Food can keep you hydrated in the heat
Getting plenty of fluid is key to feeling energized especially when it's hot out. Fingers pruning up just thinking about the 8 to 11 cups of water you need daily? Don't drown: The H20 in food counts, too. One large wedge of watermelon provides 9 ounces-more than 1 full cup-of water. (It's also an excellent source of cancer-fighting lycopene.) Other standouts: 1c diced honeydew (5.4 ounces of water); 1 c sliced beets (5.2 ounces of water); 1 c cubed cantaloupe (5.1 ounces of water).
Appetizer Do's and Don'ts
Begin a meal with a cup of soup and you might eat 20% less of your entree, finds new research. Keep calories in check with our guide to dinner's smartest start:
DO
*Stick to broth-based soups, like tomato (103 calories) or chicken (132 calories).
*Order a cup, not a bowl - your appetizer should not be the size of a meal.
*Season you soup with spices like thyme or chili powder.
DON'T
*Order "cream of" anything.
*Choose a dense soup that packs over 150 calories a cup, like chunky beef or split pea.
*Overload your cup with crackers or bread. These can easily add 20-plus calories
-Amy Gorin
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FAT-FIGHTING SPICE
Capsaicin, the compound that heats up a chile pepper may also help keep off pounds, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. When researchers exposed fat cells to capsaicin in a lab, the cells died. It's hard to say if the spice has the same effect in humans - but we can hope! If tongue-tingling condiments overwhelm your palate, try Dave's Gourmet Adjustable Heat Hot Sauce ($10; davesgourmet.com)-a twist of the cap turns a serving of sauce from slightly spicy to downright fiery (or somewhere in between). -Katie Becker
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Popping pistachios may limit the toll stress takes on you. Penn State nutritionists found that having a handful (1 1/2 ounces) daily for 1 month helped keep study subjects' blood pressure down in a stressful situation. With 3 ounces came an extra bonus: Increased artery relaxation, which may lighten your heart's workload. A 1 1/2-ounce serving has 240 calories and 10g of fat. -Rachel Meltzer
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The best oil for your belly
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BETTER WINES FOR SULFITE SUFFERERS
Eco-friendly is the hottest trend in wine these days, but how much does that mean to your health? A lot, if you're one of the 3 million Americans who are sensitive to sulfites, a natural preservative often used in the production of wine (reactions can range from skin flushing to difficulty breathing). Although there are no truly sulfite-free wines (the compounds are a natural by-product of fermentation), the USDA requires wines labeled organic and 100% organic to be free of added sulfites-profiding a tolerable option to many who are sensitive. Because everybody's threshold is different, ask your allergist if going green can help you enjoy a little red or white. -RM
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*AS ORDERED Domino's Pizza Vegi Feast Ultimate Deep Dish 14" pie: Deep-dish crust, mozzarella cheese, green bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, black olives, and extra cheese. Two slices: 880 cal, 44g fat
* BETTER Downsize to 12" pie, and swap deep-dish crust for the hand-tossed version. Two slices: 590 cal, 28g fat
* VIRTUOUS Make another crust trade-this time for the thin variety. Forego the extra cheese and black olives. Two slices: 360 cal, 23g fat
TOTAL SAVED : 520 cal, 21g fat!
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THE HEALTHIEST NEW COFFEES
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The evidence that coffee is good for you just keeps mounting: A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that consuming 2 to 3 daily cups of caffeinated drinks, including coffee, can cut your risk of dying from heart disease by at least 31%. Coffee may also significantly lower your likelihood of developing colon cancer, according to another recent study, published in the International Journal of Cancer.
For more health benefits try these three new custom brews.
Avoid heartburn
TRY: HealthWise Coffee, has virtually eliminated all the excess acid and irritants that cause
heartburn, without flavor loss and without resorting to steam blasting,
which vaporizes some of the flavor elements. All HealthWise Coffees are
smooth and mellow tasting (healthwisecoffee.com)
.
Reduce your cancer risk
TRY: Caffe Sanora, organic blends with up to 40% more antioxidants than other preuium coffees. Flavors include House Blend and Espresso Roast ($10; caffesanora.com).
Get a protein boost
TRY: JavaSoy Coffee, a blend of roasted soybeans and Colombian and arabica coffee. Each 8-ounce serving provides 7 times the protein (2g) of a regular cup. It also has half the caffeine of regular coffee. Flavors include Breakfast Blend, French Vanilla, and Carmel Cream (amazon.com) -AG
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GROCERY GURU
EGGS ON A MISSION
With a little help, nature's most simple food takes on superhero status
IT USED TO BE that the biggest difference between two eggs was the color of their shells. (For the record, brown and white eggs are identical inside-low in calories and packed with nutrients.) But these days, we can choose eggs that may actually be healthier for the hens, the environment, and us. And we are choosing: Sales of enhanced, organic, and cage-free specialty eggs are growing by approximately 25% a year.
The next exciting new trend in specialty eggs is the addition of omega-3 fatty acids, which has helped the incredible edible overcome its unfair reputation as a danger to your heart., (One egg has about 215mg of cholesterol-nearly a day's worth. But a moderate intake of eggs is still healthy for most of us.) Other specialty eggs, such as the ethical-sounding cage-free and the environmental-minded organic, may not confer specific health benefits, but they just might help you feel like you're making the world a better place (and maybe you are). Still, are they and other specialty eggs worth the extra money? Here's what we know about three specialty picks.
IF YOU WANT TO
BOOST HEART HEALTH
CONSIDER: Omega-3-enriched eggs Many producers now add sources of omega-3-fats such as flaxseed or canola oil to the hen's feed to increase the healthy fat in their eggs. Studies show that omega-3s may help prevent heart attacks, but a common source in our diets is canned tuna-which is not the safest pick when it comes to mercury. Eggs? Mainly mercury free.
SHOP SMART: Cartons carrying the USDA-certified label have been inspected, so you can feel confident that their claims (such as "omega-3 enhanced") are valid.
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Are egg whites really healthier?
Though avoiding the yoke saves fast and calories, that's where most of the nutrients that boost health are found.
IF YOU WANT TO
SHOP ETHICALLY
CONSIDER: Certified humane eggs Nutritionally, the term cage free means nothing; this category appeals mainly to those concerned about the health and safety of chickens.
Cage-free hens aren't necessarily pecking away happily in open areas, though. Their beaks may be trimmed to prevent aggressive behavior, and their feed is controlled. And chickens tend t crowd near food and water regardless of space.
SHOP SMART: The Certified Humane raised and Handled label means your eggs went through a voluntary, thorough inspection process by an independent animal-welfare group (certifiedhumane.com).
IF YOU WANT TO
HELP THE PLANET
CONSIDER: Certified organic eggs Organic eggs come from hens whose feed is not irradiated, genetically engineered, treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizer, or made with animal by products, but there's no clear evidence that organic eggs contain fewer pesticides than conventional ones.
SHOP SMART: Although organic is a meaningful, USDA-regulated term, don't be fooled by labels that read natural or hormone free-those words apply to all eggs. -Marge Perry
Next Page: HEALTH NEWS-------->
Created by Sindy Williams
The above information was taken from an article written in Prevention Magazine August 2007
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