5 reasons to drink GREEN TEA

Here are five tea benefits worth lifting your teacup to:

1. Tea can help you lose weight.

How it works: Compounds in the Camellia sinensis plant (from which comes all black, green, and white tea) provide a mild metabolic boost that amounts to the body burning an extra 45 to 50 calories a day, Reardon says. "It sounds small, but over just a year, that could easily add up to five or more pounds."

What's more, in 2011 Japanese researchers identified two tea compounds, theaflavins and thearubigins, that slow weight gain in rats fed a high-fat diet -- though only when there was no milk added (proteins in cow's milk interfered with weight control). Chinese researchers have identified another compound in tea, catechins, that also contributes to weight loss.

Here's one other way drinking tea contributes to weight loss: Without additives like dairy or sugar, tea is a zero-calorie substitute for sodas, juice, or sugared drinks. And the more tea you sip, the fuller you feel.

Tea note: Neither herbal teas -- which are made from infusions of fruits, leaves, roots, grains, and flavorings -- or green tea capsules have been shown to contribute to weight loss.

2. Tea can keep you calm and focused.

How it works: The caffeine in black and green teas can contribute to keeping you awake, although not as well as coffee. But another compound called L-theanine, a unique neurologically active amino acid that crosses the blood-brain barrier, can also have a direct effect on your ability to focus. By altering brain-wave activity, the substance has been shown to create a relaxed, alert state. Green tea is an especially good source of L-theanine. Three to four cups of tea a day has been shown to have a calming effect while also enhancing attention, Reardon says. It's like having the jolt of joe but without the jittery side effect. Regular tea drinkers have also been found to have lower levels of cortisol -- the "stress hormone."

Tea note: Worried that tea will dehydrate you? To the contrary: Researchers have found tea to be as hydrating as water -- and possibly even more beneficial, since it provides protective antioxidants while also replacing fluids. (Coffee tends to be more dehydrating, since it contains almost twice as much caffeine as even strongly brewed tea.)

3. Tea can help repair cancerous cell damage.

How it works: Tea is one of the richest sources of flavonoids, an antioxidant plant compound that can help fight cell damage. Flavonoids help regulate the normal cell cycle or reestablish a cell cycle gone awry. That means that flavonoids help repair DNA damage that can make cells become cancerous, or repair signals that encourage abnormal cells to self-destruct before they reproduce rampantly . "Flavonoids can act to put out the fires of oxidative damage," Reardon says.

Green tea has been linked in research studies to a reduced risk of breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and bladder cancer. Black tea has shown similar benefits in various cancer studies, but it contains lower concentrations of antioxidants. (Green tea has been the most studied in terms of cancer prevention and is a hotbed of ongoing research.)

Tea note: Let green tea steep for several minutes in order to get the maximum flavonoids. Green tea is the best food source of catechins, an antioxidant that may be more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E in its ability to halt oxidative damage. Tea also has higher concentrations of polyphenols (a type of antioxidant that's even better at combating the free radicals that cause cell damage) than most fruit or vegetable sources.

4. Tea may ward off postmenopausal bone loss.

How it works: Scientists aren't sure exactly how tea seems to protect the microarchitecture of bones. But there's growing evidence that women ages 65 to 76 who drink black tea have stronger bones than their counterparts who don't. In both women and men over age 50, drinking black tea has been associated with a lower risk of hip fracture in some studies. Other studies have found that those who drink the highest levels of green tea tend to have the lowest rate of osteoporosis. The research about bone health and tea is still considered speculative, but some health experts recommend drinking tea as a preventive measure for those who are premenopausal or who are at risk of osteopenia (bone thinning that's a precursor to osteoporosis).

Tea tip: You can vary the taste of tea by experimenting with different types: black, oolong, green, and white. Black has the most caffeine, while white has the most antioxidants (followed closely by green) and the least caffeine. The difference between the four types lies in their processing: White tea is picked and air-dried. Green tea is picked, heated (usually steamed), and then dried. Black tea goes through an added step of oxidation, and oolong is partly oxidized.

