Pasta, and sauces and cheese ... oh my! Italian food -- while incredibly yummy -- isn't exactly known for the health factor. But just like you can find healthy choices while eating at Chinese restaurants and Mexican restaurants, dinner at an Italian restaurant doesn't need to derail your healthy eating goals.

Though heavier fare like pasta might come to mind when you think Italian, true Italian food actually has many healthy options. Some things to look for:

• Skip the breadsticks. Yes, they're tasty, but do you really want to eat so many calories in just breadsticks? Wait for your main course.
• Very vinaigrette. Choose a light vinaigrette for your salad instead of a creamy dressing.
  
• Super soups. Both Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli are light and delicious options.
• Veg it up. Look for dishes that are heavy in vegetables. Many Italian dishes include roasted vegetables.
• Go grilled. Avoid breaded items like chicken parmesan or fried items like calamari. Instead, opt for grilled chicken or seafood.
• Pass on the pasta. Choose a small side dish of pasta if you'd like, but avoid the main courses that are primarily pasta.
  
• See red. Opt for marinara sauce instead of cheesy, buttery or cream-based sauces.
• Thin is in. If you're ordering pizza, choose a thin crust and all vegetable toppings.
• Have dessert at home. Tiramisu is wonderful, but it's best to save high-calorie treats like that for rare occasions. Instead of ordering dessert at the restaurant, consider having a light and healthful dessert waiting for you at home. (For example, a small piece of angel food cake topped with mixed berries.)

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Has anyone else noticed a preponderance in the number of TV commercials pushing antioxidants? Every other beauty product is "infused with the power of antioxidants," and every new juice on the market has also harnessed the healing powers. I mean, even if you're not one to jump on the newest health and beauty trends, you've got to be wondering what antioxidants can do for you.

And I've got the answer -- a lot. Dr. Leslie Baumann, a leading global expert in dermatology, wrote in her most recent Skin Type Solutions newsletter that, in addition to preventing "heart disease, liver disease and certain forms of cancer, they may also offer some protection against neuro-degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. And if these aren't good enough reasons to convince you to start guzzling the pomegranate juice, I can also give you another one: Antioxidants also help prevent wrinkles."

Basically, antioxidants help protect against free radicals, which cause damage inside and out and contribute to premature aging of the skin. (To be clear: While antioxidants can prevent further damage, they won't remove existing wrinkles). But, as Baumann says, there are plenty of ways to get these protective antioxidants, both orally and topically.

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When you're trying to lose weight, you may rely on frozen meals a little bit. They're certainly convenient -- just pop them in the microwave and you've got a pre-packaged, calorie-controlled meal. And the health value of some of these meals is improving; many are now available in whole grain (goodbye white rice!). However, the meals don't come without some caveats:

• Look at more than calories. If it's a diet meal, the calories are probably relatively low. However, be sure to watch for sodium. A lot of frozen meals are ridiculously high in sodium. Also, be sure to check the fat grams as well.
  
• Don't forget to form healthy habits. For weight loss to really stick, you've got to change your lifestyle habits. Almost any diet can help you lose weight -- but if you don't create healthy habits that will last a lifetime, how can you ever expect to keep the weight off? Little, frozen microwaveable meals might be all right for a while, but who would want to eat them for the rest of time?
  
• Watch for cost and taste. When it comes to groceries, you pay a price for convenience. Cost-wise, you're much better off cooking your own meals at home. If you just love having pre-portioned meals you can pop in the microwave, why not cook some light, nutritious dinners over the weekend and freeze individual portions? When you cook at home -- controlling the flavors and ingredients -- you're sure to end up with a more nutritious and tastier meal anyway.

There's nothing wrong with stocking your freezer with a few pre-packaged items for when you're in a rush, though. Just make sure you get the best nutrition and taste for your buck. "AOL Health" has taken the guesswork out of it -- check out this slideshow of diet-friendly frozen meals.

