Anahad O’Connor

San Francisco

Columnist

Education: Yale University

Anahad O'Connor is a health columnist who writes about food and nutrition for The Washington Post's Well+Being desk. Anahad joined The Post in 2022. Before that he was a staff reporter for the New York Times, where he spent two decades covering health and science. Anahad also spent time on the Times's metro, politics and breaking news desks. Anahad began his journalism career at the New York Times after graduating from Yale University, where he earned his degree in psychology, with a focus on neuroscience. Anahad started a popular weekly science column and regularly writes about the food in
Latest from Anahad O’Connor

Prebiotic sodas claim to boost your health. Experts are skeptical.

Can you boost your gut, brain and immune health by drinking soda? That’s what some beverage companies want you to believe.

April 4, 2023

Probiotic supplements may do the opposite of boosting your gut health

Probiotics, which are live organisms taken as pills or powders, can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract of healthy people.

March 28, 2023

Coffee lovers gain 1,000 steps a day, but get less sleep, study shows

The health effects of coffee are complex, with benefits and drawbacks for sleep and exercise.

March 22, 2023

Cereal before bed? Food makers push ‘sleep’ snacks at night.

Marketing late-night meals as sleep enhancers is a food-industry tactic to create a so-called fourth meal that follows dinner.

March 14, 2023

How fake sugars sneak into foods and disrupt metabolic health

Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes sweeten foods without extra calories. But studies show the ingredients can affect gut and heart health.

March 7, 2023

Want to live a longer life? Try eating like a centenarian.

You can’t change your genes, but improving your diet will make your healthier and could make a difference in life expectancy.

February 14, 2023

It’s not just what you eat, but the time of day you eat it

The timing of your meals can have striking effects on your weight, appetite and chronic disease risk.

January 10, 2023

The simple diet swap to help you lose weight and lower health risks

Replace processed carbs with “healthy” carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains for better metabolic health.

January 3, 2023

The benefits of ‘Dry January’ last longer than a month, studies show

People who participated in Dry January started drinking less the rest of the year and showed striking improvements in their health.

December 27, 2022

    How to keep a hangover from ruining your holiday

    Nutrition and health columnist Anahad O’Connor gives six tips on how to prevent or cure a hangover.

    December 23, 2022