Revive Energy Mints have been called The Most Innovative Fitness and Energy Product to be unleashed into Food & Beverage industry for ages. Maybe it’s the healthy, herb based energy blend equivalent in strength to a cup of coffee, energy shot, or canned energy drink. Perhaps it’s the fusion of exotic super-fruits, which are packed with healthy antioxidants packed super-fruits. Maybe it’s the smooth mint taste that leaves your breath fresh and mouth feeling clean. Whatever it is about Revive Energy Mints, it’s leading many to call it the most unique and effective Energy Supplement of the Twenty-First Century. Revive energy mints  combine a potent herbal energy blend, which includes guarana-caffeine, ginseng, and green-tea, with Mangosteen, Goji Berry, and Acai Berry – Thee Truly Amazing Superfoods.

Flu shots, hand washing, healthy eating, and regular exercise are the best ways to avoid cold and flu.

But sometimes even the most scrupulous germphobes and healthy people get sick anyway. While certain natural remedies can help shorten symptoms—or prevent infection entirely—many people waste money on measures that are all hype. Here’s how to know the difference so you can get well faster—without wasting a penny.

1. Omega-3 Pill

The Verdict: Help

Take it: All season

If you don’t like or eat a lot of fish, pop an omega-3 supplement daily to reap the fatty acid’s impressive immune-fortifying properties. Omega-3s increase the activity of phagocytes—cells that fight flu by eating up bacteria—according to a study by Britain’s Institute of Human Nutrition and School of Medicine. Other research shows that omega-3s increase airflow and protect lungs from colds and respiratory infections.

Look for purified fish oil capsules that contain at least 1 g combined of EPA and DHA. Or get your omega-3s from these power foods.

2. Astragalus

The Verdict: Help

Take it: All season

This Chinese root is shown to stimulate the white blood cells that fight infection, says Prevention advisor Andrew Weil, MD. A study published in 2007 found that astragalus appears to boost immunity in mice. And a pilot study suggests that the herb may have similar effects in people. However, keep in mind that astragalus may take 6 to 8 weeks to reach its full effect.

3. Echinacea

The Verdict: Hype

If taken at the start of a cold, this herb might shorten duration and severity of symptoms. But some brands don’t contain the amount of echinacea listed on the label—and some formulas have none at all. Possible side effects include wheezing, rash, and diarrhea.

4. Vitamin D

The Verdict: Help

Take it: All season

This power nutrient may effectively boost immunity and help prevent colds, a Harvard study shows. People with the lowest vitamin D levels were 36 percent more likely to have upper respiratory infections, compared with those with the most D. (Asthma patients with low levels of D were nearly 6 times as likely to get sick as those with the greatest amounts.) Adequate amounts of D help produce cathelicidin, a protein with virus-killing qualities.

Since it’s tough to get enough from sunlight or diet (fish and fortified dairy are the best sources), you’ll need a supplement to attain optimal levels, says study author Carlos A. Camargo Jr., M.D. Aim for at least 1,000 IU daily.

5. Cold-fX

The Verdict: Help

Take it: When you feel sick

Consider taking this supplement, which contains North American ginseng extract, when you feel a cold coming on. Subjects who took two daily capsules of Cold-fX (available online) caught half as many colds as a group taking a placebo, according to a study by the Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases at the University of Connecticut. When they did get sick, their symptoms lasted less than half as long. This particular ginseng variety contains compounds that increase white blood cells and interleukins, proteins the immune system relies on.

6. Airborne

The Verdict: Hype

Experts say this supplement, a blend of blend of Zinc, Ginger, Echinacea and other vitamins, minerals, and herbs, does nothing to repel germs on an airplane or anywhere else. It also contains large amounts of vitamin A, which could be toxic if taken several times a day.

See more cold and flu old wives tales and myths debunked here.

7. Zinc

The Verdict: Help

Take it: When you feel sick

The research on this mineral is conflicting. Still, “30 mg taken at the very start of a cold will shorten it by about half a day,” says David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. Look for Zicam or Cold-Eeze. By slowing the multiplication of the virus in the nose and throat, these products appear to shorten colds.

But don’t overdo it. While even a slight deficiency in zinc, which is needed to produce white blood cells, can increase your risk of infection, more than 50 mg daily can suppress your immune system and block absorption of other essential minerals.

