The 20 worst foods in America

Sure, a turkey burger sounds healthy. But is it, really? Not if you order the Bella from Ruby Tuesday, which packs a whopping 1,145 calories. (And yes, that's before a side of fries.)
To further enlighten you on the prevalence of preposterous portions, we spent months analyzing menus, nutrition labels, and ingredient lists to identify the food industry's worst offenders.
Our primary criterion? Sheer caloric impact. After all, it's the top cause of weight gain and the health problems that accompany it. (As you read, keep in mind that 2,500 calories a day is a reasonable intake for the average guy.) We also factored in other key nutritional data, such as excessive carbohydrates and fat, added sugars, trans fats, and sodium. The result is our first annual list of the worst foods in America.

Eat at your own risk.

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Love Your Belly, Butt, and Thighs!

4 moves to slim, sculpt, and lift your top trouble spots fast
By Karen Asp, Prevention

What are your trickiest trouble zones? If you said belly, butt, and thighs, you're in good company: 84% of women cite these as their biggest problem areas. To the rescue: a multitasking routine combining principles of Pilates, yoga, and ballet to target multiple muscle groups and slim you down from every angle. In 3 to 4 weeks, you'll be leaner and stronger - -read more

10 Best Foods For Women

By Mueller Glenn

Women have specific requirements, and most women are more stressed out than ever these days. In order to take proper care of her body, it is more imperative than ever for a woman to eat the right foods. here is a list of 10 of the foods most important to female nutrition.

10. Bean There, Done ThatAs the popular children's rhyme tells us, beans are good for the heart. They are also nutritious, low in fat and inexpensive. In fact, one half-cup serving of beans contains more than 5 grams of fiber, which is one quarter of the recommended daily allowance.

9. Kale to the ChiefIn case you weren't aware, kale is actually a member of the cabbage family. Kale is also a great source of folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actually recommend that women consume 400 micrograms of folate every day. Suffering from a folate deficiency during pregnancy can cause neural-tube defects in babies.

8. Beta SightThough the name is derived from the Latin word for carrot, beta-carotenes are actually natural chemicals that belong to the carotenoid family. Aside from carrots, beta-carotene is found in orange squashes, pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Since the body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, this nutrient helps repair your skin and may even reduce your risk for breast cancer.

7. Just the Flax, Ma'amFlax seeds and flax seed oil are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect the heart. This is extremely important, since heart disease remains the leading cause of premature death among women. Flax also contains substances called lignans, which are an excellent source of fiber. On way to add flax to your diet is to grind your own seeds and add them to that bowl of cereal in the morning.

6. Iron It OutTo have a well-balanced diet, it is imperative to meet your body's iron requirements. Instead of just taking iron in supplement form, women should get as much of it as they can from the food they eat. The iron found in food is easier for the body to absorb. Great sources of iron include Lean red meats, dark poultry and lentils.

5. Oh Boy, It's Soy!Eating plenty of phytoestrogen-rich soybeans can help women significantly lower their bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL) cholesterol. One great source of soy protein is tofu. Even if you aren't a tofu fan, there are many innovative ways to include it in your food. You can even pulse some firm tofu in a food processor and use it in place of ricotta cheese in your lasagna. Mama mia!

4. Water, Water EverywhereDrinking plenty of water is essential for the health of men and women alike. Water is also one of the best tools in the weight loss game, since it suppresses the appetite and helps your body metabolize stored fat.

3. Broccoli Power!Even though former President George Herbert Walker Bush refused to eat his little trees, broccoli is absolutely essential to a woman's health. Broccoli is a fabulous source of calcium and contains other important nutrients like potassium and B vitamins.

2. Chalk up the CalciumThough the Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium is about 800mg a day, some experts claim that most women should get almost twice this amount. Eating plenty of yogurt and other dairy products is a great way for older women to protect themselves against osteoporosis.

1. Something's Fishy Here!There's nothing a woman enjoys more than salmon-chanted evening. This particular fish is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is also high in protein and low in cholesterol -- not to mention the fact that it contains B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.

