Good news for busy people everywhere. A new study reported that every little bit of activity you get in can add up to a longer, healthier life — not just when you do it in half hour or more increments. While advice for the past 30 years as has usually told us to get at least 10 minutes at a time, the latest research from Duke University School of Medicine shows that it doesn’t really matter how you get it, as long as you do. No matter the length of segments people got their exercise, those who moved more were less likely to die over the next six to seven years that those who were less active. Guidelines typically recommend that people get at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise every week, or about 30 minutes, five times a week. But while, the 10-minute-at-a-time bench mark was widely accepted, it…
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are America’s favorite Halloween candy, poll finds
Americans love Halloween candy, but let’s face it — not all candies are created equal. Some candy gets devoured before Halloween even ends, and others will linger clear through the New Year. So which candies do Americans like most? Perhaps not surprising to peanut butter fanatics, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are America’s favorite Halloween treat (36%), according to a recent poll conducted by Monmouth University. Snickers came in second (18%), M&M’s ranked third (11%), and Hershey bars and candy corn rounded out the top five (each with 6%). “Candy corn even making the list may surprise some people, but it is one of the top-selling Halloween candies in the country,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute. Love it or hate it, check out The Sweet History of Candy Corn. America’s Favorite Candies According to the poll, these are America’s top 10 favorite Halloween candies: Reese’s…
This is America’s favorite cup of coffee, according to the Harris Poll
American runs on Dunkin’. But they sure do like Starbucks a lot, too. If they had to pick, which one would win out? The results from the latest Harris Poll are in, and America’s “Brand of the Year” award for the country’s favorite coffee shop go to Dunkin’ and Krispy Kreme. Each year, the market research agency conducts a survey to help us uncover America’s favorite brands in categories ranging from favorite restaurants favorite audio streaming service, and everything in between. To see a full ranking of brands from all categories, visit The Harris Poll. “The common thread that runs across all the brands awarded here is their consumer devotion and respect for — and expectation of — performance,” said Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema. “These are brands American especially love and expect great things from in the future.” If Krispy Kreme’s appearance come as a surprise, you weren’t paying…
Half of Americans prefer cold pizza for breakfast, survey shows
It turns out, we don’t just grab that cold pizza slice from the fridge because of laziness, we actually prefer it. A recent survey revealed that 53 percent of Americans would choose eating cold pizza over traditional breakfast fare. (I mean, duh.) In other words, if given the option of eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, or waffles, OR cold pizza, we would go for the leftover pizza. While this might sound like a huge health no-no, nutritionists have weighed in on our preference for pizza in the in a.m., and largely, it gets a thumbs up. The average slice of pizza and a bowl of cereal with whole milk contain nearly the same number of calories. However, since pizza has more protein, it can keep you full for longer, meaning you might eat less calories overall. Pizza also doesn’t have the added sugars of a lot of popular cereals. The survey gathered…
These are the cleanest grocery stores in America, survey shows
Nothing will make you drop your cart and run out of a grocery store quite like sticky floors, dingy aisles, and crumbs. Cleanliness is so important that it’s consistently one of the top-rated features (along with bright lights, product selection, and value) that makes us return to a store again and again. So which grocery stores can claim to be the cleanest of them all? Nonprofit consumer group, Consumer Reports’ recently released the findings of a nationwide member survey of grocery stores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs. More than 75,000 people across 96 stores responded. Criteria included cleanliness of sidewalks and entryways, the number of working hand sanitizer stations and cart wipes available, how quickly spills were wiped up, how often floors were cleaned in general, and the cleanliness of restrooms. Cleanest Grocery Stores The top-ranking grocers include Texas-based regional chain Central Market; the mid-Atlantic’s Wegmans; the Chicago and Ohio area…
McDonald’s still America’s favorite fast food restaurants, survey says
McDonald’s fans are still lovin’ it. In a recent survey for more than 2,000 adults, McDonald’s came out as the clear favorite fast food restaurant thanks to several categories including value and speed of service. Wendy’s claimed second place, Burger King followed in third place. Subway and KFC rounded out the top five. According to Yahoo! Finance, the survey, conducted by UBS Evidence Lab surveyed 2,029 adults who visited fast-casual restaurants at least once a month. McDonald’s beat its competitors in a number of categories, but when it comes to fast-food, it seems price matters most. Survey respondents cited McDonald’s good value and promotions as their top two reasons for choosing the burger behemoth. Interestingly, diners also cited those two categories as the only reasons that would make them visit McDonald’s restaurants more often. After good values and promotions, the top reasons respondents cited for preferring one fast food restaurant…
People prefer eating on the couch, not at the table, survey says
Eating at the dinner table is apparently, becoming a thing of the past. While you may have had no choice as a kid, now that you’re an adult, a newly released survey shows that you’re more likely to eat elsewhere. More than 1,000 people participated in the first Cooking at Home Report, conducted by June, the appliance company credited with pioneered the intelligent convection oven. While 72% of respondents said they grew up eating dinner at the table, only 48% said they still do so today. Of course, this can mean many things. Perhaps some participants live in the city, where apartments may be too small for a dining table. So where do people eat? The couch is a popular place to dine, with 30% of respondents claiming that was their surface of preference. Seventeen percent of people say they prefer to eat in bed. The report didn’t ask questions…
Survey shows liquors bartenders recommend most
If you sidle up to any bar in America and order a nondescript round of shots (and thereby slightly annoy your bartender), you better like Jack Daniels. A recent survey found that bartenders are more likely to pour you a shot of the classic Tennessee whiskey than any other liquor. The MetrixLab MSS Bartender Influence Study asked nearly 10,000 bartenders in the United States to rank all major spirit brands and how likely they are to recommend them to a customer. The results were broken down into categories. Along with being the most-recommended shot/shooter, Jack Daniels is also the most recommended brand of whiskey. The only other brand of liquor to appear twice on the list was Bacardi, as the most-recommended rum and the most-recommended flavored spirit. Patrón was the most-recommended spirit overall, which is great news, since it supposedly can help you lose weight. Grey Goose took top spot…
This is the most popular type of cuisine in the world, according to a survey
It may come as no surprise that the cuisine that claims pizza and pasta is a world-wide favorite. That’s right. A survey found that Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world. The global survey of more than 25,000 across 24 countries, conducted by YouGov, found that 99 percent of Italians love Italian food (duh!), and more than 90 percent of Spaniards, French, Swedes, Philippines, Australians, and Brits also favorite the saucy fare above any other foreign cuisines. Considering all of the delicious foods of the world, taking the number one spot is quite the culinary honor, and it’s a big step for a food that once considered lower-class fare. John F. Mariani, author of, “How Italian Food Conquered the World,” once wrote that Italian food “never received anything like the respect accorded French cuisine, even though the ingredients used in French kitchens were no better than in…
New survey shows how Americans eat breakfast
If crispy bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs are what get you out of bed in the morning, you’re not alone. A new survey conducted by the National Honey Board gives a glimpse at how modern Americans do breakfast. The survey comes just in time for Better Breakfast Month, which reminds us that regularly eating a healthy, balanced breakfast can mean lower BMI and better focus throughout your day. Of the 92% of Americans who surveyed that they enjoy a breakfast at least once a week, 69% said that eggs are their favorite food in the morning. Bacon and sausage came in second with 46% of the vote. Cereal, fruit, oatmeal, waffles/pancakes/french toast, toast or english muffin, hash browns, bagel, yogurt, breakfast burrito, and donut/muffin/croissant rounded out the top 10. Despite busy schedules, most Americans find time to eat breakfast at home (3 in 4), but 18% do so either at…