Healthy Eating

If there's one buzzword that's been spreading like wildfire within the health and wellness community in recent years, it's inflammation—and with good reason. Inflammation is your body's natural defensive response to infections and injuries, after all, yet it can contribute to a whole slew of health problems when it's left unchecked. In fact, chronic inflammation plays a key part in the development of nearly every major disease, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, experts say there…

If you're trying to increase your daily intake of vegetables, think outside the salad bowl. Whether you're filling them with your favorite proteins and spices to make zucchini boats or spiralizing them into zoodles, nutrient-rich zucchini is a smart addition to any meal plan. The benefits of zucchini extend far beyond making your regular menu more enjoyable, though. Read on to discover what happens to your body when you eat zucchini, according to science. And for more great additions to your diet, check out The 7 Healthiest…

By now you're probably familiar with the impact drinking soda (and diet soda) has on your waistline, but these sugary, carbonated drinks can also negatively affect your liver in serious and substantial ways. In fact, soda and diet soda can be so detrimental to your liver that drinking it consistently may be akin to how medical drug use and excessive drinking can cause liver damage. This is because many chemicals found in soft drinks have a negative impact on the liver and other parts of the body. For example, aspartame, an…

You are what you eat—and what you're eating can either prolong or decrease your life span. In fact, the majority of Americans are not consuming a nutritionally balanced diet. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than one in ten U.S. adults and adolescents consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables—and about half of adults drink a sugary beverage on a daily basis. Furthermore, Americans have one of the shortest life expectancies compared to other high-income…

While trying new foods is nothing short of exciting, there is something about the classics. Go ahead, let your mind reminisce on all of the beloved, traditional foods you grew up savoring—like burgers, macaroni and cheese, and ribs. If you're salivating by just the sound of this description, this master list of classic American foods is the challenge you've been looking for. You might as well add them to your bucket list of foods to try—why not? We've compiled 50 cherished American foods everyone from coast to coast loves,…

Whether you're sauteing it as a side or using it as a topping on your baked potato, broccoli is among the most popular vegetables in the U.S., with the average U.S. resident consuming approximately 7.1 pounds of fresh broccoli every year. However, it's not just your taste buds that may benefit from adding broccoli to your favorite recipes. Dietitian Carrie Gabriel, MS, RDN, owner and founder of Steps to Nutrition, says that broccoli contains compounds that, by eating it, may help reduce your risk of cancer. When you eat…

Many of us who drink alcohol enjoy sipping on a cold brewski in the late afternoon or evening, especially now that it's summer. Although alcohol is dehydrating, a tall cold glass of beer is wildly refreshing. But, as is the case for just about any beverage, too much of anything isn't good for you. Alcohol especially can pose a threat to vital organs—primarily your liver. This is because one of the liver's key functions is to break down and filter out toxins and other harmful substances in the blood—and alcohol is considered…

Whether you consistently find yourself grabbing a muffin to go with your morning coffee or find that you can't pass by the snack aisle in your local supermarket without tossing a bag of chips in your cart, everyone has their vices when it comes to less than healthy food. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2013 and 2016, 36.6% of Americans admitted to giving into their fast food cravings on any given day. However, new research suggests it's not just your willpower that…

There may have been a time when you ate whatever you wanted without few, if any, health consequences. You might remember that time well! But it's true—nothing lasts forever. "After 50, metabolism slows, estrogen levels drop, and certain nutrient requirements rise," says Hillary M. Wright, MEd, RDN, LDN, co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan, A Natural Guide to Hormones, Health, and Happiness. "At this point, you'll probably need to make wiser food choices to help head off midlife weight gain and prevent conditions that are…

One of the most popular lunch proteins, canned tuna, has some pretty awesome benefits: it's one of the best sources of biologically active, anti-inflammatory, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids; it's a great source of protein; and it's so convenient to eat— making it even easier to have healthy meals in minutes. But despite all the good of this inexpensive protein, there is a catch: One major health complication you have to be cognizant of when eating tuna is mercury poisoning. You ingest small amounts of mercury—a toxic…