Breakfast and BMI

Eating breakfast linked to lower BMI in adolescents
By David Liu, Ph. D.

Eating breakfast may help children maintain a healthy body weight, according to a study published in the current issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The study merely suggests such a possibility because it could not prove that the observed lower body mass indexes in those who ate breakfast were actually caused by eating breakfast, meaning that other factors may be involved.

The study showed the children who ate breakfast more frequently were less likely to have a high BMI and the frequency of eating breakfast was inversely associated with BMI in a dose-dependent manner.

A number of observational studies have already linked breakfast habits to body weight in children and adolescents, according to the background information presented in the study report. And most if not all studies tended to suggest that the more often children eat breakfast, the less likely they gain excess weight.

In the United States, an estimated 12 to 34 percent of children and adolescents regularly skip breakfast and the rate is found on the rise, according to researchers from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota who claimed no conflict of interest in conducting the research.

The study initially involved in 4746 students in public middle and high schools in the Minneapolis/ St Paul, Minnesota metropolitan area. 2216 adolescents completed the surveys in 1998 to 1999 and 2003 to 2004 for their eating habits and weight statuses.

The researchers found analysis results derived from data from two survey periods showed inverse associations between the breakfast frequency and the BMI were largely independent of all considered confounding and dietary factors. And the more often the children ate breakfast, the lower BMI they obtained.

Mark A. Pereira, PhD and colleagues concluded that "Although experimental studies are needed to verify whether the association between breakfast and body weight is of a causal nature, our findings support the importance of promoting regular breakfast consumption among adolescents. Future studies should further examine the role of breakfast habits among youth who are particularly concerned about their weight."

Overweight and obesity has become commonly seen among children and adolescents. The researchers suggested that weight-related concerns affect breakfast frequency, which in turn affects dietary quality and appetite control and further affects the energy intake and bodyweight status. It is generally believed that those who skip breakfast could end up eating whatever snacks which are likely less healthy than breakfast.


For more information on the study, read the study report

Healthy Diet for Women

Healthy Diet for Women
Pradeep Chauhan
March 14, 2008

A healthy diet is even more essential for women than men. As well as pregnancy, women have to cope with debilitating hormone irregularities which can impact adversely on both health and weight. Healthy eating won't eliminate or cure these effects, but it often relieves symptoms. It's worth remembering that some foods - especially fresh fruits and vegetables, contain chemicals which are believed to exercise a powerful beneficial effect on the human body.Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. Along with physical activity, your diet is the key factor that affects your weight. Having a healthy weight for your height is important. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.Vitamins are organic compounds that your body needs for normal growth and health maintenance, but can’t make itself and must get from food or supplements. The way these vitamins function once ingested varies - fat-soluble vitamins like A and D tend to accumulate in the body and become toxic in large amounts, while water-soluble vitamins like C are flushed through the body on a daily basis. Minerals are inorganic substances necessary for the body to function properly.

Healthy Diet:

• Lean protein. The more active you are, the more protein you will need. Fresh fish, hormone-free chicken (try removing the skin to reduce the fat content), eggs, and lean meats like turkey or pork tenderloin are all good sources. Soy products can also provide protein, although some people are sensitive to soy and cannot digest it properly. The more variety you can incorporate into your diet, the better – so try and find different sources of lean protein every day.


• Water - Most of us are dehydrated and don't even know it. Fatigue, poor concentration and headaches are signs of mild dehydration. Keep bottled water in your office and filtered or bottled water at home; aim for eight glasses a day. Fizzy water is fine, too, and sure beats coffee or cola!


• Nuts - A serving of nuts is 1/3 cup or a level handful for an average adult. A serving of peanut butter is two tablespoons, about the size of a golf ball.