9 Power foods that help boost your immunity.

8. Vitamin C

The Verdict: Hype

There’s certainly no downside to eating a lot of C-rich foods, such as red peppers and citrus fruits. But taking a vitamin for extra protection won’t help. A 2007 review of 30 studies found no evidence that vitamin C supplementation prevents colds in the normal population. Plus, megadoses can cause kidney stones, upset stomach, and even internal bleeding in children.

The most basic way to lose weight is to slash calories. That’s Diet 101. But how many do you really have to cut or burn to see results? It’s simple: You can drop a pound a week by trimming 500 calories each day. (Calories burned are based on a 150-pound woman.)

In fact, do a couple of swaps a day and you can drop 10 pounds in five weeks! So try these 50 easy tweaks—and get the slim body you want in no time.

1. Shake your groove thing. Dance for just two hours and torch 500 calories. (A little air guitar will burn a few extra calories, too.)

2. Get enough sleep. A lack of shut-eye can make you snack, new research from the University of Chicago shows. People who got only 5 1/2 hours of sleep noshed more during the day. Snooze more and save about 1,087 calories.

3. Don’t eat in front of the TV. You’ll eat up to 288 calories more, according to research from the University of Massachusetts. Instead, eat at the table, and trade one hour of TV for a casual walk. Together, that’s 527 calories burned.

4. Get in tune with your tummy. Pay attention to how full you feel, and put down your fork when you’re satisfied. Listen to your body’s cues—instead of looking at whether the plate is clean—and save up to 500 calories a day.

5. Limit dinner guests. Eating with seven or more other guests can make you eat 96 percent more food, says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating. That’s like doubling your dinner! Dine with fewer guests to save 500 or more calories.

6. Simple tricks to fill up (with less!). For breakfast, eat two boiled or poached eggs. (You’ll feel fuller and eat about 416 fewer calories the rest of the day.) Before lunch and dinner, enjoy 1 cup low-cal soup. (You’ll eat about 134 calories less at each meal.) And save a total of 684 calories for the day.

7. Limit salad toppings. A big salad might seem healthy, but all those goodies on top can make it more calorie-laden than lasagna or fettuccine Alfredo. Cheese crumbles, caramelized nuts, bacon, avocado, dried fruit, croutons and vinaigrettes can add lots of calories. Save 500 or more calories by having just one topping, adding flavorful but lower-cal veggies (roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, or mushrooms) and using half the dressing.

8. Don’t clean your plate. Leave 25 percent of your food on the plate at every meal, says weight-loss expert James O. Hill, Ph.D., author of The Step Diet. If you normally eat 2,000 calories or more each day, you’ll cut 500 calories.

9. Use smaller plates. Swap your 12-inch plate for a 10-inch one. You’ll eat 20 to 25 percent less—and save up to 500 calories. You won’t feel any less full, either, researchers say.

10. Serve and sit. Family-style meals, with platters and bowls of food on the table, invite people to go back for seconds and thirds. Cut hundreds of calories by filling plates before bringing them to the table; leave serving dishes in the kitchen, too.

11. Make a swap. Use 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt instead of 1 cup heavy cream in a favorite baking recipe. Save 684 calories.

12. Make mine a mini. Check out menus for small versions of great desserts, so you can dodge calo­ries and end your meal on a sweet note. P.F. Chang’s Great Wall of Chocolate (designed for one diner!) is 1,440 calories. The Mini Great Wall? A chocolatey yet svelte 150 calories. You’ll save 1,290-calories.

13. Ditch that buttered movie popcorn. Yes, the large popcorn at the concession stand weighs in at a whopping 1,005 calories. Smuggle in your own (microwave-popped, 94 percent fat-free, of course) and save more than 700 calories.

14. Count your chips (and crackers). No, you can’t eat your snacks from a large bag or box because it’s waaaay too tempting to eat until the bag is empty. (Remember Oprah’s blue corn–tortilla chip confession?) A chip-bender to the bottom of a 9-ounce bag is 1,260 calories sans the dip. So stick to one serving, about 15 chips—that’s 140 calories—or pick up some 100-calorie snack packs and save 1,120 calories.

15. Step away from the nuts, especially if they’re in a big bowl. The bigger the serving bowl, the more you’ll eat, Cornell University researchers say. Nuts have heart-healthy fats, but they’re also high in calories: One handful (about 1 ounce) of oil-roasted mixed nuts has 175 calories; three handfuls have 525. Cut out nuts altogether and save more than 500 calories. Can’t resist ’em? Eat pistachios: Two handfuls are just 159 calories, and the shelling will slow down your munching.

