ADA Seal of Acceptance Awarded to Chewing Gum
Fast Food Items Highest In Trans Fat - The 88 least healthy foods.
7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe

ADA Seal of Acceptance Awarded to Chewing Gum

The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs (CSA) has awarded the Seal of Acceptance to Wrigley Orbit Sugar Free Gum, Wrigley Extra Sugar Free Gum and Wrigley Eclipse Sugar Free Gum, the first chewing gum products available to receive the Seal.

CSA awarded the three Wrigley products the Seal after reviewing laboratory and clinical studies showing "that the physical action of chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating stimulates saliva flow, which helps prevent cavities by reducing plaque acids and strengthening teeth."

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Fast Food Items Highest In Trans Fat - The 88 least healthy foods.

The absolute worst ingredient your food could possibly contain is trans fat. Maybe you've heard of it? If not, here's a quick run down of some of the horrible things that studies have shown may be caused by a diet high in trans fat:

• Coronary Heart Disease (Raise bad cholesterol AND lower good cholesterol)
• Stroke
• Diabetes

There then exists some (albeit less) evidence that trans fat may also cause:

• Cancer

• Obesity
• Liver Dysfunction
• Infertility

Like I said, it's the worst ingredient your food could contain. And, guess what? Fast food is pretty much the most common place you'll find this evil type of fat. Fast food is also the place you'll find the highest amounts of it.

Knowing this, I looked over the nutrition facts of literally every single item from the menus of McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, A&W, Arby's, Hardee's, In-N-Out Burger, Jack in the Box, Little Caesars, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Sonic, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's, White Castle, Popeyes, Del Taco, Carl's Jr., and Dairy Queen to put together a list of the 88 fast food items highest in trans fat.

Keeping in mind just how terrible trans fat is and all of the terrible things it can cause, I have given this the very catchy nickname of "The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You." When you look over this list with the understanding that you should be eating 0 grams of trans fat per day, you'll realize that my little nickname really isn't that much of an overstatement. So, without further ado...

The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You:

