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Although you should in general stay away from foods like pizza, fried chicken, french fries, etc you can consume them in modest amounts. You should not eat these foods often, but if you do consume them, eat them in little amounts. Some foods you think are healthy, but they really aren't and you eat them on a daily basis. Like KIND Bars, sugary yogurts, trail mix, diet soda, etc.

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On average BMI (body fat index) in the United states is 26.5 which is classified as overweight. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/databriefs/adultweight.pdf

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Type 2 diabetes can occur when eating foods like pizza and ice cream constantly.

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Type 2 diabetes can occur when eating foods like pizza and ice cream constantly.

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Obese woman who was too ashamed to take her daughter to the park lost more than SIX stone because she didn't want to feel like a 'failure of a mother' anymore

Chan Vekaria, 43, from London struggled to play with her daughter at the park

She was a size 24 and weighed 16st 7Ibs before she started to diet and exercise

She is now 10st 2Ib and a UK size 10 and regularly takes her daughter to the park

An obese mum, who would shun taking her daughter to the park, lost six-and-a-half stone in just two years to enjoy an active life as a parent.

Chan Vekaria, 43, from London, had struggled with her weight since she was 11-years-old. Her lack of knowledge about healthy eating, nutrition and exercise resulted in her reaching her peak weight of 16st 7Ibs and UK size 24.

It was the summer of 2009 when her daughter was five-years-old that Chan had a wake-up call. Embarrassed about taking her to the park, because of her weight she knew she had to change for her daughter.

The business owner and mum of a now 13-year-old girl, decided to take action and used a calorie tracker and started to walk, in order to lose weight.

'The day I decided to change my life was the summer of 2009 when my daughter was five-years-old. I avoided taking her to the park and other play areas as I didn't have the energy to keep up with her,' Chan recalled.

'I used to ask my mum or sisters to take her and make up an excuse why I couldn't go. That summer, I took her to our local park with my sister.

'It was such a hot day, but I refused to take off my jacket. I waited by a bench sweating while the two of them had a great time.

'I remember my daughter kept looking over at me and calling me over, but I refused to go. The look of disappointment on her face will stay with me forever.

'I felt like a failure as a mother. I was missing out on doing the fun things she wanted me to do with her because I was too lazy to do something about my weight. That was the day I decided to take control of my future.

'At my heaviest, I found it difficult to walk even ten minutes, so I knew I had to make changes to my diet if I was going be successful in losing weight.

'I started logging all my meals into the calorie tracker app. It was a game changer when it came to my yo-yo dieting because I was amazed (ok, disgusted) at how many calories I was consuming on a daily basis.'

'I researched a lot on nutrition and even signed up for an online course, so I could understand things better for myself.

'As I made changes to my diet, and the weight started to come off, I found I had so much more energy, so I started getting up earlier and walking part way to work.

'I gradually built up the distance I was able to walk, then made the decision to sign up to a gym. That was the best decision I ever made. I didn't realise how much fun exercising could be. I was hooked.'

Throughout her life, there were many breaking points that led to her decision to turn her life around. When she was just 16-years-old, she was at a theme park with her friends and feared going on one of the rides in case the harness wouldn't close.

'My life is nothing like it used to be. I feel like a totally different person,' she said. 'The best thing that has come out of me losing weight is that I can now do so much more with my daughter.

'She doesn't remember me being bigger, but she has seen pictures and videos. She understands what I have achieved, and she is very proud of me. Just that makes it worth all the hard work.

'It also makes me feel proud that I can be a positive role model for her; not just when it comes to health and nutrition, but also with being determined to want to achieve something and never giving up.'

With Chan's new lifestyle of working out five-times-a-week and eating healthy meals three times a day, she has completely changed her perception on food and it shows to strangers.

'The changes I made at the start of my journey are still a part of my life. I eat out, I eat desserts, I even enjoy pizza night with my daughter,' she said.

'But I balance it out with eating clean the rest of the time. The foods I eat now are healthy through choice. I work out five-times-a-week because I love it.

'There was not any one particular thing which was hard. There were a lot of obstacles such as not knowing what foods to eat and how to exercise.'

