Maren Cole

Polyphenols in berries, coffee, tea, and beans may shape gut microbes, but the evidence favours food variety over pills or miracle claims for now.

Emulsifiers make packaged foods smoother and longer lasting. Human evidence raises real questions, but it is not yet a reason to fear every label.

Protein at breakfast may help older adults meet daily needs, but muscle still depends on total intake, resistance training, and enough overall food.

Non-sugar sweeteners are sold as the obvious fix for sugar: same sweetness, fewer calories, fewer metabolic sins. The evidence is messier. Short trials often show modest weight benefits when sweeteners replace sugar, but longer observational studies link higher intake to weight gain and cardiometabolic risk. Regulators still consider approved sweeteners safe at ordinary doses, yet … Read more

Sugar substitutes can reduce sugar intake, but evidence on weight, heart health, and gut effects is mixed. Here is where they help and where they do not.

Sugar substitutes can reduce sugar intake, but evidence on weight, heart health, and gut effects is mixed. Here is where they help and where they do not.

The case for salt substitutes sounds almost too tidy: take out some sodium chloride, put in potassium chloride, and blood pressure should move in the right direction. The evidence is better than most nutrition swaps get. It is also narrower than the packaging can make it sound. Salt substitutes are useful for some people, risky … Read more

Potassium salt substitutes can lower sodium and blood pressure, but they are not a universal swap. The evidence is useful, and the caveats matter.

Potassium-rich foods can help blood pressure, but the effect is modest and not safe for everyone. Kidney disease and medicines change the advice.

Plant sterols can modestly lower LDL cholesterol, but products, dose, diet context, medicines, and rare genetic risks decide how useful they are.