Seattle/LocalHealthGuide

Honey often mislabeled and adulterated
The international honey trade is “fire with crime and intrigue” with honey traders “resorting to elaborate schemes to dodge tariffs and health safeguards”, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer senior correspondent Andrew Schneider reports in a two-part investigative series on the honey industry.
As a result, Schneider warns, don’t believe the label. “You may be [...]

Did you know that at Denny’s an order of three slices of french toast with syrup and margarine contains 1,261 calories?
Well, these and other shockers will be posted on the menus of local chain restaurants beginning January 1st. 
 The information will include the calorie, saturated fat, carbohydrate and sodium content of the restaurants’ meals.
The information is [...]

Fighting hunger and obesity at the same time
The Obama administration intends to use federal food assistance programs to improve the nutrition of the poor, the Washington Post reports.
Obesity is a growing health problem with one in four Americans now being dangerously overweight and one in three children being either overweight or obese.
Research, including work being [...]

The distributer of four cocoa products has issued a recall after samples have found to contain melamine.
Melamine is a nitrogen-containing compound used for a variety of industrial uses.
It is potentially poisonous and is not allowed in food in the U.S.A.
The products had been distributed to Big Lots and Shopko retail outlets.
The recalled products are:

G&J Hot Cocoa [...]

Sugar causes hyperactivity in children, yes? — No.
Suicides increase over the holidays, yes? — No.
Poinsettias are poisonous, yes? — No.
You lose most of your body heat through your head, yes? — No, again
Eating at night makes you fatter, yes? — No.
You can cure or prevent an hangover, yes? — Unfortunately, no.
Those, at least, are the conclusions of the two authors of [...]

Cambrooke Foods has issued an urgent recall of batches of three products:

Cheddar Wizard Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10310; 8 oz. jar);
Herb & Garlic Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10308; 8 oz. jar); and
Plain Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10306; 8 oz. jar).
Low Protein Peanot Butter (SKU 10809; 16 oz. jar).

Listeria monocytogenes
The company [...]

The popular dietary supplements selenium and vitamins C and E failed to prevent prostate and other cancers in two large trials published online today by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In one study, more than 35,500 older men were randomly assigned to four groups. One group took selenium, one vitamin E, one selenium [...]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has produced an animated video series to encourage Native American children to be active and eat right to reduce their risk of developing diabetes.
 
The series of four videos are based on the four Eagle Books written by Georgia Peres of Nambe Pueblo and illustrated by Partick [...]

An estimated 76 million Americans come down with food poisoning every year.
To reduce your risk during the upcoming holiday season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control urges you to follow the four basic rules of food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

Food For Your Soul: Be “Food Safe” During the Holidays
Food-safety tips from the CDC
Food [...]

A vegan cheese substitute marketed under the name Vegan Rella Cheddar Block has been recalled because it may contain milk protein.
“People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product,” the company warns.
Here is the company’s press release announcing the [...]