Limiting the amount of sodium in your diet plays an important role in your health, because high-sodium diets contribute to chronic diseases, including heart disease and stomach cancer.

Chocolate is a versatile food. You can eat it as a confection, as a dip for fruits, as a dessert topping or as an addition to hot beverages. Further, dark chocolate does have some health benefits, due mainly to the antioxidants it contains.

If you look at some of the healthiest diet plans, such as the Mediterranean Diet or the DASH diet, you will notice that they recommend you make seeds a regular part of your eating plan. Seeds are nutrient-dense foods high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Oh, that sweet smell of soft, warm oatmeal cookies baking on a cool, fall afternoon. Or, perhaps you prefer dunking a crunchy one in a cold glass of milk on a hot summer day. Whatever your preference, you may wonder if that cookie you're devouring is nutritious.

Lititz, Pennsylvania holds the distinction of being home to the very first commercial bakery to produce pretzels, according to Bethanne Patrick, author of “An Uncommon History of Common Things.

Nuts provide healthy fats to help fight high cholesterol and heart disease. The Harvard Medical School says eating nuts several times a week can lower your risk of developing heart disease. Walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds and peanuts are all healthy choices. But you can enjoy too much of a good thing.

Hives and itching after eating any food is a common sign of an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions from eating chocolate may or may not be related to a cocoa allergy.

While some people crave raw cookie dough more than baked cookies, consuming raw cookie dough is associated with a number of health concerns. Raw food products can harbor bacteria that can cause you to become ill and experience intestinal distress, vomiting or kidney failure.

Your body needs sufficient amounts of dietary iron to produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Peanut butter provides a moderate amount of iron. It can be a significant source of iron for people who follow a vegetarian diet or who eat modest amounts of meat.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple in many American diets and the ingredients used are simple and inexpensive, but offer several health benefits. A serving of peanut butter is 2 tbsp. and a serving of jelly is 1 tbsp.

If you have diabetes, your body does not metabolize carbohydrates properly, and you have high blood sugar levels. A carbohydrate-controlled diet can help you manage your blood sugar levels, and healthy, high-protein snacks can help you stick to such a meal plan.

Almonds and pistachios are two kinds of nuts that can be highly beneficial to your health. They contain significant amounts of several nutrients, and eating them may also improve your heart health and cholesterol levels.