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A basket of Italian biscotti on a wooden table. Image Credit: Olha_Afanasieva/iStock/Getty Images Biscotti, crisp Italian cookies, come in a variety of flavors. The cookie has a crescent shape and goes well with coffee or tea. Biscotti usually contain bleached flour, egg, shortening, almonds and sugar. Limiting calories from sweets helps with weight maintenance and weight loss. Learning about the calories and fat content of biscotti will help you plan a balanced and heart-healthy diet....

Eating too much of any type of food can make you fat. Image Credit: karimitsu/iStock/GettyImages Eating too much of anything can make you fat, nuts included. While it’s true that most high-calorie diet plans include nuts for weight gain, that doesn’t mean they can’t make a healthy addition to any diet plan, no matter your weight goals. Nuts may be calorie-dense, but they also contain a slew of nutrients that support health, and eating nuts may even help you lose weight....

Probiotics can affect your digestive system. Image Credit: Prostock-Studio/iStock/GettyImages Probiotics are living cultures of microorganisms found in good-for-you foods like yogurt, kefir and kimchi. Probiotics may not only boost the health of the digestive tract, but also help with elimination, meaning they could ease constipation. Advertisement What’s Normal Pooping, What’s Constipation Constipation is a common digestive issue, affecting millions of Americans each year, according to a January 2013 report in ​Gastroenterology​....

A woman with slender hands is in a yoga pose. Image Credit: DAJ/amana images/Getty Images It is entirely possible to lose weight in your hands, but it is impossible to lose weight only in your hands. Weight loss happens systemically, which means that your entire body loses weight at the same time. If you are noticing weight loss in your hands but nowhere else on your body, it may be a reduction of swelling or water retention, not actual fat loss....

Sweating older man wiping forehead. Although often ill-timed and embarrassing, sweating after eating is something diabetics can treat. This condition is called gustatory sweating, and it often involves profuse sweating on both sides of your face, scalp, neck and chest. This condition is not well understood, but investigational reports have found that a medication and a topical cream help. Ask your doctor if you need treatment. Advertisement Gustatory Sweating Scientists aren’t sure why gustatory sweating happens with diabetics....

A small bowl of blackberries. Image Credit: Lecic/iStock/Getty Images Blackberries are quite nutritious, so there are few disadvantages to eating the fruit. In some cases, however, these plump, velvety berries can cause side effects such as changes to urine color. If you choose canned blackberries, buy frozen versions that have been sweetened or add sugar to your fresh berries, they can become a significantly less healthy food choice. Advertisement Changes in Urine Color Healthy urine should be a pale golden yellow color – like straw, according to MedlinePlus....

Bread for sale at a bakery. Image Credit: totalpics/iStock/Getty Images Weight gain can be caused by many things, such as a sedentary lifestyle, a rich diet or other factors such as genetics or health conditions. If bread is partly to blame for your weight gain, it is most likely the amount of bread you consume and the type of breads you choose to eat that is causing the problem. Some breads however, can help you maintain a healthy weight....

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in seafood, supplements and some plant foods. Image Credit: Evgeniia Siiankovskaia/Moment/GettyImages Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and in supplements, play an important role in reducing inflammation in the body, which can damage your arteries and boost your risk of strokes, heart attacks and heart disease. But some research suggests omega-3s may protect your heart by reducing triglycerides. Advertisement All About Omega-3s The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) defines omega-3 fatty acids as a type of fat that’s found in your body and foods — primarily fish, but also in some plant foods such as flaxseeds, chia seeds and black walnuts....

You can find folate in fruits like avocado, banana, citrus fruits and papaya. Image Credit: EvgeniyShkolenko/iStock/GettyImages Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-complex vitamin — vitamin B9 to be precise. It’s well-known for its role in preventing birth defects, preterm deliveries and many other health issues. However, a less-known fact is that folic acid may help boost fertility. The National Institute of Health recommends about 400 micrograms of dietary folate per day for most adults....

In some cases you might find your stomach feeling flabbier or floppier after a drastic weight loss. Image Credit: Todor Tsvetkov/E+/GettyImages A little extra squish around your middle usually means you’ve gained weight — although in a few cases, you can have a squishy stomach after weight loss. Because the squish test returns ambiguous results, take a hint from the pros and use more standardized methods to track your weight loss progress....

