We've made tremendous progress in the fields of food, health and technology since the Victorian era. And yet we're not nearly as healthy overall as we were then. What gives?

Recent research is showing that not only did people live longer in the late 1800s, but they had strong immune systems too. Of course, there are several differences in the average Victorian diet compared to ours. Here's a rundown:

• They ate more, around 4,500 calories a day for men and 3,000 for women.
• But they also burned more calories, spending their working hours doing hard manual labour.
• Salt, sugar and tobacco weren't as readily available, and were rarely consumed.
  
• They ate between 8-10 servings a day of fresh fruits and veggies.
  
• In fact, all their food was fresh. After all, they didn't have fridges.
  
• They consumed lots of yeast, in both breads and beer. Yeast helps strengthen the immune system.
  

Want to know more? Read the full article over here.

In the healthy living community, sugar is on an equal plane with ... well, Satan. It's considered pure evil -- completely lacking in nutritional value and made up of nothing but empty calories. It's been associated with a slew of health problems, from obesity to diabetes. But sometimes we forget that our body is fueled by sugar, and if we watch how much we eat, it's not always bad for us. Here are some good things about sugar:

• A teaspoon of sugar only has 15 calories. That's not bad if you don't overdo it.
• Sugar is converted to glucose, which fuels your brain
• Sugar makes otherwise bland things tasty enough to eat. Like? Grapefruit
• Sugar help heal wounds by drying them
• Sugar stops mold and yeast growth

So I guess sugar itself isn't evil -- but sugar in the hands of inactive people with not enough willpower to refuse the extra-large slice of chocolate cake is. Use with caution, folks, and you can have your sugar and eat it too.

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Hot on the heels of my Goji Juice post, I saw this one on Kombucha Tea on Fitsugar. It's been called a 'miracle cure-all', and call me a skeptic, but once something has been touted as miracle cure-all, I'm pretty convinced it's a scam.

So just what is this tea? It's a fermented drink, made of a combination of bacteria and yeast. Mmmmm, sounds delicious. It's been popular in China since the 200s BC, and though it's popular with people the world over, including celebrities, it's supposed 'benefits' haven't been confirmed. That's not to say it's not effective -- many people report increased energy -- but I have issues with companies that claim their product is a miracle cure-all when they have no scientific evidence to back it up. But I suppose a slogan along the lines of 'A few people say it makes them feel great!' isn't nearly as effective.

Have you tried it?

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