'I was fortunate to have met some amazingly inspiring people who had been through my journey successfully, who became my mentors.

'I love seeing the reactions from people when they see how much weight I have lost; a lot of people see what I have achieved as 'impossible', so I want to share my story with as many people as possible to show them that it definitely is achievable.

'The best advice I received at the start of my journey was 'work out WHY' you want to lose weight. Journal it. The more you think about your why, the deeper it will get.

'I would also advise people to find networks or communities to support them. People who are not a part of your journey may not understand why you are making the choices you are making.'

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An obese mum who lost six and a half stone becomes super-mum

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Chan Vekaria, 43, from London struggled to play with her daughter at the park She was a size 24 and weighed 16st 7Ibs before she started to diet and exercise She is now 10st 2Ib and a UK size 10 and regularly takes her daughter to the park An obese mum, who would shun taking her daughter to the park, lost six-and-a-half stone in just two years to enjoy an active life as a parent.

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The best and worst choices in every food group, according to registered dietitians.

Everything In This Slideshow

this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

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12 Foods You Need to Stop Buying-and 17 You Should Eat More

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The best and worst choices in every food group, according to registered dietitians. Everything In This Slideshow this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

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Canned veggies are not healthy and full of sodium and sugar. 

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Canned veggies are not healthy and full of sodium and sugar. 

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You can find what's in different foods on this site

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You can find what's in different foods on this site

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What's In The Foods You Eat: Find a food

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In the text Big Questions: Why does sugar taste so good? the author examines  how sugar is added in everything and explains how sugar  is taking over our body . There is a such thing like natural sugars that come with the food like fruits, but adding more sugar to the food is overdoing it. When people eat to much sugar, their health is on the line but they don't care. That is causing people to have type 2 diabetes. 

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In the text Big Questions: Why does sugar taste so good? the author examines  how sugar is added in everything and explains how sugar  is taking over our body . There is a such thing like natural sugars that come with the food like fruits, but adding more sugar to the food is overdoing it. When people eat to much sugar, their health is on the line but they don't care. That is causing people to have type 2 diabetes. 

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By: Natalia Lin

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In the text What's "healthy"?, the author examines how now days some junk foods are being labeled "healthy" and explains how some brands are lying about their products being healthy. When there was a situation about using the word "healthy" too frequently, the FDA decided to make sure that every five years the guidelines are updated. The word healthy is a lifestyle not a product. 

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In the text What's "healthy"?, the author examines how now days some junk foods are being labeled "healthy" and explains how some brands are lying about their products being healthy. When there was a situation about using the word "healthy" too frequently, the FDA decided to make sure that every five years the guidelines are updated. The word healthy is a lifestyle not a product. 

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By: Natalia Lin

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In both my articles, the author explains that being obese is a huge problem in America and other countries around the world. According to article "Your Workplace Is Making you Fat," It states that over 40 PERCENT is obese. Almost half the population in America is OBESE. It also states that the free food cakes, pizza, etc is making you fat because you don't care how much you eat. The second one called "How American Junk Food Got to China." Bu Huff post. It states that KFC, McDonald, Pizza Hut, and more are affecting not only Americas health, but it has grown to China and now other countries are becoming obese because these companies want to expand. It also states that these companies are making lots of money over advertising junk food on the internet or TV.

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Most fruit juices fool you and are full of nothing but fruit-flavored sugar water.

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There is a lot of confusion out there about which foods are healthy, and which are not.

Here is a list of 20 foods that are generally very unhealthy.

If you want to lose weight and avoid chronic disease, then you shouldn't eat much of these foods.

In many cases, the best choice is to avoid them completely.

In this article, healthy alternatives are mentioned whenever possible.

Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet.

However, some sources of sugar are worse than others, and sugary drinks are the absolute worst.

When people drink sugar calories, the brain doesn't "register" them as food.

For this reason, people don't automatically compensate by eating less of other foods instead, and end up drastically increasing their total calorie intake ( 1, 2, 3).

