Acai berries, blueberries and other fruits high in antioxidants

1. Blueberries

You might already be aware of blueberries' high antioxidant content, but surprisingly many people are not. Easy to find at most any grocery store or market, blueberries are one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase your antioxidant intake naturally without pills. The ORAC rating of one cup blueberries is very high at 9019.[1] If you can afford to, eating one cup a day is an excellent way to supplement your diet.

2. Blackberries

Although generally more difficult to find than blueberries, blackberries are another well known berry which contains a very high concentration of antioxidants. The ORAC value has officially been listed at 7701 per cup.[1] Most often you will find blackberries in a berry mix along with raspberries and blueberries.

3. Cherries

Everyone's heard of cherries, those unmistakable sweet, shiny red berries. However not everyone realizes what a great source of antioxidants they are. Next time you dive into a cherry pie, you'll be happy to know it's helping to ward off free radicals. One cup of cherries has been determined to have an ORAC rating of 4873 which puts them a few steps below blueberries, but they're so tasty you'll probably end up eating twice as many anyway![1]

4. Wolfberries

Known commercially as goji berries in North America and other regions outside their native China, wolfberries are another berry which has been shown to have high levels of antioxidants. While their ORAC value has not yet been independently confirmed, one could assume their rating is near or even greater than the ORAC value of blueberries. Wolfberries have a unique semi-sweet flavor and the dried berries make a good, healthy snack.

5. Acai berries

All the rage on the internet these days, acai berry is the latest "miracle" berry. There is no doubting the high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals they contain, the exact ORAC rating has not been determined by an independent organization. It should be assumed the rating for acai berries is somewhere near or above that of blueberries. The acai berry originated from South America, namely Brazil where it has been cultivated for hundreds of years and is consumed in a variety of ways.

6. Noni berries

More commonly known as Indian mulberries in their native region, noni berries are similar to acai and wolberries in the way they have been marketed as health and diet supplements. Sponsored studies have determined the ORAC rating to be leagues ahead of blueberries, blackberries and cherries, but an independent study determined their antioxidant value to be even less than that of oranges.[2]

When thinking about how healthy a berry or fruit might be for you, it would be wise to also consider and research the concentrations of phytochemicals, flavonoids and xanthones. Probably the best decision would be to consume a variety of berries and fruits so you receive all the benefits. Some berries and fruits might even have synergistic effects when eaten together.

Reference:

1. Nutrient Data Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods - 2007.

2. Nutrient composition of the blended Noni Juice, a PDF file located on-line at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out151_en.pdf

What are some of the best foods to eat

Most people could be regarded as food enthusiasts because of their fondness for eating. Many people love to try out new foods from all over the world, they like to experience new things. Eating has become a most common leisure activity that friends and family enjoy. Dining on fine cuisine and talking with friends is one of the best things you can do for your health.

People always want to try new cuisine and new experiences. This could probably be one reason why more and more people tend to fall into the obese category. Who can blame them? There are several great dishes that you must try at least once in your lifetime but sometimes because they are so good for the palate, trying these dishes once isn’t enough.

There are several different foods you can consider best depending on your mood and taste. Some people think that the best foods to eat are those inspired by a particular country or genre while others consider foods to be best if they are able to satisfy their cravings for sweets, something sour or salty.

You need to keep in mind that no matter how thrilling and enjoyable new cuisine is to you, be prepared for how your stomach will react. That is to say, the best types of foods to eat are those that are healthy and could make you feel full for a long time, and are able to satisfy your discriminating taste buds.

Some of the 10 best foods to eat include vegetables, fruits, oats, breads, cereals, fish, rice, nuts, chicken, and beef. All these foods are healthy and nutritious to the body and could help free you from health related illnesses and risks. Eating could be enjoyed if you know how to monitor it and moderate your eating habits. That is to say you have to learn to eat everything in moderation and bear in mind that most foods nowadays are made with the use of healthy ingredients like grains, wheat and low calorie contents.

Avoid junks, sweets, sodas and other fattening foods that can satisfy your craving in the mean time but could risk your health eventually.

Did You Know Cheating (On Your Diet) Brings Success

 

If you need to lose weight, you're probably trying to work out more. And it is a near certainty that you're following some kind of weight-loss eating plan. While you know that this diet is good for you, I bet the thought of eating less and going without your favorite foods from now on is not a pleasant one. Luckily, there's hope. It turns out that occasionally cheating on your diet isn't a problem. In fact, cheating may be a key to succeeding on your diet. That probably sounds strange, but it's true. Keep reading to find out why cheating is good when you're trying to get fit.

When you're want to lose significant weight, you need to work out more, but you also need to control the amount of food you eat. To get really lean, you will have to consume fewer calories than you need to keep your weight were it is now. This is where things get tricky.

One of the reasons that any kind of diet doesn't work well over the long term is because your body adapts. If you regularly consume fewer calories than you need to maintain your current weight, your body may take this as a signal that there isn't enough food. In other words, your body can start to behave as if you are in danger of starving.

