Nutrition Wonderland

GMOs: Does Regulation Ensure Safety?

17. February 2010

The public's biggest concern when it comes to GMOs is their safety. There are a lot of misconceptions about genetic engineering. When pressed on science of GMOs, I have often heard people fear that the genetically modified material in the foods they are eating will somehow mutate their DNA too. While logically it sounds like that makes a bit of sense, scientifically its nonsense. So how do we test for and ensure that GMOs are safe? Allow me to introduce you to the complex world of genetic technology regulation. Image credit: kevin dolley on flickr.

GMOs: Frankenfood or Evolutionary Advance?

10. February 2010

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Why are crops and animals being modified? What GMOs are currently on the market? What new GMOs are being created? Good questions... (thanks to klar!! on flickr for that cool art.)

Is Childhood Obesity the Parent’s Fault?

14. January 2010

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Childhood obesity is becoming a hot topic in health circles, even to the point of being called an epidemic. Experts estimate that 20% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 are overweight, predisposing them to terrible diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Why have the world's children ballooned over the past hundred years? (photo by photomequickbooth from flickr).

California First State To Ban Trans Fats

6. January 2010

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Effective January 1st, 2010, California became the first state to ban restaurants from using trans fats in restaurants.

Plastic Troubles: Phthalates and Plasticizers

31. August 2009

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Plastic is a buzzword lately but mostly for the wrong reasons. Medical studies have lined up against the ubiquitous substance and the seas have filled with the jetsam and flotsam of our plastic society. Yet, if there was one compound responsible for this situation more than any other, phthalates might just wear the crown. Photo by adriagarcia on flickr.

Major Issue Series: Plastic Trouble

19. August 2009

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Nutrition Wonderland is launching a new little mini-series about the world of plastics we are calling 'Plastic Troubles'. And trouble there is. From environmental degradation to an ever growing assortment health problems, plastics keep creeping into the health equation. Emerging theories on the subject suggest that plastics may play a central role in a variety of obscure health problems including autoimmune disorders, cancer and endocrine dysfunction. We will explain the health dimension of the most dangerous chemicals, how they came to be in our everyday environments and alternative ways to deal with their presence. Tomorrow, we will publish the first installment covering bisphenol a.

Sports Drinks: More Harm Than Good?

22. May 2009

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Whether it be the perfect number of reps or which exercises burn the most fat, we're always looking for a way to get more bang for our buck when it comes to exercise. But do sports drinks really live up to their claims?

Has Cuba Cured Heart Disease? The Policosanol Story

9. March 2009

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Immediately after Castro came to power in 1959, the Cuban Institute for Research on Sugar Cane Derivatives (ICIDCA) was formed and began studying - as you might imagine from the name - products that could be derived from sugar cane. They found one compound - called policosanol - that showed promise. This is that compound's story.

Truvia and PureVia: The Controversy of Stevia

26. February 2009

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In our first two pieces about the new sweeteners Truvia and PureVia, we covered the history of saccharin (another artificial sweetener) and the science behind rebiana, the latest sweetener in both Truvia and PureVia. Now, in our final view of Truvia and PureVia we take a look at the political history of stevia - the base of rebiana, opinions of some of the major players in this debate and offer our final views on the subject.

Truvia and PureVia – A Window to the Past or the Future?

6. February 2009

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In the coming weeks, we will be examining two new sweeteners called Truvia and PureVia that are being released into the American food supply in the first half of 2009. They are derivative of a naturally sweet plant called Stevia, which has been used around the world for quite some time now to sweeten drinks and native dishes. But before we dig deeply into the science around the new Stevia-based sweeteners, we think it would instructive to learn the history of synthetic sweeteners in America - as the past is usually the best predictor of the future.

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GMOs: Does Regulation Ensure Safety?

GMOs: Frankenfood or Evolutionary Advance?

Is Childhood Obesity the Parent’s Fault?

California First State To Ban Trans Fats

Plastic Troubles: Phthalates and Plasticizers

Major Issue Series: Plastic Trouble

Sports Drinks: More Harm Than Good?

Has Cuba Cured Heart Disease? The Policosanol Story

Truvia and PureVia: The Controversy of Stevia

Truvia and PureVia – A Window to the Past or the Future?

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