A banana’s color can tell you a lot about its nutrition. As it ripens from green to yellow to brown, its starch, sugar, antioxidants, and fiber levels shift. While no stage is “healthiest,” understanding these stages can help you pick the banana that best supports your goals. The Four Stages of Ripeness Banana ripeness can be divided into several stages, but four practical levels matter most for nutrition: Green: Unripe Green with yellow traces: Slightly ripe Fully yellow:

Magnesium plays a vital role in managing blood pressure, strengthening bones, regulating blood sugar levels, and maintaining a steady heart rhythm, among other benefits. While magnesium supplements can help maintain adequate levels, adding magnesium-rich foods to your diet is also helpful, with numerous options available. 1. Nuts and Seeds Several varieties of nuts and seeds stand out for their impressive magnesium levels: Almonds : An ounce of dry-roasted almonds contains 80

Hair loss is a common condition known as alopecia in the medical field. It has many known causes, including: genetics hormonal dysregulation hypothyroidism tension on the hair trauma infection chemotherapy Hair loss can also be caused by diet-related factors, such as nutrient deficiencies and supplement use. This article explains how diet can affect hair loss. Micronutrient deficiencies  Hair is made up of two main structures — the hair shaft, which is what you see, and the h

Precooked Whole Grains Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa amp up your fiber intake and lower your risk for heart disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes. But you don’t have to wait out the long cook time to enjoy their perks. You can find precooked grains in the frozen food case or in ready-to-microwave bowls or pouches -- just look out for added sodium. Serve as a tasty side or mix with veggies or precooked meat for a complete meal. Frozen Veggies Frozen produce, lik

Despite all our 21st-century medical advances, there is no cure to the common cold. This forces us to rely on home remedies to get through the day. One popular option for managing those pesky respiratory symptoms is cough drops. But do these lozenges genuinely help you recover or just drain your wallet and fill you with sugar? Here’s what the experts say. How Do Cough Drops Work? Cough drops contain specific ingredients that decrease the urge to cough and the pain in our thr

Grocery prices are higher than ever, so shoppers need to be even more savvy about what they will and won’t spend money on. Some products are not only expensive but may be harmful to health, while others are just unnecessary and a waste of money. So what’s on the “best to avoid” list right now? Here are six foods you’re better off not buying at the grocery store, for the sake of your health and your wallet. Salad Kits Salad kits are expensive compared to just making a salad yo

Whether it’s date night, lunch with a friend, or a family dinner out, you’re probably eating out more often than you think. In a 2023 US Foods Survey , the average American ate food prepared out of the house, either takeout or dine-in, an average of 7.5 times per month. If you eat out too often or choose the wrong foods when eating out , your health could suffer. A March 2022 review in Nutrients found that a high rate of eating out was associated with poorer diet quality, as

If you were to look in the refrigerator of almost any American, chances are you’d find a carton of eggs. Eggs aren’t just a classic breakfast staple—they’re also used in a variety of savory lunch and dinner dishes and serve as an essential ingredient in many baked goods. Given how common eggs are in cooking, many people likely eat them every day in one form or another. But is this a bad thing, considering the mixed press and research surrounding eggs and the nutrients they co

One is portable. One enjoyed a comeback fueled by TikTok. And they’re both packed with protein. We’re talking about hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese. But only one can take the crown.  OK, not really. When we asked registered dietitians which one is the healthier snack, they agreed that both can fit into a healthy eating plan. The choice really comes down to your personal preferences and your unique health needs. So, it’s not necessary to stick to just one.  Here’s the nutr

The best time to eat lunch for steady energy may not be a specific time of day; rather, it's usually four to five hours after breakfast. Someone who wakes up and eats breakfast at 7 a.m. may feel ready for lunch around noon, while a later wake-up time and first meal naturally pushes lunch later. Why It's the Ideal Time Eating lunch four to five hours after breakfast aligns with your body's natural cycle of glucose metabolism. Refueling with lunch before your blood sugar dips

