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March 4, 2012 From the racially charged Pure Food movement to the countercultural revolution of the 1960s, white bread has been at the spongy, store-bought heart of American food politics.

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On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

February 13, 2012 KQEDFiber-fortified products are all over the supermarket. But are these foods actually making you healthier? This question turns out to be one of those places where scientists know a lot less than you may think they do.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

February 9, 2012 Health researchers found the the levels trans-fatty acids in some Americans' blood decreased by 58 percent between 2000 and 2009. They say it's a sign that the campaigns to ban food products with trans fats have been working.

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February 7, 2012 Walmart has introduced an easy way for shoppers to quickly identify healthier foods with a new front-of-package icon. But the announcement raises the question: Can choosing healthful food really be reduced to a simple yes-no decision?

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February 7, 2012 A new analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to the top ten supersalty culprits in our diets. Some on the list, like bread and pasta dishes, may be surprising.

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February 2, 2012 A sensational new billboard in Albany, N.Y., wants to scare people away from cheese. Its creator, a physician turned health activist, says Americans should abandon cheese altogether to prevent obesity.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 10, 2012 A Washington apple grower wants kids to eat apples, especially his grape-flavored apples. But why take a perfectly good fruit, with its very own complex flavor and aroma, and douse it with something associated with Dimetapp and lollypops?

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January 9, 2012 In the 1980's, health activists actually promoted oils — like Crisco — that contain trans fats. The history of Crisco is full of such surprising twists, right up to the present day.

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December 30, 2011 A little over half of the people we surveyed said they'll resolve to exercise more in 2012. More than a third will resolve to lose weight. And 13 percent say they'll commit to either quitting smoking or reducing how much they smoke.

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December 30, 2011 As people get richer, they tend to get fatter. That's what's happening in China, where 25 percent of adults are now obese or overweight. But some Chinese are discovering that it's possible to enjoy times of plenty and still stay slim.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

December 28, 2011 A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and some vitamins could help improve memory and performance on memory tests, researchers found.

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December 7, 2011 This week, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin told the world not to "mess with kale." But it seems kale has been outgunning other dark leafy vegetables for some time now.

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November 17, 2011 More than three-quarters of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020 if current behavior continues, new research days. Rates of diabetes would rise, too. That's bad news for cardiovascular health, despite the fact that people are doing better at avoiding smoking, and other risks.

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November 17, 2011 Maryland farmer David Heisler is luring customers to try fresh pumpkin with 38 varieties. They come in orange, but also red, green, yellow, white, speckled, and blue.

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November 2, 2011 Even if people used bikes to run short errands than half the time, it could save more than 1,100 lives a year in 11 Midwestern cities, thanks to reduced air pollution and improved health. That's the word from scientists at the University of Wisconsin, who figured people would bike 4 months out of the year.

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