Serena Ball

St. Louis

Food-loving Dietitian: https://t.co/ZWKn0jG8jb Contributor: @FoodNetwork. Author: Easy Everyday Mediterranean Diet Cookbook. Bread baker to 4 kids & hubby. Hiker

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Articles

Is Date Sugar Healthy?

2 weeks ago | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

1480635600 Michelle Lee Photography/Getty Images Date sugar is sugar made from dates. So you may be thinking: dates are fruit, and most of us should eat more fruit. So date sugar must be healthy, right? Let’s explore. Is Date Sugar Actually Fruit? Yes. Date sugar is made from 100-percent pure dates. The dates are harvested, dried and then ground into a granulated powder. The processing of dates into sugar does not involve any chemicals or additives.
What’s the Difference Between Fruit Snacks and Gummy Candy?

1 month ago | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

178402705 bhofack2/Getty Images Many of us have tossed those colorful little packages of squishy fruit snacks into our kids’ lunch boxes, almost as an afterthought. But have you ever stopped to think about what they actually are? Do fruit snacks really count as fruit, a “snack” or are they really just dessert? Fruit snacks do contain fruit juice or fruit puree – so you might think they are nearly equivalent to an apple or an orange in a lunchbox.
7 Small Changes You Can Make To Improve Your Gut Health

2 months ago | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

Next Up April 11, 2025 Improvements to your microbiome can lead to better overall health. Photo: phototake/Getty Images Scroll For More Photos 1 / 8 The good news is that things you do every day can help your gut. The opposite is also true – and daily habits can negatively affect gut health.
Why You Should Eat 30 Different Plants A Week

2 months ago | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

2204376826 Nathalie Pellenkoft/Getty Images Counting up the number of plants you eat in a week might help you have a healthier gut. Researchers found that eating at least 30 different plants a week helped people diversify their microbiome. And this diversity of good bacteria in the digestive tract can lead to health benefits, like having more energy and even decreasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).
What Should You Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep?

Mar 19, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

If you’re tired of being tired, better nutrition before bed could lead to better sleep. “You don’t need prescription drugs or lengthy bedtime routines to fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed,” says Karman Meyer RD, LDN registered dietitian and author of Eat to Sleep: What to Eat and When to Eat It. “Try incorporating ‘sleepy’ foods as well as good sleep hygiene to get optimal shut-eye, naturally.”Snacking before bed is not essential for good sleep.
16 Packaged Snacks That Don’t Have Red Dye 3

Feb 25, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

2033571623 Kevin Trimmer/Getty Images We love to snack. Almost all of us snack with 90 percent of U.S. adults reporting eating one or more snacks daily. But our snacks are under scrutiny. Many have been labeled as processed or ultra-processed. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of food dye Red No. 3 which is mainly in snack foods. Red No. 3 doesn’t need to be removed from foods until 2027. So you may still find it in some snacks until then.
A New Report Says Kids and Teens Should Only Be Drinking Water and Milk

Feb 11, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

1097388072 triloks/Getty Images A new health report is taking aim at those sweet coffee drinks which many teens sip throughout the day, along with other beverages containing caffeine, stimulants and sugar. Walking the halls of American high schools, you will often see coffee drinks in the hands of students during their first hour of class. Some high schools even have on-campus coffee shops.
Got the Winter Blues? These Foods May Help You Feel Better

Jan 22, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

1832312165 Zoryana Ivchenko/Getty Images No single food can cure seasonal affective disorder or SAD. But some surprising foods may help boost mental health. This can be especially helpful because while the SAD treatment of antidepressant medication can affect people’s brains differently, some foods, like those rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fats can help everyone’s brain.
What Dietitians Want You To Know About the FDA’s New Ban on Food Dye Red 3

Jan 17, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

1978227983 bhofack2/Getty Images It may sound scary to hear the news that the FDA just banned the food dye Red No. 3. You might be heading to the pantry to check the food labels of your packaged goods. While reading labels to check for food dyes may be a smart move, there are a few things to consider. Here’s what dietitians want you to know. Why is Red Dye No. 3 banned?
Is It Bad To Eat a Protein Bar Every Day?

Jan 10, 2025 | foodnetwork.com | Serena Ball

2163493834 FluxFactory/Getty Images Lots of us are trying to get more protein into our diets. And it can be tricky to hit daily protein goals without the convenience of a packaged protein bar. But is it bad to eat this processed food every day? Protein bars can deliver substantial amounts of protein on the go or after a workout. And if you’re tracking the amount of protein you’re consuming daily, protein bars make the math easy.