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
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Latest from Anahad O’Connor

Does aspartame pose a health risk? Here’s what the science says.

A World Health Organization committee may label aspartame as a possible carcinogen. Health experts say the research behind the review is flawed.

July 12, 2023

Nikki Haley and the Confederate flag

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley was governor when the Confederate flag was removed from the South Carolina State House grounds, but a deeper look at her past reveals Haley had once opposed removing the flag. Michael Kranish explains.

July 10, 2023

Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics: The microbe garden in your gut

Is your microbiome flourishing? Or are the good microbes getting crowded out by unwelcome guests? The answer largely depends on how well you’re taking care of them.

July 4, 2023

Melted, pounded, extruded: Why many ultra-processed foods are unhealthy

Industrial processing changes the structure of food. Experts say it can affect how much you eat and absorb, your weight and your risk for chronic disease.

June 27, 2023

Listen to this: It’s good for your health

On today’s episode of “Post Reports,” we talk about the benefit of hearing birdsongs for our well-being.

June 23, 2023

Are all calories created equal? Your gut microbes don’t think so.

For weight loss, whether you feed your gut microbiome high- or low-quality calories makes a difference, a new study suggests

June 13, 2023

Lonely? You're not alone.

Today, a conversation with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on how loneliness is posing a profound public health threat in the United States.

June 2, 2023

How Erdogan won after a close call in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won reelection, beating a challenge from a united opposition movement and cementing his tenure at the country’s helm into a third decade.

May 31, 2023

The toll of DeSantis’s election police unit

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis created an election police unit to crack down on voter fraud. But actual convictions by this unit are rare — and the toll on Florida’s voters is climbing higher.

May 30, 2023

Does Ron DeSantis stand a chance?

As the 2024 campaign season approaches, an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination for president, Ron DeSantis, is starting to lose his shine, just as he is about to officially enter the race.

May 24, 2023