Healthy beverages for healthy living.

All this week so far these Posts have concentrated on healthy eating, nutritional value, superfoods and such like. What about drinks - which have been covered before in this Blog, but here is another to close out the week. This also comes from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8773481) and is written by Adrian I .Paval (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_I_Paval) and is worth a read for some inspiration while keeping it good for you, and an insight to the benefits. You might be surprised.

It is important to drink healthy beverages for your overall health. Drinks like sodas are not good for you because they are filled with sugar and empty calories. There are a number of beverages that you can have that will satisfy your thirst so you won't have to drink the ones that aren't good for you.

Water is the most important drink for you. It cleanses your body of all toxins. Water also hydrates your body because most of us don't get enough water and are dehydrated. It is important to drink water every two hours to keep from dehydrating. Water is beneficial for your skin and kidneys. Water gives you clear skin and prevents wrinkles. It also flushes out your kidneys. Water also keeps you from developing blood clots that cause heart attacks.

If you don't want plain water, you can get flavoured water. This isn't the flavoured water that contains sugar. This water contains fruit. You can add lemon and lime to the water to give it flavor without the extra sugar or calories. It is also good for you. It has the same benefits as water except that you can drink water with a little flavor to it.

Another type of water you can get is coconut water. Coconut has a lot of health benefits. Coconut water lowers your blood pressure. In addition to lowering your blood pressure, it helps you lose weight. It also raises your metabolism. It aids in diabetes prevention. It helps prevent flu symptoms as well as other viruses. Coconut water has a lot of benefits for you so you can feel free to drink it.

Water isn't the only healthy drink you can have. If you have a taste for something else, you may have other healthy drinks. Coffee is a drink that is good for your overall health. It is good for lowering the risk of diseases. Coffee decreases your risk of developing Type II diabetes. Coffee's also a good way to lose fat. Ingredients for coffee help you lose weight so if you're a coffee drinker, continue to get your fix. To be on the safe side, drink black coffee. Don't add too many creams and sugars or it will not be good for you.

Smoothies are great drinks to have. With smoothies, you can have as many fruits and vegetables as you want. Smoothies are a great way to get the fruits and vegetables you need in your diet. If you don't like eating raw fruits and vegetables, you can turn them into smoothies. It has the same nutritional value as eating the fruits and vegetables. It has great health benefits and they are tasty.

Believe it or not, hot chocolate is good for you. Hot chocolate has the same health benefits as dark chocolate. The cocoa in hot chocolate has a lot of antioxidants in it. Cocoa helps lower your risk of high blood pressure as well as cardiovascular disease.

If you like to drink alcohol, you can actually have a glass of wine. Red wine is low in calories so you won't be getting too many calories by drinking a glass. Red wine lowers the risk of death as well as lowers your risk of getting some cancers. Needless to say, you need to drink it in moderation because it is alcohol.

Green tea has a lot of benefits. Green tea helps prevent diseases. It also reduces your risk of having a heart attack. Green tea is also powerful enough to prevent cancer and osteoporosis. Green tea is a diuretic so it can reduce swelling. It's also beneficial to your cholesterol. It can lower your cholesterol. It's also a great component for weight loss. Many people drink green tea to lose weight. It may also help with gas problems that you may have. Green tea is the best one to drink, but you can also drink other flavors of herbal tea because they have health benefits too.

Fruit and vegetable juices are great choices as long as they are made with 100% juice. They also need to be sugar free. Juice is a good way to get the fruits and vegetables that you need for the day. Make sure the juice you get doesn't contain a lot of calories. You need to consume these juices in moderation because even 100% juice can be high in calories.

Low fat milk is a great source of vitamin D and calcium. It's also beneficial for your teeth and bones. Since milk is high in protein, it's great for your muscles. Since milk has a lot of potassium, it can help lower your blood pressure. Drinking at least two cups a day is good to help you with weight loss.

If you don't like milk from a cow, you can drink soy milk. It's a great source of vitamins A, B, D, and E. It also doesn't have cholesterol. It's a great source of iron, zinc, and omega - 3 fatty acids that you need to survive. It's a great way to fight ageing. Soy milk aids in lowering cholesterol. It also helps with arthritis. It reduces your risk of heart disease. It also reduces your risk of getting breast and prostate cancer. There are a lot of health benefits to drinking soy milk.

WhyWeight, don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Eat more to lose weight - ten healthy snacking tips for you!

