Why Is Spinach Good For You?

By Chris M Seguin  

Popeye had it right when it came to spinach - spinach is a superfood that helps your body perform at its best. A diet rich in vegetables, like spinach, gives your body what it needs to stay healthy. Nutritionists recommend eating four or more servings of vegetables a day. Because spinach is so healthy, it is suggested that you eat spinach at least four times a week.

A leafy green vegetable filled with fiber and other important vitamins and minerals, spinach is low in calories. Whether eaten raw or cooked, one cup of spinach has less than 32 calories.

The dark green spinach leaves are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants which are great for your eyes and heart. The pigments in spinach also contain flavonoids called luteolin, which are phytochemicals with anti-cancer properties.

Spinach is rich in vitamins E, A, and K. Studies suggest vitamin E protects your body against some cancers and heart disease. Your body uses vitamin K to help with blood clotting. Vitamin A is used by the cells in your body to promote cell division. The beta carotene found in spinach is used by your body to create more vitamin A. It's also a powerful antioxidant that defends body cells.

In addition to vitamins, spinach has a lot of folate, potassium, magnesium, and iron. These minerals help your cardiovascular system. They also build healthy nerves and muscles.

The health benefits of spinach are:

- Prevent Cancer: The antioxidants in spinach have anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent cancer, according to the journal Nutrition and Cancer. The folate also contributes to a lower chance of ovarian cancer.

- Keeping your heart healthy: The antioxidant lutein alleviates inflammation and plaque build-up in veins and arteries. The folate in spinach lowers homocystene levels which are, in turn, associated with heart disease. If your blood pressure is high, stick with fresh or frozen spinach since it has less sodium than canned spinach.

- Building healthy bones: Foods rich in vitamin K, like spinach, help prevent weak bones. Vitamin K triggers the creation of osteocalcin, a protein involved with the formation of bones. The calcium and magnesium in spinach also helps keep bones strong. Keep in mind thought that the calcium in spinach is absorbed less efficiently than the calcium in dairy.

- Better eyesight: Retinal, a form of vitamin A, is an important ingredient in the eye's retina. Your eyes need vitamin A to function at their best. Lutein, vitamin E and beta carotene also help prevent vision loss in senior citizens.

- Keeping mentally focused: Studies show that diets with a lot of spinach help maximize mental powers as you age. The folate in spinach is also crucial for cognitive function. Folic acid supplements, it should be noted, have little or no effect in this area so you should stick with natural sources like spinach.

- Increase energy: The iron and folate in spinach help prevent anemia. This is often important for women with heavy menstrual periods.

- Combat infections: Vitamin E helps improve the immune system. The vitamin A in spinach makes white blood cells that destroy bacteria and viruses.

Almost every supermarket has fresh spinach year-round. Spinach usually costs less than other greens. It can be substituted for lettuce on salads and sandwiches, making them healthier. Remember that fresh spinach should be dark green and not wilted.

Beware of canned spinach since it is usually high in sodium. Check the labels on frozen spinach to see how much sodium is contained.

Keep unwashed spinach in your fridge until ready for use. Avoid washing the leaves before storage since it will cause them to deteriorate. Before serving, thoroughly rinse the leaves in cold water to get rid of dirt and bugs.

A delicious and healthy way to enjoy spinach is to make a fresh spinach salad with a small amount of olive oil. The olive oil will speed up the body's absorption of lutein and vitamin A. Spinach can also be added to pasta sauce or even put on pizza. For great mashed potatoes, try adding spinach, parmesan cheese and garlic. You can also add spinach to omelets and quiche.

All in all, spinach is terrifically healthy and makes a great side dish.

Chris has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in diet, fitness and weight loss, he also helps his friends publish websites related to the subject. You can also check out her latest website on how to eat healthy and lose weight with smoothies which gives great advice and recipes for diet smoothies. She has also put together a great list of diet smoothie recipes.

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How Sugary Drinks Affect Childhood Obesity

By Becki Andrus

Childhood obesity is a condition that is starting to affect more and more children. Currently, children as young as 6-11 are about 20% likely to be obese. Thirty years ago, this number was down to 5%. That means that the childhood obesity rate has more than tripled in just 30 years! Many are concerned that this number will continue to increase in the coming years.

There is some debate over what exactly is the cause for the increase in childhood obesity. Some claim that it is due to kids watching more television and playing video games and spending less time being physically active. Others point to the fast food industry and how children are beginning to crave these foods more than healthier options. Others state that a large number of the advertisements kids see are for sugary and salty foods, which make them desire them more.