16. Skip the whip—or at least size it down. Dessert-like coffee creations can contain as many as 670 calories, with large sizes and options like whipped cream, whole milk and syrups. Craving whipped cream? Try it on a shot of espresso for a total of just 30 calories. You save 640 calories!

17. Kick the soda habit. A 12-ounce soft drink has about 150 to 180 calories. If you down two or three a day, you’re getting lots of extra calories. Quench your thirst with water and save as many as 540 calories.

18. Drink sugar-free. A 20-ounce tea with added fruit juices can have 400-plus calories. And Southern-style sweet tea isn’t much better than soda: a 16-ounce bottle of syrupy sweet tea has 180 calories; three of those are 540 calories. Choose sugar-free sips and save more than 400 calories.

19. Skinny up cocktails. Syrups, sour mix, sugary fruit juices and creamy additions turn drinks into desserts: an indulgent Mudslide can have more than 800 calories. Order drinks mixed with club soda, tonic water, cranberry juice or a squeeze of citrus; or try distilled liquors on the rocks. You’ll save up to 800 calories.

20. Eat less pasta. One cup of pasta is just 220 calories. But typical dinner portions at restaurants can be as much as 480 percent larger than that 1 cup, according to New York University research. That’s 1,056 calories. Even if you eat 2 whole cups of noodles, you’ll still save 616 calories.

21. Get out your knitting needles. An afternoon of knitting can burn more than 500 calories (at a rate of about 100 an hour).

22. Clean house. Tidy up for 2 1/2 hours and burn 510 calories.

23. Check the number of servings in a dish. The calorie count on the menu for shrimp fried rice may say 350 calories per serving, but what’s set in front of you may actually contain four servings. Split it with three friends, and save 1,050 calories.

24. Beware the healthy-food trap. People let their guard down when the menu is full of healthy fare, underestimating calories by as much as 35 perecnt, research by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab shows. You’re also more likely to order drinks, sides and desserts with up to 131 percent more calories when you have a healthy entrée. Skip caloric sides—a cookie, chips—to save 500-plus calories.

25. Build a lean burrito—and you’ll save 630 calories. Here’s how:

• Instead of a flour tortilla, order lettuce.
• Instead of cheese, order guacamole.
• Instead of ground beef, shredded pork.
• Instead of black beans, order pinto beans.
• Instead of rice, order corn salsa
• Instead of salsa, order pico de gallo

The reduced calorie options add up to 490 calories—down from 1,120.

26. Think small at the ice cream shop. Even if you indulge in your favorite full-fat flavor, you’ll save as many as 550 calories with a 5-ounce size instead of a 12-ounce.

27. Think thin when it comes to pizza. Eat two slices of a medium thin-crust veggie pizza (360 calories) instead of two slices of a large, meaty deep-dish pizza (940 calories) and save 580 calories.

28. Beware hidden oils. Ask to have your food cooked with a little stock instead of oil, or order steamed or poached entrées: you’ll save 124 calories per tablespoon of oil. Also, have the kitchen skip oils added at the last minute like basil oil or chive oil, and save another 40 calories per teaspoon.

29. Order spaghetti with meat sauce instead of spaghetti with Italian sausage and save 560 calories. Even better: Order mushroom ravioli (670 calories) or pasta marinara (430 calories).

30. Nix that smoothie a day. A large 32-ounce smoothie can have 800 or more calories. That really adds up if you’re having on-the-go breakfast several times a week. Instead, try a filling lower-calorie starter of oatmeal with brown sugar and banana slices, and a cup of black coffee. You’ll save 518 calories.

31. Help a friend move. You’ll burn more than 600 calories in one hour of carrying boxes and furniture up and down the stairs.

32. Shovel snow. Clearing the driveway and sidewalks for one hour and 15 minutes will torch 510 calories.

33. Ice-skate for one hour and five minutes and burn 516 calories. (Or go inline skating and slash 562.)

34. Tap your foot. Your skinnier friends are probably fidgeters, who burn up to 350 calories a day just by tapping their feet or being restless. Try it for a few days. Walk around while you’re on the phone, or tap out a tune with your hands or feet (in the privacy of your own office, of course).

