Healthy Eating

You know your diet affects your body fat and your heart health. But do you ever consider how the foods you eat may impact your liver? There's a silent health crisis affecting a quarter of the American population and it isn't type 2 diabetes—though it's related. It's nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD stalks us stealthily over a long period of time. "Its symptoms don't often manifest until the liver is seriously compromised," says Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, who has been a dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic for 20…

As they constitute one of the main food groups, of course, it's healthy to regularly eat fruit, and with an easily-removed peel and no excess juices to make your hands sticky, bananas are one of the simplest fruits to consume. While they're great for digestive health and contain many much-needed vitamins, it's important to not eat an excessive amount of bananas, according to dietitians. (Related: The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now) Bananas are a great source of potassium, but too much potassium in our bloodstream can…

You probably know that foods affect our bodies in different ways and at different times of day—there's a reason we usually don't have Shrimp Fra Diavolo for breakfast or berry smoothies for dinner, right? In fact, one of the most popular eating patterns around, intermittent fasting, is based on the idea that our body responds not only to what we eat but also to when we eat it. So, it's not a crazy thing then to believe that certain foods that may not have much of an impact on your health when eaten in the morning could have…

What's one thing that even many health experts are guilty of? Fat-shaming. When you step on the scale at the doctor's office, a health care professional will likely evaluate your weight based on your body mass index (BMI). If you're not an athlete or naturally muscular, you may be considered overweight or obese by this metric—even if you eat healthily and work out all of the time. If you're a proud member of the fat community, do you feel supported by your doctor? Do you feel accepted by colleagues at work? What about your…

Want to experience the magic of salt and understand why we love it so and why it takes center stage in so many of our most popular foods? Sprinkle it on something to which you might not normally add salt, like, watermelon. A fine dusting of salt on watermelon flesh shifts the balance of the subtle bitter, sweet, and sour flavors of the summer fruit toward greater sweetness. Salt makes watermelon even more delicious. You'll want more and more and more. Salt is a chef's go-to flavor improver because, in a pinch, it reduces…

We get it—not everyone is a huge fan of vegetables. We bet you've heard time and time again that eating vegetables is good for your body's overall health and function, and can even help you to lose weight. But are those claims even true? Is it really that bad if you're not eating enough vegetables every day? Hate to break it to you, but yes. Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet because they benefit your body mentally as well as physically. Don't believe us? Here are some of the side effects you'll likely…

'Tis the season for hard seltzer, and there's no shortage of brands to add to your grocery cart. Look no further than the new releases popping up at Costco warehouses and convenience store chains. Indeed, hard seltzer is so prolific that it's easy to forget one major side effect of sipping on it. If you remember how Mike's Hard Lemonade blew the market away when it dropped in 1999, it's impressive to consider how much the "hard" soft drink category has grown in the decades since. After only a few years on the market, White…

During the summertime, it's key that you stay hydrated, especially when temperatures top 75 degrees. However, as refreshing as a glass of cold water is, sometimes we need variation in our beverage choices. There are plenty of healthy drinks lining the shelves of supermarkets, too, such as low sugar-bottled smoothies like Koia Smoothies and even fiber-rich soda alternatives like OLIPOP. We called on several health experts to share what their top picks are. Here are eight healthy drinks registered dietitians day you should sip…

What can't oatmeal do? This breakfast staple is full of all kinds of health benefits that are incredible for your body. From being one of the best breakfasts to live longer, to helping you lose weight, having oatmeal as a part of your regular diet will truly pay off in the long run. But did you also know that oatmeal is good for your heart health? Many experts will call oatmeal a "heart-healthy" breakfast, and according to science, there is a lot of evidence to back up this claim. Here are the specific ways oatmeal can help…

We're going to say it—targeting that dreaded belly fat isn't the easiest. And it's more than just doing countless ab exercises. It's all about what you're putting in your body, too. Some foods are likely contributing to belly fat, and the same can be said for drinks. Yes, what you're sipping on can be adding more belly fat. This type of fat is called visceral fat and it can be dangerous to your overall health, as it surrounds your organs. Visceral fat is not only linked to heart disease and diabetes, but some studies have…