Body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria can go hand-in-hand, contributing to eating disorders and related mental health concerns among trans and non-binary folks. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative In This Article Risk Factors Dangers Making Treatment More Inclusive Coming out as transgender was fairly straightforward for Kevin. They received support from their family and gender-affirming medical treatment in adolescence. But after beginning hormone therapy and having chest surgery, new body image issues arose....

Plantains are much larger than regular bananas and have firm, mild-flavored flesh. Image Credit: carlosrojas20/iStock/GettyImages The raw plantain is a variety of banana popular in Latin American cuisine. Plantains are much larger than regular bananas and have firm, mild-flavored flesh. Advertisement Plantains are often prepared like potatoes, however the most popular way to enjoy plantains is fried. A serving of fried plantains is 1 cup, which has 365 calories, according to USDA FoodData Central....

Fluid balance and blood volume are regulated in the human body by the electrolytes sodium and potassium. Image Credit: AnnaPustynnikova/iStock/GettyImages Fluid balance and blood volume are regulated in the human body by the electrolytes sodium and potassium. Many people are eating too many sodium-rich foods and not enough potassium-rich foods. So, are there any fruits and vegetables with lots of sodium you should avoid? Advertisement Balancing Sodium and Potassium The American Heart Association explains that when you have excess sodium in your bloodstream, this can lead to excess water in your blood vessels and increased blood volume....

Riding a bike can be an efficient way of burning calories. Image Credit: Dave & Les Jacobs/Blend Images/Getty Images Bicycling is a versatile and low-impact aerobic exercise that also builds your leg muscles. Since you can bicycle under a variety of conditions at a range of speeds, the number of calories you burn also varies significantly. Advertisement Individual Factors Fabio Comana’s article for the American Council on Exercise cites data indicating that biking 10 to 12 miles per hour burns 0....

Walking several times per week can benefit your health in numerous ways. Image Credit: Dima_Viunnyk/iStock/Getty Images If you’re anxious to take steps toward improving your health, walking can be the answer. Although people typically track the length of their walk in minutes, another approach is counting your steps. Walking 600 steps, depending on your pace, shouldn’t take very long. As such, it doesn’t burn an abundance of calories. Advertisement Aim for 100 Steps a Minute A typical walking pace if you wish to walk for fitness is 100 steps per minute....

Two teens are wearing roller blades. Image Credit: Doug Menuez/Photodisc/Getty Images A 2007 to 2008 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 18.1 percent of Americans age 12 to 19 have obesity. Lack of physical activity is a major risk factor of obesity, and spending free time playing video games, watching television and using computers isn’t helping. However, replacing some of these activities with physical activity every day will help reverse this effect....

A woman holding Dumbbells. Image Credit: XiXinXing/XiXinXing/Getty Images The amount of time you dedicate to lifting weights depends on your weightlifting experience and your training goals. Experienced lifters can endure more training stress and need a greater number of sessions to see continued improvement. Beginners need to allow more time for muscle recovery and to prevent overtraining. And the greater the training stress, the more time you need to let your body recover between sessions....

Close-up of raw ground beef. Image Credit: tycoon751/iStock/Getty Images Boiling ground beef is not the most appetizing way to prepare the meat. In fact, boiled ground beef is often used for dog food. But boiling has its advantages: the cooking process is quicky, simple and easy to clean up after. Ground beef is often brought to a boil when cooked in a stew, but this is usually done after the meat has been browned in a pan....

Brine a boneless turkey breast in a mixture of water with salt and spices for a juicy result. Image Credit: Anna Puzatykh/iStock/GettyImages In This Article What Is a Brine? Why You Should Brine Boneless Turkey Breast How to Do It Just like whole turkeys, boneless turkey breasts come in a variety of sizes, ranging from about 2 to 3 pounds to more than 20 pounds. No matter the size, one benefit of making a turkey breast is that it takes less time to cook than a whole turkey, and you can use the leftovers for recipes for days after....

If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can just as easily use a Griddler by Cuisinart for steaks. Image Credit: tbralnina/iStock/GettyImages If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can just as easily use a Griddler by Cuisinart for steaks. While cooking steak on a panini grill may seem unconventional, it may in fact be quicker and easier than firing up an outdoor grill. Advertisement Read more: How to Cook Bacon on a Griddle Video of the Day Cooking Steak on a Panini Grill Follow these steps to use a Griddler by Cuisinart for steaks....