35. Be the hostess with the mostest. Go grocery shopping for one hour, put away your groceries, spend two hours cooking a fabulous holiday feast, set the table and serve. Then toast yourself for the awesome 640 calorie-burn. (A glass of champagne is only about 106 calories, so you’re still ahead.)

36. Go window-shopping. Whether you buy anything or not, an afternoon of walking around and trying on clothes can torch 548 calories.

37. Hit the pool. Do one hour of laps or 55 minutes of jogging in the water to burn 500 calories.

38. Stroll your way slim. Spend an afternoon pushing junior from the giraffes to the sea lions at the zoo (or around the aquarium or museum) and burn 523 calories.

39. Head to a county fair or amusement park. You’ll slash 612 calories in three hours from the casual walking and standing in lines. (Subtract 105 calories if you have cotton candy.)

40. Play a game of touch football or basketball with your kids for one hour and burn 500 calories.

41. Head for the nearest hill. Go sledding with the kiddos for one hour and five minutes. You’ll burn 500-plus calories.

42. Do an hour of circuit training and you’ll burn 544 calories.

43. Tackle the garage. Clearing out junk for 1 hour and 30 minutes will burn 510 calories.

44. Rake the leaves. Do yard work for 1 hour and 45 minutes and burn 512 calories. (Jumping in the leaf pile won’t hurt, either.)

45. Kickbox. Sign up for kickboxing and burn 510 calories in a 45-minute class.

46. Go cross-country skiing for one hour and five minutes and sizzle off 516 calories.

47. Exercise at home. Pop in a one-hour aerobics DVD, and finish with 20 minutes of yoga—500 calories, gone.

48. Walk or run a 10K and you’ll burn up to 680 calories.

49. Go hiking. Just one hour and 15 minutes will burn 510 calories.

50. Cut down your own Christmas tree. Hike out, find the perfect tree, cut it, and take it home. Put it up and decorate it for 1 hour to burn 519 calories.

New research suggests that certain breast cancer patients who take the drug Herceptin during chemotherapy, instead of taking it afterward, fare better, leading one of the study authors to say patients should routinely take the drug with chemo.The patients at issue are those with HER2-positive breast cancer, which accounts for 20 percent to 25 percent of all cases of the disease.

Researchers looked at the outcomes for hundreds of women who underwent different treatment regimens. Their findings were to be released at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, sponsored by the Cancer Therapy & Research Center of the University of Texas, the American Association for Cancer Research and Baylor College of Medicine.

The study found that patients who used Herceptin (also known by the generic name trastuzumab) and chemotherapy together were 25 percent less likely to experience a cancer recurrence or death than those who used the drug after chemotherapy.

“The results of this trial have been eagerly awaited in the U.S. and in many nations as this is the only trial developed to define the optimal way to incorporate Herceptin in the context of adjuvant chemotherapy,” Dr. Edith Perez, a breast cancer researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., said in a news release. “This could mean that up to 10,000 women around the world each year may have a better outcome if Herceptin is used along with chemotherapy. Given that, I believe this study will lead to a global re-evaluation of how Herceptin is used.”

The electronic cigarette or electric cigarette is a truly ingenious product that enables the smoker to actually smoke but without having to inhale any of the 4000 plus chemicals found in the standard cigarette. It provides the smoker with a healthier method of enjoying a real smoking experience. Also known as an electric cigarette, it looks just like normal cigarettes, tastes like normal cigarettes even provides smoke when inhaled (in the form of vapour), and provides the smoker with a hit of nicotine but without the smell, tobacco, tar and many thousand chemicals that can harm our system.

A bit more about this ingenious product…. We understand how hard it is to quit smoking, after all most of the staff here are former smokers, the electronic cigarette has been found to help you cut down and eventually quit – that’s the feedback we get from our customers. Our SmokeTip Electronic Cigarette Kit are high quality, we know what it’s like to want a smoke and the last thing you need is something that lets you down – very frustrating. http://www.smoketip.com guarantee all our products for quality and satisfaction.

If you are skeptical then please be assured that an electronic cigarette is a useful way of quitting smoking, it doesn’t leave you smelling of smoke but does have all the flavour and nicotine of regular cigarettes, they do not have all the chemicals and poisons found in traditional cigarettes but an electronic cigarette does save you a lot of money and is extremely realistic.

Every day Herbalife succeeds in extraordinary ways, helping millions of people like you improve their lives through:

• High-quality products that combine the best of science and nature for better nutrition made simple.
• A proven business opportunity that empowers people to achieve their life’s dreams, goals and ambitions.

