Years ago the bakery at a local natural foods store was famous for its Bird Man of Alcatraz Bread.* The name was a play on one ingredient common to bird feed: millet, the tiny round yellow seeds that dominate many bird seed mixes. The bread …

When I hear people talking about diets or nutrition, I usually listen in. Recently a trainer and his client were talking about diet at my local rec center; the client was expressing frustration with popular diet advice. She wondered, is there a diet that doesn’t …

Until last week, the non-caloric sweetener erythritol was not on anyone’s radar screen. But recent research reports linked high levels of erythritol in blood to increased risk for heart attacks and stroke. Valid concern? Or a nothing burger? Erythritol 101 Erythritol is a sugar alcohol …

I’m acquainted with a middle aged man who, shall we say, has significant abdominal fat. It’s a marker for increased risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease. So no surprise, his doctor recently suggested he get a heart scan to check for arterial calcfication. When …

The humble onion — a food that’s everywhere, but never the center of attention. Onions add flavor, and are a common ingredient in soups, casseroles, pasta sauces, sandwiches, salads, marinades, dressings, dips and as a condiment. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the one place …

When it comes to nutrition advice, I practice what I preach. After all, I write about diet and healthy aging; I don’t want to pursue unhealthy aging. But one piece of advice is harder to follow: eat signficantly more protein at breakfast. The ‘Why’ of …