Nutrition

Kale has long been crowned a “superfood,” praised for its rich antioxidant and nutrient content – but new research suggests many of those perks go untapped unless you pair the leaves with something to boost the body's ability to absorb the good stuff.

Fruit smoothies have become a huge trend in healthy lifestyle world – and for good reason. They are a quick source of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, and they take just a few minutes to make! Bananas are the number-one ingredient for a good smoothie. Creamy and naturally sweet, they seem to pair well with pretty much every other fruit ... or do they?

There's growing evidence that a Mediterranean diet can provide relief from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, offering people more variety, nutrients and easier adherence than the current restrictive frontline approach to manage the condition.

When choosing a protein powder, we want it to be low in sugar and carbs, and to taste good enough. We don't think that it might also be packed with dangerously high levels of lead – which, a new study finds, is exactly what is in many popular brands.

For the first time, scientists have used innovative tech to demonstrated that a healthy microbiome needs a consistent flow of the right foods, finally proving that the "hunch" advice of 5 A Day is spot on, as far as your gut bugs are concerned.

In a groundbreaking study, a healthy fatty acid in olive oil has been found to "supercharge" immune cells that fight cancer. Meanwhile, another kind of natural fat undermines the health of the same cells, killing them off and triggering inflammation.

When scientists study obesity, it's often focused on genetics, physical activity and poor eating habits. However, new findings show that stress, hardship, isolation and social inequality create the biological environment that underpins the epidemic.

As more people embrace veganism, for health, ethics, or the planet, they're bumping into a furry conundrum: what do you feed your meat-loving dog when you don't eat meat yourself? Does plant-based dog food have the same nutritional value as meat?

Some things we eat or drink raise our risk of deadly diseases. Strangely, once we have those diseases, a recent paper claims the same factors can help us live longer. Does this survival twist, dubbed "Cuomo's Paradox," challenge decades of nutritional advice?

A massive study of more than 200,000 US adults has revealed that not all potatoes are created equal – as different forms dramatically shift your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But there's also some good news for lovers of the often-maligned spud.

Hospital meals have long been the butt of jokes, but new research shows they might actually pose a health risk, with low-quality diets failing to meet basic nutrition standards in hospitals and nursing homes.

A specific amount of the trace element copper has been linked to protecting cognitive function in older adults, providing new insight into how the mineral aids the brain. It may even offer greater benefits to people recovering from stroke.