Every path scientists take leads to more discoveries and greater understanding of how foods help protect against several health problems.

These health problems may include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and even cancer.

For those who missed important health updates, here's a list of discoveries scientists have recently made.

Some of these preliminary findings were presented at the American Society for Nutrition's inaugural flagship meeting in Boston, Nutrition 2018.

Eggs

Eggs are a rich source of valuable nutrients including protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and lecithin. In a recent 12-week study conducted on obese individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, researchers discovered that consuming eggs may help lower the risk for diabetes.

The researchers found that the participants who consumed an egg each day exhibited greater improvements in fasting blood sugar levels and insulin resistance as compared to those who consumed a substitute.

A separate study published in the journal Heart found that consuming an egg each day may also lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. The study was conducted on over 400,000 adults in China.

Despite these benefits, eggs are known to contain higher levels of cholesterol can be harmful when consumed in large amounts.

Pecans

Many Americans are familiar with pecan pie but not pecans. Like most other nuts, they are rich in nutrients such as zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, phosphorus, and folate.

In a new study, researchers found that consuming pecans on a daily basis may reduce cardiometabolic risk factors including levels of blood sugar, insulin resistance, and insulin-producing cell function.

The researchers said that more study is needed to see if consuming small amounts of pecans regularly would also help reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Coffee

New research that investigated the link between the consumption of coffee and liver-related hospitalizations reveals that drinking around three cups of coffee each day could be beneficial for the liver.

A study conducted on more than 14,000 individuals between the ages of 45 and 64 years old yielded the aforementioned results. The finding, according to researchers, provided evidence for the link between regular coffee consumption and the reduced risk of developing liver disease.

Fermented Dairy Products: Yogurt

In a study of more than a 100,000 individuals, researchers discovered that participants who ate yogurt exhibited the lowest risk for colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer and colon cancer.

In another study published last month in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that consuming yogurt could reduce chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been associated with several diseases including, arthritis, asthma, and bowel disease.