This free service is brought to you for two months in partnership with the internationally renowned American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), a leader in cancer study and education.  DNN readers already know AICR's fabulous cookbook, The New American Plate, whose recipes we've featured in past issues. Now we're serving up custom-order "food for thought" by linking you directly to AICR's experts.

You may also want to browse other resources available on the DNI web site, such as Food Facts A-Z, or our searchable DNN archives. The AICR site is also an invaluable cornucopia of life-saving knowledge, constantly updated with new research results, as well as an ever-growing database of previous nutrition questions and answers. For yet more information on foods with targeted health benefits, check out dolesuperfoods.com.

Drafting college basketball players as his test subjects, a  University of Tennessee professor analyzed the amount of calcium lost during training sessions. By literally squeezing sweat from the athletes' jerseys, Robert Klesges, Ph.D., found an average calcium loss of nearly 250mg per practice (a significant drain on the recommended intake of 1,000-1,200mg/day). The consequence of such excessive calcium exudation was an average loss of over 6% of bone mineral density (BMD) over the course of just one basketball season! When you consider that nearly half of Americans are already calcium-deficient, such depletion could pose a particular threat to those engaged in high-impact sports.

The irony is that exercise--particularly weight-bearing activities like strength training--is crucial to preserving bone density as we age. So, don't take this as an excuse to turn into a couch potato, just keep an eye on your calcium consumption. While nonfat dairy provides an easily accessible (and easily absorbed) calcium source, nondairy sources include soy, collard greens, kale, and arugula. Our featured Superfood Recipe, "Asian-Style Wilted Kale," provides 259mg of calcium per serving (a full quarter of your daily needs!). Learn about other bone-healthy nutrients in the DNN's "Beyond Calcium."

Bonus: Stop blaming breakouts on workouts. Stanford researchers debunked the myth linking acne to exercise-induced perspiration. Your skin--like every other organ in your body--will benefit from both a healthy sweat and a healthy diet.

According to a case study in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, a 40-year-old woman began vomiting four to six times daily and became short of breath after a month of following the Atkins diet. While this isn't the first time a low-carb dieter has ended up in the hospital (see "Dieter Has Major Beef with Atkins"), this case study shows how manipulating your metabolism to artificially induce ketosis can have dangerous consequences, even in the short term. The long-term consequences of Atkins-type diets are also grim. Not only do such regimens deprive you of the protective benefits of those foods highest in fiber and antioxidants, excessive intake of saturated fat is associated with a variety of ailments, including cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Budget Busted: In addition to bankrupting your health, the food costs alone of following the Atkins diet can run as high as $100 a week!

Renowned researcher Adam Drewnowski of the Public School of Health and Community Medicine in Seattle led a team of investigators in evaluating hundreds of commonly purchased foods, ranging from pizza to pineapple, from spaghetti to spinach, from cake to cabbage. By calculating contributions toward the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for 16 of the most important vitamins and minerals and weighing that score against price, researchers were able to determine a "nutrient-to-price ratio." Guess which foods provided the most relative nutrition for your money? You got it: fruits and vegetables.

Using the same formula, the DNI's resident scientist Dr. Nick Gillitt calculated the "nutrient to price ratio" for spinach at 13 versus cheesecake at 4. Other items that provided the most nutrient density for your dollar: bananas, oranges, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, celery and onions. 

This is good news--both for those watching a household budget as well as those watching a calorie budget--as fruits and vegetables provide the most nutrients for the fewest calories. 

For tips on how to add healthier, filling, low-cal fruit and vegetables to your diet while on a budget, click here.

Turns out some are healthier than you may think, while better-for-you versions exist for nutrition no-no's (like mayo). Below we've gathered research on your favorite summer sandwich toppings, some of which are packed with surprising health benefits!

