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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Ricky Gervais, the comedic mastermind behind shows like The Office, has recently made an interesting plea: He wants fat people to be stigmatized and forced into healthy habits. Says Gervais: "I don't think there's enough stigma. With all the political correctness now, and the fact that food is so refined, there's no stigma any more."

That's not all -- in this article from the Telegraph, he adds, "In supermarkets, the really fattening stuff should be behind a really thin door. Shops should be full of salads but if you want to get to the pies and cakes, you've got to crawl through a little tube."

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When you think about the herb, thyme, what comes to mind? Probably rich, French country dishes, with so many calories and so much fat that it makes your hips bigger just thinking about it!

If you avoid cooking with this fragrant herb, though, you are missing out on thyme's amazing health benefits, like antioxidant power and antibacterial properties. Thyme is such a flavorful herb -- wouldn't it be nice to enjoy it in some healthy dishes?

Remember, you can substitute fresh thyme for dried in almost any recipe (just use a little less) to get more of the beneficial oils in the herb.

Good news: Trans fats are linked to breast cancer risk. Why is this good? Two reasons. One, it unravels another bit of the mystery surrounding why people get cancer. Two, it gives us more reason to ditch trans fats from our diets.

We already know trans fats are artery-cloggers. That's why they're being phased out of various foods. Now researchers suspect they cause breast cancer too.

Women with the highest blood levels of trans-fats had about twice the risk of breast cancer compared to women with the lowest levels, say the findings of a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. We'd all be wise then to limit our consumption of processed foods, the source of trans-fatty acids. Trans-fats are mostly found in cooking fats, baked goods, snacks, and a variety of other prepared foods.

Interestingly, this study found women with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids -- the good stuff, found in fish such as salmon, walnuts, and leafy green vegetables -- were not any less likely to have breast cancer. So the mystery continues. And all we can do is the best we can, with the information we have. See how good you're doing with this AOL Body cancer quiz.

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Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

We spent much of 2007 reviewing all sorts of Super Foods -- click here for all previous You Are What You Eat Super Food posts -- and now that we're barreling quickly into 2008, heres' a handful of super items -- some old; some new -- that are sure to get lots of attention.

Probiotics

Look for labels advertising live and active cultures and you'll get yourself some health-enhancing organisms. Found primarily in yogurt and fermented dairy products, these will help you maintain a healthy digestive tract and may even ward off cancer.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D strengthens bones and prevents and treats muscle weakness, gum disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and certain cancers. Too much vitamin D can be toxic over time, though, so keep your daily intake under 2000 IU. Look for D to emerge as the vitamin of the year.

The Omega-3 Fatty Acid DHA

This omega-3 is not only good for the heart -- it can also improve mood, mental function, and vision and can cut your risk for certain cancers, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. Try for two weekly servings of fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines) or 200 milligrams daily from supplements or fortified foods.

Nuts

Make it just a handful several times per week and nuts are a good thing. They can help cut your heart disease risk by as much as 39 percent and can lower your cancer and diabetes risk.

Curry Power

Curry powder contains the goods to help the brain get rid of amyloid plaques, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Curry's compounds also boost immunity.

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Flaxseed is fast becoming a new health buzz word. It's scientific name translates as "most useful," and this is exactly what flax has become in the world of nutrition.

Flax is fiber-filled and can aid in digestion and relieve constipation. It's a good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid, and can cut the incidence of sudden heart attacks. It's also been implicated in the decrease of menopausal symptoms -- try 1 to 1.5 ounces of flaxseed a day and see if it brings you some relief.

Adding flax to your diet isn't hard. It can be purchased in seed, oil, or powder form and can be sprinkled or drizzled on salads, bagels, hot or cold cereals, and more. There are just two rules for the use of flax: Limit your intake to two tablespoons per day and store your goods in the refrigerator to slow oxidation.

So tell us: Do you flax?

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My kids are split on the fish thing. One little guy gobbles down the fish we serve for dinner -- usually Salmon or Tilapia -- and the bigger guy would rather the stuff never pass through his lips. He's a good sport, though, and eats what we tell him he must eat. It helps that we promise to never serve fish more than once per week -- which we do because we think it's so good for their growing bodies, what with all the Omega-3 fatty acids.