Truthfully, there is no one reason why childhood obesity is on the rise. It is a combination of all of the factors mentioned above as well as many others. And though each of these factors play a large part in the increase in childhood obesity, many experts point to sugary drinks as one of the primary culprits.

Sugary drinks like soft drinks and sweetened juices are heavily advertised to children. Television commercials often promote these drinks in such a way that kids start to crave them. They then ask their parents for these drinks. Parents often have difficulty saying no because the sugary drinks are always the most prominent in grocery stores, and good alternatives are difficult to find.

Another major problem is that the sugary drinks are much cheaper than the alternatives. Go to any store nowadays and it is rare to see even a bottle of water that is less expensive than an equally sized soft drink. In order to save money and make their kids happy, parents will often buy the sugary drinks.

The problem with this is that these drinks do not quench thirst, they produce it. The sweetness in drinks make kids want them even more. They can also make kids want to eat equally sugary foods. These cravings lead to an unhealthy lifestyle which can cause obesity.

In order to prevent your kids from falling into this behavior, try to find other drink alternatives for them. Look for drinks that state "100% juice" because then you know that they are made from natural ingredients. However, even if you choose these drinks, it is important to regulate how much is consumed. Natural sugars are preferred over artificial ones, but they can still have similar adverse health effects if over consumed.

It is fine for kids to drink sugary drinks, but make sure they are also drinking other things. Couple their drinks with healthy foods that are rich in nutrients. Be sure to encourage your kids to by active and physical so that they burn off the calories they eat. Following some of these tips will help to prevent your children from suffering the consequences of obesity.

Healthy eating habits are very effective in improving the overall health of you and your family. Learn how to easily implement a healthier lifestyle by visiting my website at http://EverydayHealthGirl.com.

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healthy lunch ideas   

by Michelle Monjack

So starting a new healthy eating regime is a very positive way to change your lifestyle and by maintaining it will provide you with low risk health issues and amazing physical attributes. As like many healthy eating plans or diet plans, exercise is the best tool to use along side of any healthy lifestyle plans. Knowing which foods are best for you to utilise and keep you satisfied is a good way of organising your intake of nutrients through the day ahead.

Healthy lunch ideas are a must as it is lunch time that could sway your mind to give in to matter. In other words you must of heard people say, its mind over matter. Well this is true with some people at lunch time when they have worked all morning, whether at home or the office, and they have given in to their grumbling stomachs by 12 o’clock with something stodgy and full of carbs and fats.

Choosing your own healthy lunch ideas to stop your stomach getting the better of you is a must for those of you finding it really hard to say ‘no thanks’ to the deli cart. Fish is a very good source of brain food, so when you need a fix of focus and a dash of determination for the day ahead, fish like salmon and tuna is an option that will serve more benefits than you think.

Mixing up such fish with fresh peppers, onions and sweetcorn adds crunch to tuna, making sure that you don’t ruin it by using dollops of heavy fat mayo. Light mayo is a must and only using a tsp will not defeat the object of your healthy lunch ideas. [http://youarewhatyoueatfoods.com] Rye bread can be used as a substitute for white bread. Red salmon from a can and a couple of dashes of white malt vinegar has bite and could be mixed together with salad leaves of your choice, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, again if mayo is needed use the light version.

Bread is a quick and easy option for lunch time, but you are wanting to keep it healthy so why not try substituting thick white sliced bread for granary or whole meal breads. Butter doesn’t have to be full of fat either, try the olive oil based butters and perhaps only butter thinly one slice of your sandwich. Healthy lunch ideas does not mean that you have to take out everything that tastes great and start eating rabbit foods, it basically means replacing significant fatty foods like fast foods with lighter options and also by making little adjustments to your home prepared lunch menu’s like the healthier butter on only one slice of the sandwich.

Sharing out your calories for the day with a heartier slow release breakfast (poached eggs on one slice of granary toast, or oats) which can last you through to your light lunch (fish and rye breads) and then having your main meal in the evening will keep you well balanced.

Good balance at every meal time is mandatory and making sure you maintain healthy lunch ideas will keep you from the fatty snacks that you don’t want to give in to throughout the afternoon.

