President Donald Trump's pick for the US health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr., had his first confirmation hearing on Wednesday, where he was questioned by senators. His motto has been focused on tackling ultra-processed foods, which makes up 70% of the food supply in the US.

His brand of Make America Healthy Again, an offshoot of Make America Great Again, is all about changing the American Diet, but what does he really mean by that?

READ: What Is 'Make America Healthy Again' All About?

Kennedy has spoken a lot on dyes, cereals, seed oils and chicken nuggets. He said, "We are betraying out children by letting [food] industries poison them." However, does this mean he would target the big food industry? While this could actually be a positive turn, but would that really be possible? Amid all such question, one fear that looms over everyone is his anti-vaccine and anti-abortion perspective, which too were questioned by Democratic senators in his hearing.

ALSO READ: Robert F Kennedy Jr’s Rare Disorder That Changed His Voice Forever

Shaking Up HHS and FDA

If Kennedy is to be believed, he wants to "make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA". Part of his new mandate will include overseeing the US Food and Drug Administration, which has over 18,000 employees. He has earlier said that school lunches are unhealthy, as per his statement to Fox News, he said, "We have a generation of kids who are swimming around in a toxic soup right now."

The reason why this thought has also gained momentum is because many lawmakers and consumer groups have accused the agency of its lack of transparency and action on food safety. For Kennedy, he wants to fire employees who are part of the "corrupt system".

“There are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the FDA … that have to go, that are not doing their job,” Kennedy told MSNBC.

A Ban On What?

He has also pushed for getting rid of dyes, including the Red No. 3 dye, which has been linked to cancer in animals. This was also banned earlier this month by the FDA. The due is used in many foods, including candy, cereals, cherries in fruit, cocktails and strawberry-flavored milkshakes, noted the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy group that petitioned FDA in 2022 to end its use.

CHECK OUT: FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 From Foods, Beverages, And Medicines

Kennedy also is a big time believer of drinking raw milk, which he believes has more health benefits, despite the increased risk of bacterial contamination. He has also lead to more controversies on health issues including fluoride in drinking water, which, as per him, should be banned altogether.

He is also against the use of seed oils, and believes that Americans are being "unknowingly poisoned" by products like canola and sunflower oil, used in fast foods.

How Valid Are His Points?

The former FDA official said several food dyes, including the Red No. 3 has been banned in California, should be banned by the US government as it has links with carcinogens. Kennedy has also pushed to the thought that there are lots of activities happening in the US, which have been banned in the European Union. The officials have said that there is a need to dig deeper in the point to understand the regulations between the US and EU.

While some of what he said may have made sense, experts have confirmed that not all Kennedy's goals are worthwhile.

READ MORE ON: Who is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Controversial Nominee for U.S. Health Secretary?

For instance, drinking raw milk which is not pasteurized, a process that helps kill bacteria, can make people sick or even kill them.

Furthermore, Kennedy's proposal to remove fluoride from drinking water could also be problematic because fluoride, in the low levels found in water has been proven to improve dental health. In fact, with seed oils and obesity too, there is not necessarily enough evidence. Experts have pointed out that they seem like important products to the extent that they substitute for saturated fats.

What experts have encouraged is his take on big food industry and to regulate the food industry by limiting unhealthy foods, especially processed and ultra-processed foods.

Find out more on Ultra-processed foods.

Fatty liver disease is increasingly common worldwide, and while it may start off without noticeable symptoms, ignoring it can lead to serious complications. The liver plays a vital role in processing nutrients, detoxifying the body, and managing fat. When fat accumulates in liver cells faster than it can be metabolized, it can disrupt these crucial functions—potentially leading to hepatitis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer if left untreated.

Fortunately, fatty liver in its early stages is often benign and reversible. Through a combination of medical care and simple but consistent lifestyle changes, many people can manage or even reverse the condition. One of the most important lifestyle changes? Your diet.

Experts emphasize that reducing the intake of certain foods can significantly slow or even stop the progression of fatty liver disease. Here are four food groups that should be limited or avoided if you’re managing this condition.

Sugary Foods

Consuming too much sugar—especially added sugars—can be particularly harmful for people with fatty liver. Excess sugar contributes to weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, all of which are major risk factors for liver fat buildup.

When your body consumes more calories than it can use for energy, it stores the surplus as fat, particularly in the form of triglycerides. If these triglycerides aren’t broken down efficiently, they begin to collect in the liver. Furthermore, a sugar-rich diet can cause insulin resistance. When this happens, your body produces more insulin, which can further encourage fat storage in the liver.

People with fatty liver or high blood sugar should limit desserts like cakes, ice cream, candies, and sugary beverages. Even fruits high in natural sugar—such as lychees, grapes, bananas, and apples—should be consumed in moderation.

Fried and High-Cholesterol Foods

Fried foods and items rich in cholesterol may seem indulgent, but they can be a direct hit to your liver. These include animal fats, red and processed meats, organ meats, egg yolks, butter, cheese, sausages, and bacon.

Diets high in these foods raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, which adds extra stress on the liver. They also increase overall fat deposits in the body, exacerbating fatty liver disease.

Instead, opt for heart- and liver-friendly alternatives like using plant-based oils (olive or canola), increasing your intake of leafy green vegetables, and incorporating fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel into your meals. These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce liver fat.

High-Sodium and Processed Foods

Too much salt can quietly worsen fatty liver disease. Pickled vegetables, canned goods, fast foods, and processed snacks are often loaded with sodium. Consuming these regularly can increase water retention, blood pressure, and fat accumulation in the liver.