If your body is in starvation mode, it adapts in a variety of ways. First, it tries to store as much energy as it can, in the form of fat, in case the "food shortage" lasts. Second, it reduces your metabolic rate to conserve energy. In this low energy state, you become listless and cranky as your metabolism goes down. Even worse, your body puts less energy into internal maintenance and repairs in order to keep you alive. Your joints start to get creaky and injuries take longer to heal. In extreme cases, your body will use your muscle tissue as fuel, as it tries to retain every bit of fat it can for later. The goal of your body is to survive until there's more food.

As you can imagine, the outcome of this adaptation isn't pleasant. You end up listless, with little energy to work out. If you do get up the energy to exercise, your workout will be low quality. You are more likely to get injured, and it takes a long time to recover. Any food you do eat gets stored as blubber around your waist. Your muscles might actually start to fade away. Not the best conditions for working out and getting fit. This is where cheating helps you succeed.

Your body doesn't switch into starvation mode quickly. You need to be short on food for several days straight before it switches over. If you don't experience that significant shortage of calories for that number of days, your body won't start running in starvation mode. You'll get the positive aspects of your low-calorie diet, without suffering through starvation mode.

So, to get the best results if you go on a strict diet, you need to break it once in a while. At regular intervals, you need to consume many more calories than the plan calls for, to prevent your body from thinking you are starving. That makes life easier, and there's another benefit. If you eat your favorite junk food on thedays when you break the diet, it is much easier to stay on your diet the rest of the time. After all, there's a big difference between giving up your favorite foods altogether, and still having them, say, once a week on your cheating days.

A simple way to cheat is to eat anything you want about once a week. However, there are more efficient ways to do this. For the best results possible, without the negative effects of starvation mode, you should get expert advice on all aspects of the way you eat, including whether cheating is appropriate for your current diet and exercise program.

Is Milk Good For You?

Is milk good for you? Our government says yes, but most scientists who do not work for the dairy industry say no. Why the discrepancy? Let's look at the research.

Though most people still think that milk is good for their bones, there is no evidence for this. The famous Harvard Nurses Study followed more than 77,000 women for over twelve years. Among other things, researchers wanted to see if milk would help prevent or slow the progression of osteoporosis (a disease that makes bones more brittle). Not only was there no evidence of any benefit, researcher Doctor Robert M. Kradjian of Seton Medical Center in California points out that "Fracture rates were higher for those who consumed three or more servings, compared to those who did not drink milk."

Some scientists now believe that the particular types of proteins in milk may lead to bone damage. In addition, most agree that the calcium found in dairy products isn't very absorbable for humans. Calcium found in plants is much easier to absorb. These sources include leafy green vegetables, as well as sesame butter (used in humus), some other seeds, whole grains and nuts.

Milk And Digestion

Lactose intolerance is another problem with milk. I once cared for a little girl who vomited whenever she ate ice cream or drank milk. After a bit of research I found that most Native Americans like her don't have the enzymes necessary to digest lactose, which is a natural milk sugar. Most adults of all races eventually lose their ability to easily digest dairy products, resulting in digestive problems, gas and irritable bowels.

Lactase supplements can help. The enzyme lactase helps you digests lactose. You simply take a capsule whenever you eat dairy products, convincing a two-year-old of that wasn't easy. But lactose intolerance is not the only problem with milk.

Milk Allergies

Some, possibly many people are allergic to the proteins in milk and dairy products. Common symptoms include inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and sometimes throughout the body. People often suffer from this for years before learning why. Milk and dairy allergies are also a common cause of sinusitis, as well as frequent colds and ear infections.

It seems increasingly likely that milk is bad for you. But if you're not allergic to dairy, and not lactose intolerant, it may not do any harm. More good news: yoghurt and soft cheeses may digest more easily, and have beneficial substances not found in milk. Of course, we haven't even touched on the possibility that the hormones fed to cows may pass into humans and have unhealthy effects. We're still waiting for the research on that.

The Bottom Line?

You may wonder why you don't hear more about these issues. Dairy producers spend millions to promote their products as healthy, and have an obvious profit motive to do so. But why does our own government promote the idea that milk is a health food? Perhaps it is because dairy producers are subsidized, and would require more subsidies if sales dropped. Is milk good for you? I guess it is if you're a dairy farmer.

Your Diet Will Never Get You Anywhere

 

Researchers have recently shown that a low-carbohydrate diet appears to be effective in helping overweight people shed pounds safely. In 2008, a study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, titled, "Weight Loss With a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet." The study seems reasonable conclusive, with people losing more weight on the low-carb diet than on the others, and without any of the supposed health risks that some people claim are associated with low-carb eating.

So that's cool. To get fit at last just requires a low-carb diet and time, right? Not exactly. We need to look into this a bit more to see why a great diet plan isn't enough to get you the fitness you are looking for.

One major concern is that dieting alone doesn't do anything to help you retain your muscles. Many people don't know this, but once we reach thirty or so years of age, we tend to lose muscle mass. An average person will lose 5-10 pounds of muscle for every decade they age beyond the age of 30. And dieting doesn't change that. It might reduce the amount of fat concealing your shrinking muscles, but it won't maintain those muscles, much less build more muscle mass.