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Things Everyone Should Know Regarding Health And Nutrition   

by Overland Mcguyer

Eating properly might appear very complicated and involved, but if you know how to start, it can be a very smart move to improving your quality of life. If you don't know where to start, you could over eat, under eat, or even deprive yourself of important nutrients. Don't worry, these tips can help you safely improve your nutrition.

Slow down and savor your food when you are eating. Eating slowly will allow you to sense when your body is full and let you stop eating. If you eat quickly, you may miss the cues that signal that you are full and consume too many calories which can lead to weight gain.

Focus on eating healthy foods that will provide you with the vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and whole grains are excellent sources of nutrients and should comprise the majority of your diet. Make these foods a regular part of your menu and you'll get plenty of fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassiumIf you want to be healthy, you need to drink enough water. Your body is made up of roughly 60% water, and you lose it continually -- day and night. Rather than drinking large amounts of water at once, it is a good idea to always have a glass or bottle of water on hand and to sip it throughout the day.

If you want to be healthy, you need to eat right. Good nutrition is the basis for a good health. You simply can not feel your best if you live on a diet of sugar, fat and salt. Begin thinking of food as fuel for your body, and save high-fat, high-sugar and salty splurges for special occasions.

Your body needs protein every three to four hours. If it doesn't get it from the food you eat, it will break down muscle tissue. To prevent this, eat small meals throughout the day consisting of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Your metabolism will speed up and your muscles will thank you.

A weekly trip to your local farmer's market can be a great thing for your nutrition plan. At the farmer's market you are likely to find an assortment of produce that is healthier, and often cheaper, than what you'll find in a store. You will also find lots of healthy treats like honey, jam and different kinds of sauces.

The best way to maximize your nutritional program is to effectively balance your foods. For example, a good pairing for breakfast would be oatmeal, a complex carbohydrate and eggs, which are pure protein. This combination burns in your body effectively since they two items play off of each other which maximizes their individual properties.

So as you can see proper nutrition is not as complicated as it appears. It is involved in terms of research, asking questions, and working at it, but it is worth it in the end to live healthier. With these tips in mind, you should be smarter when it comes to eating better.

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Fresh Salad Is a Healthier Snack  

 by Mazen Hawa

Nothing can be better that a fresh salad in a hot summer day! The added advantage of having a salad is that they will not be adding extra calories that you detest or at least crave to reduce. Many of us try to cut down on calories and end up every week, with a new one because we have left it somewhere in the middle. The primary culprit behind this is that mid-time snack we splurge on and enjoy, to feel guilty later on. Even though we know it is not good to have that extra bowl of cheesy fries, we just indulge, because nothing else is in front of us.

The best way to stop this craving is to find some great salad to enjoy and cut down calories. I know, salad may not sound as interesting and exciting as a cheesy fry, but there are ways in which we can make it colourful.

Salad, although brings to our mind of those mixtures of veggies, fruits and all that nourishing nuts, may not sound so tempting when we are ravenous. However, when we give it a gentle twist to it and have every ingredient put together to make it more scrumptious, it can turn out to be a great snack to have and relish.

There are ways in which you can make a salad mouthwatering and delicious:
€ Fresh salads made of just fruits and vegetables may not sound so tempting. A small amount of your favourite dressing added to it, can add on to its appeal.
€ Nuts are nourishing and contain far fewer calories than our cheesy fry. Add a handful of mixed nuts, to make that a significant twist in the middle. This salad can make a healthy, nutritious snack.
€ Why not add a few pieces of meat, lean pieces, to make it nutritious, but at the same time, not calorie full.

There are many other ways by which you can mix and match to produce some outstanding salads. If you do not have enough ingredients, try out some salad joints, which specialise especially in this healthy snack item.

Richys.ae is one of the leading online Salad destinations in Dubai offering its signature salad.

A fresh salad is always refreshing and easy to fix up a snack or a main meal. One can have salad everyday and still be greedy. The secret lies in how you fix it up and make it interesting and fascinating every day.

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Fitness, Health and Diet Products

By Aldrin Zimmerman  

The past years have witnessed many developments in diet pills and weight shedding solutions. From amphetamines to the Atkins Diet, mankind has gone a long way in coming up with answers to keep healthy and fit. The Anderson Method is one of the latest developments in the weight loss field. This system uses psychotherapy to achieve long-term weight balance. Authorized psychotherapist William Anderson, MA, LMHC has used the methods to himself, enabling him to lose 140 lbs. after 25 years of being overweight.

