Maybe, but it’s going to take a long time. For the past 200,000 years or so, fatty and sugary foods were hard for humans to come by and well worth gorging on. Fats help maintain body temperature, sugars provide energy, and craving such food is hardwired: Eating fats and sugars activates reward centers in the brain.

Scientists are finding that the degree to which we experience those cravings can also be influenced by genes. Obesity runs in families, and although scientists still don’t know just how much of craving is hereditary and how much is learned, they have located more than 100 genes that seem to be linked to the disease. To evolve out of cravings, we’d need to stop passing down these genes. [Read more...]

Many people fall victim to emotional eating, but it doesn’t happen only when they’re feeling bad, according to researchers. Having a good day at work, could lead to a candy bar treat, according to Karen Winterich, assistant professor of marketing at Penn State. At other times, positive feelings lead to choosing a healthier option, such as fruit.

Previous research has shown that feeling bad can lead to bad eating choices, but Winterich and Haws show that feeling good doesn’t necessarily lead to good eating choices. The researchers looked at the complicated relationship between positive emotions and food consumption, aiming to determine when positive feelings lead to unhealthy snacking. They teased out the difference between positive feelings – pride and happiness – that arise from thinking about the past or present, and hope. [Read more...]

It’s possible to eat whatever you want and still lose weight. In fact, it’s possible to do away with confusing and contradictory diets and fads. It just involves a little mind over platter, says nutritionist and author Kathleen Alleaume in her new book, What’s Eating You: Find Your Balance with Food and Lose Weight.

“Diets don’t work and they will only cause you to yo-yo and gain more fat. Blacklisting carbs or going on heavily restrictive calorie-controlled diets are lousy ideas,” she says.

“We all know what we ‘should’ be eating. Five serves of veg and two serves of fruit, mixed with moderate portions of lean meat, dairy, eggs, wholegrains and nuts, yet we are not doing it. [Read more...]

Are you on a goal to lose weight? Here are the most often-committed diet faux pas to avoid …

1 Eating six mini ‘meals’ everyday

The idea might be to put a little something in the stomach to cut down hunger, but this is where the trap is. Frequent meals that stop you from bingeing are supposed to be smaller, but women often turn these into regular dining portions, that can go upto 400 calories each. A big no-no!

How to fix it : Make a list or diary chart that tracks what you should eat and simply stick to that. [Read more...]

Overeating could more than double the risk of  memory loss among elderly people, a study has found.

Researchers discovered that those who consumed more than 2,100 calories a day were far more likely to have ‘mild cognitive impairment’ than those who ate less.

The findings suggest that keeping to a low-calorie diet in old age could keep the mind sharp – and may even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists in the U.S. looked at the eating and drinking habits of 1,200 people aged 70 to 89 who did not have dementia, and gave them memory tests. [Read more...]

Forget the oysters and the champagne this Valentine’s Day. If you want to keep your true love’s heart beating strong, Susan Ofria, clinical nutrition manager at California’s Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, said the real food of love is dark chocolate and red wine.

“You are not even choosing between the lesser of two evils, red wine and dark chocolate have positive components that are actually good for your heart,” said Ofria, a registered dietitian at the Loyola University Health System’s Melrose Park campus.

Red wine and dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher contain resveratrol, which has been found to lower blood sugar. Red wine is also a source of catechins, which could help improve “good” HDL cholesterol. [Read more...]