While grains might seem high in calories, they're actually a healthy addition to a weight-loss diet. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, which are lost when the grain is processed to produce white flour and white rice.

You probably won't find Special K shakes at the health food store; however, substituting them for higher-calorie foods could help you achieve a healthy weight, possibly reducing your risk of obesity-related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Unlike diets, which are often restrictive and intended for short-term weight loss, a balanced diet is diverse and adequate for activity level. In other words, you simply need to eat from all the food groups and treat food as fuel for a fit, active lifestyle.

Your cells depend on adequate intakes of several nutrients to stay healthy. These nutrients come from a variety of foods in each food group. and the best way to be sure you are getting the daily recommendations for each is to eat a well-balanced diet.

Although ground beef is a good source of protein and provides significant amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, it can also be a major source of fat and cholesterol in the diet.

The Middle Eastern diet falls under the category of a Mediterranean diet, which incorporates the foods and cuisines of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean diet has garnered praise for its role in keeping the body healthy and staving off chronic disease, especially cardiovascular problems.

You've just entered a new decade and you want to start it off right. While weight may be your primary concern when it comes to what and how much you eat, now is as good a time as any to start thinking about your health too.

Weight loss is a mainstay in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. While the cause of this complex female endocrine disorder remains unknown, scientists do know that even modest weight loss improves symptoms of PCOS.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends following a diet low in cholesterol, fat, salt and added sugars .This type of diet may help you limit your risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes. If you eat a lot of processed foods, however, it may be difficult to follow this type of diet.

When you’re looking for lean protein to include in your diet, or when you simply crave some healthy meat, pork tenderloin is a good choice. It’s low in fat, high in protein and a rich source of B vitamins and selenium.

When someone claims that a certain food "goes straight to your thighs," don't take them literally because no food is shown to specifically promote thigh fat. Your thighs grow larger when you gain weight, causing your body to store fat throughout your frame.

The South Beach diet plan involves a three-phase process where you focus on replacing unhealthy fats with healthier fats, "bad" carbohydrates with "good" carbs and add in lean protein. The first phase is the most restrictive.