Sugar, when consumed in large amounts, can drive insulin resistance in the body and is strongly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is also associated with various serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease ( 4, 5, 6).

Sugary drinks are also THE most fattening aspect of the modern diet, and drinking them in large amounts can drive fat gain and obesity ( 7, 8, 9).

Alternatives: Drink water, soda water, coffee or tea instead. Adding a slice of lemon to water or soda water can add some taste if you don't like it plain.

Pizza is one of the world's most popular junk foods.

This is not surprising, given that it tastes awesome and is incredibly convenient to eat.

The problem is that most commercially prepared pizzas are made with seriously unhealthy ingredients.

The dough is made from highly refined wheat flour, and the meats on them are usually processed. Pizza is also extremely high in calories.

Alternatives: Some pizza places use healthier ingredients. Homemade pizzas can also be very healthy, as long as you choose wholesome ingredients.

Bread is generally made from wheat, which contains the protein gluten.

For this reason, all wheat-based breads are a bad idea for people who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

However, most commercial breads are unhealthy, even for people who do tolerate gluten.

This is because the great majority of them are made from refined wheat, which is low in essential nutrients (empty calories) and leads to rapid spikes in blood sugar ( 10).

Alternatives: For people who can tolerate gluten, ezekiel bread is an excellent choice. Whole grain bread is also definitely better (or "less bad") than white bread.

If you have problems with gluten or carbs, then here are 15 recipes for breads that are both gluten-free and low in carbs.

Fruit juice is often assumed to be healthy, but this is a mistake.

Many fruit juices are actually little more than fruit-flavored sugar water.

It is true that the juice contains some antioxidants and vitamin C, but this must be weighed against the large amount of liquid sugar.

In fact, fruit juice contains just as much sugar as a sugary drink like Coke or Pepsi, and sometimes even more ( 11).

Alternatives: There are some fruit juices that have been shown to have health benefits despite the sugar content, such as pomegrenate juice and blueberry juice.

However, these should be considered as supplements, not something you drink every day to quench thirst. Drink water instead.

In the last 100 years or so, people have increased their consumption of added fats.

However, this is entirely explained by a drastic increase in the consumption of refined vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil and canola oil.

These oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids, which humans never consumed in such large amounts before.

There are many serious concerns with these oils. They are highly sensitive to oxidation and cause increased oxidative stress in the body. They have also been linked to increased risk of cancer ( 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19).

Alternatives: Use healthier fats like coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil instead.

Margarine used to be considered a healthy alternative to butter.

Fortunately, most people have now realized that this is far from being true.

Margarine is a highly processed pseudo-food that has been engineered to look and taste like butter.

It is loaded with artificial ingredients, and is usually made with industrial vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to make them more solid. This increases their trans fat content significantly.

Keep in mind that manufacturers are allowed to label their products with "no trans fat" as long as it contains less than 0.5 grams per serving, which is still a significant amount.

Alternatives: Use real butter instead, preferably from grass-fed cows.

Most pastries, cookies and cakes are extremely unhealthy.

They are generally made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour and added fats, which are often disturbingly unhealthy fats like shortening (high in trans fats).

These tasty treats are literally some of the worst things that you can put into your body. Almost no essential nutrients, but tons of calories and unhealthy ingredients.

Whole, white potatoes are very healthy.

However, the same can NOT be said of the products that are made from them, such as french fries and potato chips.

These foods are very high in calories, and it is easy to eat excessive amounts. Several studies link consumption of french fries and potato chips with weight gain ( 20, 21).

These foods may also contain large amounts of acrylamides, carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are fried, baked or roasted ( 22, 23).

Alternatives: Potatoes are best consumed boiled, not fried. If you need something crunchy to replace potato chips, try baby carrots or nuts.

Gluten-free is all the rage these days.

About a third of people in the US are actively trying to avoid gluten, according to a 2013 survey ( 24).

The problem with many gluten-free diets, is that people replace the gluten-containing foods with processed junk foods that happen to be gluten-free.

These gluten-free replacement products are often high in sugar, unhealthy oils and refined grains like corn starch or tapioca starch. These refined starches lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, and are extremely low in essential nutrients.

