Tag Archives: Colored Fruits

The Key Superfoods you Need for Weight Loss

The reason why you need to incorporate these superfoods into your diet is because they provide excellent nutrients that fuel your body for optimum efficiency as well as help reduce inflammation which allows you to recover better between workouts. All this means you make greater progress in your weight loss.

Make sure you incorporate as many of these foods as you can on a daily basis to stoke your metabolism fat burning furnace.

Fruit: These fruits are high in antioxidants, which help with disease prevention and contain flavonoids. Flavonoids help with eyesight and coordination. These dark colored fruits are also a good source of fiber and boost your immune system.

* Raspberries

* Blueberries,

* Blackberries

* Guava (great source of lycopene)

* Goji Berries

* Dried Plums

Nuts: Great source of fiber, phytoestrogens, vitamin B6, niacin, magnesium, healthy monounsaturated fats, and protein. These nuts help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and seem to help maintain healthy blood vessels.

* Almonds

* Walnuts

* Cashews

* Brazil Nuts

* Hazelnuts

Bean/Lentils: Beans are a great source of protein and fiber as well as low in calories. They help to stabilize blood sugars and provide isoflavones that help to prevent certain forms of cancers and heart disease.

* Legumes (chickpeas, lima beans, lentils, dry beans)

* Black Beans,

* Red Beans

Oils: Particulary Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is a heart healthy fat that helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. It contains anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps to control cravings

Fish: Fish contains the potent Omega 3 fatty acid. It is potent in a very good way. It helps your body store less fat and helps your body convert fat to energy. It is a great anti-inflammatory as well as wonderful brain food. The ADA recommends that you consume 1.5-3gms of Omega 3 fats a day. One serving of the choices below will provide almost 4 gms of Omega 3 fats.

* Salmon

* Tuna

* Mackeral

Vegetables: A variety of colors is the key here. For example carrots are a great source of beta carotene , which can reduce the risk of cancer, tomato contains lycopene another powerful anti-oxidant that reduces the risk of cancer.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach contain carotenoids that improve your immune system and is full of vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget about these other powerful vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and other cruciferous vegetables that contain cancer fighting properties as well as a great source of fiber which aids in weight loss.

Approved vegetables:

* Carrots

* Tomato

* Broccoli

* Kale

* Spinach

* Cauliflower

* Beets

* Cabbage

* Swiss Chard

* Purslane

Green Tea: Not only is non-caffeinated fluid good for you, but research has shown that green tea may be one of the best disease fighting fluids you can consume. It is very high in antioxidants and scientists have shown that is has reduced cancer in individuals by as much 60%. It actually inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Studies have indicated that it reduces overall cholesterol levels as well as increasing the ratio of HDL (good) cholesterol to LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Here are just some of the ailments that drinking green tea helps:

* cancer

* rheumatoid arthritis

* high cholesterol levels

* cariovascular disease

* infection

* impaired immune function

There is also some research that drinking green tea shows benefits to those wanting to lose weight. Researchers showed that those that consumed caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those that consumed caffeine or a placebo. It looks very encouraging so far based on the studies that have been released.

If you can eat as many of these superfoods as you can on a daily basis you will be running at peak efficiency and burning maximum calories to stoke the fat burning furnace called your metabolism.

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What are goji berries? – Part 3

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About 6 months ago, after reading about the wonders of the Goji fruit, I visited my Health food store to purchase some. I am always trying new and different herbs and if I can’t grow it, I buy it. I was somewhat floored at the price for this wonder fruit. I thought with the hefty price tag, maybe I should try to grow the berries in my garden. However, until that time, I sparingly parted with the cash to purchase the dried berries which I use primarily with my morning cereal and to make my own juice. To date I still haven’t grown Goji berries but I do have a renewed understanding of why this fruit, that is a panacea for numerous health issues, cost so much.

What are Goji Berries?

Goji berries, orange red colored fruits, are produced by the plant Lycium Barbarum, and are also known as the Wolfberry, Brocksdorn, Duke of Argyll’s tea tree, Matrimony Vine and Barbary. A perennial, it grows about 3 to 4 feet and is native to China. While the West has just recently discovered the Goji berry, it has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for some 6,000 years.

The best quality Goji berries are produced in two provinces in the northwest region of China; The Ningxia Province and The Xinjiang Province, that produce a portion of the 60 million pounds of Goji produced worldwide. So why are Goji berries so pricy? It is a classic case of supply and demand. There is not enough of this wonder fruit produced to meet the huge demands.

Ingredients:

Polysaccharides, are referred to as the “Master Molecule” which strengthens the immune system and thus a defense against many immune deficiency related illnesses. A study was undertaken in China in 1994 which found that 79 cancer patients who participated in a goji regimen, responded much better to their treatment.

Vitamins: Goji berries have several vitamins including Vitamin E, Essential Fatty Acids. Betaine, B-Complex vitamins and more vitamin C than oranges.

Minerals: With some 21 essential minerals, one can see where Goji berries get their power house reputation. Some of these minerals are iron, selenium and zinc. It is like a multivitamin in a berry.

Antioxidants: Goji berries have a wide variety of antioxidants including the best source of cartenoids, and Zeaxanthin, which is good for improving the eyesight.

Amino Acids: Goji berries outshine other plants with a whopping 19 amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and Goji berries also have the eight essential

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