If you see potassium sorbate in the ingredient list of any food, it has been added to prolong the shelf life. Potassium sorbate originates from the potassium salt of sorbic acid, which is naturally found in many plants, and prevents the growth of pathogens.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends eating 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, but it's your choice whether you eat them raw or cooked. Eating raw vegetables means that heat-sensitive and water-soluble nutrients are not lost, as they would be during cooking.

At the most basic level, food provides you with energy needed to maintain your heartbeat, breathing, organ function and basic mental activity. The body will cease to function after a few minutes without air and a couple of days without water.

Acid reflux is a painful condition that can cause burning in the chest, in the upper abdomen and behind the breastbone. Eating certain foods -- such as those high in fat and spice -- is often a trigger for the onset of acid reflux.

Starvation occurs when your body suffers a lack of nutrients necessary for the maintenance of life. During starvation, your body uses stored glucose and fat, then eventually metabolizes muscles, tissues and organs in an attempt to get needed nutrients.

Starvation is an extreme form of malnutrition. If your body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs, it won’t be able to maintain itself, grow properly and fend off disease. If you don’t eat, your body will deteriorate. First, your mental and physical performance start to suffer.

Adding a few sesame seeds to your food isn't going to cause any extra pounds you are carrying to disappear. Sesame seeds do contain a number of substances that may make it easier for you to stick to your daily calorie allotment and lose weight, however, including protein and lignans.

Grapefruit is low in calories, with just 41 calories per half, and high in vitamin C, with 73 percent of the daily value per half. There is some preliminary evidence that grapefruit may help with weight loss in different ways, depending on when you eat it.

Honeybees produce honeycomb in their hives. Composed of beeswax, the structure of honeycomb consists of hexagon-shaped cells used to store honey. The wax that makes up honeycomb contains very-long-chain fatty acids, along with long-chain alcohols, or esters.

Most adults in the U.S. carry excess body weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While there are a number of reasons why Americans are gaining weight, getting too much potassium in the diet is not one of them.

Proponents claim kombucha, a fermented tea, is a cure-all, but it may not be as good for you as claimed.

You may get stitches if you have a serious injury, such as a puncture wound, or when you've had surgery. Keeping your stitched wound clean and appropriately covered are two of the most important ways to encourage healing.