Filed under: Vegetarian , Vegan , Dairy , Newspapers , Health & Medical There has been a 75% increase in the "twinning" rate since 1980 and a new study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine is saying that it has to do with dairy consumption. In a study that compared omnivores, lacto-vegetarians and vegans, omnivores were the most likely to have twins. The scientists attributed this to the fact that they had much higher levels of  insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in their bloodstream, and that those levels, which were also lowest in the vegan women, directly corresponded to the likelihood of having twins.

Filed under: Restaurants , Trends , On the Blogs , Super Size Me With the premier of Fast Food Nation at the Cannes Film Festival, a lot of protests both prosecuting and defending the fast food industry have sprung up. Despite the fact that official release of the film will not be until the fall, sides have been taken and opinions have been formed, and everyone is so polarized that it is almost beside the point that the movie is getting less-than-glowing reviews . Supporters of the movie still hope that its wide release will further raise awareness of the problems in the industry, from food standards to encouraging healthy eating habits. And on the other side, Best Food Nation is a website started by a coalition of food industry trade associations and lobby groups as a reaction to Eric Schlosser's books, Fast Food Nation and Chew on This , trying to give the public access to information from the supply side of the industry.

Filed under: Newspapers , Light Food An article in today's USA Today discusses how dieters face many pitfalls when shopping for diet-friendly foods in the grocery store, because there seems to be some confusion over what constitutes diet-friendly, "health" food.

Filed under: Snacks , Nuts/seeds , Lists , Light Food Hungry Girl has a great roundup of some peanut buttery snacks that will still allow you to slip into your swimsuit before heading out to the beach this summer. Peanuts are an excellent source of protein and also contain a good amount of fiber. Unfortunately, peanuts are also quite high in fat and, as a result, high in calories. The serving size for peanut butter is only 2 tablespoons, and it has (approximately) 180 calories and 16 grams of fat. While it is healthy, it can also be hazardous to your diet, especially if you have been known to sneak an extra spoonful or two from the jar. Hungry Girl's picks all have a good peanut butter flavor and nowhere near the fat and calories of the peanut butter alone, so they're a great way to have a snack and get some peanut butter flavored goodness.

Filed under: Trends , How To , Light Food It's a constant battle for celebrities to stay fit and look good on camera, and in Hollywood, even non-celebrities feel pressured to slim down. Some celebrities take their dieting too far, but others, like Janet Jackson , have lost weight and stayed healthy with the help of Fresh Dining .

Filed under: Dessert , Vegetarian , Dairy , Chocolate , America , Sugar I've tried the " diet " and " light" ice cream bars and sandwiches, all in an effort to get this body in shape for summer. But sometimes, you just want to let yourself have the real stuff and spend 20 extra minutes on the treadmill.

Filed under: Science , Newspapers , Health & Medical Most diets are about losing weight - high protein, low-carb, low-fat, Mediterranean, South Beach, etc. Most diets also emphasize balance and variety, regardless of what they discourage people from eating. There is a new diet that is not about losing weight, balance or variety, though it may have other health benefits. Researchers at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York have conducted a trial in which patients ate an ultra-high fat diet - over 90% fat - to see if a diet "devoid of protein and carbohydrates might temper symptoms of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease." The results of the original study, published last year in Neurology, were encouraging. Patients with Parkinsons reported a decrease in their symptoms. Since then, additional studies have been done that have shown positive results, as well.

Filed under: Vegetables , Fruit , How To , America I don't know about you, but staying fit with the only motivation being my "appearance" is hard. I mean, I've been staring at that little bikini on my refrigerator door for how long now, and I still grab an ice cream bar from the freezer!

Filed under: Lunch , Breakfast , Dinner , Snacks , West Coast , Chocolate , Candy , How To , America

Filed under: Food Oddities , Trends , Europe When people are on a holiday, they start to say things like "it's ok, you're on vacation!" and "you should be able to enjoy yourself!" These statements are innocuous in general, but when they're applied to the second piece of chocolate cream pie on your plate during dessert, it can be problematic. People gain weight when they're on vacation and in the weeks leading up to it in a sort of pre-vacation indulgence binge. A hotel in Germany, the Hotel Ostfriesland , has an unusual pricing structure that was motivated by one guest's desire to lose weight. The owner charges by the kilogram .