Potato News and Research

RSS

Bread to blame for too much salt in American diet: CDC report

According to the latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this Tuesday, nine out of 10 American adults consume too much salt.

7 Feb 2012

Revised menus for school lunches with more fruits and veggies

American schoolchildren are accustomed to a steady diet of pizza and french fries for school lunches. Now they will find more fruits, vegetables and whole grains on their cafeteria trays under new government school lunch rules announced on Wednesday. Apart from adding double the produce servings the guidelines also call for fat-free and low-fat milk only, child-appropriate portion sizes and reductions in sodium, saturated fat and trans fats.

26 Jan 2012

ADHD diet: Review of studies

A new review finds that some foods may not be good for children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fast foods, red meat, processed foods, soft drinks, high fat dairy foods and potato chips may not be right.

10 Jan 2012

AICAR therapy may combat heat stroke

We've all seen the story in the news before. Whether it's the death of a physically fit high school athlete at football training camp in August, or of an elderly woman gardening in the middle of the day in July, heat stroke is a serious, life-threatening condition for which there is no treatment beyond submersion in ice water or the application of ice packs to cool the body to a normal temperature.

8 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Protecting home health workers; Minn. plans cuts in health safety net

President Obama is proposing an adjustment to laws governing working conditions for approximately 2 million workers whose job is helping elderly and disabled people with such basic tasks as eating, caring for their wounds and doing physical therapy. Under the Obama proposal, these workers would have to be paid at least a minimum wage and overtime, bringing them under the aegis of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Some Republicans are opposed to the measure, complaining that it will be expensive and may hurt the people it is intended to help.

6 Jan 2012

Regular moderate exercise reduces risk of catching cold-like infections

Battling colds and doing (or pledging to do) more exercise are familiar activities for most of us in January. But different levels of exercise can actually significantly increase or decrease your chances of catching a respiratory infection, says Professor Mike Gleeson from Loughborough University.

5 Jan 2012

Healthy diet keeps the brain sharp

The study shows that elderly who followed this diet had less of the brain shrinkage linked with Alzheimer's disease and scored better on mental and thinking tests than those with poorer diets. Although previous studies have suggested that a heart-healthy diet is also good for the brain, the new study took a different approach by using blood tests to determine the participant’s diet and nutrient levels.

29 Dec 2011

Obama administration avoids political backlash by allowing states flexibility on essential benefits

By allowing states the flexibility to make key decisions, the administration avoided a "political hot potato" regarding essential benefits -; the medical benefits insurers must cover under the U.S. health care.

20 Dec 2011

Tips from Calorie Control Council

It's that time of year when extra calories lurk around every corner - baked goods at the office, cocktails and snacks at holiday parties, chocolates in stockings and holiday meals that can average more than 4,500 calories and 220 grams of fat, according to the Calorie Control Council. All these extras can add up to weight gain during the holiday season.

15 Dec 2011

Life as a couch potato can create new fat in fat cells

Conventional wisdom says that exercise is a key to weight loss - a no-brainer. But now, Tel Aviv University researchers are revealing that life as a couch potato, stretched out in front of the TV, can actually be "active inactivity" - and cause you to pack on the pounds.

2 Dec 2011

Healthy snacks can aid weight-loss efforts

Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

28 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Blame for super committee mess, Supreme Court recusal is the judges' call

What's clear is that committee Democrats moved awfully far in the name of compromise. They offered more in Medicare cuts than Simpson-Bowles did -; or than Obama did with Boehner, for that matter -; and accepted less in the way of tax increases than those two proposals. For their part, Republicans moved off their position of complete intransigence on taxes. Then they refused to budge.

24 Nov 2011

Tips to reduce calorie intake during holiday season

This holiday season, most families will have the traditional turkey, cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie, without which it wouldn't qualify as a holiday meal. The one thing that usually falls off the list of must-haves is sensibility, says one University of Alabama at Birmingham expert.

22 Nov 2011

Drug effectively combats obesity in “couch potato” monkeys” Study

According a new study an experimental anti-cancer drug could help fight obesity. The drug chokes off the blood supply to fat cells and helped obese monkeys slim down in the experiments.

10 Nov 2011

American Vanguard third quarter net sales increase 8% to $73.8 million

American Vanguard Corporation, today announced financial results for the third quarter and nine month period ended September 30, 2011.

5 Nov 2011

Junk food ads entice kids but parents can still make them eat healthy: Study

A new study showed that food advertisements influence what children want to eat but healthy messages from parents may help to temper the influence.

9 Oct 2011

New book on worst kids' foods in America

Today, authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding revealed the list of the "20 Worst Kids' Foods in America" as featured in the new EAT THIS, NOT THAT! NEW! UPDATED 2012 EDITION, the annual update of their original New York Times bestselling title.

30 Sep 2011

Potato consumption leads to higher overall diet quality

A frequently expressed concern in the ongoing public health debate is that fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are nutrient dense, are not affordable to the average consumer. Research presented today at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) demonstrates that potatoes are one of the best nutritional values in the produce department, providing significantly better nutritional value per dollar than most other raw vegetables.

27 Sep 2011

Hair loss, divorce and smoking in women – links established

A new study showed that genetics aside, the next strongest predictor of midline (central) hair loss among women is their marital status, with the loss of a spouse (through either divorce or death) raising the risk for thinning hair above that of married or single women.

26 Sep 2011

HHS publishes guidance for health exchange state partnership model

Meanwhile, Arizona's efforts to create an exchange are morphing into a political hot potato. Also in the news, WellPoint has purchased its own private exchange to compete with the state-run versions envisioned in the health law.

21 Sep 2011