Micronutrients are small, but their impact on your health is massive. From boosting immunity to supporting mental clarity, these essential vitamins and minerals shape your well-being in ways most people don’t fully appreciate. Discover how to optimize your intake, avoid deficiencies, and use practical strategies to support your body at every life stage.

Over the last decade, gut health has moved from a niche topic in research labs to a central theme in everyday nutrition conversations. Yet despite the buzz, there’s still plenty of confusion about what prebiotics and probiotics are, how they work, and whether they truly live up to the promises linked to digestion, immunity, and overall health. As a dietitian would point out, the science is both exciting and nuanced, while evidence supports their role in shaping a healthier microbiome, not every claim is fully backed by human trials. To separate fact from hype, it’s important to examine what the research says, where the gaps remain, and how individuals can make informed choices tailored to their own needs.

We tend to think of fiber as little more than “roughage,” but emerging research shows it may be one of the most important keys to long-term health. From protecting your heart and balancing blood sugar to fueling a diverse gut microbiome linked to longevity, fiber does far more than most people realize. But are you getting enough, and from the right sources?

When Coca-Cola’s potential move back to cane sugar makes headlines, it’s often framed as a return to “real” ingredients and a nostalgic taste of the past. As a registered dietitian, I find that many clients interpret this shift as a health upgrade, believing cane sugar to be cleaner, more natural, and less harmful than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The reality, however, is far more complex. To answer whether this sweetener swap is truly meaningful, we have to step beyond marketing language and dig into the science of how these sugars are metabolized, what role they play in chronic disease, and how much the distinction matters in the bigger picture of nutrition and public health.

Sugar is one of the most hotly debated ingredients in modern nutrition, linked to obesity, diabetes, and a host of chronic health conditions. For many, the appeal of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), from aspartame and sucralose to stevia and monk fruit, lies in their ability to provide sweetness without the calories or blood sugar spikes of traditional sugar. But with headlines warning of potential health risks and social media amplifying conflicting claims, many people are left asking: Are these sweeteners a safe solution, or just another nutritional gamble?