Now this latest study didn't specifically look at muscle mass (a search of the original report didn't even turn up a mention of muscle) so it's possible that one type of diet could have more of an effect on muscle mass than another. But going by the results of this study, there's no reason to believe that any type of diet will do anything special to prevent the gradual muscle loss that comes with age. It's going to be hard to build an awesome body when your youthful, sexy muscles are slowing fading away.

Second, the results cited in this study are lame. The participants were overweight men and women, or people with Type 2 diabetes. They were placed on one of three types of diet. Each person also received instructions and information related specifically to the type of diet they were on. Over the course of two years, each group of people got a total of 27 hours worth of meetings with a dietician who helped them stay with the plan. People who had trouble sticking to the plan received motivational phone calls as well.

The results of all this? For people who stuck with it the entire two years, the average weight loss for the low-fat diet was 3.3 kg (7.27 lb), for the Mediterranean diet was 4.6 kg (10.14 lb), and for the low-carb diet was 5.5 kg (12.13 lb). In addition, participants saw some improvement in cholesterol levels and other health markers.

These results are very discouraging. With a lot of support and professional coaching, the best diet only resulted in the long-term loss of about a half a pound a month. There's no denying that for an overweight person to lose weight safely over the long term is a good thing, but we're not talking about impressive results here. What about for you? Would losing 12 pounds in 2 years, while simultaneously losing some of your youthful muscle, make you happy?

A healthy diet is surely a good thing, and crucial to building the body you want. But as this study shows, dieting alone won't get you there. The secret to superior health and fitness is http://getfitatlast.com">a plan that combines diet and exercise.

A Meal Schedule To Get Fit

The food we eat affects our fitness and our appearance. There is no question about that. The type and amount of food you eat is important, when you eat and how often you eat is also important. If you want to succeed in improving your health and fitness, you should keep reading.

What time you eat has a major effect on your results. Let's start from the very beginning. When you first wake up, your body has been without food for many hours. Your blood sugar level first thing in the morning is low, and your body is running on reserves. Once those reserves are used up, your body will turn to its next available source of fuel, your muscles! It's very difficult to work out hard and focus on getting fit when you're weak from lack of food, and your body is breaking down your muscles for energy. You really should eat something nutritious as soon as possible after waking up. This gives your body the energy it needs to start the day, and spares your muscles.

Now you understand why it's so important to eat when first thing in the morning. In short, eating healthy foods as soon as you get up in the morning will help you get off to a great start for your day. This is one part of the equation for getting fit quickly.

The quest to keep your blood sugar level in the right zone also determines how often you should eat. Within 3 to 4 hours after a meal, your body digests whatever you ate and your blood sugar level will start heading down again. So you really should eat something every 3 hours or so (except when you are sleeping at night).

If you think about this for a minute, you're going to need more meals than most people do each day. To gain the benefits of keeping your blood sugar stable, you need to eat 5 or 6 times a day, instead of three times like most people. Even if you get up at 6:00 AM, and space your meals 3 to 3 and a half hours apart, your blood sugar should should stay pretty much right where you want it all day.

When you eat more meals you need to eat smaller meals. One common way to do this without drastically reworking the way you eat is to have somewhat smaller meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and supplement them with two nutritious snacks of around 100 calories. Those snacks are then eaten during the biggest gaps between meals, typically between each of the main meals or one between lunch and dinner and the other before bedtime.

Eat this way for a few weeks and see the results for yourself. It will take you one step closer to getting as fit as you desire.

Acai Berry Diet Has It All, Fat Loss and Great Taste

What Oprah says goes, and when it comes to the Acai Berry Diet that she recently touted on her hit show, the berry is now gone. Not to be alarmed, I mean gone in a positive way. It has gone out to just about every individual in the US who saw the show or heard about the show. You do a simple search on line and the only thing you read about is what Oprah spoke about.I want to make sure that the facts she laid out there are understandable.

First of all, the Acai Berry which had relatively little publicity here in the states, has actually been used for a long time. It is grown in the Amazon basin so it is possible that we were not the first to have found this marvelous berry. Indigenous people to the area have relied on its nutrients to keep them healthy and in shape, although I am not sure they knew that is what it was doing for them. Did these people care about the aging look or the spare tire around the middle? Possibly not because they did not have this problem thanks to the Acai Berry.

Oprah had some perfect points about the Acai Berry Diet. It is what is known as a superfood. Not only is it filled with an assortment of antioxidants that the body definitely needs and hardly gets enough of but when you have this type of positive for the inside of the body, of course it is going to do wonders to the outside. The skin soaks up the nutrients as well. This probably goes without saying, but perhaps with this superfood, the effects of good eating are reflected on the outside at a relatively fast rate.

There are items that were not mentioned on the Oprah show that probably should not be overlooked. Maybe that is all that happened on the show is that there were simple things that were not mentioned, probably due to the lack of time. But there are other superfoods on the market that can offer the type of boost as the Acai berry. There are superfoods that are full of antioxidants, can help speed up your metabolism and help you feel and look better. The trick here is having them taste as nice or be as available as the new Acai Berry Diet seems to be now.

There are several ways to lose fat, but the Acai Berry Diet has proven itself to be an excellent fast fat loss program.