With snacking such a popular sustaining thing between meals, the important thing to remember when embarking on a weight loss programme is to remain regimented in your approach to snacking as much as your approach to mealtimes. Snacking has a part to play in your programme, but remain focused, be disciplined and use these handy hints below to aid you along the way. I sourced this from 'ezinearticles' once again (http://EzineArticles.com/4402778) and this one is written by Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach Monica Tangry (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monica_Tangry)

In order to lose weight more efficiently, you need to eat more. It may sound too good to be true and it contradicts the entire concept of dieting, but it is a proven fact. The catch is, however, you need to eat more of the good stuff.

For a fire to keep burning it needs to be stoked, much like our metabolism, which is our internal fat burning furnace. Stoking your metabolism requires eating a small meal or snack approximately every three hours. Over the course of a day this will add up to five or six small meals (for example: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack). The size of the meals will depend on your total daily calorie allowance.

It is recommended that snacks generally be between 100 and 200 calories each, which does not seem like a lot. You are probably wondering what type of snacks could possibly be 100 to 200 calories and still be satisfying. You can be certain that it rules out any sort of processed or junk food options, which are loaded with empty calories and next to zero nutrition. Processed snacks will not satisfy you for long and generally cause a drop in blood sugar levels, which lead to unhealthy food cravings. The key to avoiding this viscous cycle is to find foods that are naturally low in calories and nutrient dense.

Top 10 Nutrient Rich Snacks:

• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts)
• Dried Fruit (raisins, dates, prunes, cranberries, cherries - unsweetened)
• Veggies (baby carrots, celery sticks, sugar snap peas, etc)
• String Cheese
• Fresh fruit & Berries
• Popcorn (air popped, unsalted, no butter or margarine)
• Cottage cheese & fresh or frozen berries and honey
• Whole grain crackers with Hummus, Peanut butter
• Smoothies
• Dark Chocolate

These healthy snacks are great for on-the-go or at your desk at work. Portion control is very important even with healthy snacks. Measure out and pack proper portions in advance so they are ready when you need them, this requires a little planning and preparation, but is well worth the effort. By having these healthy snacks readily on hand, you can avoid any dietary pitfalls and feel good that you are stoking your body's natural fat burning potential.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Zero calorie foods!

Some foods burn up more of your energy and your calories than are derived from them, and for this reason these are a great food source to add to your healthy diet conscious recipes to ensure you get the best balance from your new found eating habits. This quick read article from Anita Marie (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anita_Marie) sourced through ezinearticles (http://EzineArticles.com/6296183) will provide some clarity, and what these zero calorie or low calorie foods are that can be very easily combined into your new meal plan.


What is a negative calorie food you say? You see there is no such thing as a negative calorie.

Let me explain - a calorie is a unit of heat and it cannot be negative. So when people talk about negative calorie foods. They are talking about foods whose calorie level is so low that it takes more energy to eat and digest it.

Take cold water for instance, it contains no calories at all, but the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature. Therefore, every time you drink a glass of cold water. You burn a few calories and lose a little weight. There are very few foods like this.

Below are a list of some negative calorie foods to help in your weight loss efforts. A lot of the foods on the list below do not really use more calories than they add, if they do it is minimum. Our body is always expending energy just to keep us alive and breathing. You are always burning calories.

It is not healthy to use these foods as a long term solution to your weight loss program. Why? because eating them in abundance could cause serious damage to your body. They could however be used as a healthy detox or fasting plan for one to three days. Provided you are in a healthy state it can be a great way to clean out your system. You should always get medical advice before doing so.

For example, the acid in grape fruit and pineapple can damage your stomach lining. Some of these foods can put excessive burden on the liver and cause diarrhoea. They should be incorporated into your diet with other proteins, starches, and vegetables. To create a healthy natural diet.

Here is your list of foods that can be incorporated in your daily meals: Apples | Asparagus | Beets - better when grated | Blueberries | Broccoli | Cantaloupes | Carrot - better when grated | Cauliflower | Celery stalk | Celery root | Cranberries | Cucumbers | Eggplant | Endives | Garden cress | Garlic | Grapefruit | Green beans | Green cabbage | Lamb's lettuce | Lemons | Lettuce | Onions | Papayas | Pineapples | Prunes | Radishes | Raspberries | Spinach | Strawberries | Tangerines | Tomatoes | Turnips | Zucchini, and more!

Please use this list of negative calorie foods wisely. I can't stress this enough. Do not over eat one food, chew your food slowly for more satisfaction. You will also lose more calories that way - especially, if you eat some of them in their raw state. Use them in salads, soups, smoothies, and hearty side dishes. The possibilities are endless. Have fun! Good luck!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-