At some point, everyone has felt like they could really, really use a nap after lunch. The phenomenon of the “afternoon slump,” or post-lunch drowsiness, is so common that the medical community has given it an official name—postprandial somnolence. The post-meal feeling of tiredness and lethargy can make it hard to concentrate on afternoon work…

Bread, in its many forms, be it waffles, pancakes, croissants, or the comfortable slice (or stack) of toast, is an easy go-to for many busy people—but according to some experts, bread is not easy to digest, and eating too much may harm the body. Dr. Fukushima Masatsugu, a Japanese gastroenterologist, asserts in his book “Don’t…

With the winter holidays upon us, you’ll likely be surrounded by family, friends, and plenty of good food. Many of these foods, though, can be high in fat. Learn which fats are naughty and which are nice to your health. Then you can make smarter food choices. We need a certain amount of fat in…

Carbohydrates, or carbs, have recently gathered a bad reputation for their ability to cause weight gain, but not all carbs are unhealthy. In fact, carbs are actually essential to our diets. What is a carb? Sugar, starch and fiber are three types of carbs commonly found in fruits, beans, milk and more. The Dietary Guidelines…

Nutritionally speaking, carbohydrates usually amount to little more than sugar, and in the current dietary vernacular, sugar means bad. But is this fair? Not really. Although carbohydrates are sugars, starches, and fiber, (but mostly sugar), they aren’t inherently bad. Not all sugar is bad, believe it or not. In fact, your body needs sugar to…