According to the Anderson Method, there are no fatty or healthy food groups. Instead of limiting your foods and depriving your body of specific food groups, one can discipline himself or herself to consume foods at reasonable amounts. The diet you choose can be based on your tastes without compromising health and fitness. Dissimilar to other trend diet methods, Anderson ensures that this diet is one you can do for life.

The calories you eat from your weight loss plan must be based on the quantity your body uses up. Trend weight loss plans require persons to eat a calorie amount too little to match their body's energy needs. Calories are needed for one to move around and make decisions. Eating an insufficient amount will make you feel weak and unable to think properly. Though consuming less will cause a faster weight reduction speed, you'll eventually eat a large amount as soon as a large meal is presented in front of you. Eating right entails a correct perspective, having reliable weight items, and making fit choices. The Anderson method shifts a person's behavior and inspires the person to shift his or her lifestyle by eating a right amount of calories and maintaining a healthy weight.

Healthy weight loss isn't only achieved by coming up with a healthy diet. Certain people opt to have products that can speed up or enhance the weight loss method. Anderson states that a few of these diet items are unhealthy for the body. Among these are Amphetamines or "speed," which individuals consume to keep them up all night, without knowing that it can cause sudden death. Nowadays, Amphetamine is acknowledged as the illegal crystal meth drug.

The present industry provides numerous weight loss medicine choices but Anderson states that these are scams looking for fast profit. The only safe options are those recommended to obese patients. Anderson thus advises several weight loss medications that can assist in balanced and safe weight reduction. The first product is butter spray. Unlike normal butter applied to fry vegetables and meats, butter spray just inserts about 10 calories to your food. The effect is better taste minus the extra fats and calories.

The next low-fat choice is diet soda. Unlike regular soda drinks, weight loss drinks contain sugars that give your body less calories. As soon as you start engaging in physical activity, these sugars are immediately used up and gone from the body.

Taking a lot of protein will also leave you full for longer periods. The best time to have a lot of protein is during breakfast. Eating a heavy, protein-rich breakfast ensures that your metabolism runs faster for the rest of the day. This prevents you from eating in the succeeding meal. Eggs are an excellent source of fulfilling protein as it has about 75 calories. The calories in eggs have no cholesterol, providing your body with a fit source of energy. For parents, another choice is to have a low-calorie frozen dinner. Unlike fast food portions, low calorie frozen meals provide a sufficient and healthy amount of energy. These foods are perfect for individuals with no time to cook but require meals to get them through the day.

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The Reason Why High Carb Diets Will Not Work

By Rich Carroll

In reading various publications, there seems to be considerable backlash against low-carb diets. The Atkins Diet, popular in the 1970's as a low carbohydrate, fat burning answer to weight loss has made a comeback in some circles, and many publications have come back with the argument that it will not work for long-term fat loss. We are in agreement. But the argument seems to go that if low carbs are a bad thing, high carb diets are a good thing, especially for athletes training for endurance. We would like to illustrate the reason why high carb diets will not work.
With what we have been told in the past few years, carbohydrates are the good guys of nutrition. As a result, people have been devouring breads, cereals, and pastas to drive their percentage of carbs to total calories above 75%, and cutting back on fats. The result is people are eating less fat and getting fatter. Eating excessive amounts of carbohydrates, when they are converted to sugars, are easily converted to storage in excess body fat, as the total that can be stored as glycogen before it turns to fat, even for trained athletes, is only about 1200 calories worth. For the average person, perhaps 400 grams can be stored in the muscle, and another 70 to 90 grams in the liver. So why would you want to consume more than you are capable of storing?
So what actually happens when you start eating those carbohydrates? First, glycogen levels are filled for both the muscle, to promote growth and repair, and liver, to keep the brain working properly. As we pointed out earlier, that doesn't account for that much, maybe a couple of cups of pasta. After that, it's all surplus. With the rapid rise in blood glucose, the pancreas secretes additional amounts of the hormone insulin into the bloodstream. Since insulin's job is to get it out of the bloodstream, it sends it into long term storage, which are fat cells. The result is, even though you haven't consumed one morsel of fat, and carbohydrates themselves are fat-free, is the body puts on fat, which is the reason why high carb diets will not work. To make matters worse, as insulin levels signal the body to store more fat, because it thinks it is in famine mode it won't release the fat you already have in storage.
Do you wonder why you get hungry perhaps two hours after a high carbohydrate meal? As has been pointed out, insulin's job is to quickly lower the blood sugar level. That accomplished, blood sugar is low, and cravings, usually for sweets, kick in. If you don't satisfy those yearnings, your mood turns sour and you feel like crashing, all the while not burning any stored fat while your energy levels plummet. So the answer to why high carb diets will not work is because they do not moderate insulin response. By limiting or eliminating the intake of refined sugars and keeping carbohydrates on a moderate level, about 40% of the diet, you can avoid those disastrous insulin spikes. Generally, non-carbohydrate foods, that is proteins and the so-called good fats, do not produce as much insulin. Also, natural fiber can minimize the insulin response.

