Please feel free to email webmaster@askadietitian.net with your questions and we will post the answers here. We look forward to helping you with any of your food and nutrition issues, inquiries or general "wonderings"!

January 23, 2008 Are fruit smoothies a healthy choice or just as bad as Coke? E.L., Boston MA

January 28, 2008 What do you think of the low-carbohydrate diets? D.D, Hampton Falls, NH

February 3, 2008 My husband has type 2 diabetes. The doctor told him to eat 6 meals a day but didn't give any guidelines as to what foods to eat at each meal. I would like to fix healthy meals for him but I don't know where to start. J.W.

March 6, 2008 To those of us who have been encouraged to increase our calcium intake would you explain the difference between calcium citrate and carbonate and is one better than the other. Also, can you suggest a good multivitamin that the 50+crowd may want to consider? K.R.

April 29, 2008 Are leftover steamed vegetables still good for you? Have they lost any vitamins by reheating them? G.S.

May 23, 2008 I was recently diagnosed with elevated Cholesterol. It was 236, and my physician put me on the generic form of Zocor, 20mg daily. In buying foods, do I look at the saturated fat amount on labels, or the Cholesterol amount? How much saturated fat/Cholesterol am I allowed each day to eat healthy and lower my Cholesterol along with taking my medicine? I am a white female, 57 years old, and weigh 137 pounds. L.G.

June 12, 2008 I have recently leveled off in my weight loss. I started at 178 and got to 160. I have been running daily for at least 20 minutes, along with walking while at work (I have an active job), eating healthy, and sleeping 8 to 9 hours every night. I was losing about 1 or 2 pounds per week until the past few weeks when I stopped losing weight. After I stopped losing weight I began to change my diet and exercise but nothing has helped me, instead I began to gain the weight I had lost, so I went back to my original diet& and exercise plan but have still lost no weight, and I am currently 164 pounds. Is there any way to help myself lose weight again? C.W.

June 14, 2008 I need to lower my potassium intake. Your suggestions please? C.C.

June 16, 2008 I was just wondering if uncooked whole wheat flour is digestible by the body. I've started mixing it into protein shakes because I often need a quick, on-the-go meal for work. Is this ok, or are the calories not being used by my body (if not digested)? Thanks. B.W.

June 18, 2008 Could you please let me know what a good supplement for a pregnant woman would be? One that would absorb well. Also, what do you recommend for the amount of nutrients that she needs? If she is eating a good diet, does she need to supplement it with a vitamin? There are so many supplements out there and it's confusing to know which would be the most effective without costing so much. M.B.

June 25, 2008 I only eat 1500 calories a day but I don't lose any weight, what am I doing wrong? B.L.

June 26, 2008 Can too much of the fat soluble Vitamin D be bad for you? R.W.

July 1, 2008 Does demerara sugar have the same potassium content as regular brown sugar?  My father needs to eat a low potassium diet, and has been avoiding brown sugar and molasses, and I was wondering if he could eat demerara sugar. J.G.

July 3, 2008 Why would there be gadolinium in food supplements? Some of my friends use the Verve energy drink and I noticed it was in it. Isn’t that a toxic metal that is not part of a normal diet and can cause the incurable disease NSF?

July 7, 2008 My friend and I are in a disagreement about something and I'd like to see if you can settle it.She claims she was told by her "program", which records her weight loss, that a pound is a pound is a pound. I insist a "fat" pound and a "muscle" pound are very very different. I am losing weight in the sense of fat, but gaining it in muscle. She's sticking to a pound is a pound theory. Isn't that selling herself short? And me? J.B.

July 16, 2008 Can you suggest foods ok to eat and those to avoid after gallbladder surgery. I printed a list from the internet and it seems like there is very little recommended as ok and a long, long list of what to avoid. JP

July 23, 2008 What supplemental drink would you recommend for an 86y/o female with a poor appetite? She has a history of hyperparathyroidism and must watch her calcium intake. She also has slightly elevated bun/creatinine leves and mild CHF. T

July 24, 2008 I am a 23 year old african american female and I want to gain weight. I have lost about 10-15 lbs due to stress and would like to gain this weight back. My only concern is that when I was pregnant with my son, I had gestational diabetes and was told I have a very high chance of getting it again if I didn't watch my diet in the future. I want to gain weight, but I don't want to have to take insulin in the future.

July 25, 2008 A friend heard on TV that microwaving broccoli diminishes some nutrient. My question is, is there any decrease in any nutrient in broccoli when it is microwaved?

August 14, 2008 I am 53 year old female, 60 inches tall, what should I weigh?

August 17, 2008 My 10 yr old son is very active in sports and I'm concerned that he may not be consuming enough calories. Please help!

August 29, 2008 Why would a physician order a diet low in purines and pyrimidines? What foods would be excluded from such a diet?

August 30, 2008 I have been monitoring my diet with some online websites that show food information. In my diet, I regularly eat about 9, 5 inch stalks of broccoli and I am afraid my Vitamin A level is in the toxic range, could you please tell me if the site if right and if I should cut back on my broccoli. Thanks.