Herbalife is proud of its mission-and its success putting improved health and well-being within reach for people around the world.

Weight Loss: The Shapeworks Diet programs have helped people achieve amazing weight loss results. Herballife has developed a whole line of weight loss enhancers to help you lose weight even faster. Products for appetite control, boost the metabolism and healthy protein snacks to help you feel satisfied. Energy and Fitness: The Herbalife energy and fitness products provide the body with a much needed spurt of energy. Energy drinks like Liftoff, NRG Tea and other exclusive formulations are designed to help you with the energy you need to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

Targeted Nutrition: Products targeted to give nutritional support for the heart, the immune system, the digestive system, relieve stress etc. Today many diet related problems can affect the health of children, women and men. Browse the targeted nutrition category for a range of products like Herbalife Niteworks, the Herbalife 21 day cleanser and Herbal Aloe Concentrate and Herbalife Prelox Blue.

Herbalife Skin Care: Herbalife introduces to you amazing products to help you take care of your skin. These Herballife products include formulations for anti aging, products to help you take care of your hair, skin revitalizers, body essentials, and fragrances.

Remember! The Herbalife products are not only for weight loss. It is a complete nutrition program that makes sure you get optimal nutrition and you can use the products for the health benefits as well as weight management.

Do you like your job and love raising a family, but wish you have time to take up a new sport — or enjoy your old favorites? Feel frustrated because there never seems to be enough time to get out there and get your mojo moving? Here’s a novel concept: Take the fam with you on your quest for exercise.

Incorporating your partner and children into an active lifestyle can be one of the biggest favors you’ll do for any of you. As the American Medical Association points out, “Fitness that begins in childhood is a lifelong investment.” In addition, studies show that children who are more involved in fitness at a young age tend to pursue healthier lifestyles throughout their lives.

One caution with any physically strenuous activity: Youngsters often tire, dehydrate, overheat and drop core temperature more quickly than expected. Keeping an eye to these vital signs while enjoying your conditioning time together will ensure safe and fun exercising.

With that in mind, consider one (or all) of the possible activities here as options in your pursuit of a healthier, happier family:

Let it snow, let it snow. If you have fond memories of snowball fights, sledding down crazy hills, building snowmen and igloos, then it’s high time to turn your kids on to your fun of yesteryear. Hauling a sled uphill is great cardio, and building with snow can be excellent resistance training.

Children as young as six can enjoy snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and you can bundle up a wee one in your baby backpack or tow him or her behind in a special sled so all can savor a winter wonderland.

Reach for the stars. One of the newest sports to sweep America is rock climbing and, conveniently enough, you don’t even need a real rock to experience it. Many gyms have added climbing walls and newer gyms may be built specifically around this feature. Definitely more challenging than a Sunday stroll, climbing is a total body workout that utilizes many of the major muscle groups. Most gyms accommodate a wide range of ages; some even offer family packages and host special family days.

Flippers ‘n’ fins. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t swim to your heart’s content. Indoor pools abound at local recreation centers and gyms; so call around to find good family-use packages. Swimming builds stamina, general strength and cardio fitness and is very low impact for those who have had former sports injuries. Whether you’re working on water ballet with your baby or brushing up on the butterfly stroke with your teen, your body will thank you for the regular workout.

Park it. Weather permitting, camping, hiking and simple scenic walks in local parks are fantastic and inexpensive ways to exercise with your kids and to teach them to appreciate Mother Nature up close and personal. Why not take adavantage of some great outdoor escapes in your neck of the woods? If you want to hit the trails together on a larger scale, many of the National parks have family programs, as do local and state park systems.

Remember, family time doesn’t always have to center around the remote control. Get outside and get your blood pumping together — you may create some lasting memories as well as a lifelong habit of staying in shape.

Obesity

At the present there’s actual evidence which outrages weight makes a pressure upon the brain of aged people, making them to become possibly more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, weak-mindedness and mental decline.

“The crucial factor lies in the thing that good vascular health is identical to good mental health,”announced Cyrus Raji, lead author of a new research, «Cerebrum Structure and Obesity,” was published online in «The bad things for the heart are also is bad for the cerebrum.”

The research focused on 94 subjects, 70 and more aged, who were weighing more than is usual obese.