5. Tea protects your teeth and gums.

How it works: The antioxidant catechin found in tea may help reduce inflammation and inhibit the growth of harmful plaque, protecting teeth and gums. Tea also contains some fluoride -- the enamel-protecting substance that dentists recommend. A 2009 study in the Journal of Periodontology looked at 940 Japanese men ages 49 to 59 and found that those who drank green tea regularly had healthier gums than those who drank less green tea. For every cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in three key indicators of periodontal problems. (Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gums and bones.) Other studies at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry have found similar benefits from black tea and oolong tea. These teas can affect the enzyme responsible for converting sugars into the sticky material that plaque uses to adhere to teeth. Black tea also destroys or suppresses growth and acid production of cavity-causing bacteria. The same UI team found that rinsing with black tea for 30 seconds every three minutes, five times in a row, stops oral bacteria from growing and producing the acid that causes cavities.

Tea note: You can drink tea hot or cold, although be aware that iced tea tends to be more diluted. Some 85 percent of the tea drunk in the United States is iced tea, usually made with black tea, according to the Tea Association of the U.S. Be aware, too, of one potential downside for your pearly whites from black tea (whether cold or hot): It tends to stain enamel.

source: 

http://www.caring.com/articles/5-best-reasons-to-drink-tea

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5 reasons to drink COFFEE

Five surprising reasons to sip coffee:

1. Coffee slashes your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The health benefit: The more coffee you drink, the less likely it is you'll develop type 2 diabetes, numerous studies have shown. For example, postmenopausal women who drink at least four cups of coffee a day are less than half as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as those who don't drink coffee, according to a 2011 study of more than 700 women by the UCLA Schools of Public Health and Medicine.

In fact, every additional cup is thought to reduce the excess risk of type 2 diabetes by 7 percent, according to Australian researchers in a 2009 Archives of Internal Medicine meta-analysis of 18 different studies, which linked coffee drinking and diabetes prevention.

How it works: Coffee is thought to improve the body's tolerance to glucose by speeding metabolism and improving insulin tolerance.

The UCLA researchers discovered one possible molecular mechanism for this. Coffee consumption increases blood levels of a protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which seems to offer protection against type 2 diabetes in those who have a certain type of genetic mutation. (Decaf coffee didn't show this effect, however.)

If you're already showing signs of prediabetes, of course, you'll want to refrain from dunking doughnuts in that joe.

2. Coffee can counter cancerous cell damage.

The health benefit: Coffee was once believed to cause cancer -- but that was before researchers factored in such related behaviors of frequent sippers as smoking and drinking alcohol. Today, there's mounting evidence that coffee may be protective against certain cancers, possibly by enhancing DNA repair. Some of the best evidence concerns liver damage and liver cancer, which strikes more than 18,000 Americans a year. Multiple studies have found an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and liver cancer risk, including a 2007 meta-analysis of nine different studies.

Cancer-prevention researchers are finding similar benefits of coffee drinking versus other forms of the disease. In 2011, for example, a Harvard team found that women who drink several cups of coffee a day (caffeinated or decaf) have a lower risk of endometrial cancer. Another 2011 Harvard study reported that for men who consumed six cups of coffee a day, their risk of lethal prostate cancer was fully 60 percent lower than lesser coffee drinkers, and their risk of any kind of prostate cancer was 20 percent lower. Other studies have linked coffee drinking to a reduced risk of colon cancer, rectal cancer, oral cancer, and esophageal cancer.

How it works: Coffee contains hundreds of chemical compounds -- among them antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can decrease markers for the damaging process of inflammation. The highly active antioxidant compound methylpyridinium, for example, is found almost exclusively in coffee (both caffeinated and decaf types), due to the beans' roasting process. Espresso has two to three times the amount of this anticancer compound as a medium-roast coffee, according to the German researchers who identified it in coffee.