In the final analysis, high carbohydrate diets will not work, but neither will low or no-carb diets. Carbohydrates are neither the devil nor a panacea for fat loss, but must be in balance with the rest of your diet. But remember, carbohydrates don't come from just sweets and pasta, but from fruits and vegetables as well as a number of different foods, and most if not all of them have other characteristics that have more overall positive qualities. We hope you will use them to the greatest advantage.

There is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to have the nutrition experts control your diet, and still consume delicious meals, and that is with meal delivery plans through 

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Does Your Health and Diet Need a Make Over?

By Michael Pepper 

We could all do with a bit of a make over when it comes to our health and diet. Do you ever stop to listen to your body and what it is telling you. When was the last time you had a good look at yourself? Are you always tired? Does your hair, skin and nails look shocking? It could be that in trying to lose weight you are robbing your body of good nutrition. Often thirst is mistaken for hunger so drink at least two liters of water every day. A good idea is to drink a glass of water before you have a meal, it will help with digestion and and you will eat less. A craving for salt means that you need to increase your natural fat intake by eating a handful of nuts. A high protein and low fat diet interferes with your hormonal balance especially your thyroid which controls your appetite, weight and bowel functions. Here are a few categories of unhealthy eaters.

The Junk Food Junkie.
Do you reach for a hamburger and chips for lunch or grab a piece of pizza for a snack. You can then classify as a junk food junkie. You do not have to cut junk food out completely but moderation is the key. Try to limit your intake to one hundred and fifty calories or less a day. Portion controlled snacks like mini bags of chips, an ice cream sandwich or a mini sweet bar are fine. Keep healthy snacks within easy reach when the munchies set in. Try an apple or a handful of nuts.
The Meal Skipper.
If you are a meal skipper you are in dire need of a nutrition make over. Each time you eat you increase your metabolism. if you go for longer than 4 hours not eating your body will slow down and store fat instead of burning it up. If time is a factor you need to create fast meals that wont take you from your desk, children or the gym. Keep your car, desk and lunch box filled with fruit, nuts and yogurt that you can grab on the go. Diet shakes and prepared meals are also quick and easy.
The Fat Free Fanatic.
Do you flee from fat? When you cut out all the fat in your diet your body will start to hoard body fat because you are not getting enough from your diet. You also tend to be more hungry and eat more fat free anything and eat too much of those things. When you add fat you feel fuller. To changed you need to add a slice of cheese to your sandwich or peanut butter instead of margarine. Fat adds flavour to a meal.
The Carbohydrate Phobia.
If you break out into a sweat over carbohydrates, remember that carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which is your brains main source of fuel. When you cut carbohydrates your focus is off your energy is low and you tire easily. Eat smart and avoid cutting all carbohydrates from your diet as you will be losing out on all the vitamins, minerals and fiber plus the disease fighting antioxidants in fruit and vegetables. Load up with whole grain bread and whole wheat pasta.
The Emotional Eater.
Stress makes you grab whatever you can to drown your sorrows. First of all you have to realize you are doing it. Ask yourself if you are eating through hunger and not through emotion. You are so used to this habit and you need to replace the food craving for a more positive activity. Call a friend, go shopping or take the dog for a walk. You also need to keep a journal and note when and why you are reaching for a snack. This will uncover emotional eating patterns. To keep your moods on an even keel try to eat six small meals a day. Keep in mind that each meal should contain protein and high fiber carbohydrates because these give you a sense of fullness and keep your blood glucose and moods more constant.
Did you recognize your eating pattern? Good then you are halfway there. Remember everything in moderation. Here are some serving guidelines to help you. Your portion of meat should no be bigger than a deck of cards, your rice, potatoes and fruit no bigger than a tennis ball and your salad greens the size of your fist. Most important drink water, its often said that by the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Eating is not only beneficial to your waistline it play a huge role in the appearance of your skin.

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