Alternatives: Choose foods that are naturally gluten-free, like unprocessed plants and animal foods. Gluten-free junk food is still junk food.

Agave nectar is a sweetener that is often marketed as healthy.

However, agave nectar is not as healthy as some people think. It is a highly refined sweetener that is extremely high in fructose.

High amounts of fructose from added sweeteners (not whole fruit) can be absolutely disastrous for health ( 25).

The truth is, agave is even higher in fructose than other sugars.

Whereas table sugar contains 50% fructose, and high fructose corn syrup around 55%, agave nectar is 85% fructose ( 26).

Alternatives: Stevia and erythritol are healthy, natural and calorie free. There is a list of several several healthy and natural sweeteners in this article.

Yogurt can be incredibly healthy.

Unfortunately, most yogurts found in the grocery store are extremely bad for you.

They are frequently low in fat, but loaded with sugar to make up for the lack of taste that the fats provided.

Put simply, the yogurt has had the healthy, natural dairy fats removed, only to be replaced with something much, much worse.

Additionally, many yogurts don't actually contain probiotic bacteria, as generally believed. They have often been pasteurized after fermentation, which kills all the bacteria.

Alternatives: Choose regular, full-fat yogurt that contains live or active cultures (probiotics). If you can get your hands on it, choose yogurt from grass-fed cows.

Low-carb diets are very popular these days, and have been for several decades.

There are plenty of real foods that you can eat on a low-carb diet, most of which are very healthy.

However, this is not true of processed low-carb replacement products, such as low-carb candy bars and meal replacements.

These are generally highly processed foods that contain very little actual nutrition, just a bunch of artificial ingredients mixed together and then sold as food.

Alternatives: If you're on a low-carb diet, eat foods that are naturally low in carbs. Low-carb junk food is still junk food.

Ice cream is one of the most delicious foods on the planet.

Unfortunately, it is also one of the unhealthiest. Most commercial ice cream is loaded with sugar.

Ice cream is also high in calories, and it is very easy to eat excessive amounts. Eating it for dessert is even worse, because then you're adding it all on top of your total calorie intake.

Alternatives: It is possible to make your own ice cream using healthier ingredients and significantly less (or no) sugar.

Candy bars are incredibly unhealthy.

They are high in sugar, refined wheat flour and processed fats. They are also very low in essential nutrients.

Processed foods like candy bars are generally engineered to be super tasty (so you eat more), and have been designed so that it's very easy to eat them quickly.

A candy bar may taste good and cause some short-term satiety, but you'll be hungry again very quickly because of the way these high-sugar treats are metabolized.

Alternatives: Eat a piece of fruit instead, or a piece of real high-cocoa dark chocolate.

Even though unprocessed meat can be healthy and nutritious, the same is NOT true for processed meats.

Studies show that people who eat processed meats have a higher risk of many serious diseases, including colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease ( 27, 28).

Most of these studies are observational in nature, so they can not prove that the processed meat caused the diseases.

However, the statistical link is strong and consistent among studies, so I do believe there is something to it.

Alternatives: If you want to eat bacon, sausages, pepperoni and other "processed" meats, then choose wisely and try to buy them locally from sellers who don't add a lot of unhealthy ingredients. Quality counts.

Regular cheese is healthy.

It is loaded with nutrients, and a single slice of cheese contains all the same nutrients as an entire glass of milk.

However, processed cheese products are nothing like regular cheese. They are mostly made with filler ingredients that are combined and engineered to have a similar look and texture as cheese.

Cheese is healthy, but processed cheese is not. Read labels, and make sure that the cheese you're eating is actually cheese.

Alternatives: Eat real cheese instead.

Generally speaking, "fast food" chains serve only junk foods.

The majority of the food they offer is mass-produced, highly engineered junk food with very little nutritional value.

These places are often very cheap, but keep in mind that junk food costs you twice.

For every penny you save there, chances are that it's going to cost you many times more in the future. Poor health is expensive.

Alternatives: Fortunately, all sorts of healthy fast food places have started to appear. Chipotle is one great example.