3. Coffee may lower your risk of dementia.

The health benefit: Scientists still don't fully understand what causes the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, but they're learning more about risk factors for dementia -- and a hearty coffee-drinking habit seems to lower the risk. When researchers in Sweden and Denmark tracked coffee consumption in a group of more than 1,400 middle-aged subjects for an average of 21 years, they found a clear connection. Those who quaffed three to five cups a day were 65 percent less likely to have developed dementia than the two-cups-or-fewer crowd. (Drinking five or more cups a day also seems to reduce the risk, although this group was too small to allow researcher to draw statistically significant results.)

How it works: Researchers believe the antioxidant properties of coffee may work to reduce vascular forms of dementia. Drinking coffee is already known to be protective against type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that raises the risk of dementia. (Having diabetes together with depression, for example, doubles dementia risk.)

Another theory: Animal studies indicate that the caffeine in coffee may improve the efficiency of the blood-brain barrier, thwarting the negative effects of high cholesterol on cognitive functioning. Caffeine added to rats' water improves their cognitive functioning and reduces by half the amount of abnormal amyloid protein in their brains, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. It's also possible that coffee drinkers simply have more energy and move more; researchers point out that exercise is protective against dementia, too.

4. Coffee protects (men, anyway) against Parkinson's disease.

The health benefit: At least for men, it seems pretty clear that coffee helps lower the odds of developing Parkinson's disease. Compared with abstainers, guys who down two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day have a 25-percent lower risk of Parkinson's. That's the conclusion of a review of 26 published studies looking at coffee consumption and Parkinson's. It echoes an earlier body of studies. The link hasn't been shown to be as strong for women.

Why it works: Researchers aren't sure what the protective mechanism at play is, or even whether it's the caffeine or other protective compounds that are behind the benefit. Genetics may play a role: One 2011 study found that subjects who carried certain types of a gene called GRIN2A received more neuroprotective benefits against Parkinson's from coffee (although coffee drinkers with all forms of the gene still had a lower risk of developing the disease).

5. Coffee may buffer depression.

The health benefit: Another large study links long-term coffee use with a reduced risk of depression. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health tracked 50,000 nurses in the Nurses' Health Study for more than a quarter century. In 2011, they reported that those who drank four cups of coffee or more per day had a 20-percent lower risk of developing depression, compared with those who rarely or never drank it. Those who downed two to three cups a day had about a 15-percent lower risk.

A much smaller study in Finland linked coffee consumption to a decreased risk of suicide in men. There's also some evidence that coffee protects against depression in men, too.

How it works: Nobody's sure, but one theory is that coffee drinking causes a short-term boost to energy and mood. The caffeine in coffee is probably the substance causing this effect -- the Harvard researchers saw a similar decrease in depression among those who drank caffeinated soft drinks and ate chocolate, both of which contain caffeine.

Brain receptors that respond to caffeine are found in the basal ganglia, the part of the brain where neurotransmitters critical to depression are concentrated. Repeated low-dose stimulation of these receptors may help protect against the development of depression.

source:

http://www.caring.com/articles/5-best-reasons-to-drink-coffee

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The Power of Water...part 2

5 Best Reasons to Drink Water

Of all the food and beverage choices you face every day, what's calorie-free, virtually cost-free, and, oh yes, essential to keeping you alive? Plain ol' water. But those aren't the only reasons to drink it.

"Water drives basic body performance," says Beth Reardon, director of nutrition for Duke Integrative Medicine, part of the Duke University Health System. "All of the systems in the body require water for proper functioning, and so do 90 percent of all chemical reactions in the body."

Here are the top five reasons to quench your thirst with water.

It will help you de-stress

Why: Being sure to sip water throughout a stressful day can soothe stress-induced symptoms as diverse as headaches, tense muscles, fuzzy thinking, a pounding heart, and low energy. That's because stress taxes all your basic body systems -- and when you're dehydrated, the effects are magnified.

Given that more than half your body weight is water, Reardon says, "just a 2-percent reduction in hydration has a dramatic impact on energy levels and cognitive function." And dehydration further raises levels of cortisol -- the "stress hormone."

Water won't wash your stressors away. But it can provide you with more energy, ease tension, slow breathing, and reduce the strain on your heart.

