Smart shoppers usually look for value – whether they’re buying a car or a computer, they want to get the best bang for their buck. The same rule should apply to food, too. When the currency is calories, it’s smart to spend them as wisely as you can.

Clearly stated, the concept of nutrient density is pretty simple. It refers to getting the most “nutritional value” for your “calorie intake.” Foods high in protein are going to give you an abundance of nutrients in exchange for relatively few calories.

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I’ve been reading more and more reports recently of a little-known phenomenon –– something called ‘pine mouth.’ People who suffer from it find that within a day or two after eating pine nuts – popular additions to pasta dishes, salads and cookies – they develop a bitter, metallic taste in the mouth.

Not much is known about pine mouth – what might be the cause, exactly how the nuts are affecting the taste buds, whether a particular species of pine nut is to blame, or if the source of the pine nuts is the problem. People who suffer from pine mouth would sure like to know, since the effects can make everything taste terrible for as long as two weeks.

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I have to admit that I’m a little bit overzealous when it comes to food safety, and I take the expiration dates stamped on food labels and packages pretty seriously. Sometimes too much so… If I have some raw chicken in my fridge that’s going to ‘expire’ the next day, I won’t eat it. I know it’s safe, but in my mind, that chicken is on its death bed and doesn’t belong in my stomach.

At the same time, I’ll keep mayonnaise in my fridge until it’s gone – and at the rate I use it, that could be past the expiration date – and I don’t give it a second thought. But if you fear old mayonnaise the way I fear expiring chicken, there’s no need – as long as mayo is properly refrigerated, it doesn’t really go bad (by that I mean, it won’t make you sick).

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Food commercials on television push us to eat more than our recommended daily intake of salt, fat, sugar and calories.

Watching television can really be dangerous to your health. And it’s not just because we sit for so long – although that’s certainly part of the problem. A recent study revealed just how bad a diet could be if it were based entirely on foods advertised on television (and yes, there are people who actually eat like this).

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Farmer’s Markets help you mark the changing seasons with fresh, local produce.

I know that it’s easier to simply buy all your food in one place, but the supermarket can’t give you that sense of local, seasonal eating the way your Farmer’s Market can. The whole idea of eating what’s in season can get lost on the average supermarket shopper.

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