• Milk - We’ve all heard that milk products are rich sources of calcium, but did you know that they're also loaded with protein? A glass of milk or a cup of yogurt has high-quality protein equal to an ounce of meat or cheese or to one egg. Try to choose reduced fat dairy products whenever possible. A glass of whole milk has the equivalent of two teaspoons of butter or three tablespoons of sour cream. That bit of added fat would probably be more enjoyable on a baked potato rather than hidden in your milk!


• Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles - grains and cereals come from a wide variety of sources including breakfast cereals (oats, muesli and wholegrain flakes), whole meal breads and biscuits, rice, barley, corn and varieties of pasta.


• Vegetables and legumes - raw or cooked vegetables can be used as a snack food or as a part of lunch and dinner. Salad vegetables can be used as a sandwich filling. Vegetable soup can make a healthy lunch. Stir-fries, vegetable patties and vegetable curries make nutritious evening meals. Try raw vegetables like carrot and celery sticks for a snack 'on the run'.


• Cultured condiments - such as fish sauce, apple vinegar, or homemade ketchup. These delicious condiments have high enzyme potential, which protects us from harmful substances in foods and facilitates absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Source

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

'Total diet' best approach to healthy lifestyle
By Martha Murphy
Don't eat after 8 p.m. Avoid carbohydrates, even fruit. A piece of cake on your birthday will ruin your diet. Right? Not exactly. There are no bad foods, no good or bad times to eat and no magic bullet for maintaining a healthy weight. The fact is, it's your total diet approach that matters in living a healthful lifestyle.
March is National Nutrition Month, the perfect time to take a fresh look at the big picture. The theme for National Nutrition Month 2008 is Nutrition: It's a Matter of Fact and the American Dietetic Association reminds consumers to focus on the total balance of foods you consume, rather than any one food or meal.
No single food or meal makes or breaks a healthful diet. Your overall pattern of eating is the most important focus. A wide variety of foods can fit within this pattern, if consumed in moderation, in appropriate portions and combined with regular physical activity. No one food or type of food guarantees good health, just as no single food is necessarily detrimental to health.
It doesn't matter if you eat after 8 p.m. What's more important is how many calories you ate the entire day, not when you ate them and splurging on cake and ice cream during a party isn't going to ruin a healthful eating plan. Pay attention to the portion size of your treat and enjoy it in moderation, exercise a little longer the next day or plan ahead to save calories, like skipping your morning latte.
Develop an eating plan that is rich with fruits, vegetables and whole-grains for lifelong health. Too often, people adopt the latest food fad rather than focusing on overall health. Get back to basics consult a registered dietitian and use the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid (www.mypyramid.gov) as your guide to healthy eating.
A registered dietitian can help you look at your total diet and learn the balance and moderation needed for success, and can dispel the myths and legends that get in the way of healthful eating.

TOP SECRET

SECRET FOOD DIET

Secret Food that help your existing diet.

According to a new study, Researchers found that obese adults who ate 3 servings of this food a day as part of thier diet lost 25% more weight and 60% more body fat than those who simply cut calories and didn't take advantage of this diet. Secret food eaters also lost 80% more fat in the stomach area than non-secret food eaters.
"Not only did this secret food help the study participants lose more weight -- the average weight loss was 15 pounds -- they were about twice as effective at maintaining lean muscle mass," said professors of nutrition at several Universities
Researchers say the results add to a growing body of evidence that the calcium and protein derived from eating this food help burn fat and promote weight loss.
In the study, researchers compared the effects of adding this secret food to a reduced-calorie diet on weight loss in 64 healthy obese adults who were divided into two groups.
For 12 weeks, the first group ate three 6-ounce servings of this food. Both groups ate a controlled diet that contained 500 fewer calories than normal to stimulate weight loss.
As expected, all of the participants lost weight as a result of the calorie restriction. But the study showed that both weight and fat loss were significantly greater in the secret food group.
For example, those on the ordinary diet lost an average of 8 pounds, but those on the secret food diet lost an average of more than 14 pounds.
Participants on the secret food diet also lost 80% more fat in the stomach area, which is the most dangerous type of fat. Excess fat in the midsection has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some forms of cancer.