Water-drinking tip: "Eight by eight -- eight 8-ounce glasses a day -- is a good general rule of thumb," Reardon says, "but it's a myth that's the magic amount for everyone, because there are so many variables." The "right" amount for you depends on factors including your age, your activity level, your health level, medications you're taking, and the weather. So how do you know if you're drinking enough? Follow your thirst, and know that you're on the right track if you have straw-colored urine, Reardon says.

You'll lose weight

Why: In a 2010 study of adults aged 55 to 75, drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before meals was associated with almost four pounds more weight loss in 12 weeks than in a control group who ate a similar diet but didn't have the pre-meal H20. Participants drank an average of 1.5 cups of water a day before the study.

In part, the Virginia Tech researchers say, water is filling, so you feel fuller and eat less. An earlier study found those who drink water before meals consume an average of 75 fewer calories per meal. (Make that twice a day over a year, and that could add up to 14 pounds!) The Virginia Tech scientists also believe the water drinkers began swapping this zero-calorie beverage for sodas and other caloric beverages.

What's more, when you're well hydrated, your body is working closer to maximum efficiency -- enhancing aspects of weight loss, like digestion and muscle function, when you exercise.

Water-drinking tip: For variety's sake, try flavoring your water. Drop some fruit into a pitcher and let it sit a few minutes -- lemons, oranges, watermelon, and berries all work well. Or let an herbal or flavored green tea bag steep in unheated water to accent the taste.

You'll be less apt to get sick

Why: Hydration keeps your mucus membranes in top working order -- they're gatekeepers to the natural defense system that helps keep out germs such as cold and flu viruses. When these tissues dry out, germs can more easily penetrate to the nasopharynx, where the nasal passages and mouth meet. And if you catch a bug anyway, the severity of your illness is more likely to be lower if you've been drinking a lot of water.

Water is an especially smart health move when you're traveling. Most commercial planes fly at elevations between 30,000 and 35,000 feet, where humidity is 10 percent or lower. That means you're breathing dry air in a tight space filled with germs from dozens of people. Water keeps your mucus membranes moist -- and your defenses high -- even in that challenging situation.

Water-drinking tip: Bring an empty water bottle with you to the airport that you can fill for free once you're past security. Or buy the biggest bottle you can right before you board, and aim to finish it by flight's end. Don't hesitate to ask the flight attendant for refills while you're in the air.

You'll be more comfortable

Why: It doesn't matter if the water you sip is hot or ice-cold. The act of drinking it will keep you warmer on a cold day -- and cool you off on a hot one.

"Your internal thermostat works better when you're well hydrated," Duke nutritionist Beth Reardon says. "Water helps regulate body temperature."

The body's temperature-regulating system, governed by the hypothalamus in the brain, is constantly picking up information that allows it to make adjustments to maintain a fairly steady core temperature. Hot sun? You'll sweat to cool down. Hatless in snow? The hypothalamus will know you're losing heat through your head and work to produce extra energy, such as shivering.

But these mechanisms work less well if you're dehydrated – and dehydration is a common risk for people of all ages, in winter as well as summer. In cold weather, for example, you lose water vapor through your breath. And many people tend to drink less water in cold weather because they don't think they need it as much as on hot, sunny days.

Water-drinking tip: Start by swapping out one soda, cup of coffee, or high-calorie hot chocolate a day with an equal amount of water. Carry a bottle of water with you all day long as a visual reminder to pause and sip. Sip more when you're physically active, whether in water, snow, or any weather condition.

It will help regulate your blood pressure

Why: In 2010, the American Red Cross discovered that when blood donors were given 16 ounces of water to drink before giving blood, there was a 20 percent drop in fainting after the procedure. That was an important finding for them, given that many of those who faint then chalk blood donation up as a bad experience and never return to give again.

It's not entirely clear what mechanism is at work. But the Red Cross was inspired to conduct a study after researchers at Vanderbilt University noticed that drinking water activated the parasympathetic nervous system -- related to the "fight or flight" system that makes you more alert, elevates blood pressure momentarily, and boosts energy. Fainting after donating blood is often connected to a drop in blood pressure, and they theorized that the water would counter that effect.