Coffee has been unfairly demonized.

It is actually very healthy, and loaded with antioxidants.

Studies also show that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of serious diseases, like type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's ( 29, 30).

Unfortunately, stuff is sometimes added to coffee that turns this wonderful beverage into harmful sludge.

If your "coffee" has a ton of artificial creamer and sugar, then it is NOT good for you.

It is loaded with liquid, empty calories, and will be just as unhealthy as any other sugar-sweetened beverage.

Alternatives: Drink plain coffee instead. Black is best, but small amounts of heavy cream or full-fat milk are fine as well.

One of the most important things you can do to eat healthier, is to read labels.

It is important to avoid (or at least minimize) foods that contain:

Added sugar (and high fructose corn syrup).

Refined grains like white flour.

Industrial vegetable oils.

Artificial trans fats.

These are some of the unhealthiest (and most common) ingredients in the modern diet.

The importance of reading labels can not be overstated, and this applies to all foods, even so-called health foods.

By far the simplest way to eat healthy and lose weight, is to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

Put simply, if it looks like it was made in a factory, then it's probably bad for you.

A good rule to remember, is that real food doesn't need an ingredients list, because real food IS the ingredient.

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20 Foods That Are Bad For Your Health (Avoid Them!)

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There is a lot of confusion out there about which foods are healthy, and which are not. Here is a list of 20 foods that are generally very unhealthy. If you want to lose weight and avoid chronic disease, then you shouldn't eat much of these foods.

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Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing

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How Does Diet Impact Health? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing

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A healthy diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to perform physically, maintain wellness, and fight disease.

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Agave (pronounced 'uh-GAH-vay') nectar is a natural sweetener with a pleasant neutral taste. It ranks relatively low on both the glycemic index and glycemic load scales. For a while, I used agave as my main sweetener, although I don't use sweeteners very often. When I do, I use very small amounts.

I've stopped using agave myself and no longer recommend it as a healthy sweetener. The reason agave ranks relatively low on the glycemic index is because it has a high content of fructose. Fructose does not readily raise blood sugar (glucose) levels because the body doesn't metabolize it well. New research suggests that excessive fructose consumption deranges liver function and promotes obesity. The less fructose you consume, the better.

As it turns out, agave has a higher fructose content than any other common sweetener, more even than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because of its reputation as a "natural" sweetener, it is now widely used in products claiming to be good for health - from teas to nutrition bars and energy drinks.

I don't think there's any doubt that Americans consume much too much fructose, an average of 55 grams per day (compared to about 15 grams 100 years ago, mostly from fruits and vegetables). The biggest problem is cheap HFCS, ubiquitous in processed food.

Fructose is a major culprit in the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It may also increase risks of heart disease and cancer.

I now use maple syrup instead of agave. It has a much lower fructose content, and I have always liked its flavor. I've asked the chefs at True Food Kitchen, the restaurants I helped found in Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona and Newport Beach, San Diego and Santa Monica in California to cut back on agave and experiment with pure glucose syrup for sweetening. It is less sweet than either agave or maple syrup and contains no fructose at all.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

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What's Wrong with Agave Nectar? - Ask Dr. Weil

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I've been using agave as a sweetener for a couple of years. Lately, I've been reading some very negative reports on it, and am considering switching to another sweetener. Do you still recommend agave?

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Make sure to wash your produce because to keep it fresh, pesticides are sprayed onto the produce to provide longevity.

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Coffee-type drinks taste good, but they are not so good for teenagers

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Coffee-type drinks taste good, but they are not so good for teenagers

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In the article “Coffee-type drinks taste good, but they are not so good for teenagers” they main idea that get dusscused threw out the book was how caffeine it effects your daily life. The first part of the article that made me think this was in the section “Caffeine Can Be Dangerous” when they talk about coffees effects on developing bodies and brains. The second section “Caffeine Affects Sleep” showed me how caffeine can disrupt your sleep schedule which will effect your overall productivity.
-Kevin

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By Kristian Smith
University of Tennessee