Cutting the Mustard: Believe it or not, this spicy condiment comes out on top in terms of antioxidant power. While manifold mustard varieties exist, what most share in common is a base of ground mustard seed that has almost five times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries when measured on a gram-per-gram basis. With lots of flavor and just three little calories in a one-teaspoon serving, mustard lets you savor your food without the peril of extra pounds. Don't confine mustard to the picnic table: Try it in salad dressings, marinades and recipes, as in the previously featured "Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon with Fruit Salsa."

Anticipation: Thick ketchup can be worth the wait, at least when it comes to lycopene content. On a gram-per-gram basis, one tablespoon of ketchup has five times as much lycopene as a medium tomato. While this may not come as a surprise--given that tomato concentrate largely constitutes ketchup--it also suggests other nutrient benefits. After all, tomatoes themselves are rich in vitamins A & C, which, together with their potassium and lycopene content, make them a Superfood for the Heart. But there's a condiment caveat: Start drowning your food with ketchup and the health benefits may be a wash, as most brands contain significant amounts of sodium and high fructose corn syrup. Be sure to check nutrient panels before you purchase.

With Relish: Like mustard, there are multiple varieties of relish, though common ingredients include cucumbers, salt and vinegar. At 13 calories per 2/3 tablespoon serving, this condiment can help you keep weight under control when used for its literal purpose: letting you truly relish your food. While there's hardly a nutrient standout among the more prosaic kinds of relish, one ingredient--vinegar--remains a potentially healthful common constituent among most condiments (mustard, ketchup and, sometimes, mayo). A recent Japanese study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that vinegar lowered serum cholesterol levels in animal research.

Apropos Mayo: In this case we haven't saved the best for last, as mayonnaise is high in calories--90 per tablespoon--all of which come from fat. This is hardly a surprise when you see that the main ingredients of top brands include soybean oil, sugar and egg yolks. Fortunately, healthier alternatives exist.  Fat-free mayo contains less than 15 calories per tablespoon, while vegan varieties made from soy come in both regular and fat-free versions.   

In addition to giving plant-based mayo a try, consider vegetarian versions of your barbecue staples. Increasing your intake of vegetable protein could slash your heart disease risk by nearly a third, while too much red meat could raise your risk of colorectal cancer, inflammatory arthritis, endometriosis and obesity. Processed meat may pose a particular threat, as research has linked high consumption levels with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

While fond memories of your early years may make burgers and fries seem like an integral part of childhood, New Zealand researchers found that 75% of kids who eat even one burger a week were 100% more likely to experience wheezing problems than those who steered clear of ground steer. Moreover, Harvard research found that preschool girls who consumed french fries on a weekly basis raised future breast cancer risk by more than a quarter.  For carnivores who can't help but indulge in the occasional lean burger, try experimenting with this scarborough fare: Kansas State University researchers found that adding rosemary to ground beef significantly reduced the formation of cancer-causing compounds created during the grilling process.

Think your kids are safe because you restrict them to G, and the occasional PG, flick? Think again. Alcohol use was featured in 52% of G-rated films, 89% of PG-rated films, 93% of PG-13 rated films and 95% of R-rated films. Study author Dr. James Sargent, professor of pediatrics at DMS, notes that the vast majority of movie scenarios depict alcohol usage in a positive light: as a prelude to romance, a way of celebrating, an integral part of socializing. Indeed, we here at the DNI could think of only a few movies that gave play to the darker side of alcohol abuse: The Lost Weekend, Clean and Sober, and 28 Days.

At a time when only one in three adult Americans recognize alcohol's link to several cancers--with awareness actually declining in recent years--children are even less likely to understand the possible perils of excess consumption. In addition to the ravages of alcoholism, binge drinking can lead to bigger waistlines. Alcohol dependence hurts women's brains more quickly than men's, and even moderate alcohol use for women has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer. 

Want something positive to do to postpone your child's experimentation with alcohol? As we explored in "Family Meals Put Health on the Menu," adolescents who dine en famille at least five times a week are less likely to try alcohol, drugs or cigarettes than those who share four or fewer meals with the folks.