Healthy eating with fruits and vegetables
Zaak OConan

Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The importance of fruits and vegetables to a healthy diet has been known for quite some time, but studies have shown that very few people eat the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet.

That’s a shame, since eating a sufficient number of fruits and vegetables just may be the single most effective thing you can do to improve your overall health. The five a day approach to healthy eating may be the single most important strategy you can adopt for a healthier lifestyle.

The many health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables have been established for quite some time now. Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions. Some studies have suggested that as many as 35% of cancer deaths can be attributed to diet, and that diets high in fats and low in fruits and vegetables contributes to unnecessary cancer deaths.

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance. For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals. Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal. Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

In addition to their great taste, fruits and vegetables are packed full of many essential vitamins and minerals, including many micronutrients that are not included in packaged vitamin supplements. For instance, foods like butternut squash, pumpkins, carrots, mangoes, peaches, pawpaws and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is vital for healthy skin and eyes.

In addition, most varieties of fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, another important vitamin and a strong antioxidant. Good sources of vitamin C include Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, nectarines and kiwi fruit. Many fruits and vegetables, including spinach, broccoli and avocadoes, are also good sources of vitamin E, another excellent antioxidant.

Men and women alike should always strive to eat a healthy diet, but women have an extra incentive to get all the nutrition they need. Proper nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy, and some of the baby’s biggest nutritional needs happen before the pregnancy is discovered. Folic acid is perhaps the best known essential nutrient for pregnant women. Folic acid has been proven effective at preventing a variety of birth defects, including Spina Bifida. Good dietary sources of folic acid include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and oranges. In addition, due to its importance to women of child bearing years, many common foods such as cereals and breads, are supplemented with folic acid.

In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber. Adequate fiber in the diet is important in preventing heart disease and some kinds of cancer.

Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, low calorie nature of these foods. Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long term weight loss. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

With all these things going for them, it is no wonder so many dietary experts recommend eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious and nutritious, but they can be quite inexpensive as well. Buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, and that are in season, is usually the most cost effective way to get the freshest fruits and veggies at the lowest possible cost.

This buying strategy also helps to ensure a steady stream of new fruits and vegetables every month, as some go out of season while others are just coming in. Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may not be familiar with, is also a great way to create exciting new dishes and prevent yourself from becoming bored with the same old diet. Whether your goal is to lose weight or just increase your level of fitness, it is hard to go wrong with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

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One doctors quick weight loss diet that I found is called Medifast. Touted as one of the best kept weight loss secrets around today, Medifast can help improve your overall health by assisting you in your weight loss efforts with excellent nutrition and a great support staff.

Medifast was developed by a doctor and is an awesome weight loss program. Because it was developed by a doctor, other doctor’s trust it and therefore have recommended Medifast to their patients more than any other doctors quick weight loss diet since 1980.

If you want to lose weight quickly and not be hungry in the process, this is good because Medifast has been formulated with something called the High Fullness Index. You can lose any where form 2 to 5 pounds a week while on the plan and learn how to cook and live healthier all the while.

The meals you get while on the Medifast plan are high protein, low fat, with lots of fiber, and fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. You can rest assured that you are receiving all the nutrition your body needs and still lose all the weight you want and need to. while also adhering to the low glycemic index recommendations the Medifast meals are perfect for people with Type II diabetes.

People without diabetes benefit also because the low glycemic index recommendations are not just for people with diabetes, and if you follow this or any diet that adheres to these recommendations you can stop the insulin dumping that can happen and maybe even curb some of those cravings you have for sweets.

Medifast meals include: shakes, bars, brownies, soft serve ice cream, pudding, soups, beverages, breakfast items like oatmeal, pancakes, and scrambled eggs, and snack foods like pretzels and cheese puffs.

With your choice of 4-week meal packages, 2-week meal packages, diabetic and gluten-free meal packages or enhanced meal packages, and a support system that is second to none when it comes to offering hope to people who thought all was lost, Medifast offers the variety you need and want and treats each customer with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Medifast meals are developed by dedicated individuals who are committed to creating high quality, superior products at fair market pricing. Research teams continue to expand product lines and strive to maintain the exceptional quality of the products developed by Medifast.

Support comes in the forms of several different programs such as, discussion groups, blogs videos, along with free guides and tools to help make sure you succeed. You can also have access to your own personal coach to help teach you how to change your lifestyle and form new habits. One on one counseling is also available.

You can also choose to work with a personal medical practitioner throughout your weight loss journey with Medifast so you can get support from someone you trust who knows you and your history. You owe it to yourself to choose Medifast as your next and maybe last doctors quick weight loss diet plan.

