Blog Posts by LIVESTRONG.COM

Chocolate is made from cacao seeds that have been fermented, roasted, shelled and ground up, often combined with a flavoring agent or sweetener. Most of the chocolate consumed today is sweet, a combination of cocoa solids, cocoa butter or another type of fat and sugar. While chocolate may offer some health benefits, it is high in fat and sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation.

Processing the cocoa seeds yields a liquefied cocoa mass, and, prior to sweetening, this product is called chocolate liquor, which has nothing to do with alcohol. The liquor often is processed into two components: cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened chocolate, or bitter chocolate, is made from pure chocolate liquor. It has a deep, strong chocolate flavor and forms the base for other products. Bitter chocolate, or unsweetened baking chocolate, consists of cocoa butter and cocoa solids in varying proportions. Bittersweet chocolate is made from adding sugar, more cocoa butter, vanilla

Abdominal fat is often hard to eliminate even with exercise. The truly bad part of this is that the visceral fat that covers the abdomen puts our health in danger more than other kinds of fat on the body. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even breast cancer are just a few of the conditions that can stem from excessive belly fat. A healthy diet with fat-burning foods, not just a low-fat diet, is necessary to shrink belly fat and keep it off.

Foods such as oatmeal and beans are high in fiber, which can help shrink belly fat in a number of ways. First, they make you feel full quicker than low-fiber foods and require longer digestion times to keep you satisfied.

Protein is much like fiber in that it can prolong satiation. This is because protein requires more calories for digestion than fruits and vegetables. Eggs are a great source of protein and also contain B12, which is essential to break down fat cells.
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As babies approach their first birthday, they can eat chopped or mashed up versions of what older people eat, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if your toddler had his way, he'd only eat mac-and-cheese and cookies at every meal. He naturally cares more about flavor than substance, but you know better and you're responsible for preparing his meals. You can't force feed him when he shoves bowls of food off of his tray, but you will help him grow into a healthy body if you offer him plenty of appealing nutrient-dense superfoods.

Avocadoes are full of fiber, folate, and multiple vitamins such as vitamins A and C, says WhattoExpect.com. Avocadoes are also packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which will also provide a finicky toddler with the calories she requires. A ripe avocado is soft and easy for toddlers to eat as finger foods but you can also turn it into a spread for crackers or a guacamole dip for pita chips.

Many people dream of having long, strong and flowing hair. However, growing and strengthening your hair won't happen overnight. If your hair is dry or damaged from over-processing or exposure to the sun or salt water, you will have to be patient while your hair grows and recovers. Even though it is a slow process, you can encourage the growth of longer, stronger and healthier hair.

Trim your locks regularly to remove split or damaged ends and promote hair growth. Split ends cannot be repaired and will only continue to split and break off until you remove them. According to Aroona Reejhsinghani in her book "Be Beautiful, Slim and Trim," trimming your hair frequently will help prevent split ends. Aim to trim your hair every six to eight weeks if your hair is very damaged or dry.

Taking good care of your scalp is key in promoting hair growth. According to Riquette Hofstein in her book "Grow Hair Fast: 7 Steps to a New Head of Hair

Detox programs aim to improve your health and well-being by cleansing your body from the toxins of processed food, car exhaust, pesticides, environmental pollution and cleaning chemicals. You do not have to embark on a complicated meal plan with expensive supplements to detoxify your system. While Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. of the Mayo Clinic notes that the body does a good job of detoxifying the system without a specific plan, cleaning up your eating habits and limiting exposure to chemicals can also help you to feel better.

Clear your pantry of processed foods. Remove all snack crackers, chips, cookies, candies, condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise, canned soups and vegetables, processed cereals, frozen dinners, sweetened yogurts and other packaged foods.

Build your detox menu around fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats like skinless poultry and fresh fish. Choose organic when possible to limit exposure to pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Eat

You may find it difficult to plan and prepare healthy meals for your family, especially if you must contend with picky eaters, long work schedules and your children's dinnertime sports practices. By planning ahead and having healthy foods in the house, you should be able to cook a healthy meal for your family on most days. If you can not commit to a healthful dinner some days, cook a healthy breakfast for your family instead.

Write down a rough menu plan for the week. If you know, for example, that you are going to have chicken on Monday, pork on Tuesday, homemade pizza on Wednesday, pasta on Thursday and fish on Friday, you will know which day to take what foods out of the freezer to thaw. This will also help you avoid last-minute runs to a fast-food restaurant or to the grocery store to pick up a forgotten ingredient.

Cook your protein source. If you are cooking meat, opt to bake, broil, roast or grill it

Many people expect to gain weight while traveling. They expect to overindulge and pack on a few extra pounds when on vacation. If they are traveling for business, they may concentrate on their work and forget about making healthy choices. However, it's not inevitable to gain weight when you're traveling. You can lose weight if you are willing to implement some simple steps into your travel routine.

Bring healthy snacks and bottled water with you while traveling. This will prevent you from stopping for fast food when you're traveling in a car. It will help you resist temptation if you are traveling in a plane on which calorie-laden snacks like cookies and soda are being served. The Fodor's travel website recommends snacks like fruit and energy bars because they are easy to pack and carry.

Walk around as much as possible. Make frequent rest stops when traveling by car. Get out and walk around the area for several minutes to stretch your legs and get your blood

Abdominal, or stomach, pain can suddenly appear due to gastrointestinal conditions, improper digestion or a myriad of other reasons. Severe pain doesn't necessarily mean a severe problem, nor is mild pain indicative of a minor problem, according to MedlinePlus. However, if persistent pain or rapid onset sharp pain occurs, contacting a medical professional is prudent. Vital organs, apart from the stomach, exist in the abdominal region and should receive the proper attention.

Chamomile tea can help quell an upset stomach that is causing gas and diarrhea. The National Institutes of Health says chamomile has been a traditional method for thousands of years in the treatment of a variety of health conditions. The two types of chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla and Anthemis nobilis, both provide comfort to an unsettled stomach due to the essential oils and flavonoids present in the plant. Chamomile acts as a mild sedative for aches and pains while also relaxing muscles