Sometimes, amid classes, studying, homework, meetings and maintaining a social life, college students forget to maintain their health. Though some students may not think they need to worry about healthy habits, developing healthy habits now will make it easier for students to stay healthy throughout their lives. Here are 10 tips for college students to stay healthy:

1. Eat Right
Eating a healthy diet can help boost students' immune systems, help students to maintain a healthy weight and can improve their overall health. Sometimes it may seem difficult to eat healthy in college when your meal choices consist of the cafeteria or fast food restaurants, but there are easy ways to make adjustments in your eating habits. First, always eat breakfast. This may be difficult when you're rushing out the door to get to that 8 a.m. classes, but grabbing a granola bar or banana goes a long way in keeping you from overeating throughout the day. Also, never skip meals. Again, the typical day of a college students is usually nothing but typical, but you always have time to grab a healthy salad or sandwich from the dining hall. For those late-night cravings during all-nighters, try healthier alternatives to your favorite late-night foods. For example, get pizza with whole wheat crust, vegetable toppings instead of meat and low-fat cheese. Snacking can also be a great way to keep your appetite in check throughout the day. Snacking can stop "mindless eaters" and those who eat for comfort. Keep things like pre-cut vegetables and fruit, nuts, pita bread or string cheese on hand so you aren't tempted to buy unhealthy snacks. If nothing else, keep these three things in mind when choosing foods: moderation, variety and balance. Try keeping a good balance of dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and protein every day.
2. Exercise
Fitting exercise into a busy college schedule can be difficult, but most college campuses make it easy for students to get exercise. One of the easiest ways to get exercise is to walk to class. Depending on your class schedule, this could add anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour of exercise every day. Most colleges offer physical fitness classes and intramural sports programs, so take advantage of these for a fun way to get exercise. Also, most colleges offer free or reduced memberships to gyms. This is definitely a perk that ends after graduation, so take advantage of this now.
3. Get enough sleep
Though you may be tempted to pull an all-nighter to study for an exam or stay out until 3 a.m. partying with friends, make sure you don't make that a habit. Sleep deprivation can lead to reduced brain function, fatigue, headaches and weight loss or gain. College students need between seven and nine hours of sleep and getting this amount can improve overall health. To stay rested throughout the day, try taking a short nap during the day, try to stick to a schedule, try to keep your room dark and quiet before bedtime and avoid drinking caffeine, eating and drinking right before bed.
4. Wash your hands
With flu season just around the corner, washing your hands can be a savior for college students who can't afford to miss class because of the flu. College students are always in close contact with others: through classes, living situations with roommates, walking around campus, and it is very easy to catch colds or viruses. Studies have shown that simple hand-washing can help prevent a large number of illnesses. Wash your hands before meals, any time you will be touching your eyes, nose or mouth, or if you've been around others who are sick.
5. Don't smoke
Everyone has heard the many life-threatening risks smoking poses, and even smoking occasionally can still put you at risk for ailments like lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema. For those looking to quit, check out your student health center for programs to assist you.
6. Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks
Though caffeinated beverages like soda and energy drinks can be beneficial when studying or doing late-night homework, they are ultimately harmful in the long run. The combination of caffeine and sugar in these drinks causes you to crash and feel bad later. If you need an energy boost, try eating foods high-protein, high-fiber foods.
7. Get a flu shot
This is one of the easiest ways to avoid the flu and stay healthy through the winter. Many colleges offer flu shots and screenings for reduced prices, usually under $25. Though it may still be expensive for those on a tight budget, getting a shot now will be much better and cheaper in the long run than getting the flu later.
8. Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated can help your concentration and keep you from overeating. It also replenishes your body and gives you more energy throughout the day. Always choose water instead of soda, and bring water with you while you walk to class. Also, to cut down on the cost, buy a water filtration pitcher and a re-usable water bottle instead of plastic bottled water.
9. Relax
College students are usually pretty stressed with classes and exams, but relaxing and having down-time is essential to staying healthy. Stress can cause numerous problems and getting too run-down can adversely affect your health. The easiest way to relax is to create a routine and give yourself regular breaks. Also, make sure you make time to hang out with friends and de-stress by reading a book, watching your favorite television show or picking up a hobby.
10. Wear sunscreen and avoid tanning
With spring break less than six months away, thousands of college students will be hitting the beach. While spending a little time in the sun isn't always a bad thing, make sure you protect yourself. Wear sunscreen every day, especially when you know you will be in the sun, and make sure to reapply sunscreen every two to three hours to ensure you will be protected. Also, avoid tanning beds at all costs. Though you may want to extend that summer tan into the winter, the risk of skin cancer is not worth it. With all the sunless tanners out there these days, you can still keep your summer glow without putting yourself at risk.

