Healthy Life: 4 Healthy Reasons to Eat a Salad Today

4 Healthy Reasons to Eat a Salad Today

Have you had your salad today? Eating salad almost every day may be one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt -- and one of the simplest, experts say.

Eating salads is a super-convenient way to work in a couple of servings of vegetables and/or fruit. Green salads are on the menu of almost every restaurant. You can even buy a side salad (with lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, available with fat-free or reduced-calorie salad dressing) for a buck at many fast food chains these days. And you can make a green salad at home in 5 minutes, armed with a bag of pre-washed salad greens, a few carrots or other veggies, and a bottle of light salad dressing.

Not only that, but salads are cool, crunchy, and fun to eat (lots of textures, colors, and flavors). Most people enjoy eating salads--even kids! You can customize them to include the fruits and vegetables that appeal to you the most, and whichever ones you have on hand.



Here are four health reasons to reach for a salad today:

1. Eat Salads for the Fiber
It's hard to believe that something we can't even digest can be so good for us! Eating a high-fiber diet can help lower cholesterol levels and prevent constipation.
Not only that, eating more fiber can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight.



2. Eat Salads for the Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
If you frequently eat green salads, you'll likely have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants (vitamin C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene,) especially if your salad includes some raw vegetables. Antioxidants are substances that help protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

For years, researchers have noted a link between eating lots of fruits and vegetables and lower risks of many diseases, particularly cancer. A recent study from the National Cancer Institute suggests that people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables may have a lower risk of developing cancers of the head and neck -- even those who smoke and drink heavily. Foods found to be particularly protective include beans and peas, string beans, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, apples, nectarines, peaches, plums, pears, and strawberries.



3. Eat Salads to Cut Calories and Increase Satisfaction
If losing weight is your goal, you may want to start your meals with a green salad. Studies have shown that eating a low-calorie first course, like a green salad of 150 calories or less, enhances satiety (feelings of fullness) and reduces the total number of calories eaten during the meal.

Research suggests that "bigger is better" as long as the salad is bigger in volume, not in calories - which means more veggies and less dressing and other fatty add-ons.
"We saw reductions in consumed calories when people ate salads that were 1 1/2 cups and 3 cups in volume but around 100 total calories,". The 3-cup, 100-calorie salad reduced the total calories consumed at the meal by about 55.



4. Eat Salads to Get Smart Fats
Eating a little good fat (like the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, avocado and nuts) with your vegetables appears to help your body absorb protective phytochemicals, like lycopene from tomatoes and lutein from dark green vegetables.

A recent study from Ohio State University measured how well phytochemicals were absorbed by the body after people ate a salad of lettuce, carrot, and spinach, with or without 2 1/2 tablespoons of avocado. The avocado-eaters absorbed eight times more alpha-carotene and more than 13 times more beta-carotene (both of which are thought to help protect against cancer and heart disease) than the group eating salads without avocado.



If you dress your salad with a little olive oil, there may even be some additional years in it for you. Italian research on people aged 60 and older has suggested that a diet that includes plenty of olive oil and raw vegetables is linked to reduced mortality.



Making one simple change to your diet – adding a salad almost every day – can pay off with plenty of health benefits, right?

Any queries that I could you, please feel free to contact me at stargirlyune@gamil.com. I'm willing to serve you. See you!

Sources&Pictures: WebMD.com/ google.com

Healthy Life: The Best and Worst Juices for Your Health

The Best and Worst juices for Your Health


Have you ever been thinking about this, what's in your glass? Who doesn't enjoy a tall, cool glass of juice? The color is vibrant, the taste sweet, and it's good for you, too.

Not so fast, say some dieticians. Although the best kinds of juice deliver a bounty of vitamins, the worst are hardly better than liquid candy. Read these, let's go!!



Best Choice: Vegetable Juice
Drinking your veggies is a convenient way to add powerful plant-based nutrients to your diet. The lycopene in tomato juice appears to lower the risk of prostate cancer. Beet juice may reduce blood pressure. Pulpy vegetable juice is also packed with fiber that can help control hunger (WoW!!!). And all of these benefits come without a catch. Vegetable juice has far less sugar and fewer calories than the typical fruit juice.



