September 16/San Diego/Science Letter -- Researchers detail in "Snack Selection Influences Nutrient Intake, Triglycerides, and Bowel Habits of Adult Women: A Pilot Study," new data in diet and nutrition. "Because appropriate snacking can promote a healthy body weight and serve as an important contributor to a healthy diet for women, identification of suitable foods for incorporation between meals is essential. We investigated the influence of short-term (two weeks) incorporation of 100-kcal servings of snacks of dried plums vs low-fat cookies twice daily on total energy and nutrient intake, biochemical parameters, and bowel habits in a randomized crossover design of two two-week trials separated by a two-week wash-out period in 26 women aged 25-54 years with a body mass index between 24 and 35," scientists in the U.S. report.
"Incorporation of dried plums or low-fat cookies into the diet did not alter energy intake or weight; however, compared to cookies, dried plums promoted greater (p 0.05) by dried plum consumption and was 17.0±29.2mg/dL (0.19±0.33mmol/L) higher (p