Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

When it comes to nutrition, sometimes it's hard to tell the fact from the fiction. Certain foods get a reputation as "bad for you," whereas others get promoted as "natural" or "good for you" when they are really not.

Sometimes myths about foods are based on urban legends that...

Fat has the reputation as the bad boy of the nutrition world. Maligned for decades, the message from many health organizations has been the same: reduce or cut the fat. For those who are overweight or have chronic health issues, this is probably the right advice. However, the idea of...

The Natural Products Expo West, held earlier this month in Anaheim, Calif., is always an interesting show. As one colleague tweeted, it's a "Disneyland of new, organic, processed junk food." However, amidst the crowd of 22,000 who attend and the more than 1,500 exhibitors, there are some tasty...

Julie had a history of diabetes in her family, and although her doctor had been warning her of the risks, she was still caught off-guard when she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at age 43.

Formerly known as adult onset diabetes, Type 2 diabetes normally runs in families....

Food terms like gluten-free, raw, plant-based and macrobiotic catch on faster than their definitions making it hard to be knowledgeable on what they really are without some extensive research. And, even when you know what they mean, it can be difficult to determine whether a particular way of eating is...

Americans are packing on the pounds -- it's a reality. Sadly, our nation, which excels on so many fronts, is not at the forefront of nutritional intelligence -- especially when it comes to our children.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution showed that the food being served to our...

Confused about which vitamins to take? You're not alone. With more choices, research and money at stake, we live in a time with a lot of controversy about the necessity of supplements.

Even prominent researchers have contradictory viewpoints. At the February 2011 American Society for Nutrition Advanced and Nutrition...

Have you noticed the abundance of gluten-free foods available at grocery stores or on menus these days? The proliferation of gluten-free products, along with the marketing of them, might lead you to believe that they are the new panacea to better health or weight loss.

So, what's the real story?...

Do any of these sound like you?

1. You feel sluggish or have a little less "get up and go" than previously, but you attribute it to high stress levels or increased age.
2. You've had gradual weight gain and chalk it up to age.
3. You have an increased desire...

As a registered dietitian, I often hear, "I've never met a carbohydrate I didn't like!" I can certainly understand the sentiment. Carbohydrates are everywhere, easily accessible, and made into tasty treats. At the same time, carbs can play a precarious role when it comes to diabetes, wreaking havoc on your...

It's the holiday time of year, but it is cold and flu season, too.

You want to enjoy the season to the fullest, so how do you avoid the inconvenience of having a cold and being down for the count? Here are some simple lifestyle steps that can help.

We have a joking term for it -- "beer belly," but the reality is that the kind of fat that accumulates in and around the abdominal region is no laughing matter. In fact, it can have some serious health implications.

There are two types of fat contained within the...

Imagine you are out to dinner with a friend and the bread arrives at your table. You are not very hungry, but you think, "l'll just have one little piece." A few minutes later, you realize you have eaten three slices before your meal even arrives. What's going on here?...

If I asked you whether you would want to live longer and avoid serious health issues, I'm pretty sure you'd answer with an unequivocal "Yes!"

Advertisements are plentiful for all kinds of products and supplements that purport to improve longevity or fend off disease. What may be harder to...

If you need an afternoon Caramel Macchiato fix, or start each morning with a strawberry-banana smoothie, you may be getting more than you bargained for on your waistline.

Even if you're diligent about your calories from food, you may be overlooking those that are coming from the...

It is no surprise that NBC's reality show The Biggest Loser has been such a huge success since its first broadcast in 2004. The lure and drama of quick weight loss is hard to resist.

Although I give the show credit for inspiring some people to start a...

Have you ever been sitting in a restaurant and watched someone add multiple pink, blue or yellow packets to their food or drink? Whenever I see one of these "packet aficionados," I just want to lean over and ask, "What's wrong with good old-fashioned sugar?"

Some days I feel...

Frequently, a new client will walk into my office knowing he or she needs to lose weight, get in shape and improve their health. Perhaps they feel sluggish and are hungry a good part of the day, and nothing they do makes a difference. Multiple diet regimes, exercise programs, lose-weight-quick...