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While on a weight loss plan, it can sometimes be difficult to decide what foods to eat. If you’re attempting to change your diet for the better, you should consider adding foods that fight flab. Each of these foods packs are a high nutritional punch and a low calorie count. Most contain essential nutrients some even have necessary fats. Imagine that fat on a diet! Let’s learn what foods to add if you want to truly supercharge your diet and burn fat quickly.

1. Oatmeal
This whole grain is truly a nutritional powerhouse. Oatmeal is high fiber and low calorie. It is also very filling. Add a serving of oatmeal to your breakfast, and boost your calorie burning power. Be sure to use plain cooked oatmeal. Flavored instant oatmeal is packed with sugar, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors. Stick to real oatmeal steel cut oats if possible.
2. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are packed full of fiber as well. These low calorie, high nutrient vegetables are a great filler food. Add a salad as an appetizer before your lunch or dinner to help you feel full. Choose deep green leaves such as spinach and romaine lettuce. Avoid iceberg lettuce whenever possible it has very few nutrients.
3. Olive Oil
Olive oil is a great fat to add to your diet. Along with carbohydrates, proteins, and other nutrients, your body needs healthy fats to function properly. Saut veggies in olive oil, drizzle it over your salad, and spread it on bread. Adding healthy fats to your diet will help you reduce cravings for fat and make it easier to cut out the junk food.
4. Nuts
Nuts are another way to add healthy fats to your diet. Nuts and nut spreads add fiber and help you to feel full. Adding healthy fats to your diet is a great way to avoid unhealthy foods, as youll already feel satisfied.
5. Beans
Beans and legumes are a cheap, healthy food. They are packed with fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Bean dips and spreads can be a great substitute for high fat dips for veggies or baked chips.

As you adjust your diet, be sure to add some of these power packed foods. Each is low calorie and contains high amounts of essential nutrients. As you choose, look for low calorie, high fiber foods. These are good ways to feel satisfied without eating excess calories.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used or interpreted as such. You should always consult a medical professional before making drastic changes to your diet.

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If you are following a low carb vegetarian diet to lose weight, the same principles apply. You need to turn more, watch what you eat and eat less. A grade of more exercise and less food will shift those pounds faster than following an exercise or diet program alone.

Following a vegetarian diet can leave you low in specific essential vitamins and minerals. It is not express to be low in iron and B vitamins. You may need to take a addition. There are extraordinarily of vegan and vegetarian brands available.

People sometimes consider that following a vegetarian diet will lead to weight loss. Tempo this can happen it really depends on what you eat. Some vegetarians have weight issues as they eat a lot of high fat cheese and other dairy products.

Just like non vegetarians, they may like their curries and their takeaways not to mention cakes and biscuits. Dont just assume that because they eat more vegetables they are healthier.

Properly following a reduced carbohydrate vegetarian diet will lead to better health owing to your cholesterol will benefit and your finances will love the additional fruit and vegetables. But you cannot just eat apples and salads. You need to make sure that you eat a variety of different grit sources in order to replace those vitamins and minerals normally found in unlovely commodities.

The real benefit that vegetarians are likely to have over their non vegetarian dieters is that they already read labels very closely. This means that you are more likely to spot hidden fats and sugars and thus avoid them. Also most vegetarians cook more at home as the availability of ready made pure vegetarian meals is more limited. Cooking at home allows you to avoid the bad fats and salt that are added to packaged meals to make them last longer on the supermarket shelves.

Vegetarians tend to eat soya already considering a substitute for either dairy products or protein. Soya has been proved so beneficial that most diet experts suggest we should all be eating more. An amount of 25g of soy per day may provide more health benefits.

Eating more causatum and vegetables is not likely to act for problem for most vegetarians although a couple would benefit from increasing the change and colors they eat. Green leafy vegetables such as Kale and Broccoli will help you to get the nutrients you need.

When following a low carbohydrates vegetarian diet, you need to follow similar principles to all other dieters. Cut the fizzy drinks and the alcohol out of your diet until you reach your weight loss goal. Eating whole fruits or vegetables is much better for your diet and your teeth than drinking sequence juices.

Contour back on tea and coffee and if you add milk try using skimmed milk. Skimmed milk contains more calcium and fewer calories than the full fat version.

Eat dairy products if your principles allow you to but opt for low fat to complement your low carb vegetarian diet.

24 Hour Fitness
http://www.www.24-hr-fitness.com

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