There is no doubt that overeating can lead to putting fat on your body, but there are some foods that are more likely to put those pounds on you than others. These foods are either high in calories, total fat, carbohydrates, sugar or sodium. Below are 15 of the most fattening foods.

Mashed Potatoes - When made with cream and butter, one half-cup serving is about 200 calories.

Candy - This is high in sugar and bad fats. Baked Treats (Doughnuts, cakes, sweet rolls) These are high in sugar and carbohydrates, as well as being very high in calories.

Ice Cream - Ice cream is high in fat, and sugar and is high calorie.

Potato Chips - Potato chips are one of the most fattening foods you can eat. They are high in sodium, fat, and sugar. Not only are they high in calories but also they contain many preservatives and artificial flavor. Preservatives are very bad for you.

Processed Meats - Processed meats include meats such as hotdogs, sausages and lunch meats. These have a high content of very bad fats, as well as sodium.

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There are many tilapia fish recipes, each of which offers a slightly different texture and taste. Tilapia is very versatile and there are several recommended cooking methods, baking being one of the best.

Not only are all baked fish recipes delicious but also tilapia is a very healthy fish and an ideal part of a nutritionally balanced diet. Tilapia is a mild-flavored fish, which means you can feel free to use tilapia fish recipes with strong sauces. Eating Tilapia, twice a week has various health benefits and this fish is available all year round.

A small piece of salmon contains 158 calories and the same sized piece of tilapia has only 85. The salmon contains 7.9g of fat and the tilapia only 1g for the same sized portion.

Tilapia Fish Recipes - Health Benefits

A small portion of tilapia fish has about half the calories of an equal size piece of salmon. The salmon ways in with a whooping 158 calories, which as said is about double! In addition tilapia contains only 1g of fat compared to 7.9g of fat in the same sized portion of salmon.

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It is a known fact that vegetables are good for our health. They are beneficial to our body, skin and overall health. But, is eating vegetables in raw better?

Some say that eating foods in raw and in their original state is best way to be healthy and energized.

People who are into a raw diet would want to have their food in 90 percent of its natural state, meaning uncooked and unprocessed. Dehydrated and dried foods are quite acceptable to this diet as long as the food is never heated above 116 degrees Fahrenheit.

It used to be conserved to be just fruits and vegetables when we say raw. But nowadays, people have created and discovered many other dishes that could be offered raw and rare. These dishes can be found in some cook books.

For instance, spaghetti sauce can be done using fresh tomatoes and peppers. This way, you are preserving the freshness of the ingredients. With some creative thoughts, you can also create other dishes using raw ingredients.

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Eating healthy food everyday means being healthy all through out your life. Having a healthy diet decreases the risk of having a heart attack. It also helps in losing weight for overweight people. In reality, it is very difficult to follow and maintain a healthy diet since temptations for food is always present everywhere.

One must know which foods are really healthy for their bodies to be able to come up with a healthy diet. Different foods have different nutritional values and they must be balanced when taking them. Did you know that colors of food actually give you a hint on their nutritional values?

Vegetables and fruits come in different colors. When you shop for these, try to have them in various colors. Having different colored fruits and vegetables means having different nutrients and vitamins go inside your body.

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Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of the ways to support your vision. As early as in our 30’s, our eyes and vision can begin to deteriorate. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, smoking, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to healthy eyes and good vision. Long hours spent at a computer screen and the vibration from driving have a cumulative negative impact on eye health over time.

Healthy vision is related to the health of the individual parts of the eye – the cornea, iris, macula, lens, optic nerve, pupil, retina and the vitreous humor. And making good ocular nutrition and eye health food choices are one of the ways that good vision can be supported. Information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute and the results of other ocular nutrition and eye health studies have shown that using nutrition to improve and support eye health definitely happens.

Here are foods that are known to support and improve eye health:

Collard greens, kale and spinach - studies on ocular nutrition and eye health show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we get older.

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In recent years it appears there is a rising epidemic of people suffering from chronic digestive and autoimmune conditions. Food intolerance or sensitivities may lie at the root of the problem. Most people, including doctors, have little clue how foods they eat may be contributing to their chronic illness, fatigue and digestive symptoms.

There are, however, a lot of clues in the medical literature and the lay public’s experience about how foods are causing and/or contributing to the current epidemic of chronic illness and autoimmune disease. There are several diets being used by many people with varying success to improve their health despite a general lack of iron clad scientific proof for their effectiveness. One of the clues to the cause and relief of food induced illness may lie in proteins known as lectins that are present in all foods.