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By Kristian Smith University of Tennessee Sometimes, amid classes, studying, homework, meetings and maintaining a social life, college students forget to maintain their health. Though some students may not think they need to worry about healthy habits, developing healthy habits now will make it easier for students to stay healthy throughout their lives.

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Foods to make in your dorm room without the hassle

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Foods to make in your dorm room without the hassle

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Ah, college life. There's nothing like it: the long-awaited freedom, the endless nights at the library, the anything-goes parties... and the campus food.

Many colleges have stepped up their game in recent years, adding variety and diet-specific foods and even focusing on sustainability.

We're here to help you ace nutrition and give your body what it needs. When the dining hall just won't do, make one of these easy, student friendly recipes instead of reaching for ramen.

The ingredients are those essentials you've stocked in your organized dorm room pantry (right?).

As for equipment, all you need is a microwave, a sharp kitchen knife, and a cutting board. And the directions are like that Intro to Acting class - an easy A.

A cookie. In a mug. For BREAKFAST?!

Whole-food ingredients like peanut butter, bananas, and oats serve as the base for this single-serving breakfast cookie. Our mouths are watering, and our minds are blown.

Once we learned that most dining halls cook eggs in a bag ... We. Just. Couldn't. Anymore.

We can crack and scramble them ourselves. It's not like studying Statistics 101. This one-bowl microwaveable version calls for mostly egg whites, but we use whole eggs instead.

Carbs from the rolled oats, protein from the Greek yogurt, healthy fats from the chia, and antioxidants from the blueberries make this chilled concoction a balanced morning meal.

Make it in a mason jar at night, and then grab it from your mini fridge (along with a reusable spoon) right before that 8 a.m. lecture.

Protein rich Greek yogurt and granola is a popular combo, but these gorgeous parfaits make it look like something special.

It's hard to believe something so pretty and healthy can be so easy to put together: Layer three ingredients in mason jars and you'll have breakfast ready for the rest of the week!

In just 2 minutes, turn a brunch favorite into a quick-fix treat for any weekday. It's the perfect way to use up that loaf of bread you bought to make PB&J but let go stale instead.

Just be warned that the alluring cinnamon aroma will have your roommates begging for a bite.

Sometimes nothing but macaroni and cheese will do. But why choose a single-serving cup of scary, preservative-laden neon stuff when you can use ingredients you can actually pronounce (and taste)?

Here, pasta cooks in the microwave before meeting with a hefty punch of real cheddar and a splash of milk. Several minutes later, boom: comfort food at its finest - and fastest.

Tip: The blogger uses cornstarch to thicken the cheese sauce. If you don't have that in your dorm pantry (haha!), use flour. You'll absolutely need flour on hand to make mug cakes.

Ditch the lines at your campus Chipotle and get your burrito bowl fix the homemade (and healthier) way.

Precooked brown rice (find it in pouches or frozen) and canned black beans make this a cinch to put together. Greek yogurt makes a healthier substitute for sour cream, and of course it's topped off with cheese and avocado.

This recipe screams "Party in our suite!"

Every college student needs this lifesaving recipe in their dorm cooking repertoire. Tortillas, cheese, and salsa are the essentials. But you can change it up by adding a layer of mashed beans, sliced bell pepper, or sliced deli meat.

Canned salmon is the new tuna. You can never go wrong having a can of salmon in your dorm pantry. It's already cooked, so you can throw together a healthy salad in minutes.

