With the Environmental Working Group rereleasing its Dirty Dozen list, I bring you some perspective and the foods that I “always buy organic.” What are the things you should concern yourself with? The truth might surprise you.

When you hear “frozen food,” – what comes to mind? For some, frozen pizza, “tv dinners,” ice cream, and other foods high in added sodium, sugar, and fat. Convenience foods. Sure, those are foods found in the freezer section. And what else is there in the freezer section? There are plenty of frozen vegetables and fruit.

So often, I hear an argument that cooking “kills” nutrients. With all the cooking humans have done since the discovery of fire, we would have died from malnutrition long ago. And while I will not argue that malnutrition is a significant issue globally, I guarantee you that cooking or heating food isn’t the issue.

Is fast-food “healthy”? Not really. But you may find yourself at a fast food place wondering if there are healthier options. If you go more than “once in a while” you may want to consider how you make healthier choices and help your overall health in the process. And not avoiding them completely. Because sometimes you can’t.

Eat What You Want and Eat What You Love People are dubious when I tell people that they can eat what they want. But why not? What is the reason? Are you allergic? Have an intolerance? Or it is a perception that you “shouldn’t” eat certain foods?

Could You Do a Vegan Challenge? No meat, dairy, eggs, animal anything for 30 days. This "challenge" got me thinking…Is it a "challenge" to be vegan?

It is peanut butter lovers month – and I am one of those people who identify as a peanut butter lover. I am a fan of the creamy form – not crunchy. But we all have our preferences, and there is nothing wrong with our personal preferences. Parents and caregivers should use creamy for small children to reduce the risk of choking. This year, I am providing my list of 15 ways to have peanut butter in your diet. There are no rules here; use as much or as little as you want.

One of the more "feared" things in nutrition are low-calorie sweeteners. Low-calorie sweeteners are another name for non-nutritive sweeteners or what many people call "artificial" sweeteners. People swear they cause cancer. Contribute to weight gain. Have all kinds of adverse health effects. Years ago, there was a laundry list of aspartame's negative impacts–all untrue. What is the truth?

When people refer to sugar, they think of or refer to white granulated table sugar. And people will often assume or mistakenly think that if they use a sugar alternative – such as honey or agave nectar- they are making a healthier choice or something more “natural.” But are any of these healthier alternatives to white sugar?

People say that they don’t eat carrots because they are high in sugar. They don’t eat potatoes because they are “all” sugar. They don’t eat fruit because they are high in sugar. Avoiding these plant foods because of their sugar content is among the more ridiculous statements I have heard. Why? Because naturally occurring sugar just isn’t the same as added sugars in food.

For years now, people tell me that they don’t eat carbs – bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. – I must wonder why specifically these four foods considering that rice isn’t a nutritional zero or significant contributor of excess calories in the typical American diet either.

For many years, I’ve heard people spouting the benefits of coconut oil. There are all kinds of claims related to coconut oil and how it can prevent heart disease, treat Alzheimer’s disease, is antibacterial and antimicrobial, and can treat cancer. Even help hormone balance and cure diabetes? And help with hair and skin. Coconut oil is the best oil under the sun, and we should buy it by the bucketful. Or should we?

Eating more watermelon is a fun way to get more water in your diet. In addition to being 92% water, it is also an excellent source of nutrients including lycopene, potassium, and vitamins A and C.

After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. This world loves tea, from Europe to Asia and places in between, and the U.S. is no exception. Lucky for us, tea is not only a flavorful alternative to water; it has health benefits. But which is better for us, black or green tea?