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As a certified meat lover, it’s hard to imagine cutting tasty bacon, savory chicken thighs or buttery steak from my diet. Still, I know that it’s considerably healthier to reduce the amount of meat that I eat. A vegetarian diet could lower my risk of chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. And—no surprise—people who cut meat from their diet tend to take in less saturated fat and cholesterol and get more fiber, vitamins C and E and heart-healthy unsaturated fat. Getting the recommended 6 to 9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables is a cinch when you take meat out of the equation.

Whether or not you should eat fruit while dieting has always been a controversial topic. The Internet is cluttered with articles claiming that eating fruit will make you fat, while more recently Weight Watchers has deemed fruit a 'zero points food' as part of the Points Plus system, allowing dieters to eat all the fruit they want without it impacting their daily points total. 

I went to two dinner parties recently and guess what was served at both? Salmon. It made me wonder: is salmon the new steak? If so, great! I LOVE this fish and am perfectly fine with that. My doctor probably is, too: the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans eat two servings of fish a week. There are so many different types of salmon, which is loaded with heart-healthy, brain-boosting omega-3 fats, and ways to serve them that it would be hard for me to get bored with this fish.

I recently started reading the book, Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!
 What stuck out to me was a list of recommended foods that are both 
nutritious and can help maintain heart health. I plan on incorporating these 
items into my diet throughout my weight-loss journey and beyond:

 

Though multiple studies have found exercise suppresses energy intake, the mechanisms behind what contributes to this are less clear. New research reveals the effect that exercise has on both 

History has illustrated that lemons have been used for their antiseptic properties for centuries. It is presumed that the lemon was in existence no later than the 1st Century, during the time of Ancient Rome, and has served a myriad of purposes. In fact, the lemon was used in traditional medicinal practices by Indians to fight scurvy in the 1700s.  So, now that I have provided your with the CliffsNotes version of a lemon’s journey, I am going to fill you in on my list of my favorite uses that will benefit you inside and out.

Americans are eating less meat. Although an average of a half a pound of meat a day is anything but a small amount, that number is lower than it once was. In fact, we’re eating about 12% less meat in 2012 than we were in 2007. While celebrities from 

Though the majority of Americans are overweight or obese, not everyone's trying to lose weight. While being underweight could be the result of a battle with an eating disorder or a loss of appetite after an illness, being thinner than you'd like can seem unalterable.

You probably already know that you’re supposed to be eating fish twice a week. Fish are a lean, healthy source of protein—and the oily kinds, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.—deliver those heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fats you’ve probably also heard you should be getting in your diet. (Find out if you need an omega-3 supplement here.)

If you were asked to avoid unhealthy foods for a week, you might think fried foods wouldn't make the menu. The trouble is, Americans get 53% of their daily total fat from added fats and oils, a large portion of which comes from fried foods. 

Think the sprig of parsley on the side of your plate is just sitting there looking pretty or that mushrooms aren’t particularly nutritious? Find out why these and 4 other "worthless" foods are better for you than you think.

I’m a sucker for a hearty breakfast. In my childhood, I woke to the sound of eggs cracking and breakfast potatoes sizzling, so I understand the need for a filling meal to start the day.

Well-intentioned people trying to lose weight often look to a diet to take off a set amount of pounds. But, whether or not you actually do lose the weight, save for keeping it off, going on a diet could do more harm than good.

Following a recipe is easy for most people, but not always practical. Oftentimes what we have in our fridge is a hodgepodge of ingredients that a single recipe can’t cover. So we wing it. When I develop recipes in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, I rely on a few basic principles to get me through the first test and ensure that (hopefully) what I make is tasty. Below are some tips to keep in mind when you’re cooking without a recipe:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure. That’s an estimated 68 million people, and another 30% are pre-hypertensive, that is, their blood pressure numbers are higher than the normal 120 over 80.