Throughout the month of January, several independent academic reports concluded that vegetarianism is the only way to combat climate change and chronic disease. The claims generated plenty of media controversy, from NBC News reporting that we can "Save the planet and lives by eating less meat, more vegetables" to Vox's apocalyptic declaration that "The way we eat could doom us as a species." We tend to disagree. Swapping a beef burger for a veggie burger is an easy enough substitution, especially considering meatless options have expanded in the past several years to include options that look, taste, and smell far more appealing...

An interesting ad is making the rounds on DC radio. “In the 1980s and 90s we weren’t so sure about what caused colon cancer, America’s second leading cancer killer. But science has shown something important and perhaps surprising. Processed meat causes colorectal cancer. That means bacon, sausage, hot dogs, hams, and deli meats. There’s no safe amount.” According to the ad, all colorectal cancer is caused by processed meat, and you’ll be totally safe if you just eliminate it from your diet. Problem solved, right? Not so fast. The American Cancer Society estimates that the average American male has about a 4.5 percent risk of developing...

According to recent surveys, roughly 70 percent of consumers prefer products without additives. While avoiding additives won’t have as drastic an effect on one’s well-being as daily exercise, the public’s growing interest in health is a good sign for a country with the highest obesity rates in the western world. But in the interest of tapping into American’s desire for healthier foods, one market segment in particular is doing more harm than good: fake meat. You’ve likely heard of Tofurky and Boca Burgers – they’ve been around for decades. But meat alternatives are having their day with the introduction of products that...

Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a study evaluating whether having access to nutrition information (like the nutrition facts label on packaged foods, MyPlate, and calorie counts on restaurant menus) actually translated into Americans making better food choices. The study compared consumer’s use of nutrition information with the healthfulness of both their groceries and meals purchased outside the home. Here’s what they found: Americans Eat Healthier Than The Survey Makes Them Out To -- Barely. Studies have shown that Americans living above the poverty line generally make better nutrition choices than those below. However, the USDA survey includes almost twice as many...

The New York Times is making a name for itself in the realm of sensationalism lately. First came the heavily criticized article accused America’s favorite macaroni and cheese of being laden with “potentially harmful chemicals.” Now, the Times is taking on Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream over a sensationalized report claiming 10 of 11 of the company’s flavors contain traces of a common weed killer. The report was commissioned by the Organic Consumers Association, which bills itself as an advocate of “health, justice, and sustainability.” But let’s be clear: the Organic Consumers Association isn’t concerned about the dangers lurking in your dessert. If it...

Kourtney may be the least irrational Kardashian, but the eldest sister of a family that's somehow famous for being famous has a low bar to clear when it comes to normalcy. The Kardashian family's health advice includes eating your own placenta (in pill form), using manuka honey to "prevent" illness, and staying away from any food that isn't organic. Kourtney's new branding identity as a wellness guru should offend anyone involved with public health. Her latest rant details her aversion to plastic. She admits to using stainless steel cups, bowls, lunchboxes, and even straws because the material is “more durable, more hygienic and...

This month the National Toxicology Program (NTP) formally requested information on the production and consumption of red meat, processed meat, and meat cooked at high temperatures in order to justify their addition to the 2016 Report on Carcinogens. Today’s post is brought to you by déjà vu, because we’ve got a sneaking suspicion that we’ve blogged about meat and cancer before. Oh wait, we have. Dr. Joseph Perrone, our Chief Science Officer, also recently wrote an article on the subject. Without re-hashing the past too much, let’s review: Nutrition studies are inherently tricky due to their reliance on self-reporting. It’s impractical for a team of scientists to...

Our job at the Center for Accountable Science is to champion good science and call out junk science. On the junk science side, celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Food Babe give us ample material to work with, between completely false claims about vaccines and scientifically illiterate blog posts. Covering all of this junk science can get disheartening though. So to balance it, check out this animated video series we came across on YouTube. The videos are focused on some of the fundamentals of nutrition and  how good nutrition affects healthy aging. Even if these issues might not affect you now, they could be a helpful resource for...

We all know the stereotypes: Women love chocolate, and pregnant women have a special affinity for sweets. To the joy of pregnant women everywhere, the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine issued a press release last week suggesting that researchers have discovered eating chocolate during pregnancy might actually have important health benefits for moms-to-be. Unfortunately, a closer read reveals the headline “the benefits of chocolate during pregnancy” is too good to be true. The press release touts the release of a study at the society’s annual pregnancy meeting, “High-flavanol chocolate to improve placental function and to decrease the risk of preeclampsia: a...

In an op-ed for the Tampa Tribune, Dr. Joseph Perrone explains eating organic or avoiding BPA isn't the secret to losing weight. Instead of obsessing about GMOs or "natural" ingredients, focus on eating a healthy, varied diet and adding more exercise into your routine. You can read the piece on the Tampa Tribune's website or below.   After stuffing ourselves with heavy holiday meals and struggling to button our pants, millions of Americans resolve to start 2016 with healthier eating habits. Unfortunately, an explosion of ridiculous food scares in 2015 has made determining which foods are “naughty” and which ones are “nice” more...