Carrying a few extra pounds on your midsection is common -- more than half of Americans have a waist size that's larger than normal, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2014. That doesn't mean you're stuck with side stomach fat forever, though.
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It's hard to overstate the importance of hydration -- the fluid in your body helps maintain your blood volume, plays a role in nutrient transport and even supports body temperature regulation. If you're bored with plain water, adding a squeeze of lemon might encourage you to drink more.
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Whether you crave coffee as a mid-afternoon caffeine fix or a morning pick-me-up, you're in good company. Americans drink an average of three cups of joe each day, according to a 2010 survey on coffee trends conducted by the National Coffee Association.
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Although salads and fruit are great for you -- and they're worthwhile to add to a weight loss diet -- they shouldn't make up your entire meal plan. You would likely lose weight eating salads and fruit at every meal, but you may also be depriving your body of essential nutrients you need to feel and look your best.
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A member of the legume family, lupine seeds -- sometimes called lupins or lupini beans -- make a healthful addition to your diet, and you can consume them on their own or use ground, dried lupini beans as a replacement for flour.
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The quality of your diet plays a key role in your health, and setting a goal to gain weight isn't a license to eat anything you want. While eating any extra calories -- even ones from fast food, ice cream and other "junk"
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While you might not think of chocolate milk as your healthiest beverage option, it has a place in a balanced diet. Drinking chocolate milk after your workouts might offer benefits, as Dr. John Ivy, Ph.D.
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Don't feel guilty over craving a caffeine buzz. Drinking coffee can benefit your health; it may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and might offer some protection against Parkinson's disease, according to the Harvard Gazette.
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Fresh herbs have a place in any health-conscious kitchen because they add bright, fresh flavor to your meals while being low in calories, fat and sodium.
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Grapefruit has a long-standing reputation as a diet food -- it's even the basis of fad diets such as the grapefruit diet.
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Carob powder, from the pod of the carob tree, is often marketed as a chocolate substitute. While it has a similar appearance to cacao powder -- made from the beans of the cacao plant -- it has a milder, sweeter taste and offers a significantly different nutritional profile.
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Eating healthy is key for weight loss, and including porridge in your diet can help you reach your weight-loss goals. Oatmeal -- the most common type of porridge -- is directly linked to weight loss, and other types of porridge offer weight-loss benefits, too.
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Coconuts make up staples in many cuisines -- including several Indian and South American cuisines -- and their widespread availability in the tropics provided sustenance needed to establish trade routes, according to Dr. Kenneth Olson, an associate professor at Washington University.
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While the richest sources of complex carbs -- like potatoes and pasta -- are comforting and satisfying, they're also restricted in low-carb diets. You may be able to enjoy a couple small servings of complex carbs on your low-carb diet, but more restrictive diets might ban these foods entirely.
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While the high-protein diet craze pushed carbohydrates to the sidelines, the truth is that carbs have a place in a healthy diet. Your brain runs on glucose -- a form of sugar -- and carbs also serve as the primary fuel for other tissues, including your muscles.
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Cassava is native to Brazil and Paraguay and is a staple food throughout Indonesia and Thailand, as well as parts of Africa. Its roots serve as an excellent source of starch and, at 330 calories per cup, cassava provides energy you need to fuel your active lifestyle.
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While you might not think of oats beyond steaming bowls of oatmeal or oatmeal raisin cookies, they actually have a number of uses in the kitchen. Oat groats -- another name for intact, hulled oat grains -- make a healthful addition to your diet.
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Each cell in your body contains a number of biomolecules -- organic compounds that make up the structure and carry out the function of your cells. Among these molecules are nucleotides, the components your body uses to make genetic material -- DNA and RNA.
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Whether you're craving a sunny summer glow or trying to add some color in the cooler months, your diet can help you along.
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Weight gain -- and healthy eating in general -- requires a significant time investment to plan your diet and cook healthy meals.
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