HEALTH TIPS 4 U

You may have heard how great dark chocolate is. You may even have used its reported health benefits to give yourself permission to tuck into a giant slab of chocolate every so often. After all, how great is it to be told your favorite sweet and indulgent treat is actually helping you stay healthy? But does dark chocolate really live up to all the hype? (And there is a lot of hype!) Thankfully, it does…most of the time. Read on to discover what I found out about this alleged superfood. The Lies About Dark Chocolate The sensational headlines earlier this year claiming chocolate helps the pounds melt off was welcomed by chocoholics everywhere. But, I’m sorry to say it was all a big hoax. The science journalist behind the whole thing wasn’t interested in testing chocolate’s effect on weight loss. Instead, his aim was to demonstrate how easy it is to turn bad science into the big headlines behind fad diets. And many fell for it. But, I do believe that chocol...

Avocados have become America’s “new favorite fruit.” Whether eaten in raw slices with salt and pepper or mashed up in guacamole, its myriad benefits fill every bite. The fruit, however, does more than just satisfy America’s appetite; eating avocados can lead to living a longer, healthier life. America’s love affair with avocados is here to stay as it pervades the kitchens and restaurant menus all across the country. According to the Hass Avocado Board, avocados have risen in popularity for the past 15 years, with the sales of Hass avocados making up more than 95 percent of all avocados consumed in the U.S. Fast food chains, including Burger King, Au Bon Pain, Panera Bread Co., have tried to capitalize on the ingredient’s popularity, offering more options with avocado, but consumers should be wary of “healthy” avocado dishes that are anything but. Franci Cohen, board certified personal trainer and nutritionist in New York, warns of the dangers of thinking all avocado used as an i...