Molly is a Registered Dietitian and specialist in sports dietetics. As a columnist for The Times-Picayune newspaper, she covers the latest trends in nutrition and fitness. She is an expert contributor for New Orleans’ ABC affiliate WGNO with a weekly segment on “Good Morning New Orleans, Get the Skinny with Molly.” 
Yogurt and Beyond
Probiotics are clearly a hot topic in the food and nutrition world these days, with specialty products like cereals and smoothies, and even candy bars and cookies, all promising to deliver “beneficial cultures.” Unfortunately, not all are as nutritious as they might appear, since there isn’t an official legal definition for the word “probiotic.”
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Common Food and Drug Interactions
Your doctor and pharmacist likely know about the medications you’re taking, but chances are they don’t know everything you’re eating and drinking. Your nutritional habits may not seem like critical information, but just as there are countless combinations of drug-drug interactions and supplement-drug interactions, there are also a number of food-drug interactions with potentially serious negative side effects.
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Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Labels Can Be Misleading
It is common knowledge that whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains. They still contain all parts of the grain, including the germ and bran, and they have more antioxidants and phytochemicals. Plus the fiber keeps you feel fuller longer, which helps with weight management. Unfortunately, whole grain food products are not always easy to identify. Even if they are labeled “100 percent whole grain,” that doesn’t mean you get only whole grains.
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A Super Bowl Fare that Won’t Wreak Havoc on Your Waistline
Super Bowl Sunday ranks second only to Thanksgiving as our nation’s biggest food fest, posing yet another challenge to our willpower and waistline. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to make improvements to your party platters. While not everything has to be perfectly nutritious or low in calories, there are ways to lighten up game day favorites without sacrificing flavor or fun. You may be surprised how appreciative your friends will be to have healthful options available for the big game.
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The Perfect Kitchen for Weight Loss
Even if you’re not one to make New Year’s resolutions, you may still try to shed a few excess pounds from the holidays. Set yourself up for successful weight loss by choosing nutrient-rich and weight-friendly foods. Here’s a list of kitchen staples to keep on hand, so you are prepared to whip up a good-for-you meal or snack anytime hunger strikes.
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Holiday Cocktails That Won’t Blow Your Diet
The season’s endless temptations of rich party foods and decadent sweets can make it a challenge to keep extra pounds at bay, and adding holiday cocktails into the mix doesn’t make it any easier. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with just sparkling water and diluted spritzers if you want to keep weight in check.
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Eat to Beat the Cold and Flu Season
No one wants to miss out on holiday festivities – or any fun event for that matter – because of not feeling good. But the bustle of the holidays often means less sleep, more travel, and more time spent in closer-than-usual quarters with family and friends, all of which can increase the likelihood of getting sick.
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21 Ingredient Swaps for ‘Good-for-You’ Holiday Favorites
When it comes to lightening up holiday favorites, there are the obvious recipe swaps: Reduced-fat versions of ingredients like cheese, cream cheese, and cream-based soups, along with using whole wheat flour, brown rice and sweet potatoes in place of their white counterparts, which doesn’t do much in the way of slashing carbs or calories, though it does help to boost the fiber, vitamin, and antioxidant content of a dish.
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What and What Not to Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer
One out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life. It’s a disconcerting statistic, especially considering there are so many risk factors that are completely beyond our control, like age, genes, gender and family history. But we can shift the odds more in our favor with key lifestyle modifications, including these eight top strategies that have been shown to help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
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Will New Menu Labeling Requirements Reduce Bulging Waistlines?
Starting this week, McDonald’s will post calorie information on all of its menu boards, including at drive-thrus. The company is getting a jump-start on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) upcoming menu labeling requirement that restaurant chains with at least 20 establishments disclose calorie counts on menus and provide more detailed nutritional information upon request.
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Pack a Nutritious Lunch with These Mix-and-Match Ideas
Packing a lunch for your kids (or yourself) can be good for your budget. Plus, you know exactly what you’re getting. To ensure a wholesome, nutrient-rich lunch that extends far beyond sliced bread and cold cuts, simply mix and match foods from the following categories.
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12 Diet-Friendly Swaps for Game-Day Favorites
Fall means football, and for diehard fans, life – and diet – as they know it will change for the coming months. From tailgating outside the stadium to catching the game at a friend’s house, the common theme of any game-day is food and drink – and plenty of each. Resisting the temptation to indulge can challenge even the strongest will, especially when hanging out for hours while under stress about the big game. Here are some ways to cope.
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Eight Foods That Can Boost Your Brain Power
We know that diet can affect nearly every part of our bodies, inside and out. It turns out that what we eat also just might make us smarter. From memory to attention span to the ability to learn new skills, what we consume can help us stay sharp and perform our best at work and school.
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When Nutrition Labels Are Less Than Accurate
If it seems too good to be true, it just might be. As a case in point, the “Today” show reported the results of its own lab tests on nine “diet” frozen desserts. If what seems to be 500 calories worth of foods like cereals, crackers and yogurt is actually 600 calories, that extra 100 calories per day can translate to a gain of 10 pounds a year, particularly for those who rely on tracking calories for weight loss or weight maintenance.
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The articles written by guest contributors are the sole responsibility of the individual writers in terms of factual accuracy and opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of this blog.
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