Subjects did not have any clinical signs of Alzheimer’s or weak-mindedness and mental decline when their brains passed scanning, with a clinical follow – up research 5 years later. The idea was only to show influences on brain volume imputative to portliness and weight gain, not Alzheimer’s or brain illness.

It is often occurring that one certainly needs a special health program to lose his weight and live a healthy live. Thus choosing a “weightloss elixir” is quite a responsible factor which should be based upon such parameters as: safety, secureness, absence of aftereffects and other.

What does obesity means in its general sense? Obesity refers to having too much body fat. It is quite various from being overweight, which means weighing too much. Thus if we feel certain discomfort about weight it becomes less important which term we prefer to use.

Obesity appears and continues to disturb you over time when you engross more calories than you use. The balance between calories intaken and calories burnt are various for each person separately. There are usually a dozen more factors which should in a general meaning slope the balance involving your genetic makeup, consuming too much food, engrossing high-fat foods and not keeping up the physical shape.

Having overweight makes serious impacts on your health first of all making high your risk of diabetes, heart failures, rheumatoid arthritis and some categories of cancers. In case you are obese, you should understand that losing even up to ten percent of your weight may be the postponing or even preventing factor for the above-mentioned diseases.

If you are extremely stressed about engrossing too many calories, making a panic is not obviously the best way to treat the problem. Phentermine diet pills helps you to think and act more positive and you enjoy your food.

All you have to do is to prepare a negative answer to even small quantity of added “extras”.

You should necessarily consider such tips as cutting calories, e.g. ice cream taken on top of a slice of pie, half-cup of this saves: 145 calories, layer of crust engrossed on fruit pie, one slice of which saves 75 calories.

            There is certain evidence from decades of studies into weight loss; phentermine without exception significantly performs better than the control group. That generally means, even when people have the assistance of phentermine, it is in reality quite hard to maintain a diet. With the assistant of such an appetite suppressant, people are able to retain their motivation to diet for a more longer which provides them with the best possible opportunity weight loss. If try to give this another coverage, the effect shown by weight loss is not immediately related to any other alike medicine. People really should undertake a very important mission to have the mittimus for the change of their lifestyles.

There are more than 3,000 ingredients on the FDA’s list of “safe” food additives, but while researching Eat This, Not That!, we found more than a few preservatives, dyes, sweeteners, and flavoring agents that gave us a reason for concern. That’s why we packed the book with a Food Additive Glossary—so that even if you don’t have a Ph.D. in chemistry, you can still understand the foods you’re putting into your body every day. 

We’ve compiled nine of the most controversial food additives from our glossary below. We’re not trying to scare you, but we do believe in informed eating. Next time you come across an ingredient list that reads like an O-chem final, you’ll be ready to ace the test.

Artificial Flavoring

Denotes any of hundreds of allowable chemicals such as butyl alcohol, isobutyric acid, and phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal. The exact chemicals used in flavoring are the proprietary information of food processors, used to imitate specific fruits, butter, spices, and so on.

Found in: Thousands of highly processed foods such as cereals, fruit snacks, beverages, and cookies.

What you need to know: The FDA has approved every item on the list of allowable chemicals, but because they are permitted to hide behind a blanket term, there is no way for consumers to pinpoint the cause of a reaction they might have had. If you’re looking to cut the unknowns out of your diet, search the ingredient list for “Artificial Flavoring”—if a product contains any of the hundreds of allowable chemicals, it’ll be on the list. And you can look for something else.

Bonus tip: Beverages too often boast artificial flavoring. See the 20 worst drinks in America to learn which drinks you should always skip.

Aspartame

A near-zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combining two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar.

Found in: More than 6,000 grocery items including diet sodas, yogurts, and the table-top sweeteners NutraSweet and Equal.

What you need to know: Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Human studies have shown aspartame to be completely harmless; a few rodent trials implicate the additive as a carcinogen.

Bonus tip: Learn more about diet soda—and why it might actually make you gain weight.

BHA and BHT (Butylated HydroxyAnisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

Petroleum-derived antioxidants used to preserve fats and oils.

Found in: Beer, crackers, cereals, butter, and foods with added fats.

What you need to know: Of the two, BHA is considered the most dangerous. Studies have shown it to cause cancer in the forestomachs of rats, mice, and hamsters. The Department of Health and Human Services classifies the preservative as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

A corn-derived sweetener representing more than 40 percent of all caloric sweeteners in the supermarket. In 2005, there were 59 pounds produced per capita. The liquid sweetener is created by a complex process that involves breaking down cornstarch with enzymes, and the result is a roughly 50/50 mix of fructose and glucose.