Excessive salt intake has also been linked to higher leptin levels (a hormone involved in fat storage), inflammation, and insulin resistance—all of which contribute to liver damage over time.

To protect your liver, aim to keep daily salt intake under 6 grams. Try flavoring your meals with herbs, spices, and lemon juice instead of relying on salt, soy sauce, or other sodium-heavy seasonings.

Refined Carbohydrates

Foods like white rice, white bread, crackers, instant noodles, and rice cakes may not taste sweet, but they break down quickly into sugars in the body. This leads to insulin spikes and, eventually, increased fat storage in the liver.

Choosing whole grains instead—such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, and quinoa—can provide your body with fiber, improve digestion, and help regulate blood sugar levels. These changes can go a long way in easing the liver’s workload and reducing fat accumulation.

Diabetics and anyone managing blood sugar levels know the rule: eat clean, balanced meals and avoid sugar-laden junk. But what if even your healthiest meals—rich in nutrients and free from processed carbs—still send your glucose monitor beeping? That’s exactly what happened to actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who recently opened up about her experience with “unusual spikes” in her blood sugar levels.

“I was wearing a glucose monitor just to check my spikes, and I realised that even though my meal was extremely healthy, there were some unusual spikes, which shouldn’t really happen with the kind of food I was eating,” she said. The culprit wasn’t the food itself, but the order in which she was eating it. “Just by changing the food on my plate and switching it around—eating my vegetables first, eating my protein second, and then the carbs—it kind of reduced the straight-up spikes,” she shared.

What Samantha stumbled upon is known as food sequencing—a method that can make a big difference in how our bodies respond to food.

What is food sequencing and why does it matter?

Food sequencing refers to the practice of eating different food groups in a specific order: first vegetables, then proteins and fats, and finally carbohydrates. This simple shift can significantly influence how your body processes glucose.

Here’s why: vegetables, especially raw ones, are rich in fiber, which slows down digestion and reduces the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream. This delay helps prevent sudden spikes in glucose levels right after a meal.

When carbs are eaten at the end of the meal, they are digested more slowly and absorbed more gradually—especially when preceded by fiber and protein. This helps the body maintain a steadier blood sugar curve rather than experiencing a sharp peak followed by a crash.

The science behind the sugar curve

When you eat carbohydrates, your blood glucose typically rises within 30 to 60 minutes. The extent of that spike—and how long it lasts—depends on multiple factors: the kind of carb you ate, whether you ate it with fiber or protein, and your body’s insulin response.

Sudden or prolonged glucose surges aren’t just temporary blips; they can contribute to long-term inflammation and affect hormones and proteins in the body. Inflammation, in turn, is linked to a variety of chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

By sequencing your meals to start with fiber-rich vegetables (like cucumber, tomatoes, or spinach), followed by proteins (like boiled sprouts, tofu, or paneer), and finishing with carbs, you can naturally flatten the glucose curve. Adding small elements like lemon juice or a spoonful of seeds can enhance both taste and nutrient absorption.

Not just for diabetics

While the method is especially useful for those with insulin resistance or diabetes, food sequencing benefits nearly everyone. It helps you feel fuller for longer, reduces post-meal fatigue, and stabilizes energy levels throughout the day. Protein, when consumed early in a meal, slows the breakdown of carbs, leading to a more gradual release of glucose and fewer cravings afterward.

As Samantha’s experience shows, even those who eat clean can benefit from this small but powerful tweak. Simply reordering the contents of your plate could help you take control of your blood sugar—without giving up any of your favorite healthy foods.

Researchers from Tufts University analyzed health and dietary data from over 46,000 American adults collected between 1999 and 2018. They wanted to understand how different types of coffee — from black to heavily sweetened — might relate to overall mortality, including deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Their findings were revealing: people who drank at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily had a 16% lower risk of dying prematurely from any cause. The sweet spot appeared to be two to three cups a day, which was linked to a 17% lower risk of early death. Interestingly, the study found no significant connection between coffee and cancer-related deaths.

The Role of Additives

So, what made the difference? According to the study, the key was how people took their coffee. Those who enjoyed their brew black or with just a little added sugar and saturated fat saw the most benefit. Once the coffee was loaded with sweeteners and rich creams, the protective effect faded.

To put it into perspective, “low” sugar was defined as about half a teaspoon per 8-ounce cup, and “low” fat meant around 1 gram of saturated fat — roughly the amount in five tablespoons of 2% milk or one tablespoon of light cream.

“Few studies have examined how coffee additives could impact the link between coffee consumption and mortality risk,” said lead author Bingjie Zhou, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Tufts. “Our study is among the first to quantify how much sweetener and saturated fat are being added.”

Decaf vs. Regular

While the study mostly focused on caffeinated coffee, it also looked at decaf. Fewer participants drank decaf regularly, making it harder to detect a clear pattern. As a result, no strong association was found between decaf coffee and reduced mortality risk.

A Word of Caution

It’s important to note that the study relied on self-reported food intake, which isn’t always precise. People may underreport how much sugar or cream they actually use, and other lifestyle factors might also play a role.

Still, the findings offer helpful guidance for coffee lovers. Senior author Fang Fang Zhang of Tufts University summed it up well: “Coffee is among the most-consumed beverages in the world… it’s important for us to know what it might mean for health.”

Your daily coffee habit could support a longer life — just keep it simple. Stick to black coffee or go easy on the sugar and cream. It turns out that when it comes to your morning brew, less really is more.