Health: What You Should Know

Plant sources of oil are always healthy. Wrong! Palm and coconut oil are saturated fats. When possible, they should be replaced with canola oil or, even better, olive oil.

Can you believe that fruit-flavored yogurt and ice cream have almost the same amount of sugar? Per four-ounce serving, the yogurt has about 21 grams of sugar and the ice cream has about 23 grams

Q: Can drinking more water really help me lose weight?

A: Yes. Mild dehydration slows your metabolism (calorie-burning rate) by 3 percent, so water intake is a key to weight loss, says Donald S. Robertson, MD, medical director of the Southwest Bariatric Nutrition Center in Scottsdale, AZ. "If you're overweight, you need extra water to convert stored fat into fat you can burn, so drink an extra 8 ounces of water for each 25 pounds that exceeds your ideal weight."

But don't start guzzling until you've checked with your physician. "Anyone with kidney problems, heart failure or glaucoma should avoid excessive water intake. Too much fluid can overwhelm damaged kidneys or hearts and increase pressure on glaucoma-stricken eyes."

Q: Are Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables?

A: Many people believe that frozen and canned vegetables contain fewer vitamins and minerals than their fresh counterparts. But experts say that vegetables that are picked and immediately flash frozen or canned can have the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables. That's because many fresh vegetables are shipped long distances in the heat and cold, where they can lose vitamins and minerals before they make it to the grocery store shelves

 . Of all the saturated fats contributing to heart disease, coconut oil is the worst culprit, containing 92% saturated fat. Canola oil, the lowest, is flavorless; our preference is a flavorful olive oil.