The Battle to Legalize Cheerios

On Cheerios®  packaging, General Mills claims that Cheerios is "clinically proven to lower cholesterol." 

The FDA is saying that there's plenty wrong with that statement and other health claims on the Cheerios® box.  The FDA has issued a warning letter the cereal company General Mills, saying that it has "determined that [your] Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease."

That's right, the FDA is saying that Cheerios being sold as a drug -- specifially, an unauthorized new drug!

The FDA wants General Mills to change the claims on the Cheerios® box.  Failure to do so may result in "enforcement action" including seizure of products by the FDA.

The FDA also posts responses to their warning letters on their website, so I'm sure there will be more of this to come.

Dancing Your Donette Off

The Oxygen channel's new reality TV series "Dance Your Ass Off" features "talented, full-figured contestants who struggle with their weight and dance to unleash their inner thin."  In a slightly wicked touch, "In a nod to real-life temptations, the contestants' kitchen contains a 'Cheat Pantry' loaded with the very snacks and goodies that helped land the contestants on the show."

With six Donettes coming in at 440 calories, how much dancing would you have to do to lose weight?

 This handy website will tell you: 40 minutes of fast ballroom dancing if you weight 250-lbs... 

Tomato Idol

The Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain is holding auditions to find the next "Idol"... for plants.  As the BBC puts it: "For 30 days tomato plants at Wisley in Surrey will "listen" to voices through MP3 headphones attached to their pots."  Those plants will be compared to a control group that will not "listen" to voices.  The voice which produces the most fruit will be crowned the Voice of Wisley.  So far 40 people have auditioned. Stay tuned for the results!

picture at cafepress.com

Eat This Not That

In this economy, many people are finding that there's less money to go around.

I've personally noticed that people are getting more agressive about saving money at the supermarket.  There's more use of coupons, and shoppers are more insistent on achieving savings.  One guy the other day sent a checkout clerk to the back of the store to see if the Italian sausage was $3.00 like the cashier said, or $1.50 like he thought the sign said.  (It was $1.50 for the spicy Italian sausage, $3 for the regular.  He declined to buy the regular and didn't want the spicy, either.)

It can be a challenge to eat healthily on a limited budget, as this article in the New York Times described.  Junk food beckons with its lower prices.

If you are looking for healthy alternatives, here's a great resource.  Eat This, Not That describes what's the healthiest - and unhealthiest - choices on the menu at many of your favorite, and dollar-saving, fast food restaurants.

photo: ukumillion.com

People Food For Pets

Myth or truth: Chocolate is bad for dogs.

It's the truth. (Chocolate contains methylxanthines, which, in dogs, can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, and more.)

Some other foods that are bad for your dog or cat: raisins, onions, and grapes.

A complete list of "people food" which is off-limits to animals can be found here.

picture courtesy of fda.gov

Mmm... Donuts!

It is said that Canada boasts the highest per-capita doughnut consumption in the world. So it stands to reason that the Canadians are at the forefront in the quest to develop a healthier doughnut.

A doughnut recipe being developed there now would incorporate 2 grams of barley fiber per doughnut - about as much fiber as a slice of rye bread.

The researcher (whose name, without irony, is Swallow) says, ""... all food manufacturers -- including (of) doughnuts -- are interested in healthier products."

This is zit, sugar!

Good news... and bad news.

Good news: It appears that chocolate doesn't give you pimples.

Bad news: Sugary foods - those with high Glycemic Indices - might.

So if you want to avoid pimples, you might rethink that doughnut-filled white-bread sandwich with potato chip-parsnip-watermelon salad on the side.

Think And Grow Smarter

Do you think you're losing neurons to old age, drinking, or the hard-partying lifestyle you're used to? Maybe you are. But don't worry! The human brain can bounce back. A report suggests six ways you can help nurture your brain.

1. Excercise.
2. Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., blueberries, walnuts, salmon).
3. Drink caffeinated coffee or tea.
4. Play video games.
5. Listen to music.
6. Practice meditation.

White House Assistant Chef

Chicago chef Sam Kass is going to Washington D.C with the Obama's. The chef-owner of Avec and Blackbird in Chicago have been with the Obama's for years. Foodies will probably approve of Kass who is known as a food activist. He likes local and healthy foods. Kass also knows what the Obama's like. Here is m0re on the appointment of Kass as assistant chef.