Looking to drop some weight? The answer may lurk in your eating habits. We've done the research and found 15 foods that are delicious and nutritious and can help you peel off the pounds.

When you’re trying to lose weight, your kitchen can be your greatest asset. It’s all about stocking it with the right tools and knowing how to use them in order to create delicious meals that are healthy and satisfying.

Stacker 3, developed by NVH Pharmaceuticals, is a combination of fat blocking ingredients including caffeine, chitosan and aspirin. Procured from shellfish, chitosan is meant to aid in the fat blocking process by preventing certain fats from being absorbed and processed into the body as calories.

Get your body swimsuit-ready with a high-protein, low-fat diet and plenty of exercise to burn calories and, with luck, melt pockets of body fat. This 1,200- to 1,600-calorie plan combines egg whites, skinless chicken and salmon with mounds of steamed and fresh vegetables.

To help you reach your weight loss goals more easily, start your day with a healthy breakfast. According to the National Weight Control Registry, which regroups data from people that managed to lose a minimum of 30 lbs. and kept it off for at least a year, 78 percent of successful dieters eat breakfast every day.

The Body Ecology Diet, or BED, was created by Donna Gates as she sought to cure her own chronic battle with candida. She maintains that following the BED will strengthen your organs and immunity by starving the yeast and restoring normal flora.

Depending on who you ask, potatoes are either good for your diet or a weight-loss saboteur. While it's true that potatoes ride the fence when you're trying to lose weight, preparation may be the culprit. Consult your doctor to discuss how potatoes fit into your weight-loss plan.

Tilapia is native to the Middle East and Africa, but the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports that the flaky white fish is now widespread in the United States. Baked tilapia is low in calories and a source of essential nutrients such as niacin and vitamin D.

A glass of buttermilk doesn't serve as a magical weight-loss elixir, but this tart beverage can play a role in your effort to shed a few pounds. Don't expect that sipping buttermilk will automatically cause you to smile on the bathroom scale.

Amino acids are the building blocks for the proteins, enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters that your body manufactures. All amino acids share a general structure composed of four groups of molecules: a central alpha-carbon with a hydrogen atom, an amine group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain.

Carbohydrates are nutrients that provide energy for physical activity and cognitive function. However, these nutrients also elevate blood-sugar levels. Frequent consumption of foods and beverages high in carbohydrates may contribute to diabetes, weight gain and hypoglycemia, according to Phyllis Balch, author of "

You may think of baking soda as the ingredient you add to quick breads and cookies to encourage them to rise, but it has a myriad of uses outside of the kitchen.