To find out the truth, New Zealand researchers specifically compared cyclists on high-protein vs. high-carbohydrate meals, and found that the high-carb bikers burned rubber faster by as much as 17%.

Why? Probably because the high-carb cyclists had more readily available fuel, and thus were able to marshal more strength. What's more, cyclists on the high-protein meals reported more fatigue, headaches and gastrointestinal distress--all of which can slow athletes down.

Choosing healthy, complex carbohydrates like fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains can support your workout in more ways than one. In addition to burning energy stores, vigorous exercise can diminish electrolyte stores through profuse perspiration. One of those electrolytes--potassium--is plentiful in most produce (sources include spinach, bananas, squash and potatoes). As DNN readers will recall, calcium also escapes through perspiration. In order to avoid dehydration--and boost fitness results--drink plenty of water.

For more on what to eat if you're a cyclist, surfer, runner or yogi, check out our guide to "Anti-Injury Eating," as well as "Eating for Yoga." For what to avoid, see "Brew Blunts Blood Flow," for how caffeinated drinks constrict blood flow to the heart.

This study should serve as one more nail in the coffin of the belief that excess weight is harmless --other health factors being equal. It's not just wishful thinking that maintains such illusions; flawed research, like a controversial government study published last year, also adds to confusion. 

Increasingly, however, medical evidence is pointing to fat as an independent risk factor. As we discussed in "Fat: It Doesn't Just Sit There," adipose tissue is an active organ that secretes hormones and other potentially toxic compounds, triggering inflammation and contributing to a variety of ailments, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and osteoarthritis. It also poses gender-specific risks such as higher rates of ovarian, breast, cervical and uterine cancer in women, as well as an increased risk of stomach and prostate cancer in men. 

These new findings should serve as a wake-up call to those who are overweight--but in denial regarding health risks. If better health isn't enough incentive to lose weight, how about a fatter paycheck or a better love life? Click here to learn how yoga and strength-training can check middle-aged spread.

Every year roughly 700,000 Americans suffer what's called an ischemic stroke. Excessive drinking is associated with higher blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms, both of which could increase the likelihood of the kind of "brain attack" that occurs when a blood clot blocks a neural artery. While the study did not demonstrate any statistically significant stroke protection from light drinking, it did highlight one more danger of a heavy drinking pattern.

As explored in the DNN's "Don't Let the Good Be an Ally of the Bad," if a little is good, a lot is not necessarily better. Nowhere is this more applicable than with alcohol! In fact, excessive drinking affects women even more significantly than it affects men. Up to 4% of breast cancers can be attributed to alcohol, while a recent study in the British Journal of Cancer found that every drink increases a woman's chances of developing breast cancer. Hard stuff is harder on "her" when it comes to developing dependency and losing brain volume.

Not only can too many Mojitos bust your calorie budget, binge drinking could lead to bigger waistlines, according to one University of Buffalo study. Seniors need to take particular care, as the body's ability to metabolize alcohol declines with age, and lingering alcohol in the system could interfere with medication.

Myth #1: Wild salmon has more omega-3 oil and less contaminants than farmed salmon.

According to the latest USDA nutrient content release (SR-19) this is not true. The numbers show that farmed Atlantic salmon actually has slightly higher combined amounts of the two most studied omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) than wild. As for contaminants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), the latest SOTA (Salmon of the Americas) testing shows the levels of PCBs in farmed salmon continue to drop and are now comparable to those found in wild salmon.

Myth #2: You should limit fish intake because of mercury content.

More false than true in the broad sense--though certain populations (pregnant and breast-feeding mothers) are advised to avoid swordfish. As for the rest of us, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice per week. If you're concerned about mercury, remember this rule of thumb: The larger the fish (tuna, shark, mackerel) the higher the mercury content. Salmon, along with catfish, cod, flounder and trout--among others--may be safely consumed multiple times a week.

Myth #3: So what if it's fried?  Fish is still a healthier choice.

Healthy fish is broiled, baked, lightly sauteed or poached--not deep fried. Researchers at Brigham Young University linked fried fish consumption among seniors with significantly higher stroke risk. In fact, eating fried fish more than once a week is associated with a 44% increased risk of stroke. The same study showed a 27% lower stroke risk with broiled or baked fish with intakes of 1 to 4 times per week. The likely culprits are the trans-fatty acids in the frying oil.

Myth #4: While fish protein may be lower in calories, it won't fill you up as much as meat.

DNN readers know this isn't true! As discussed in "Feel Full Longer with Fish," Swedish study participants who lunched on fish (versus beef) ended up consuming 10% fewer calories at dinner. That's a great deal for dieters, particularly when you consider that fish also has roughly half the calories and less than a tenth the saturated fat as the same size serving of beef.

Myth #5: The red dye used in farmed salmon is a health concern.

Actually the red "dye" added to the feed of farmed salmon is a nutrient--the same carotenoid (astaxanthin) found in the wild. There is no evidence to suggest this compound is harmful to humans. Though manufactured synthetically it is FDA-approved, and probably more good than bad for you.