Yep, Omega-3s are beneficial for children, reported delegates at the Joint New Zealand & Australian Nutrition Societies Conference held this month. It seems new research by an international team of nutrition scientists shows conclusive evidence of improved brain growth and development, increased attention, and improved learning. How does fish come into play? Well, of particular interest is a range of health problems among New Zealand children that are being attributed to diets lacking oily fish and other foods rich in Omega-3s.

The effects of Omega-3 are so powerful that experts recommend kids increase their consumption as much as five times their current level. They also suggest healthcare professionals consider Omega-3s as an adjunct to treatment for kids with development brain disorders like ADHD and dyslexia.

And there you have it. My kids need fish. And so I will serve them fish, even if for just one day each week.

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Scientists are about to begin clinical trails to test whether Omega-3 works toward treating depression. The two fatty acids being tested are EPA and DHA which are naturally-occurring in certain foods like flaxseed and walnuts. Some other very rich omega-3 eatables include salmon, soybeans and tofu.

Helping curb depression has previously been considered a benefit of eating these types of food, but as this article suggests, this study will be the first to pit the two acids against each other (and a placebo). After recruiting 300 individuals to test, they should have a more conclusive idea on its effects. However, previous tests have claimed there is not a connection to depression and omega-3 (and contradictory studies to rebut those tests too).

At this point, there's a bit of conflicting literature on the topic. Who can say for sure if these results will be significantly different than the other studies? One thing is for sure though: as a society so heavily medicated for this brain condition, it would be nice to have a more natural, scientifically proven treatment for depression.

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I think there's not a whole lot of difference between practicing healthy habits for general wellness and practicing healthy habits for the prevention of breast cancer. Just check out the points made in this article about warding off the nasty disease that this year will strike about 178,000 American women.

The suggestions seem pretty familiar, don't they? That's because they're generally good for the body. And so it's simple, really. Just live a clean life, shoot for good health, and you'll have a fairly good shot at warding off all sorts of unwanted illness, like breast cancer.

In a nutshell, here's what tops this article's list of healthy habits:

• Maintain a healthy weight. A 2005 study showed women who gained weight after a breast cancer diagnosis had an increased risk of recurrence. Other studies show overweight women have a greater chance of a first-time breast cancer diagnosis. And countless studies indicate excess weight is bad for the heart, cholesterol, bones, joints, and more. Body Mass Index (BMI), although not a perfect measure, can help you chart your healthy weight.

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Eating fish is good for you. Is it good for the environment too? Not always. But a growing number of aquariums and fish conversation programs are offering "guilt-free" guides to help you make the best choices when it comes to buying fish and other seafood.

Fish that are abundant, well-managed, fished, or farmed make the guilt-free list. According to the National Seafood Guide 2007, published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, here are some of the keepers:

Arctic Char (farmed)
Bay Scallops (farmed)
Catfish (farmed)
Clams (farmed)
Mussels and Oysters (farmed)
Pacific Halibut
Rainbow Trout (farmed)
Salmon (Alaska wild)
Spiny Lobster (U.S.)
Striped Bass (farmed or wild)
Tilipia (U.S.)

Now this list is not exhaustive. You can find more information here. You'll also get a peek at fish that are both high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in environmental contaminants -- like anchovies, oysters, and sardines.

Note: Young children, pregnant women, and anyone who wishes to watch their mercury consumption should always avoid seafood with high mercury levels -- such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

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This is it. This is the dessert we've come to know and love at my house. No more big bowls of ice cream, chocolatey brownies, or sinful creations. This is all we need, all we want, all we crave. Seriously.

Who knew a hearty serving of fresh fruit could be so inviting? Not us, until we gave it a try and then stuck with it. Now, the sugary, fatty stuff isn't even appealing. Our mouths drool for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, watermelon, and kiwi. When the season for this fruit finally comes to an end, we'll substitute apples, oranges, and bananas. Give us any sort of fresh fruit and we're satisfied. You could be too.

Why not slice and dice some of your own fresh fruit today? Forget the ooey, gooey something you'd normally eat and give this a try. Do it again tomorrow, the next day, the day after that. See if you can let go of your unhealthy habits and learn to love what's good for you. I have a hunch you can.

