About Dr. Gourmet

My name is Timothy Harlan and I am both a physician and a chef. This blog is a general collection of information and random ideas on eating great food and eating healthy.

You can find out more at the Dr. Gourmet web site. Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

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What Not To Eat: High Fructose Corn Syrup Edition

Dr. Tim Says….

I suppose that I can’t put this off any longer. The discussion about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) can really get people riled up. At virtually every single talk that I give, someone in the audience asks about it. Something seemingly simple like, “What about [...]

Plan to Clean Your Plate

“Clean your plate; there are children starving in Africa [or China, or Ethiopia].” I’m sure you heard it too. We’re well-programmed to eat everything we put on our plate. When studying how much people eat at meals, the vast majority of research focuses on measuring how much [...]

In Memoriam : Dr. Gourmet Newsletter

Dr. Tim Says….

This week’s death of Blair River, the 575 pound spokesperson for the Heart Attack Grill is disturbing to be sure. First and foremost because this young man was only 29 years old. This means that he lived a scant 11 years as an [...]

Just Thinking About Exercise : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

The best way to lose weight and maintain that weight loss? Eat right and exercise. There’s been a lot of research on ways to help people make the effort to make changes in their diet and exercise behaviors, but recently Dr. Brian Wansink and colleagues [...]

Navigating the Holiday Party

Dr. Tim Says….

The holidays are upon us and that means food – often lots of it. While I do believe that the holidays can be a time to splurge, this doesn’t give you a license to gorge between Thanksgiving and New Years’.

Late Night Snacking; Meal Replacement Bars; More : Ask Dr. Gourmet

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: I have been told that if you are on a very strict diet you should not eat past 7 o’clock. Some others say 9. Is this true? Also, does that mean no calories at all past the time or no big meal. [...]

Short Term Splurge - Long Term Fat

Just this week I posted an article with my best tips for eating healthy during holidays. While holidays are a time to splurge – and that can certainly be part of a healthy lifestyle – what the end-of-year round of holiday parties means for many [...]

No Added Sugar : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

In the last several decades we here in the United States have eaten more and more sugar, mostly in the form of “added sugars.” These sweeteners are usually in the form of sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup and are intended to make highly-processed foods taste better (or [...]

Is It a Meal, or Is It a Snack? : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

I get questions about snacking all the time: “What should I have for snacks?” or “Is this a healthy snack?” While I’ve written essays about what to snack on, people do seem to have trouble with their snacking. What is the difference between a meal and a [...]

Making Better Choices at Starbucks : Ask Dr. Gourmet

Q: I’m afraid I’m hopelessly dependent on my once/twice daily “Grande, double-blended, half regular/half light base, Mocha Frappuccino.” This addiction of mine seriously hampers any weight loss efforts I attempt though I do try to make other wise food/drink choices. What can I do?