And you know what? No points against you if you get your greens (and other goodies) from the salad bar. Top the greens with chunks of salmon and drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice over the top.

With laundry to wash, textbooks to read, and papers to write, no student has time for a dish as laborious as risotto. This recipe gives you the same chewy texture - plus fiber - by substituting old-fashioned oats for Arborio rice.

Stir in cream cheese for a luscious finish.

If back-to-back classes leave you with no time for a sit-down lunch, head to the dining hall or supermarket salad bar and make this speedy, highly customizable, and easily portable option.

Pick your favorite whole grains, lean proteins, and veggies (go as dark and leafy as you can for maximum bone-protecting vitamin K and cancer-fighting antioxidants).

That's how to build an anything-but-boring salad that staves off an afternoon slump.

You didn't think we'd not put a ramen recipe in here, did you? Well, as far as we're concerned, it doesn't hurt to have a few emergency packs on hand. Tip: Toss the salt-heavy flavor packet.

This blogger makes a vegan Asian-style salad using a salad mix with red cabbage. Uncooked ramen noodles create a crunchy texture when tossed with the salad and dressing.

These bloggers take you through their extensive experiments that revealed the exact amount of time needed to get perfectly popped kernels cooking in a bag in the microwave.

If you're going to do something, do it right. Right?

A second recipe for popcorn? Yes. Because popcorn can be found in every college student's quarters. And this homemade version replaces heart-clogging partially hydrogenated fats with heart-healthy olive oil.

A sophisticated flavor blend of rosemary and sea salt will make you forget all about the packaged stuff.

Chips are pretty much the dictionary definition of a snack, but who wants greasy fingers while munching and typing notes during class?

Go for this cleaner homemade version, which puts the spud in the spotlight - use blue, red, and white finglering potatoes for a nutrient-packed pop of color.

Slice 'em as thin as you can, sprinkle with seasonings, and nuke until they've got that chip-like crunch. It's so easy you'll wonder why you've never done it before.

It's also an impressive dorm-room cooking feat. Just sayin'.

Nutella may not be the healthiest thing at the grocery store, but it sure is delicious. Mix it with oats, coconut, flax, and agave; roll into balls; and you've got portable fuel.

Bring a few of these tasty treats in your backpack for breakfast or to snack on when you need a pick-me-up.

This recipe calls for several easy-to-find ingredients, but it's also highly adaptable, so you can include whatever add-ins you like, such as nuts or dried fruit.

While these are a great breakfast, the honey and chocolate chips make them a fun dessert too.

As the weather starts to cool down, you can cozy up with this fluffy, cake-like cookie.

Whipping up a few of these is the perfect way to make new friends since the aroma of pumpkin, chocolate, and vanilla will have people knocking at your door.

What to do with the rest of the pumpkin purée? Try these recipes.

Turn to this recipe when a massive ice cream craving hits and the dining hall is closed for the night. It may not be frozen, but the cool, creamy combination of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chocolate, and fruit is guaranteed to hit the spot.

Go ahead and use whole-milk dairy rather than the low fat version.

With no flour, gluten, or butter, this brownie is one heck of a simple way to satisfy a gooey-dessert craving. The fewer ingredients, the better. Right?

The almond meal provides additional fiber and protein, and the cocoa gives the brownie that classic homemade taste.

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Ah, college life. There's nothing like it: the long-awaited freedom, the endless nights at the library, the anything-goes parties... and the campus food. Many colleges have stepped up their game in recent years, adding variety and diet-specific foods and even focusing on sustainability. We're here to help you ace nutrition and give your body what it needs.

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Hummus, a traditional Middle Eastern dish is being made into a dessert

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Hummus, a traditional Middle Eastern dish is being made into a dessert

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In the article “Hummus, a traditional Middle Eastern dish is being made into a dessert” the main idea discussed in the article was how hummus is being turned into a dessert . The part of the article that made me think this was that in the beginning they were stating that hummus was changed by big companies into a dessert. In the part of the article “American flavors take over the middle east” they talk about how American companies took there sweat hummus to the middle east they also talk about the slow increes in the use of dessert hummus.

by: Kevin