Kale is one of those so-called “superfoods” that totally lives up to the hype. And when you discover all the ways kale can support your health and prevent disease, you may want to double down on your efforts to bring it into your diet on a regular basis. In this article, we’ll review the science around kale and share easy and delicious ways to get more kale into your life.

Roughly one-quarter of all calories consumed in the United States come from refined flour made from grains — mostly wheat. Maybe that’s fine — after all, humans have been grinding grain into flour for tens of thousands of years. And, maybe it isn’t — modern milling methods produce flour that may be contributing to our twin epidemics of obesity and chronic disease. In this article, we’ll discuss the different kinds of flour, which are healthier than others, and how can you healthfully incorporate them into your diet.

Lycopene is a nutrient that has only recently received the attention it deserves. One of the most potent anti-inflammatory antioxidants, lycopene appears to protect against a staggering array of chronic conditions, including cancer, heart disease, male infertility, and cognitive decline. But there are precious few dietary sources of this wonderful nutrient, and there are questions about its bioavailability. How much lycopene do you need, and what are the best sources?

If you want to make a healthy, hearty, and hot plant-based dish from scratch in less than 30 minutes, one of your best options is to cook some lentils. Whether you’re a gourmet cook circumnavigating the world in your kitchen, or a back-to-basics master throwing together a classic lentil soup, these tiny pulses can add body and taste to your cooking. Plus, eating more lentils is a great way to contribute to slowing climate change. If you’re looking for ideas or recipes to get more lentils into your life, read on!

If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, or if you want to prevent them from taking hold, there’s a lot you can do — even if you’re genetically predisposed! One of the main tools for tackling type 2 diabetes is diet — but which diet? Is low-carb the best way to go, or might it actually increase the long-term risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases? In this article, you’ll discover the dietary pattern that’s been shown to be the most effective for preventing, managing, and even reversing type 2 diabetes — as well as specific foods to include (and exclude) in your diet.

High blood pressure is one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. Medication can help manage the condition, but most hypertension drugs come with unpleasant side effects that make people not want to take them regularly. Dietary interventions, on the other hand, can actually prevent and reverse hypertension in many cases, and they come with only positive side effects. In this article, we’ll look at the compounds in food that can lower blood pressure, and identify 9 specific foods that have been shown to fight hypertension.

We hear about superfoods all the time — amazing, exotic berries harvested from over 17,000 feet up in the Himalayas, or rare roots found only on Tuesdays three days before a full moon. I’m exaggerating, of course, but the functional food industry loves to sell us extremely expensive products that they claim contain health-promoting powers that don’t exist in “ordinary” foods. It turns out, though, that many of the inexpensive, readily available foods right under our noses are unappreciated “superfoods” in their own right.

The words and images on packaged foods are there for one of two reasons — to sell or to inform. Food manufacturers want to present their products in as positive a light as possible and may sometimes make questionable claims about them. Regulators want the labels to include clear and honest data about quality, nutrients, and ingredients. The result is often a confusing mash-up that leaves consumers scratching their heads or giving up. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover how to read food labels like a pro, so you can make the best choices for yourself and your loved ones.

Lentils are unassuming culinary heroes, featured in dishes from a wide variety of culinary traditions. Not only are they delicious, versatile, easy to cook, and nutrient-rich powerhouses, lentils also feature prominently in efforts to mitigate climate change and engage in sustainable food production. So what can lentils do for you and how can you get more of them into your life?

Pumpkins are known for their association with the fall holidays. Once September comes around, fall decor and Halloween decorations have already hit stores, and it’s officially “pumpkin spice season.” But pumpkins are so much more than a seasonal decoration or a flavoring for processed and packaged foods. In this article, we’ll explore the health benefits and nutrition of pumpkins and their seeds. And we’ll look at some of the best and healthiest ways to use them in recipes.