When it comes to making healthy choices, there is a lot of information out there. As a registered dietitian and Price Chopper's corporate nutritionist, I can help you by sharing with you a few of the informative articles I've read lately. Have a question on anything you've read lately? Connect with me and I'll help you make food fit into your lifestyle.

The Pop Belly
Do you drink diet soda to keep off the pounds? Try another tactic. Soda may increase your risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms
that includes high levels of belly fat, blood sugar, and cholesterol. People who consumed just one diet soda daily had a 34% higher risk of the syndrome than those who abstained, according a new University of Minnesota study of nearly 10,000 adults ages 45 to 64. Although more research is needed to determine whether the diet drinkers' high rates of metabolic syndrome are the result of the soda or a shared behavior (such as overeating), it can't hurt to cut down on diet drinks. To satisfy a sweet tooth for just a few calories, mix fresh-cut fruit (like berries or citrus) with seltzer water. Source: Stephanie Breakstone in the July 2008 issue of Prevention.