The 100% Fruit Juice Dilemma
What about pure fruit juice with no added sweeteners? Such an innocent-sounding drink has sparked endless debate. No one disputes the fact that real fruit juice is loaded with vitamins and disease-fighting antioxidants. The problem is juice can also be naturally high in sugar and calories. A cup of pure apple juice can have as much sugar as some candy bars. That's why many experts recommend sticking to one serving per day.



Good Choice: Pomegranate Juice
If you're only going to drink one glass of juice each day, you want to make it a good one. So let's explore which juices offer the biggest nutritional payoff per sip. Pomegranate juice tops the list. It's high in sugar and calories, but delivers an abundant dose of antioxidants. These substances appear to protect brain function and may ward off cancer. In one study, 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily reduced the recurrence of prostate cancer.



Good Choice: Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is packed with vitamin C, which is vital to a healthy immune system. There is also evidence to support a folk remedy — drink unsweetened cranberry juice to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections.



Good Choice: Blueberry Juice
Animal studies suggest blueberries may keep the brain healthy and protect against age-related conditions, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In one study, aging rats that ate a blueberry-rich diet had the mental capacity of younger rats. Many of the antioxidant properties of blueberries carry over to blueberry juice; so drink up to boost brain health.



Good Choice: Acai Berry Juice
Researchers have only begun looking into the health benefits of acai juice, which is made from a berry found in South America. But early studies are promising. Acai pulp appears to have a higher concentration of antioxidants than cranberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries.



Good Choice: Cherry Juice
Besides delivering a wealth of antioxidants, some berry juices appear to have anti-inflammatory properties. According to one study, drinking cherry juice before and after your work-out can reduce exercise-induced muscle pain.



Good Choice: Red Grape Juice
We've all heard that red wine, in moderation, can be good for the heart. The same is true of red grape juice. The key is that wine and juice are made with the entire grape – seeds, skin, and all. When you eat fresh grapes, you miss out on nutrients hiding in the seeds.



Good Choice: Prune Juice
Another viable folk remedy, prune juice has long been recommended to relieve constipation. It works because it's extremely high in fiber and contains a natural laxative called sorbitol. But the benefits of prune juice don't stop there. The juice is also packed with antioxidants, iron, and potassium.



What About Orange Juice?
It's a staple at breakfast, but does this popular juice carry its weight? The good news is orange juice is loaded with vitamin C, a star for its immune-boosting benefits. In addition, orange juice is often fortified with calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that strengthen the bones. Unsweetened orange juice has fewer calories than some berry juices or grape juice. The trade-off is that it also has fewer antioxidants overall.



Worst Choice: Juice "Cocktails"
Be on alert for the terms juice cocktail, juice-flavored beverage, or juice drink. Most of these products contain only small amounts of real juice. The main ingredients are usually water and some type of sugar, such as high-fructose corn syrup. Nutritionally, these drinks are similar to most soft drinks — rich in sugar and calories, but low in nutrients. Research suggests that sugary fruit drinks put kids at risk for obesity and related health problems.


How much of juice that suit for your kids?



Kids & Juice
Most children love juice, but the American Academy of Pediatrics has set clear guidelines on how much is too much. For kids younger than 6, the AAP recommends no more than 4 to 6 ounces of pure fruit juice per day. For ages 7 to 18, the suggested amount is 8 to 12 ounces.



Water It Down
If you or your kids crave more than a single cup of juice per day, try watering it down. By mixing water and juice, you slash the calories in every serving. Instead of drinking one glass of pure juice, you can enjoy two or three cups of the water-juice mixture throughout the day.



Go for Whole Fruit
Dieticians say a great alternative to guzzling fruit juice is to eat the whole fruit. This provides fiber and additional nutrients from the flesh and pulp. Unlike juice, fresh berries or orange wedges also help control hunger.

Hi there! I wish these sources could helps you spot the difference. Have a good day.lol

Any queries that I could help you, please feel free to contact me at stargirlyune@gmail.com. I'm willing to serve you. See you!

Sources&Pictures: WebMD.com/ google.com