(Not drinking enough water on a regular basis can also raise blood pressure. That's because dehydration causes blood vessels to constrict as the body strives to conserve water that it loses through perspiration, urination, and breathing. When blood vessels constrict, however, the heart pumps harder, bringing blood pressure up.)

Water-drinking tip: Start your day with a glass of water for a simple energy boost that remedies any dehydration that may have occurred overnight. Keep a filled glass or bottle on your nightstand or an empty one next to the bathroom sink.

source: 

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/5-best-reasons-drink-water#0

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The Power of Water...part 1

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.


METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3.. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily..
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks:
· Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
· Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
· You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
· Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
· 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
· Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

source: 

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/5-best-reasons-drink-water#0

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5 facts about green tea

Looking for a simple resolution to improve your overall health? Start drinking green tea. My daily beverage of choice, green tea is a potent source of catechins - healthy antioxidants that can inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity. Need more reasons to drink green tea? It can also:

• Lower cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease
• Help protect against bacterial infections
• Promote joint health and stronger bones
• Reduce inflammation
• Enhance the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and "superbugs"

Green tea is available in a wide range of varieties - introduce yourself by substituting a cup of green tea for a cup of coffee and you will soon be enjoying the health benefits of this delicious beverage! Learn to appreciate the subtle fragrance of quality green tea and use tea time to unwind, meditate and take respite from your stress du jour. 

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP04208/5-Reasons-to-Drink-Green-Tea.html

Drop Pounds by eating SUPERFOODS...part 4

Apples - An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay. People who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an "apple shape."
Eat more Apples are the ideal on-the-go low-calorie snack. For a pielike treat, chop up a medium apple and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Pop in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.







Steak - Beef has a reputation as a diet buster, but eating it may help you peel off pounds.Try to consume local organic beef; it's healthier for you and the environment.
Eat more Grill or broil a 4-ounce serving of top round or sirloin; slice thinly to top a salad, or mix with veggies for fajitas.







Eggs - Dig in to eggs, yolks and all: They won't harm your heart, but they can help you trim inches.
Eat more Omelets andscrambles are obvious choices, but if you can't cook before work, bake a frittata on Sunday; chill it and nuke slices for up to a week. An easy recipe:Vegetable Frittata




Kale - Long sidelined as a lowly garnish, this green belongs center stage on your plate. One raw chopped cup contains 34 calories and about 1.3 grams of fiber, as well as a hearty helping of iron and calcium.
Eat more Mix chopped raw kale into cooked blackbeans. Or slice kale into thin strips, sauté it with vegetable broth and top with orange slices. Make it a meal by tossing the mix with quinoa.




Oats - All oats are healthful, but the steel-cut and rolled varieties (which are minimally processed) have up to 5 grams of fiber per serving, making them the most filling choice. Instant oats contain 3 to 4 grams per serving.
Eat more "Instead of using breadcrumbs, add oats to meat loaf—about 1 cup for a recipe that serves eight," Iserloh recommends. Or try her recipe for turkey and oatmeal meatballs.

source: 
http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2010/03/20-superfoods-slideshow?mbid=synd_%20msnhealth#slide

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY HEALTH

Drop Pounds by eating SUPERFOODS...part 3

Blueberries - All berries are good for you, but those with a blue hue are among the best of the bunch. They have the highest antioxidant level of all commonly consumed fruit. They also deliver 3.6 grams of fiber per cup.
Eat more Instead of topping your cereal with fruit, fill your bowl withblueberries, then sprinklecereal on top and add milk or yogurt, Iserloh recommends.







Buckwheat pasta - Swap plain noodles for this hearty variety; you'll slip into yourskinny jeans in no time. "Buckwheat is high in fiber and, unlike most carbs, contains protein," Zuckerbrot says. "Those two nutrients make it very satiating, so it's harder to overeat buckwheat pasta than the regular stuff."
Eat more Cook thispasta as you do rice: Simmer it, covered, over low heat. For a light meal, toss cooked buckwheat pasta with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Or make buckwheat crepes using our tasty recipe.







