Most Americans are already getting enough vitamin D and calcium, according to a new Institute of Medicine (IOM) report released at the end of November—the first time the guidelines have been updated since 1997. Still, the IOM tripled the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for most healthy people over the age of nine—from 200 to 600 milligrams per day—while suggesting only small increases in daily calcium allowance for children. Recommended calcium for adults held steady at 1,000 milligrams per day. Read more about Too much calcium, not enough vitamin D

Adding a penny per ounce tax to sugar-sweetened beverages could slow the growth of obesity in the U.S.—and could raise billions of dollars for obesity prevention and other health programs, according to a new analysis by seven public health experts in The New England Journal of Medicine. (1) Read more about Do We Need a Soda Tax?

Tips from The Nutrition Source:

Stealth health: The most delicious approach to sodium reduction.

For many foods and preparations, the average person can’t detect moderate to substantial differences in sodium levels, including reductions of up to as much as 25 percent. That’s great news. In fact, many food manufacturers and restaurant companies have already made or are in the process of making substantial cuts in sodium—some all at once and some over time—that their customers will not be able to detect. Read more about Salt, Perception, and Psychology

Curious about what "mindful eating" really means and how you can cultivate more mindful habits in your own life? Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life provides an introduction to a whole new perspective on food and eating. Co-authored by The Nutrition Source editorial director Lilian Cheung and renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the world's best-known Zen masters, the book fuses Buddhist wisdom with the science of nutrition to teach transformative new eating habits—habits meant to encourage both weight loss and a more balanced, healthy lifestyle in every sense. Read more about Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life