Eating a healthy diet often means spending time reading food labels at the grocery store. The next time you hit the market, follow these important tips to ensure you're not missing something. Look at more than calories: When it comes to losing weight, you've probably grown accustomed to checking the calorie counts, but remember that this number isn't everything. Many healthy foods (like quinoa) Read more

Don't eat this, stay away from that — following a diet can seem like a total killjoy. If you're feeling depressed about how restrictive your diet is, here are some proven weight-loss rules you'll welcome with open arms. Dig into a big breakfast: Skipping breakfast to save calories? That's a big mistake because eating breakfast actually jump-starts your metabolism. Your first meal of the day Read more

Ever heard of the five French mother sauces? Originally classified by Antonin Carême in the 19th century and later updated by Auguste Escoffier in the 20th century, the sauces include béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Most other sauces find their origins in these five types, hence the term "mother." Here's a brief rundown on the ingredients of each sauce, plus common Read more

Whether you whip up pancakes during the week or save them for a big family brunch on the weekend, a stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup and melted butter isn't exactly the most nutritious breakfast you can sink your fork into. Usually made with white flour and sugar, traditional pancakes don't offer much in the way of nutrients. If you're a fan of flapjacks, here's how you can make them Read more

It's hard to resist a heaping plate of creamy pasta primavera or sizzling spinach lasagna, but traditional pasta isn't always the healthiest of foods. Made with semolina and enriched flour, pasta is high in carbs and somewhat low in nutrition. Whole wheat pasta is much healthier — containing fiber and protein — but its thicker, grainier texture can be a turnoff for many pasta lovers. A newly Read more

If you prefer shopping at health foods stores because you know whatever you put in your cart is healthy, think again. Just because a healthy brand makes a product doesn't mean it's instantly good for you. I just assumed that Newman's O's were better than regular Oreos, but unless you compare labels side-by-side, you can't be sure. Check out the chart below to see if the healthy versions of these Read more

If you're still filling your pantry with refined grains like white rice and white flour, think about instead adding a few whole grains into the mix. Whole grains are grains that are just that — whole. While refined grains are stripped of their bran and germ, whole grains still have all their parts intact. Whether it's brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, or buckwheat, we can't stop cooking with whole Read more