1. White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Sack

Trans Fat: 30 grams

2. White Castle Fish Nibblers - Sack

Trans Fat: 16 grams

3. KFC Chicken Pot Pie

Trans Fat: 14 grams

4. Burger King Hash Browns - Large

Trans Fat: 13 grams

5. White Castle Chicken Rings - 20 rings

Trans Fat: 13 grams

6. Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Large

Trans Fat: 12 grams

7. Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges

Trans Fat: 12 grams

8. White Castle Clam Strips - Sack

Trans Fat: 12 grams

9. Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket 6-piece

Trans Fat: 12 grams

10. White Castle French Fries - Sack

Trans Fat: 11 grams

11. Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Medium

Trans Fat: 10 grams

12. Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Large

Trans Fat: 10 grams

13. Jack in the Box Onion Rings (8)

Trans Fat: 10 grams

14. Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Large

Trans Fat: 10 grams

15. White Castle Onion Chips - Sack

Trans Fat: 10 grams

16. Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket 4-piece

Trans Fat: 10 grams

17. Burger King Hash Browns - Medium

Trans Fat: 9 grams

18. Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Small

Trans Fat: 9 grams

19. Dairy Queen Large Onion Rings

Trans Fat: 9 grams

20. McDonald's Large French Fries

Trans Fat: 8 grams

21. Burger King French Fries King Size

Trans Fat: 7 grams

22. Domino's Garlic Dipping Sauce

Trans Fat: 7 grams

23. White Castle Onion Rings - Sack

Trans Fat: 7 grams

24. Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Medium

Trans Fat: 7 grams

25. Jack in the Box Sampler Trio

Trans Fat: 7 grams

26. Jack in the Box Spicy Chicken Bites (16)

Trans Fat: 7 grams

27. Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Medium

Trans Fat: 7 grams

28. Jack in the Box Spicy Chicken Biscuit

Trans Fat: 7 grams

29. Dairy Queen Regular Onion Rings

Trans Fat: 7 grams

30. Boston Market Pastry Top Chicken Pot Pie

Trans Fat: 7 grams

31. Arby's Apple Turnover

Trans Fat: 6.5 grams

32. Burger King BK Chicken Fries 12pc

Trans Fat: 6 grams

33. Burger King French Fries Large

Trans Fat: 6 grams

34. Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit

Trans Fat: 6 grams

35. Arby's Cherry Turnover

Trans Fat: 6 grams

36. White Castle Chicken Rings - 9 rings

Trans Fat: 6 grams

37. White Castle Clam Strips - Regular

Trans Fat: 6 grams

38. White Castle Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (10 sticks)

Trans Fat: 6 grams

39. Jack in the Box Chicken Biscuit

Trans Fat: 6 grams

40. Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit

Trans Fat: 6 grams

41. Dairy Queen Large Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard

Trans Fat: 6 grams

42. A&W Large Fries

Trans Fat: 5.5 grams

43. McDonald's Baked Apple Pie

Trans Fat: 5 grams

44. Burger King Sausage Biscuit

Trans Fat: 5 grams

45. McDonald's Medium French Fries

Trans Fat: 5 grams

46. Burger King Ham, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit

Trans Fat: 5 grams

47. Burger King Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit

Trans Fat: 5 grams

48. Burger King Hash Browns - Small

Trans Fat: 5 grams

49. White Castle Onion Chips - Regular

Trans Fat: 5 grams

50. Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Small

Trans Fat: 5 grams

51. Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Small

Trans Fat: 5 grams

52. Jack in the Box Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit

Trans Fat: 5 grams

53. Jack in the Box Original French Toast Sticks (4)

Trans Fat: 5 grams

54. Jack in the Box Sausage Biscuit

Trans Fat: 5 grams

55. Dairy Queen Large French Fries

Trans Fat: 5 grams

56. Burger King BK Chicken Fries 9pc

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

57. McDonald's Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (5 pc)

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

58. Boston Market Chocolate Cake

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

59. KFC Chicken and Biscuit Bowl

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

60. Burger King Onion Rings King Size

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

61. Burger King French Fries Medium

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

62. Sonic French Toast Sticks (4)

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

63. Jack in the Box Sourdough Ultimate Cheeseburger

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

64. Jack in the Box Stuffed Jalapenos (7)

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

65. Jack in the Box Blueberry French Toast Sticks (4)

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

66. White Castle Fish Nibblers - Regular

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

67. Dairy Queen Med. Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

68. A&W Onion Rings

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

69. A&W Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Trans Fat: 4.5 grams

70. Burger King Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich

Trans Fat: 4 grams

71. McDonald's Hotcakes (2 pats margarine & syrup)

Trans Fat: 4 grams

72. Burger King Onion Rings Large

Trans Fat: 4 grams

73. Burger King Cini-minis

Trans Fat: 4 grams

74. White Castle French Fries - Regular

Trans Fat: 4 grams

75. White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Regular

Trans Fat: 4 grams

76. White Castle Chicken Rings - 6 rings

Trans Fat: 4 grams

77. White Castle Hot Chocolate Large

Trans Fat: 4 grams

78. Arby's Cinnamon Twist

Trans Fat: 4 grams

79. A&W Papa Burger

Trans Fat: 4 grams

80. A&W Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger

Trans Fat: 4 grams

81. A&W Original Double Cheeseburger

Trans Fat: 4 grams

82. A&W Chili Cheese Fries

Trans Fat: 4 grams

83. A&W Cheese Fries

Trans Fat: 4 grams

84. A&W Chili Fries

Trans Fat: 4 grams

85. A&W Kids Fries

Trans Fat: 4 grams

86. Dairy Queen 1/2 lb. FlameThrower GrilllBurger

Trans Fat: 4 grams

87. Jack in the Box Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (6)

Trans Fat: 4 grams

88. Jack in the Box Sausage Croissant

Trans Fat: 4 grams

*NOTE* The above list shows every fast food item that contained 4 or more grams of trans fat per serving. There were TONS of items that contained less than 4 grams (anywhere from 0.5 to 3.5) but I decided on 4 grams as the cut off point for the WORST 88 foods. 3.5 grams of trans fat is still terrible, but the above 88 are the worst of the worst.

Fast Food Restaurant Appearances On This List

For added fun, I figured I'd add up how many times each fast food restaurant appeared on the above list. Here are the results:

• Jack in the Box: 24

• Burger King: 16
• White Castle: 16
• A&W: 10
• Dairy Queen: 8
• McDonald's: 5
• Arby's: 3
• KFC: 2
• Domino's: 1
• Sonic: 1
• In-N-Out Burger: 0
• Subway: 0
• Taco Bell: 0
• Wendy's: 0
• Pizza Hut: 0
• Popeyes: 0
• Papa John's: 0

Of the fast food restaurants that appeared 0 times on this list...

• Wendy's did have items that contained up to 3.5 grams of trans fat.

• Taco Bell did have items that contained up to 3 grams of trans fat.
• Popeyes did have items that contained up to 3 grams of trans fat.
• Pizza Hut did have items that contained up to 2 grams of trans fat.
• Subway did have items that contained up to 2 grams of trans fat.
• In-N-Out Burger did have items that contained up to 1 gram of trans fat.
• Papa John's did not have any items that contained any trans fat. Every item had 0 grams.

