Food provides units of energy in the form of calories that give our bodies fuel to perform all functions from the most basic like breathing to more complicated activities. We need a minimum amount of calories from food to sustain basic metabolic functions and more to carry out physical activities.

As added sugars, glucose syrup and corn syrup aren't much different. In fact, glucose syrup is usually made from cornstarch, so the terms "glucose syrup" and "corn syrup" are sometimes used interchangeably. No matter what sweetener you use, however, for good health it's best to limit your intake.

When people think of beets, they often think of the red bulbous root of this plant. However, the greens are even more nutrient-dense than the root, which can also be golden or white, depending on the type of beet it is.

When your body is in an alkaline state, you are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases. The foods and beverages you consume each day have a direct impact on the acid and alkaline balance in your body.

Most healthy diet plans encourage you to eat more fruits and vegetables, but some recommend you not eat them together. Such diets advise that eating the wrong food combinations may be toxic or deter your weight-loss efforts.

The making of yogurt and some medical tests have the process of lactose fermentation in common. With the help of bacteria, lactose fermentation -- the breaking down of the sugar lactose into an acid -- is used to make fermented dairy foods and to test for food poisoning.

Compared to other berries and fruits, blueberries are reported by the USDA to have a high ORAC score, which means they have higher antioxidant activity, protecting the body from damage caused by unstable free radical molecules.

What exactly counts as constipation varies from person to person, but generally it refers to having fewer than three bowel movements per week or experiencing difficulty or pain when having a bowel movement. As you continue to eat food, stool continues to accumulate in your large intestine.

A diet without meat, sugar, dairy or bread is simple to follow, and does not require you to count calories, carbohydrates or fat, but remember that portion size is important in any diet for weight control.

Whether you like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, goji berries or boysenberries, they're all a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Berries also have the highest per-serving content of antioxidants -- chemicals that fight cell-damaging free radicals -- than any other food, according to Dr.

Twenty percent of the daily calories consumed around the world come from rice, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Although they're not a citrus fruit, apricots do contain a small amount of citric acid, which gives this small orange fruit its tart taste. While the acid in the fruit offers some health benefits, some people need to limit their intake of the natural substance because of an intolerance.