Wild salmon - Not only do fish fats keep your heart healthy, but they shrink your waist, too. "Omega-3 fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity—which helps build muscle and decrease belly fat," Grotto explains. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Opt for wild salmon; it may contain fewer pollutants.
Eat more You don't need to do much to enhance salmon's taste, says Sidra Forman, a chef and writer in Washington, D.C. "Simple is best. Season a fillet with salt and pepper, then cook it in a hot pan with 2 tsp oil for 1 to 3 minutes on each side."







Goji berries - These chewy, tart berries have a hunger-curbing edge over other fruit: 18 amino acids, which make them a surprising source of protein.Snack on them midafternoon to stay satisfied until dinner. The calorie cost? Only 35 per tablespoon. Eat more Mix 1/4 cup of the dried berries (from health food stores) with 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup walnuts for a nourishing trail mix. Or for dessert, pour 1/4 cup boiling water into a bowl with 2 tbsp dried berries; let sit 10 minutes. Drain, then spoon over 1/2 cup lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt.







Lentils - Lentils are a bona fidebelly flattener. Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the abdominal area.
Eat more There are many varieties of lentils, but red and yellow cook fastest (in about 15 to 20 minutes). Add cooked lentils to pasta sauce for a heartier dish, Zuckerbrot suggests. "Their mild flavor blends right in, and because they're high in protein, you can skip meat altogether."

source: 

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2010/03/20-superfoods-slideshow?mbid=synd_%20msnhealth#slide

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY HEALTH

Drop Pounds by eating SUPERFOODS...part 2

Quinoa - Curbing hunger is as easy as piling your plate with this whole grain. It packs both fiber (2.6 grams per 1/2 cup) and protein, a stellar nutrient combo that can keep you satisfied for hours, Krieger says. 

Eat more Serve quinoa instead of rice with stir-fries, or try Krieger's take on a scrumptious hotbreakfast: Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup orange juice for 15 minutes. Top with 1 tbsp each of raisins and chopped walnuts.

Yogurt - Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as the perfect food, and for good reason: With its trifecta of carbs, protein and fat, it can stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. 

Eat more "Use lowfatplain yogurt instead ofmayonnaise in chicken or potato salad, or top a baked potato with a bit of yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice," Krieger says. You'll save 4.7 grams of fat per tablespoon. Look forGreek yogurt, which has more protein than other versions.

Chiles - One reason to spice up your meals: You'll crank up your metabolism. "A compound in chiles called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chiles," Zuckerbrot explains. 

Eat more Stuff chiles with cooked quinoa and marinara sauce, then roast them. To mellow a chile's heat, grill it until it's almost black, peel off charred skin and puree the flesh, Krieger says. Add the puree to pasta sauces for a one-alarm kick. Or stir red pepper flakes into any dish you enjoy.

Pomegranates - The juice gets all the hype for being healthy, but pomegranate seeds deserve their own spotlight. In addition to being loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants, they're low in calories and high in fiber, so they satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet.

Eat more Pop the raw seeds on their own (many grocery stores sell them preshucked) as a snack at your desk. "Use them in salads instead of nuts," Iserloh says. "They're especially delicious on raw baby spinach with lemon—poppy seed dressing." For another take on the seeds, use our easy recipe for sweet and spicy pomegranate salsa.

Almond Butter - Adding this spread may lower bread's glycemic index (a measure of a food's effect on blood sugar). A study from the University of Toronto found that people who ate almonds with white bread didn't experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate only the slice.

Eat more Try it for a change from peanut butter in sandwiches, or make a veggie dip: Mix 1 tbsp almond butter with 2 tbsp fat-free plain yogurt, Iserloh suggests. Or add a dollop to oatmeal for flavor and protein.

source: 

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2010/03/20-superfoods-slideshow?mbid=synd_%20msnhealth#slide

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY HEALTH