To read up on the merits of fresh fruit, click here.

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I'm confused. Do the editors of women's magazines want us to lose 10 pounds instantly or stuff our faces with the sugary, fatty treats they advertise? The magazine sitting in front of me right now -- I won't mention any names -- features a full-page ad for Hostess 100-calorie packs of cupcakes. One hundred calories -- great, if you don't care about the fat and sugar in these sweet little treats.

In the same magazine, there's a recipe for chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting and a lollipop too. There's more -- macaroni & cheese; sweet, salty, and crunchy granola bars; waffles; Rice Krispies Treats; and creamy salad dressings. Then, readers learn how to lose a quick five pounds. Hey, I have an idea -- how about not eating anything splashed all over the ads?

Maybe it's how magazines stay in business -- by fattening up the audience and then enticing them into setting hard-to-reach diet and exercise goals. And so readers never make progress and keep coming back for more, sure one day to find the magic fix for looking and feeling good. The funny thing is, there is a fix. It's just not magical. Eat less than you burn. Or burn more than you eat. Either way, it's simple. So I say, enjoy your women's magazines. Just ignore the food ads and heed most of the diet and fitness advice. Then, you'll be on the right track.

A few years ago, low-fat and no-fat foods were all the rage. Many of us were convinced that the secret to losing weight was not eating fat. Most now know that fat is actually an essential part of a healthy diet, in part because it helps keeps you full and prevents you from overeating. That means that some fat can actually help you lose weight. While there are types of fat that you should avoid, there are others that play an important part of healthy eating.

It is important to stay away from trans-fats and to limit saturated fats as they can increase your levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol that leads to heart disease. However, monounsaturated fats (found in stuff like olive oil, avocados, almonds, Brazil nuts and sesame seeds) are great because they do the opposite -- they reduce cholesterol levels and can lower your risk of heart disease.

Essential fatty acids -- including Omega-3 fatty acids, which are in foods such as nuts, salmon, fish oils, flaxseed and more -- are necessary as your body doesn't naturally produce them, but they're required in order for your cells to rebuild and reproduce. So the next time you're label-reading, remember that not all fats are created the same, and know what to avoid as well as what to search out.

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Summer is a fantastic time for throwing backyard parties and hosting casual lunches with friends. If you're tired of doing the same old burgers and steaks on the grill this year and want to make something tasty as well as nutritious, take a look at this page that offers a bunch of tasty-looking recipes. The one that caught my eye, about half way down the page, is the recipe for salmon, tofu and broccoli patties.

The incredibly healthy ingredients alone make it worth giving it a go. Tofu is chock full of protein, vitamin B and iron, while salmon is low in saturated fat but high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart. The fish also contains lots of protein and not much cholesterol. Broccoli meanwhile is like a Super Food, providing calcium, potassium, folate, fiber, vitamin C and the antioxidant beta-carotene.

The best part is that each serving contains only 158 calories and 6 grams of fat (including only a single gram of saturated fat). In addition, you'll be consuming 23 grams of protein and 5grams of fiber. Sounds pretty great to me.

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When sitting down to eat in your favorite restaurant which steak do you order. Beef or Tuna? Tuna is a nutritious source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Everyday we learn more about the health benefits of tuna. Mercury is not the public health risk that some claim. No studies have shown that fish consumption has led to dangerous levels of mercury within the human body. Studies show that eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce people's overall risk for developing heart disease. Tuna is also a very good source of vitamin B6.

So weigh out the benefits of nutrients in 4 ounces of tuna versus lean organic beef.

4 ounces of tuna contains:
tryptophan 0.38g
selenium 53.07 mcg
protein 33.99g
vitamin B3 (niacin) 13.54mg
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 1.18mg
vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.57mg
phosphorus 277.83mg
potassium 645.25mg
magnesium 72.58mg
omega 3 fatty acids 0.33g

4 ounces of lean organic beef contains:
tryptophan 0.36g
protein 32.04g
vitamin B12 (cobalamin) 2.92mcg
zinc 6.33mg
selenium 27.67mcg
phosphorus 269.89mg
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.49mg
iron 4.05mg
vitamin B3 (niacin) 4.44mg
vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.35mg

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