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As much as I love the grocery store (and I do), it can be a pretty scary place. If you go in hungry, or without a list, you can end up buying a ton of stuff you don't need and probably shouldn't be eating. In fact, you might just load up your cart with some of the worst packaged foods available. Not the way to start off your healthy eating goals for the new year, right?

Of course, knowing what the worst packaged foods are would be helpful, right? Fortunately, the guys behind the Eat This, Not That! books have come out with a supermarket guide in which they list some of the unhealthiest choices available and then, of course, offer suggestions as to what you should have instead.

I'm feeling pretty proud -- I don't buy any of the things on the list. However, that doesn't mean I wasn't surprised at some of the things that made the list. Check out the gallery to see a few that made me think twice about what's in my pantry, and, for more tips on losing weight, click on the badge below. Also, check out this post to see 20 healthy foods that cost less than a dollar -- no excuse for poor food choices now!

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I love this kind of news. I don't really believe it ... but I love it. Apparently, eating a little dark chocolate can help you keep your weight down.

In one study, 16 men participated in two sessions. In the first, participants ate dark chocolate after fasting for 12 hours. Then, they reported on their appetite for the next five hours. In the next session, they repeated the experiment with milk chocolate. In both sessions, two and a half hours after eating the chocolate, the men were instructed to eat as much pizza as necessary to make them comfortably full. (Chocolate and pizza? Where can I sign up?) The men ate less pizza after eating dark chocolate than after eating milk chocolate. Researchers felt the findings were significant and reported that the men felt like eating less sweet, salty and fatty foods after having dark chocolate.

I don't know. Sounds too good to be true to me. On the other hand, a small amount of dark chocolate can actually be good for your health. So if you want to have an ounce or two a few hours before eating, then give it a try.

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Have you ever had food poisoning? Get the down-low on the dirtiest foods.

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I was a cheerleader back in my high school days. When my squad was training for competitions, we really worked out long and hard. Many times, the muscles in our legs would visibly shake with strain. Our coach, restricted from recommending vitamins or anything of that sort, always brought bananas with her to practice to help us with muscle weakness and muscle cramps. Bananas aren't my favorite fruit, but I have to admit that they helped.

While bananas are a decent source of potassium, there are many other options. Potassium-rich foods are important for your diet. Not only do they help with muscle cramps, but they can also have a positive effect on blood pressure. Good sources include:

• Avocado
• Baked potato with skin
• Edamame
• Papaya
• Sweet potato
• Salmon
• Tomato sauce
• Winter squash
• Cantaloupe
• Dried apricots

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The Hot Latin Diet by Dr. Manny Alvarez promises to provide the fast track to a "bombshell body." Sounds good, right? Who doesn't want to look hot -- and Latin food has a pretty high yum factor.

Alvarez is an OB/GYN and a medical contributor for Fox News. He claims that Latin Americans have a long life expectancy and lower levels of obesity. Alvarez believes this is because of seven Latin superfoods -- tomatillos, garbanzo beans, avocados, chilies, cinnamon, garlic, and cilantro. The book suggests two phases that introduce these superfoods into the diet.

Helene Charlebois, a Canadian registered dietitian reviewed the book and has some concerns. While she agrees that the seven foods Alvarez includes in the diet are health-promoting and good additions to your menu, she says that the plan lacks good science, clear directions, and easy-to-follow menus and recipes. She says that The Hot Latin Diet is not a plan that can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle.

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Holidays make me happy. For some, though, holidays bring on the blahs. If the season gets you down, allow food to come to your rescue. Here, five foods that can banish your blues.

• Whole grains Whole grains pump up that brain chemical called serotonin, which regulates appetite and improves mood, food cravings, and sleep. Hey, can't do much better than that.
• Spinach Leafy greens are a great source of folate, a B vitamin also related to serotonin.
• Bananas Get your B6 here and your body will make, you guessed it: Serotonin.
• Salmon Omega-3s are key here. They can decrease your chances of depression and memory loss.
• Water Mild dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, poor short-term memory, and impaired concentration and cognition. Need I say more? Got to drink your water.
  

