Diet and Nutrition

Study: You can't blame tooth decay on your genes

"I think there may be a perception in the community that bad teeth are inherited," said study co-author Associate Professor Jeff Craig, from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

"But this research is an important message because it means parents and children themselves can take control.

"We're not doomed by genetics in tooth decay."

Are fresh vegies always healthier than frozen?

There's a common belief fresh is best and buying frozen vegies is a cop out.

But certainly on the nutrition front, frozen veg aren't necessarily inferior, says Melanie McGrice, a spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

"Whether fresh is better [than frozen] depends on how fresh the vegies actually are," Ms McGrice said.

Dietitians plead: Don't be afraid of eating fruit if going sugar-free, fructose-free

"I think there is a bit of confusion about where sugar is found and which are the ones we should be reducing and which are the ones we should be including," dietitian Charlene Grosse told ABC Radio Perth.

Ms Grosse said the mainstream promotion of sugar-free diet programs, constant warnings about the consumption of soft drinks and fruit juice, and reports about the impact of high-fructose corn syrup additives had fed into a belief that even fresh fruit could be bad for your health.

Intense cleanse, weight loss, kick-start: Will a detox diet really rid your body of toxins and make you healthier?

Promising to rid your body of the "toxins" resulting from poor diet and lifestyle, the claim is these diets will leave you cleansed and revitalised — and perhaps a few kilos lighter to boot.

But do these programs, which often involve consuming expensive powders and potions, really do anything to improve your health?