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My blender broke the other morning as I was making a smoothie, and I couldn't be happier. I bought the Black and Decker model last fall for $60 in part because it had an "ice crusher" button, which, in reality, merely "chipped" the ice. So for the last year, I have been drinking rather clumpy smoothies. As my eyes glazed over the 20 or so blenders available at a local Walmart, I resisted my usual decision making process of reading every word on every single box and simple went with a GE model since I currently like my GE stove. And whadda ya know -- it's wonderful! read more

AP - Want to lose weight? Try eating. That's one of the strategies being developed by scientists experimenting with foods that trick the body into feeling full.

With food prices rising across the board, it's difficult to prepare a family meal from wholesome ingredients on a sensible budget. Factoring in shopping, prep time, cooking and dishes, busy families are right to seek out alternatives. Nutritionist and mother of three Claudia Gonzalez explains how active new york Tri-State area moms can feed their families well when eating out. read more

Reuters - China began reviewing a tougher draft food safety law on Thursday following criticism from the United Nations over its sluggish response to a spreading tainted milk scandal that made thousands of children ill.

HealthDay - THURSDAY, Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Consuming too much fructose -- a sugar found in foods ranging from cookies to candies and soda -- can block the appetite-controlling hormone leptin from doing its job and increase the risk of obesity, a University of Florida study of rats suggests.

If this year's Halloween is like those past, some 36 million children(1), aged five to thirteen years, are poised to don costumes to go trick-or-treating. And while it is a holiday when Americans focus on sweet treats, registered dietitian Kris Clark, Ph.D., of Pennsylvania State University, says that Halloween is a perfect time to clear up confusion about the role of sweets in the diet and misconceptions about different sweeteners. read more

A powerful antioxidant in green tea may prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Researchers were testing EGCG, green tea's predominant antioxidant, in a laboratory mouse with type 1 diabetes and primary Sjogren's syndrome, which damages moisture-producing glands, causing dry mouth and eyes. "Our study focused on Sjogren's syndrome, so learning that EGCG also can prevent and delay insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes was a big surprise," says Dr. Stephen Hsu, molecular/cell biologist in the School of Dentistry. read more

AFP - Major Australian food and drink manufacturers Friday agreed not to advertise junk food during children's television programs, as they face growing public pressure about childhood obesity.

AFP - Japan's Nissin Food Products Co. said Friday it was recalling half a million cups of instant noodles over fears of insecticide contamination in the latest food safety scare to rock the country's consumers.

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- A new diet drug, tesofensine, produces twice the weight loss of currently available obesity drugs, Danish researchers report.