As the saying goes, “One man’s burrito is another man’s dietary nightmare.” And because it’s not always easy to know exactly how many calories will be in that chorizo burrito, or which ingredients are part of a particular diet — whether it’s paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, or what have you — Chipotle has released an online tool. [More]
health
China Hoping Big-Budget “Toilet Revolution” Will Spur Tourism
By 12.27.16
Whether a tourist destination has dazzling scenery, famed museums, ancient ruins, or just really fantastic nightlife, there’s one thing all visitors want to find in foreign lands: plenty of clean public restrooms. That’s where China’s plan for a “toilet revolution” comes in. [More]
American Airlines Flight Attendants File Grievance Over Itchy New Uniforms
By 12.22.16
Months after American Airlines flight attendants first started complaining that their new uniforms were causing some people to break out in hives and suffer itchy rashes, the union that represents the workers has filed a formal grievance with the airline. [More]
Tanning Salon Barred From Claiming Indoor Tanning Is Safer Than Sitting In The Sun
By 12.22.16
Because there’s no guarantee that willfully exposing your skin to the sun won’t increase the risk of cancer, whether you’re basking in the rays of a UV lamp or sunning on the beach, a New York tanning salon company has agreed to a settlement that bars it from making misleading health-related claims regarding the harms and benefits of indoor tanning. [More]
Can You Get Bird Flu From Your Cat?
By 12.20.16
At first glance, the above headline might seem like a no-brainer — “Cats aren’t birds, silly!” you might be thinking. But what if your favorite feline caught bird flu — would that mean you’re at risk for catching the bug, too? [More]
Police: Fake Dentist Made House Calls To Pull Teeth, Provide Dentures
By 12.12.16
Listen: if the dentist says he doesn’t mind dropping by your house to pull a few teeth, you might want to double check and make sure he’s a real dentist before you open wide. [More]
Surgeon General: E-Cigarette Use By Young Consumers Is A “Major Public Health Threat”
By 12.8.16
Months after the Food & Drug Administration finalized rules that treat e-cigarettes like traditional cigarettes and cigars, including banning the sale to minors, a new report from the U.S. Surgeon General suggests the regulations may be too little too late, as use of the alternative tobacco products has skyrocketed among younger consumers, posing a public health threat. [More]
GNC Agrees To Improve Efforts To Keep Illegal Dietary Supplements Out Of Its Stores
By 12.7.16
When you buy a dietary supplement, you never know quite what you’re getting, because supplement manufacturers don’t have to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their products work — or are even safe — before putting them on the market. GNC, the world’s largest dietary supplement retailer, has now agreed to try to ramp up efforts to ensure that the products it sells are safe and legal. [More]
Amid Rash Complaints, American Airlines Flight Attendants Want New Uniforms Recalled
By 12.2.16
After months of many American Airlines flight attendants complaining that their new uniforms are giving them hives, rashes, and headaches, a union that represents the workers is pushing the company to issue a full recall of all the uniforms. [More]
Big Olive Oil Accuses Dr. Oz Of Disparagement
By 12.1.16
The “Dr. Oz effect” usually refers to the popular talk show host’s ability to turn unproven “miracle cures” and weight loss fads into instant successes, but fortunes can swing the other way when the Great and Doctorful Oz says not-nice things about a product. [More]
Philip Morris CEO: We Might Stop Making Traditional Cigarettes Someday
By 11.30.16
After decades of making money off brands like Marlboro, Philip Morris is looking to shift its focus away from traditional cigarettes and toward smokeless products. As part of that effort, the company’s CEO says it may stop making cigarettes altogether — eventually. [More]
Chicago Doesn’t Even Have Half The Health Inspectors Needed To Inspect High-Risk Restaurants
By 11.29.16
While it might be reassuring to see a sign posted in your favorite restaurant or other food establishment that it’s earned the approval of the city health department, that doesn’t necessarily mean health inspectors have actually been by recently to do their job. [More]
Food Scientists Trying To Develop Kale Aimed At Picky American Palates
By 11.28.16
We all know that kale is trendy, but if it were up to some American consumers, it wouldn’t be, well, quite so kale-y. [More]
Dr. Pepper Snapple Spending $1.7B On Flavored Water
By 11.22.16
As consumers turn toward beverages that aren’t soda, the major players in the business have been taking note, and trying to keep up. Like Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, which just went shopping for new drinks and ended up spending $1.7 billion to buy itself a flavored water company. [More]
Dole Slapping Disney Branding On Fresh Produce Line Aimed At Kids
By 10.14.16 — Updated: 11.1.16
Will Princess Elsa’s face on a bunch of broccoli make more kids want to eat their vegetables? That remains to be seen, but Dole and Disney are willing to try, with a new line of co-branded produce featuring Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel characters. [More]
New Jersey Walmart Wants You To Get Exercise By Parking Further Away
By 9.26.16
We’ve all been there: driving up and down the lanes of the local big box store’s parking lot seeking out the closest spot to the entrance. Now one Walmart store wants you to stop that, you know, in the name of being healthy. [More]
Heroin Mixed With Powerful Animal Tranquilizer Linked To Spike In Overdoses In Ohio
By 9.6.16
A sharp increase in heroin overdoses in the Cincinnati area — more than 200 in the last two weeks, killing three — has medical and law enforcement officials on edge. One possible culprit for the uptick? A super strong synthetic animal tranquilizer called carfentanil. [More]
Most Floridians Totally Cool With Using Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Zika
By 8.26.16
Although a plan to use genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida to fight the spread of Zika is on hold for now, a new survey says that most residents approve such a tactic. [More]