Need more holiday inspiration? Click on the Holidash link below.

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You know good nutrition leads to better health. But did you know it can lead to a more beautiful you?

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Think about what you ate the night before your bout with insomnia, says RealAge. Because your meals and snacks may be the very things stealing your slumber. What follows are some items you might want to avoid pre-bedtime.

• Spicy foods: Garlic, chilies, cayenne, and other intense spices can cause heartburn or indigestion.
• A big dinner: A busy digestive system takes hours to settle down. When you really need to sleep, make lunch your largest meal, and try a light 500-calorie dinner early in the evening.
• Raucous veggies: Avoid gassy foods, like beans, cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts in the middle of the day.
• Speed eating: Eat slowly to avoid swallowing air, a common cause of midnight tummy trouble.
• Nightcaps: You might think alcohol makes you drowsy but really, it disturbs sleep and leads to awakenings and restlessness.
• Coffee after breakfast: Caffeine can linger in your body for as long as 12 hours. So you might want to avoid it for at least 12 hours before turning in for the night.

  Natural sleep - what works and what doesn't(click thumbnails to view gallery)

  
  
  

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It's time to decide -- is this a healthy habit that can be realistically worked into day-to-day life?

• Piece of cake! I can definitely work this into my daily routine.
• Not my cup of tea. This is harder than I imagined. Still, I plan to stick with it and do my best.
• Nuts! This seems nearly impossible to keep up. But I'll definitely do it whenever possible.
  
  

Piece of cake! With one caveat: When I first started really focusing on healthy eating early this fall, it wasn't a piece of cake. It's hard to change your eating habits. But just eight weeks in, I've made enough changes that this one seemed easy. So if you're just starting out, don't expect it to be simple right away. But take it from me ... it does get easier.

Key to eating enough fiber each day are two things. First, start at breakfast. Those grams of fiber quickly added up for me if I ate some at every meal and snack. Second, reacquaint yourself with plant foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Not only are they fiber-rich, they're nutritional powerhouses.

It takes all kinds of motivation for folks to eat healthy. For some, a thin and trim body might be just the incentive. For others, good health is key. If it's a great head of hair you desire, I've got good news for you: These nutritious foods can deliver.

• Salmon. Omega-3-rich foods, like salmon and sardines, seal in shine.
• Bran. It's full of vitamin B, which slows hair loss and promotes growth. Also good: Beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, nuts, and eggs.
• Avocados. These protect hair follicles.
• Green tea. Brew a strong pot, cool it, and then give your head a rinse to kill dandruff-causing fungus. Hey, the caffeine may ward off balding too.
  

Steer clear of animal fat if you're losing your hair -- it can cause follicle damage.

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Isabella and Olivia Gerasole of Chicago have a Beard ... a James Beard award, that is. The sisters were the youngest-ever recipients of the coveted award for chefs when they won in 2006. They were also nominated in 2007 and 2008. The sisters, nicknamed Belle and Livvy, have also appeared in many magazines and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Today Show.

Their website, Spatulatta: Cooking 4 Kids Online, features fun videos for kid-friendly recipes. Watching these videos is a great way for your kids to build an interest in cooking. While the videos aren't all healthy, there are plenty of health-conscious recipes to steer your kids toward. Their snack attack section has plenty of healthy options, such as Tuscan Bean Dip, Banana Orange Smoothie, and Tropical Celery Boats.

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Sitting at a desk all day, it's not that hard to stay properly hydrated. I drink water before and after exercising in the morning, and then I keep a big glass of water at my desk all day long. I don't monitor exactly how much water I drink -- I'm not a big believer in getting a certain number of servings. Instead, I pay attention to my body and I know when I've had enough.

Probably the best way to gauge your hydration is by the color of your urine. Your urine should be pale yellow or nearly clear. If you find you need to hydrate a little more, but can't imagine drinking any more water, never fear. There are many foods that help you hydrate. Check out the gallery for some ideas. Cooking Light also has recipes incorporating hydrating ingredients.

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