Foods for Weight Management

If you are trying to lose weight, avoid the frozen, prepared, and often expensive "diet" meals and instead hit up the produce, grain and fish sections of the grocery store. These super foods are not just filling and can help you manage your weight, but offer numerous health benefits as well.

1.    Kale. This dark, leafy green provides fiber, iron and calcium - and at about 35 calories per cup (raw and chopped), it is a low-calorie way to fill up. Choose organic when possible.

2.    Lentils. High in protein, lentils can help prevent spikes in insulin levels that can cause your body to store excess fat.

3.    Blueberries. A good source of antioxidants, blueberries have over 3.5 grams of fiber per cup, which can help to fill you up and keep your digestive system running smoothly.

4.    Wild Alaskan salmon. An excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can help improve insulin sensitivity, which helps build muscle; the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Sardines are another good omega-3 and protein-rich fish option.

5.    Steel-cut oats. An excellent source of fiber, eating steel-cut oats is a good way to fill up and stay satisfied in the morning without a lot of calories.

6.    Quinoa. A healthy alternative to white rice, quinoa can help curb hunger via its fiber and protein content. 

7.    Apples. A calorie-efficient way to curb hunger, apples contain antioxidants that may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat.

8.    Buckwheat pasta. Unlike regular white-flour pasta, buckwheat is high in fiber and contains protein, making it more satiating, so you eat less. Try soba noodles in place of spaghetti.

9.    Olive oil and avocados. Both contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats. Many people find that increasing their intake of healthy fats makes them feel fuller while keeping insulin - which helps conduct fat into the cells for storage - low and steady.

Garlic, A weapon against Heart Disease

Garlic tackles both cholesterol and blood pressure to lower the risk of heart disease. Several studies have found that garlic lowers blood levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol — the "bad" forms — as much as 20 percent. In one large study, those who took 800 milligrams of powdered garlic daily for four months lowered their cholesterol by 12 percent and their triglycerides by 17 percent, while the placebo group experienced little change.
 

Several studies using garlic supplements have shown a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading), and three showed a reduction in systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading). A chemical in garlic called hydrogen sulfide makes smooth muscles relax, thus helping to control blood pressure.
 

Garlic appears to prevent the buildup of plaque and prevent blood clots by thinning the blood, thus lowering the risk of strokes and thromboses. A study at India's Tagore Medical College found that patients who took garlic oil daily for 10 months were 83 percent less likely to form dangerous blood clots.

Garlic, A Weapon against Cancer

Garlic, the odorous bulb that's probably in your kitchen right now, has been important in both food and medicine dating back to ancient Egypt, but its most important role may be in fighting one of modern man's most dreaded diseases — cancer. Recent research has found that compounds in garlic can cut cancer risks by as much as two-thirds.  According to the National Cancer Institute, which is a part of the National Institutes of Health, several studies have shown that garlic cut the risk of several forms of cancer by 50 percent or more.

Recent research has found garlic contains more than 30 organosulphur compounds, many with exciting anti-cancer properties. One is an organosulphur compound called diallyl trisulfide (DATS), which fights cancer by preventing, killing, or blocking the growth and spread of cancerous cells. Some studies have suggested that garlic inhibits the development and progression of prostate, breast, colon, stomach, bladder, esophageal, and skin cancers in test tubes and in animals. One study conducted at the University of North Carolina found that people who eat garlic cut their risk of colorectal cancer by two-thirds.

According to The National Cancer Institute, garlic can lower the risk of pancreatic cancer by 54 percent, prostate cancer by 50 percent, colon cancer by 50 percent, and stomach cancer by 52 percent. Some studies show even greater benefits: One study conducted at the University of North Carolina found that people who eat garlic cut their risk of colorectal cancer by two-thirds.

Garlic can even help deter some of the deadliest cancers. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that sulfur compounds in garlic are effective against glioblastoma, a fatal type of brain tumor.

Blueberries for Urinary Tract Infections

Blueberries are bursting with tannins, compounds that boot out the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections. Researchers at Rutgers University in Chatsworth, New Jersey, found that these tannins prevent the germs from attaching to the wall of our bladder, where they thrive. How many blueberries should we eat? Researchers aren’t sure. But if we suffer from frequent urinary infections, we might want to think about tossing a handful in our mouth whenever we are in the kitchen.

Dark Leafy Greens for Eye Health

If your idea of salad is a few leaves of iceberg lettuce in an ocean of thousand island dressing, it’s time for change. While light colored lettuce is a nutritional lightweight, dark leafy greens are packed with vitamins and high in calcium and magnesium. They’re also a great source of lutein, a nutrient that appears to protect the eyes against macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness among the elderly. Perhaps most important, they’re among the strongest in levels of antioxidant activity

Choose fresh looking bunches. When shopping for kale and collard greens, the stemmed ends should be clean, with no dark patches, and the leaves should be bright, without any wilting or yellowing.

Spinach, endive and romaine lettuce are great in salads; just dress with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar. Other greens, such as collard greens and kale, may taste too bitter, so sauté them in a little olive oil with fresh garlic.