Myth #6: Other than healthy omega-3 and high-quality protein, fish aren't a significant source of vitamins and minerals.

Most fish provide an excellent source of many of the B vitamins. For example, Atlantic salmon (farmed or wild) is an excellent source of B₁, B₂, B₃, B₅, B₆ and is over 100% in B₁₂, a vitamin not available in fruits and vegetables. Marine life are mineral marvels too: Nearly all fish are excellent sources of phosphorus and selenium.

Myth #7: Different varieties of fish vary widely in terms of omega-3 content.

Not really true: Salmon is by far the best source of omega-3's, with about 1.6g per serving (combined EPA and DHA), then comes swordfish with about 0.7g, then most other fish fall in the 0.2 to 0.5g range.

Myth #8: Above all, salmon is highest in omega-3 content.

This is partially true. However, “Black Cod” or Sablefish, as it is otherwise known, can contain as much omega-3 (EPA and DHA) as salmon. Sablefish has many of the other nutrients found in salmon (see Myth #6). However, Sablefish also has three times the amount of saturated fat.

Myth #9: Because catfish is a "bottom-feeder," it's less healthy than other varieties.

Catfish are nutritious in their own right. It is a very lean fish (89 calories per serving), contains 100% of your daily B₁₂ needs, and provides an excellent source of phosphorus and selenium.  Catfish are low in mercury and PCBs.

Myth #10: To lower cholesterol, avoid seafood.

While some kinds of seafood (particularly crustaceans, like shrimp) contain dietary cholesterol, they are considerably lower in saturated fat than other kinds of animal protein. Researchers now believe it's saturated fat--rather than dietary cholesterol--which has the larger impact on blood cholesterol levels. Even more harmful to cholesterol levels are the trans fats found in many packaged foods, baked goods and fried foods.

Selenium activates some of the body’s own detoxifying enzymes. Because of this, selenium is considered an "indirect antioxidant" that boosts your ability to neutralize free radicals and flush toxins from the system. Selenium also supports proper functioning of the thyroid gland and may play a role in fertility, especially in men. Here are some additional ways in which adequate selenium helps support health.

Heart Health: Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked selenium to lower levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker for heart disease. The free radicals that cause inflammation are quenched by antioxidants (like selenium). The more antioxidants that get used up in this process, the lower the body's antioxidant stores. 

Prostate Health: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among males. One University of Arizona study of nearly 1,000 men compared those consuming 200 micrograms of selenium with a placebo-control group and found that the selenium group developed 63% fewer cases of prostate cancer. Selenium may also reduce the risk of lung, liver and colorectal cancers.

Immune Health: Selenium deficiency may impair immune function. A lack of selenium can allow an otherwise harmless virus to undermine heart muscle, possibly explaining the prevalence of a cardiac ailment know as Keshan disease in rural areas of China, where local soils lack selenium content.

Bone Health: A recent UNC study found that men and women with high dietary selenium intakes were 40% less likely to develop osteoarthritis in their knees than those with lower intakes. Selenium counters the inflammation associated with the progression of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

As mentioned in the DNN's "The Nut in Nutritious," Brazil nuts are the highest food source of selenium (depending largely on the kind of soil in which the nuts are grown). In fact, plants have no known requirement for selenium at all and only contain it because of the soil in which they are grown. Other good sources of selenium are halibut, tuna, oysters, oat bran, shiitake mushrooms and sunflower seeds. 

In contrast to many nutrients lacking in the American diet, the average person gets nearly twice the daily requirement (55 micrograms) of selenium. Ingesting more than the upper intake level (UL) of 400 micrograms/day can lead to selenium toxicity or “selenosis,” characterized by brittle hair and nails. Ingesting large (gram) quantities can be fatal.

This does not bode well for the success of the recent PE push. Most states have introduced bills to increase PE time, based on the belief that the decline in the percentage of schools requiring PE (from 42% in 1991 to 28% in 2003) may have contributed to the quadrupling of the percentage of obese 6- to 11-year-olds in the same time period. There may indeed be a link, though it likely has as much to do with the changing nature of Phys Ed as with declining requirements. If, as the Texas survey suggests, 90% of PE class is spent in sedentary activity, then merely mandating more time won't necessarily make a big difference.

What's needed is a multi-pronged approach addressing the many co-factors behind childhood obesity. Parents and school officials need to recognize the role played by fast food: One Chicago study that found fast food outlets within walking distance of 80% of schools. One-third of U.S. children and teens consume fast food on any given day--and on those days they consume more fat, calories and sugar, and fewer fruit and vegetables.

Every day, half of all children eat no fruit at all--which helps explain why most children are fiber- and potassium-deficient. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake would not only make sure growing bodies get needed nutrients, it would help children feel full while consuming fewer calories, which, together with increased activity, provides the key to combating obesity.

For tips on how to improve your child's diet, visit dole5aday.com and download our Health & Wellness brochure on "Healthy Kids," also available in Spanish!