The following fast food restaurants did not include trans fat content in the nutrition information provided on their web site. Every other nutrient was listed except trans fat. These restaurants were therefore not included in the above list.

• Hardee's

• Little Caesars
• Del Taco
• Carl's Jr.

In addition, as far as I was able to tell, some fast food restaurants didn't provide any nutrition information on their web sites whatsoever. These restaurants were also obviously not included in the above list.

• Nathans

• Roy Rogers
• Blimpie
• Kenny Rogers Roasters
• Quiznos

Trans Fat FAQ

How much trans fat are we supposed to eat per day?

The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of no more than 2 grams of trans fat per day. Not per meal or per food, but per day total. And, get this. They also say that there is enough naturally occurring trans fats in some meat and dairy products that most people already reach this maximum 2 grams without the additional consumption of the industrially manufactured trans fats contained in the foods on the above list. So, to sum up, if you care at all about your health and enjoy being alive, you should be eating 0 grams of trans fat per day.

So does this mean we should never eat fast food ever?

In a perfect world, pretty much. I mean, you know it's junk. Besides trans fat, there's the always fun stuff like saturated fat, calories, and sodium to also think about. It really is the type of food that should never be eaten... ever. Sure, there are some better choices you can be making at these types of restaurants. And, if you're going to eat this stuff, you should definitely be making those choices. For starters, avoiding the 88 foods on this list would be a fantastic idea.

Where did you get all of this nutrition information from?

All of the nutritional content (trans fat) used in creating the above list was taken directly from the official web site of each fast food restaurant.

Article Source: acaloriecounter.com

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7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe

Popular culture is loaded with myths and half-truths. Most are harmless. But when doctors start believing medical myths, perhaps it's time to worry.

In the British Medical Journal this week, researchers looked into several common misconceptions, from the belief that a person should drink eight glasses of water per day to the notion that reading in low light ruins your eyesight.

"We got fired up about this because we knew that physicians accepted these beliefs and were passing this information along to their patients," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "And these beliefs are frequently cited in the popular media."

And so here they are, so that you can inform your doctor:

Myth: We use only 10 percent of our brains.

Fact: Physicians and comedians alike, including Jerry Seinfeld, love to cite this one. It's sometimes erroneously credited to Albert Einstein. But MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies show no dormant areas of the brain, and even viewing individual neurons or cells reveals no inactive areas, the new paper points out. Metabolic studies of how brain cells process chemicals show no nonfunctioning areas. The myth probably originated with self-improvement hucksters in the early 1900s who wanted to convince people that they had yet not reached their full potential, Carroll figures. It also doesn't jibe with the fact that our other organs run at full tilt.

Myth: You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Fact: "There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman, a pediatrics research fellow at the university and co-author of the journal article. Vreeman thinks this myth can be traced back to a 1945 recommendation from the Nutrition Council that a person consume the equivalent of 8 glasses (64 ounces) of fluid a day. Over the years, "fluid" turned to water. But fruits and vegetables, plus coffee and other liquids, count.

Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.

Fact: Most physicians queried on this one initially thought it was true. Upon further reflection, they realized it's impossible. Here's what happens: "As the body’s skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting," Vreeman said. "The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit."

Myth: Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.

Fact: A 1928 clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker, and did not grow in faster. More recent studies have confirmed that one. Here's the deal: When hair first comes in after being shaved, it grows with a blunt edge on top, Carroll and Vreeman explain. Over time, the blunt edge gets worn so it may seem thicker than it actually is. Hair that's just emerging can be darker too, because it hasn't been bleached by the sun.

Myth: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.

Fact: The researchers found no evidence that reading in dim light causes permanent eye damage. It can cause eye strain and temporarily decreased acuity, which subsides after rest.

Myth: Eating turkey makes you drowsy.

Fact: Even Carroll and Vreeman believed this one until they researched it. The thing is, a chemical in turkey called tryptophan is known to cause drowsiness. But turkey doesn't contain any more of it than does chicken or beef. This myth is fueled by the fact that turkey is often eaten with a colossal holiday meal, often accompanied by alcohol — both things that will make you sleepy.

Myth: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.

Fact: There are no known cases of death related to this one. Cases of less-serious interference with hospital devices seem to be largely anecdotal, the researchers found. In one real study, mobile phones were found to interfere with 4 percent of devices, but only when the phone was within 3 feet of the device. A more recent study, this year, found no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. To the contrary, when doctors use mobile phones, the improved communication means they make fewer mistakes.

"Whenever we talk about this work, doctors at first express disbelief that these things are not true," said Vreeman said. "But after we carefully lay out medical evidence, they are very willing to accept that these beliefs are actually false."

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