You can create a comforting pot of soup anytime, with ingredients that you have on hand. It’s true. Raid your pantry and clean out your crisper drawer. Look for hearty vegetables that you can use to build a soup base — an onion or leek, a couple of carrots or celery stalks, maybe a bell pepper. Then, improvise the rest. Toss in seasonal vegetables, greens and herbs, or leftover proteins and grains. The toughest part? You have to decide whether to go for a broth-based bowl or

While they’re a popular dining attraction, food buffets are notorious hotbeds for food poisoning . There are no hard and fast numbers on how many people get sick from buffets each year, but a whopping 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness in the U.S. annually, making this a common health issue. Food safety experts say there are a few reasons why buffets tend to spread foodborne illness. “Think of food the way you think of milk left on the counter. It may look fi

Whether cut up in a salad, spread on toast or transformed into a delightful guacamole dip, the latest research suggests a diet that includes a couple helpings of avocado a week can be beneficial to cardiovascular health. ​​The study, appearing in the Journal of the American Heart Association , found adults eating two or more servings a week (one cup) of the staple of Mexican cuisine have a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 21 percent lower risk of coronary h

Two of the most popular healthy breakfast options are eggs and oatmeal — with good reason. Both provide filling protein along with plenty of other necessary vitamins and minerals. But is one better for you than the other? "Eggs and oatmeal can both be healthy breakfast options, but they offer very different benefits," says Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor. While eggs are packed with filling protein and nutrients like choline, "oatmeal delivers f

All fruits are nutritious, but some have extra superpowers thanks to flavanols. These natural plant compounds are found in many fruits, tea and cocoa, says Patricia Bannan, a registered dietitian in Los Angeles. “They act as antioxidants, which means they help protect our cells from everyday stress. Think of them as tiny helpers in plant foods that support overall health,” Bannan tells TODAY.com. “Flavanols support blood vessel health, which can help with healthy circulation

Pick the Right Dish There’s no denying that Mexican food is delicious. But many of the entrees are made with oil, lard, and salt -- and loaded with cheese and sour cream. You can get more than a day’s worth of calories, saturated fat, or sodium in a single meal. A closer look shows there are plenty of healthy dishes to help you steer clear of a dietary disaster. Worst: Deluxe Burrito When it comes to burritos, size matters. In restaurants, this dish often offers up several se

Certain ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs, are contributing to worldwide obesity, chronic health conditions and premature death, yet the food industry continues to aggressively market new and existing products in this category for massive profits, according to an unprecedented three-part series authored by 43 global experts in nutrition and supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, and the World Health Organization. More than 50% of the $2.9 trillion paid to sha

Few things capture the spirit of Thanksgiving quite like a golden-roasted turkey at the center of the table, surrounded by creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing and tart cranberry sauce. But turkey’s story stretches far beyond holiday feasting. Long before European settlers arrived, wild turkeys roamed North America and served as an important food source for Native Americans. Over time, the bird became woven into Thanksgiving tradition and ultimately became the unmistakable

Cold cuts are convenient for making high-protein sandwiches, but choosing the healthiest lunch meat requires reading labels and avoiding too much salt, saturated fat, and preservatives like nitrates. 1. Turkey Breast Turkey breast is one of the leanest options, providing high protein and very little fat per serving. Choose oven-roasted or lightly seasoned versions and check the label carefully to avoid added sodium, sugars, or fillers. 2. Chicken Breast Like turkey, chicken b

Originally used for radar and other technologies, the power of microwaves was first harnessed specifically for heating food in 1947. By the late 1960s, commercial microwave ovens were small and inexpensive enough to become fixtures of the modern kitchen. And by the 1970s, scientists were starting to wonder just how this form of electromagnetic radiation might be affecting the food that it heated. Microwaving food produces different textures and flavors than other cooking meth