Found in: Although it can be found in every grocery aisle—in products such as ice cream, chips, cookies, cereal, bread, ketchup, jam, canned fruits, yogurt, barbecue sauce, frozen dinners—about two-thirds of the HFCS consumed in the United States is in beverages. Check out our list of the 20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America to see some of the worst examples. You’ll be shocked.

What you need to know: Since around 1980, the US obesity rate has risen proportionately to the increase in HFCS, and Americans are now consuming at least 200 calories of the sweetener each day. Some researchers argue that the body metabolizes HFCS differently, making it easier to store as fat, but this theory has not been proven. But recent research shows another potential concern: a study published in Environmental Health tested 55 common products with HFCS listed as one of the top three ingredients, and found that a third of them contained mercury.

Bonus tip: In the end, too much sugar is bad for you, no matter its molecular form. Which is why you should avoid all items on this list of the 15 worst desserts in America.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

A manufactured fat created by forcing hydrogen gas into vegetable fats under extremely high pressure, an unintended effect of which is the creation of trans fatty acids. Food processors like this fat because of its low cost and long shelf life.

Found in: Margarine, pastries, frozen foods, cakes, cookies, crackers, soups, and nondairy creamers.

What you need to know: Dozens of studies have linked trans fat to heart disease, which is why the cities of Boston and New York, and the state of California, have approved legislation to phase out trans fat in restaurant kitchens. Most health organizations recommend keeping trans fat consumption as low as possible, but a loophole in the FDA’s labeling requirements allows processors to add as much as 0.49 grams per serving and still claim zero in their nutrition facts.

Bonus tip: One of our rules for good nutrition is to buy foods with as few ingredients listed on the label as possible. That ensures you’re consuming maximum nutrients, and minimum chemical filler. The next time you’re at the grocery store, toss the items on this list of 10 foods for a longer life into your cart. Ingredients: 1.

Red #3 (Erythrosine) and Red #40 (Allura Red)

Food dyes that are orange-red and cherry-red, respectively. Red #40 is the most widely used food dye in America.

Found in: Fruit cocktail, candy, chocolate cake, cereal, beverages, pastries, maraschino cherries, and fruit snacks.

What you need to know: The FDA once considered imposing a ban on the use of Red #3 in food, but thus far has not. However, after the dye was linked to thyroid tumors in rats, the FDA had the liquid form of the dye removed from external-use drugs and cosmetics.

Saccharin

An artificial sweetener that’s 300 times sweeter than sugar. Invented in 1879, saccharin is the oldest of the five artificial sweeteners used in the United States.

Found in: Diet foods, chewing gum, toothpaste, beverages, sugar-free candy, and Sweet ‘N Low.

What you need to know: Rat studies in the early ‘70s linked high doses of saccharin with bladder cancer, and the FDA moved to ban it. Congress, reacting to public pressure, intervened and mandated that a warning be printed on the label of every product containing saccharin. The warning was removed after 23 years, in the wake of findings that the cancer process saccharin triggers in rats does not apply to humans, and that no human studies found any cancer risk. More recent research found that rats on saccharin-sweetened diets gain more weight than those on sugar-sweetened diets.

Bonus tip: If you want to lose weight, make the simple swaps on our list of the top swaps for weight loss. You could shed 10, 20, or even 30 pounds in a year.

Sucralose

A zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by joining chlorine particles and sugar molecules. It’s 600 times sweeter than sugar.

Found in: Sugar-free foods, pudding, low-calorie beverages, some diet sodas, and Splenda.

What you need to know: Despite the controversy surrounding Splenda, sucralose is considered by many scientific bodies to be the least damaging of the artificial sweeteners. After reviewing 110 human and animal studies, the FDA concluded that the use of sucralose does not cause cancer. The sweetener is one of only three artificial sweeteners deemed safe by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) and Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)

The second and third most common food colorings, respectively.

Found in: Cereal, pudding, bread mix, beverages, chips, cookies, and condiments.

What you need to know: Researchers in the Untied Kingdom found that 3-year-olds given a drink containing both dyes (and other additives) showed more symptoms of hyperactivity than those who didn’t ingest the chemicals. One study found that mice fed high doses of sunset yellow had trouble swimming straight and righting themselves in water.