast food, with its convenience factor and cheap prices, appears more appealing to those on a tight budget. But to eat better doesn't necessarily mean you have to shop exclusively at Whole Foods or farmers' markets; it's perfectly doable to maintain a healthy diet without breaking the bank. ABC News has some tips on how to eat well for less without having to resort to 10¢ ramen.... More

After months of experimentation I have finally come up with my perfect diet breakfast. I wish what I am about to tell you would be of more comfort to those of you who strive to eat a reasonably healthy diet, but it most assuredly isn't. In fact, what I'm about to tell you may be horrifying. Because I haven't settled on Greek yogurt or granola or toast made from whole-grain bread as my ideal diet breakfast, though I have grown to appreciate each of those foods in recent months. In fact I am using all three of the above-mentioned items in my diet breakfast rotation, along with a toasted bialy with the lightest schmear of whipped cream cheese. But... More

New York Times Speaking of diets, Japan is taking the measuring tape to its citizenry to make sure the populace does not get fat—or, as they call it there, metabo. Companies and local governments are required to add the statistic to employees' annual checkups. To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets. The country’s Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check. A handy graph included with this story in the New York Times... More