On Wednesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax (SWEET) Act — a tax on drinks such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas and sports drinks that she first announced at the National Soda Summit in Washington, D.C., on June 5. The SWEET Act would institute an excise tax of 1 cent per…
Study Finds Organic Foods Have More Benefits
A new international study suggests that organic foods contain higher levels of antioxidants than conventionally grown versions. The research, led by Newcastle University and published last week in the British Journal of Nutrition, found concentrations of antioxidants such as polyphenolics that were 18- to 69-percent higher in organic food. “Many of these compounds have…
How Much is Too Much? Report on Fortified Foods Tries to Answer That Question
Many Americans don’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals they should, but the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is now concerned that children and other vulnerable populations are exposed to excessive and unhealthy amounts in the foods they eat. The EWG report out Tuesday highlighted the levels of vitamin A, zinc and niacin in breakfast…
Why Would School Nutritionists Oppose Healthier Meals?
(This blog post by Dr. Marion Nestle was published June 6, 2014, on Food Politics and is republished here with her permission.) Understanding why school nutritionists want to scrap USDA’s nutrition standards takes some effort. The question: Why is the School Nutrition Association (SNA) — the organization that represents the interests of “lunch ladies” —…
FDA Clarifies: Is Your Drink a Supplement or a Food?
(This blog post was originally published Jan. 15, 2014, on Food Politics.) By an act of Congress, dietary supplements are regulated less strictly than conventional foods, so much so that some beverage manufacturers would much prefer to have their products labeled as dietary supplements than foods – energy shots, for example. Under the law,…
Energy Drink Makers Get ‘Guidance’ But No Investigation Into Deaths
A couple of years ago, after reports surfaced about deaths that might be attributable to popular energy drinks, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) demanded that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigate the potentially dangerous levels of caffeine that may be involved. Instead of an investigation, FDA is now sharing the agency’s “current thinking”…
The Annual Food Safety News Christmas Day 'Nice List'
Editor’s note: We continue with our Food Safety News holiday tradition by publishing our fifth annual Christmas Day “nice” list, calling out a few folks we think are worthy of some positive mention based on their contributions to food safety during the past year. This year, we separated the “naughty,” published yesterday, from today’s “nice.” …
Q&A with Author Marion Nestle on Food Politics, SNAP, and Food Safety
Best-selling food author Marion Nestle paid a quick visit to Food Safety News during a stop in Seattle to discuss food politics, the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), and food safety.
Seattle readers may want to know that Nestle will be giving a talk and Q&A tonight (June 18) at…
Sugar Is Not Poison, But We’re Getting Too Much of It
Sugar is the toxin responsible for most of today’s health problems, a California endocrinologist who conducts research for the American Heart Association, told the television magazine program 60 Minutes Sunday.
The University of California’s Dr. Robert Lustig said obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension and heart disease can all be blamed on Americans consuming too much …
A White House Chef Defends the First Lady
Marion Nestle, the author of Food Politics, recently got a reminder that food is indeed political, right up to the nation’s highest office. On November 30, the first lady made a speech in which she announced that her Let’s Move campaign (on childhood obesity) would have a renewed focus on physical fitness, to combat …