Sometimes it seems like life is just too busy to eat what
we should. New health information about foods can get put
in the "to-do when I find the time" file and your body
misses out on the benefits. Reaping the benefits of some of
the latest health trends is fast and easy, though. Here are
a few trendy foods to start eating today.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been making headlines lately, and for good
reason. It can make a huge impact on your health. A study
published in the June 2007 edition of the Journal of
Clinical Nutrition found that subjects that ate more than a
teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered their normal elevations
of blood sugar.
Many experts agree that adding at least ½ tsp to 1
tsp of cinnamon a day to your diet can speed up the body's
metabolism. It also stabilizes blood sugar levels by
stimulating the release of insulin. It also decreases the
build-up of plague, which can cause clogs in the heart.
Cinnamon also works as an antioxidant, which can slow down
cellular damage, free radical damage, and vulnerability to
chronic disease.
Better Meat
Red meat is full of fat and heart damaging properties. A
great alternative is white meat. White meat has been in the
news for years, so it's time to get on the boat! Pork
(known as "The Other White Meat"), chicken breast, and fish
are all great white meats that are lower in fat and
calories.
My local grocery store sells Laura's Lean Ground Beef. It
comes in 4% fat and 8% fat. That's awesome. The 4% variety
gets me mostly protein and hardly any fat. Look for similar
varieties in your store too.
When shopping for pork, look for cuts with the words "loin"
or "round" in their name. These cuts of meat are leaner
than others.
"Eat more fish" is one of the biggest healthy eating
newsflashes today. Why? Fish contain a large amount of
essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega-6, which
help with good brain function. Fish can do a lot more than
that, though! Fish oils can be used to prevent, treat, and
cure angina, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure,
heart attack, arrhythmias, peripheral vascular disease, and
stroke. How does it work? Fish oil keeps the elasticity of
artery walls healthy, reduces blood pressure, stabilizes
heart rhythm, and it prevents blood clotting. Fish are also
low in fat.
Açaí Berry
The tropical açaí berry (pronounced
ahh-sigh-ee) made headlines when it became touted by Oprah
as the new "super food". This little berry is a powerful,
and tasty, little food that should find its way into your
diet for a number of reasons.
The purple açaí berry from the Amazonian rain
forest has some of the highest levels of antioxidants found
in foods. It also contains fatty acids, protein, and fiber.
A study by the University of Florida found that, in a
cell-culture model, açaí berries caused
leukemia cells kill themselves in 86 percent of the tests,
so they may be an effective preventive of some forms of
cancer.
The fresh form of açaí berries cannot be
found outside of the Amazon because the berry becomes
rancid very quickly. You can buy açaí berries
in a dry powder form that can be added to smoothies,
milkshakes, juice, and other types of foods at many health
food stores and on the internet.
Stop letting good health news go in one ear and out the
other. Start eating these healthy foods today and reap the
benefits!
----------------------------------------------------
The fitness and health blog at
http://fithealthyself.com/blog gives you the latest
information on fitness, health and nutrition. Join the
blog. Share your concerns. Free fitness mini-course at
http://fithealthyself.com .