Animal and plant sources of food both contain complex proteins known as lectins. These proteins typically have the ability to attach to sugars or carbohydrates on the surface of human cells. Some of these proteins can cause clumping of human red blood cells, a process that is called agglutination. The process of agglutination occurs when someone receives the wrong blood type during a blood transfusion. In fact, red blood cell agglutination specific to each person or groups of people is the basis for testing for blood types. There is some data that blood types may influence how people respond to certain foods though a blood type specific diet appears to have been disproven. The attachment or binding of certain food lectins can initiate a variety of cell specific effects. These reactions may mimic hormones or cause changes in cells. This is termed molecular mimicry.

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Vegetarians have long reported the benefits of tofu food – a soy product that is often used as a meat alternative in a variety of dishes. But the benefits of tofu food have reached beyond the vegetarian community as more and more health-conscious eaters have turned their attention to this versatile product. Tofu food lends itself to a variety of delicious uses and, as such, continues to be a staple in many household kitchens.

Made from soybean curd that is pressed into blocks, tofu food has a variety of uses depending on its different moisture content. Derived directly from soy milk, soft tofu contains the highest moisture content of all varieties of tofu. Its texture is likened to custard and as such it lends itself to a multitude of dessert recipes. Firm tofu contains less moisture than its soft counterpart and because it can hold its shape better is often used as a staple in most tofu food recipes. Dried tofu is extremely low in moisture likening it to cooked meat. Most cooks use this tofu food crumbled, sliced, or formed into noodles. Tofu food also has the ability to be frozen - or made into a puree - so that it can be used anytime throughout the week in whatever capacity it is needed.

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The dairy case is loaded with all kinds of yogurt choices. It must be good for me, Right?

Wrong!

There are three main reasons why yogurt is not as good for you as you may have heard. The first thing to recognize is that most advertisements and studies that promote the benefits of yogurt are funded by the American Dairy Council, or some other group, that represents a conflict of interest. They are designed to get you to buy their product.

Here are three myths about yogurt that most people really aren’t made aware of.

Myth 1

Yogurt will help to populate the “friendly bacteria” that are necessary for good digestion.

In reality, the amount of cultured bacteria that are in most yogurt products are not enough to do this effectively. You’d have to eat a gallon of yogurt a day in order to do this. And that’s if you have plenty of other good nutrition and health habits in your favor. If you taken an antibiotic in the last year, you’ve got a negative balance in your “good bacteria” account. It is literally impossible to eat enough yogurt to repopulate your digestive tract properly. In addition to ingesting the good bacteria, they also need a “growth factor”. They need something to help them grow once they get through your stomach. Many of them are killed of by stomach acids long before they hit your intestines. I haven’t seen any yogurts that offer this benefit.

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The prostate gland has a reputation as a health destroyer. Hypertrophy of the prostate gland, which affects nearly every elderly male, strangles the urethra. This troublesome condition makes urination difficult and increases the risk of bladder infections and kidney damage.

However, there are many good foods that may already be a part of your everyday diet that can help thwart the onset of prostate problems.

Tomatoes, watermelons, red grapefruit, papaya and red berries are all great sources of lycopene, a health-promoting plant pigment known for its cancer-battling ability. It also promotes a strong immune system and helps support prostate health in men.

Though fresh are always an excellent option, the lycopene in cooked tomatoes is actually absorbed more readily by the body. It is also your ally in the battle against heart disease.

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The latest trend to hit America is consumption of healthy food. More and more consumers are searching for fresher, healthier, unprocessed, and nutritive foods that will help them stay fit and healthy. An increase in obesity and the incidence of heart disease has resulted in this dramatic change. For many people, gone are the days of indulging in fried items and unhealthy foods.

Since more people are working and not many are able to cook meals at home, people are attracted to frequenting health food stores and buying health food products. More and more people who are health conscious are opting to visit specialty restaurants serving heath foods such as salads and smoothies.

Starting Your Small Health Food Business:

While preparing to start your small health food business, you have to consider several aspects of the business carefully. It is essential to have a well-drafted business plan by taking into consideration the market research, demographic information, competitive analysis, product development. This is accomplished by doing extensive research about food trends, likes and dislikes, and the existing market for your health food business. This information can be useful in analyzing if your business may succeed. Make sure you have adequate resources to fund your venture or have a well-drafted loan proposal to help get a loan from any financial institution. Having a cash flow projection may be helpful as well.

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