Healthy

Even if you spend hours at the gym day in and day out, building strong muscles isn't always as simple as it seems. In addition to making sure you're eating the right foods to support your fitness goals, taking the right supplements can play a major role in how well your body responds to your exercise routine—which is especially important when you want to lose weight. Building muscle mass can help you lose weight because muscle burns more calories than fat. Building more muscle means burning more calories, which means more…

Besides potatoes, carrots are one of the most popular root vegetables in our diets—and for good reason. This veggie has a long shelf life, it can be eaten both raw and cooked, it tastes amazing, and it's a staple of many recipes. On top of their usefulness in cooking, carrots are also incredibly nutritious. Like other brightly colored vegetables, carrots are a gold mine of antioxidants. Antioxidants are plant-based compounds that can neutralize the effect of free radicals that cause cellular damage, inflammation, and cancer.…

There are plenty of different things that could make a snack healthy. Maybe your body needs more vitamins, so fruits and vegetables are the right choices. Maybe you need something filling to help tide you over until dinner, which means you'll want a snack that contains protein, healthy fats, and fiber, such as peanut butter on whole-wheat toast or cheese and nuts. As it turns out, there may be one type of snack that could not only keep you satiated throughout the day, but could also lend your gut some support. In part, this…

By the time you finish this sentence, you could have burned 100 calories. Well, that's only if you knew about these essential secrets for how to lose weight fast, that is. We know that shedding unwanted pounds used to mean giving up your favorite foods, logging hours at the gym, and being hungry (and hangry) all the time. Fortunately, dropping a dress size (or two) doesn't have to be that complicated or torturous. Sure, losing any significant amount of weight…

From sunshine-filled days to idyllic beach getaways, summer is the perfect time to take things slow and enjoy the great outdoors before the colder temperatures creep back in. But, for many of us, summer is also the time when tons of unhealthy foods—like oversized frozen cocktails, sugary carnival treats, and deep-fried seafood—make their way onto our menus, leaving us stuffed and bloated. But we're here to help you with that. With all the fresh fruits and…

Coffee lovers know there are so many reasons to hold the wildly beloved beverage close: The taste, the comforting ritual, even coffee's benefits for your hair. If chief among your reasons for loving coffee is the turbo charge it gives your wake-up each morning, you may want to take a slight pause. That's according to a registered dietitian, who says if you actually want to get the most out of your daily caffeine dose, there's a prime-time window that delivers the biggest benefit. Huffington Post says that while so many of us…

From old-school favorites to current fads, some could argue that beer lovers have never celebrated the beverage quite as passionately as they are right now. If you're one of them, researchers have identified a few key benefits that beer may have on your longterm health. Salut! Before we explore what this study uncovered, it might be prudent to note: We're not promoting heavy drinking, or even alcoholic drinking at all. In this meta-analysis, which was recently published in the international, peer-reviewed journal Nutrients,…

For years, you've probably heard that cranberry juice is good for your urinary health (which is true), or even that it's beneficial to your gut health (also demonstrated to be accurate). Now, an intriguing study has uncovered yet another advantage of drinking the juice of this tart little berry. Keep reading—this might make you smile. A study published June 28 in the peer-reviewed journal Beverages found, to put it scientifically, that "Polyphenols in edible berries and tea plant (Camellia sinensis) suppressed virulence…

Even as a dietitian, my head starts spinning a little when I venture down the supplement aisle. There are so many options, and it's understandable to feel a little overwhelmed with dozens of brands staring back at you. And although protein shakes always have an air of healthiness, don't let them fool you. When it comes to picking the best protein shake for weight loss, I recommend using a few quick criteria to evaluate a high-quality protein shake: added sugar and artificial sweeteners, easy to digest, and complete protein.…

From bad time-management skills to intermittent fasting rules, there are lots of reasons you might end up skipping breakfast. And no, coffee doesn't count—especially if it's one of these sugar-laden coffee drinks. Whatever the cause, you might want to start making room for a morning meal. Why? Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day. "A balanced breakfast helps you feel energized, mentally sharp, and improves your chances of making healthier food choices throughout the day," says Mary Stewart, RD, LD, founder of…