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When I was a little kid, I would wake up early in the morning before school and watch cartoons. I remember watching, among other things, George of the Jungle and Popeye.

Popeye, of course, was the sailor who had a romantic interest in Olive Oyl. Unfortunately for Popeye, so did his archnemesis Bluto (later known as Brutus), a burly, bearded brute who liked to give Popeye trouble. But there was never any real concern that Bluto would win the day. All Popeye had to do was gulp down a can of spinach, and with his bulging muscles, pound Bluto into oblivion.

Spinach, in other words, was among America's first superfoods. Alas, science shows that "superfoods" aren't real.

The Superfood...

As a greater number of people enter the middle class around the globe, many will turn away from plant-based diets in favor of meat-based diets. This could be a cause for concern, as meat production requires the input of substantially more resources, such as water and energy. The question of how to feed a growing world in a time when wealth is spreading and personal tastes are changing is the subject of some sustainability research.

Outside of the Western world, insect consumption is common. The Chinese, for instance, will eat just about anything that crawls on six (or more) legs. ...

You have probably seen it on Facebook; a scary graphic which worries that GMOs can be detected in our blood.

We certainly hope so. Without the ability to detect cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in plasma or cells we couldn't have non-invasive prenatal testing. Our blood also contains foreign DNA, like from viruses and bacteria. At least eight percent of the human genome is composed of endogenous retroviruses- leftovers from retroviral infections which our ancestors had millions of years ago. In fact, it is quite common for animals and humans to acquire foreign genes from microbes, and some of these genes...

Screen Shot 2015-08-27 at 12.01.30 PMGo ahead. Tell me you didn't already think of this image. Irony is a beautiful thing. But irony that causes multiple neurons to fire in people who have a tenuous grasp on reality is far better.

Artificial sweeteners have been accused of causing everything from cancer to autism to the Hindenburg disaster. "Crazy Joe" Mercola has referred to aspartame, perhaps the least toxic chemical you will ever find, as "By Far...

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In an opinion column in today s New York Times, Drs. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University and David S. Ludwig of Boston Children s Hospital describe the historical trajectory of official...

180693606It s been almost a truism that eating at McDonald s or other fast food emporia is a sure path to obesity, but it s not true at all. Although the 2004 documentary by Morgan Spurlock blamed his 30-day Mickey-D diet for a decline in health and increased weight, we have shown that it s possible to eat at McDonald s for 30 days and actually improve health for both men and women. Now that conclusion has been further substantiated by Mr. John Cisna of Akeny, Iowa.

Mr. Cisna, a high school science teacher...

826170_27923493Over the past few decades Americans have been subjected to numerous outbreaks of food-borne illness from bacterial contamination. One of the most problematic causes has been E. coli O157:H7, which produces a potent toxin that can severely damage kidneys and cause death. Most preventive measures have been directed at improving sanitation practices at every stage in food production. However a new report suggests that there is another effective method vaccinating cattle against the bacteria....

Beyond just serving as a source of family-friendly entertainment, Mickey Mouse will now be providing kids and parents with information on health and nutrition. Walt Disney Co. announced yesterday that its TV, radio, and website networks will not accept advertisements for foods that do not meet the specific nutritional criteria laid out in the company s new set of guidelines.

First Lady Michelle Obama, founder of the Let s Move campaign to prevent childhood obesity, was present at the Disney press conference and lauded the company s latest efforts, calling the plan a game changer. She added: With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever...

Soon, this daily dose of ACSH staffers' conversations will be e-mailed to donors each morning, available online later in the week.

You can become a donor at http://www.acsh.org/support/ or send a tax-deductible donation to:

American Council on Science and Health
1995 Broadway, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10023

For questions, please call Jeff Stier at 212-362-7044 x225 or e-mail Tara McTeague at McTeagueT[at]acsh.org.

-- Quote to Note: "We have to create a healthy food culture in the hospital." --Joanne Shearer, food and nutrition team leader at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

-- After news that ...

Recently, Nestle USA voluntarily recalled its prepackaged, refrigerated cookie dough products after they had been linked to E. coli infections across twenty-eight states. Nestle is fully cooperating with FDA and CDC efforts to inform people of the dangers of eating this and other raw foods intended to be cooked before consumption.

ACSH staffers are glad to see this being addressed, and we view it as an unfortunate example of occasional contamination that no degree of oversight could prevent every time.

The food safety legislation that Congress is considering would not have prevented this, says ACSH's Jeff Stier. The corporation is withdrawing the product on its own. It goes to show you that even a big company that has the best resources available to track and recall...