Free Republic

Many people are choosing to make the switch to plant-based diets for many reasons – including as a way of cutting their climate footprint or to be healthier. Yet there’s long been the notion that plant-based diets are inherently more expensive than following a more traditional omnivore diet – which is why some people may be hesitant to make the switch. But it turns out that this isn’t entirely accurate. In fact, the recent research my colleagues and I published in Lancet Planetary Health found that eating a healthier and more sustainable diet (such as vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or flexitarian)...

Don’t be fooled by the labels; these foods aren’t what you think. Here’s a secret in the food industry: Many healthy foods are no better than their alternatives. Some have little nutritional value, some actually contain harmful chemicals and some even pose as “healthy” when they’re downright bad for you. Go beyond the labels and scrutinize the ingredients. Breads labeled as “whole wheat” or “whole grain,” for example, can pack as much as 70 percent refined flour. But because it includes some whole grains, it can advertise itself as the real deal. And challenge the myths. You don’t need many...

Stop the presses, Michelle Obama might have eaten a hamburger. The blogosphere erupted with criticism almost immediately after the Washington Post reported Monday that the first lady sat down at a newly opened Shake Shack in Washington D.C., where she ordered a ShackBurger, fries, a chocolate shake and a Diet Coke. According to the popular burger joint's website, that's a 1,556-calorie meal. (sic, actually it was 1700 calories.) Many critiqued the first lady's public display of Shake Shack love as she continues to advocate for her Let's Move! campaign, an initiative to eliminate childhood obesity. But even as the first...