The time required by your body to digest and absorb nutrients is the transit time. Before ultimately reaching the organic tissue, nutrients must move from the mouth to the stomach and then through the small intestine, where most absorption occurs.

At 55 milligrams of sodium per large egg, egg whites have a healthy place in a well-planned low-sodium diet. They're also low in calories and contain almost no fat while providing high-quality protein.

Graham crackers are sweet, but they do not taste like cookies. Historians credit a Presbyterian minister, Sylvester Graham, with the creation of Graham crackers around 1829.

The Woodchuck Cidery uses apples to create fermented cider, which results in an alcoholic, or "hard" beverage. Apples contain several nutrients, but drinking alcohol in moderation may help protect your health.

Cockles, also known by their scientific name Cardiidae, are heart-shaped, bivalve sea creatures that are cooked and eaten for their high protein content. This species is the largest of the bivalves and is distinctive due to its symmetrical shell.

Whether kidney, lima, pinto or black, beans deserve a place in your healthy diet. They're naturally low in fat, high in fiber, rich in antioxidants and dense in minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and selenium as well as the B vitamin folate.

Soy chips are similar in appearance and texture to potato chips, but they're made with soy flour rather than potatoes, and they are also more nutritious than potato chips.

The origin of chocolate is derived from the cacao bean (pronounced “kuh-KOW”), which quite simply are the seeds of the cacao fruit. According to "Chocolate: History, Culture and Heritage," the use of cacao by humans is well beyond 5,000 years old and was eaten by the Native Americans, Aztecs, Olmecs and Mayans.

The glycemic index is used as a measurement of how carbohydrate-based foods affect blood sugar. Foods are given a rating of their effect on blood sugar when compared to the simple sugar glucose, which has a glycemic index of 100.

Biologically speaking, beans are legumes, meaning they are the seed or fruit of a pod. But beyond the bean's official status, humans tend to use them in one of two ways -- as a vegetable or as a protein. How you classify them in your diet is primarily a matter of where you get your protein.

Soy is a widely used food in processed meats, milk alternatives, and Far Eastern cuisine. Soy is made from soy beans, a legume related to the peanut and other beans. According to National Public Radio, soybeans contain a chemical called tyramine, which is considered a chemical that can trigger headaches.

Metamucil is a fiber supplement that offers numerous health benefits. The main ingredient in all Metamucil products is psyllium, a bulk-forming laxative.