Food Items

Love your gut during a summer of sport

Fatty foods do much more than expand the waistline. Research shows that a staggering 85% of us aren't aware of the negative effect that certain foods have on the way that we feel - and poor digestive health can make you feel sluggish and moody.

Why you're not losing weight

When you're on a diet and the weight is coming off you feel fantastic, don't you? All that hard work is paying off and suddenly all of the cravings and the sacrifices have been worth it.

What to eat on an aeroplane for holiday health

If you are heading off on holiday this summer, choose your in-flight food wisely and you will feel refreshed on arrival. Jet lag, anxiety, nausea bloating can get your holiday off on the wrong foot - so step away from the drinks trolley!

How to quit 'bad-snacking'

Bad-snacking is snacking on all the foods you know you should be avoiding. Snacking, you see, is no bad thing, if you’re nibbling on fruit or seeds.

Celebrities love new London food delivery

Takeaways don't have to be dull - you can get restaurant-quality meals fresh from chefs with a new London delivery service. Stephen Fry, Scott Mills and Lily Allen have tweeted love for Housebites.com, which promises restaurant-quality food-to-go.

US superfood for guilt-free baking

Bringing US superfood craze for Chia seed over the pond, American-born Amy Ruth has created an innovative new mix – using ancient seeds and grains – allowing home bakers to create guilt-free and highly nutritious cakes, muffins, pancakes and breads.

Brits cutting costs on healthy eating

Are you living off takeaways and £1 ready meals? New research from Pru Health shows more than half (52%) believe their health has suffered as a result of the recession and they are cutting costs on the weekly food shop to make ends meet.

Top tips for healthy weight-loss

Losing weight is hard, there's no doubt about it. That's because losing weight takes more than just avoiding chocolate and cakes. It's a whole lifestyle change and many people feel it's too big a change to handle. But it can be done.

Top dieting tips

As the warmer weather starts making an appearance our thoughts naturally turn to the terrifying idea of skimpy summer dresses and tiny bikinis. After months of being able to wrap up in layers and hide any unforgiving lumps and bumps, the warm weather just reminds us that it’s time to get in shape for summer.

Top Seven Superfoods

Are you the type of girl who falls for any gimmick on the market? If it promises to give you soft skin or shiny hair you’re all over it? Well you’re not alone. Most of us fall victim to the gimmick of beauty and health products as we strive to look after ourselves the best we can.

Four in 10 Brits 'plan Valentine's Day takeaway'

Has your other half booked a romantic meal out for Valentine's Day? Think yourself lucky... New research shows around four in 10 plan to order a takeaway on Valentine’s Day, rather than cook a homemade meal or go out to a restaurant.

Free signup for new foodie networking website

If you like good food, good wine and good company, take advantage of the special launch offer from Dinnerfriends.co.uk. The new social network website is offering free membership to the first 500 women to sign up, saving you up to £100.

New skinny mousse 'contains less than 60 calories'

You don’t have to skip dessert when you are on a diet. A new range of low-fat mousse can help you get that bikini body in no time. Bio-Synergy Skinny Mousse caramel contains less than 60 calories, while chocolate contains less than 90 calories.

Pistachios crowned the skinny nut

If you are looking to drop a few pounds for summer, unsalted nuts in small quantities are an excellent alternative to crisps and salted snacks. Scientists have dubbed in-shell pistachios 'the skinny nut' as they encourage mindful eating, too.

Pomegranate juice 'helps protect against sun damage'

You may have packed your suglasses, sun cream and aftersun, but have you packed your pomegranate juice? New research from the University of Wisconsin finds that the antioxidants in pomegranate juice can protect the skin from sun damage.

The baby food diet is gathering pace

If it’s good enough for Lady Gaga and Jennifer Aniston it’s good enough for us, that seems to be the feeling for many who are now following the latest trend in dieting – baby food, which has seen Annabel Karmel's new range fly out of the supermarket.

TOWIE babe reveals her diet secrets

It can't be easy being one of the girls on The Only Way Is Essex - the show's glam party settings and skimpy outfits mean a bikini body is practically part of the job description. Ellie Redman found a low-carb, calorie counted plan worked for her.

Campaign to remove chocolate from checkouts

Nutrition campaigners are calling for government legislation to force supermarkets to move confectionary away from check outs. Research found almost nine in ten dieters are ‘significantly disturbed’ by the sight of sugary treats at weekly shop.

One in five 'drink 21 units of alcohol per day at festivals'

It seems the idea of nutrition goes out of the window at summer festivals. Ahead of Glastonbury weekend, research by Alpro soya found one in five said they expected to drink at least 21 units of alcohol daily, equivalent to two bottles of wine.

On a diet? Think positive!

Positive thinking and alternative therapies such as meditation and visualisation have been credited with helping all sorts of health issues. Now the Journal of Consumer Research reports that positive or 'magical' thinking can also boost weight loss.

Diets: yo-yo dieting 'better than no action at all'

According to a new study that compared the weight fluctuations of “yo-yo dieting” with lifelong obesity, it is suggested that it is better to attempt to lose weight and repeatedly fail at keeping the weight off than not to diet at all.

Tackle low mood with fish oils

Low mood, stress and depression can stifle the strongest ladies among us, and a healthy diet is key to tackling and managing mental health issues. New research found a component in fish oils helped to stabilise moods and even reduce alcohol cravings.

Asparagus is top aphrodisiac

Tesco Real Food has claimed that asparagus has gained new cult status as the UK's top selling aphrodisiac. Amorous couples created record demand for the vegetable - which is said to increase the libido - in the run up to Valentine's Day 2011 when sales across the UK doubled.

Addictive eating similar to drug addictions

Addictive eating has similar patterns of brain activity to substance dependence according a new study from the US. The study, from the Rudd Centre for Foot Policy and Obesity at Yale and published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, is the first of its kind to link symptoms of addictive eating behaviour with specific patterns of brain activity in both obese and lean individuals.

Choose popcorn for guilt-free snacking

If you get a snack attack, air-popped popcorn has less than half the fat of crisps, with less than 100 calories per bag. Diva Popcorn, the UK's first air-popped flavoured popcorn brand, compares favourably to traditional lunchtime snacks