Stop your Sugar Cravings

I would like to share an article abstracted from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine
By Denise Foley.

Here are some food which will keep you healthy and help you to lose some weight.

1. Eggs: these are full of protein and will make you feel fuller
longer. A multicenter study of 30 overweight or obese women found that those who
ate two scrambled eggs (with two slices of toast and a reduced-calorie fruit
spread) consumed less for the next 36 hours than women who had a bagel breakfast
of equal calories. Other research has shown that protein may also prevent spikes
in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings


2. Beans contain cholecystokinin, a digestive hormone which is a
natural appetite suppressant. They also keep blood sugar on an even keel, so
that you can stave off hunger longer. High-fiber beans can lower your
cholesterol.


3. Salad Start off with a salad. The sheer volume of a salad makes
you feel too full to pig out.: A study published in the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association found that people who ate one salad a day with dressing had
higher levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids-all
disease fighters-than those who didn't add salad to their daily menu.

4. Green tea contain antioxidants called catechins which help speed
metabolism and fat burning. In a recent Japanese study, 35 men who drank a
bottle of oolong tea mixed with green tea catechins lost weight, boosted their
metabolism, and had a significant drop in their body mass index.The participants
also lowered their(bad) LDL cholesterol.

5. Pears have more fiber. At six grams per medium-size pear, they
fill you up. Apples come in second, with about three grams per medium-size
fruit. Both contain pectin fiber, which decreases blood-sugar levels thus
helping you to avoid snacking.

6. Soup fills you up so that you wont eat so much. Researchers
speculate that even the simplest soup satisfies hunger because your brain
perceives it as filling.

7. Lean beef contains the amino acid leucine, which is abundant in
proteins like meat and fish as well as in dairy products. It can help you pare
down while maintaining calorie-burning muscle.

8. Olive oil. Fight off middle-age pounds with extra virgin olive
oil. A monounsaturated fat, it'll help you burn calories and boost metabolism.
Use in salad dressings, as a bread dip, or for sautéing.

9. Grapefruit A 2006 study of 91 obese people conducted at the
Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that eating half
a grapefruit before each meal or drinking a serving of the juice three times a
day helped people drop more than three pounds over 12 weeks. The fruit's
phytochemicals reduce insulin levels, a process that may force your body to
convert calories into energy rather than flab.

10. Cinnamon Sprinkle it on microwave oatmeal or whole-grain toast
to help cure those mid-afternoon sugar slumps. Research from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture found that a little cinnamon can help control post-
meal insulin spikes, which make you feel hungry One USDA study showed that just
a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol, and
triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

11. Vinegar In a Swedish study, researchers found that people who
ate bread dipped in vinegar felt fuller than those who had their slices plain.
The probable reason: Acetic acid in the vinegar may slow the passage of food
from the stomach into the small intestine, so your tummy stays full longer.
Vinegar can also short-circuit the swift blood-sugar rise that occurs after you
eat refined carbs such as white bread, cookies, and crackers.

12. Tofu: Tofu is an appetite-quashing protein.

13. Nuts Yes, they are fattening but research shows that people who
snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't. A study from Purdue
University found that when a group of 15 normal-weight people added about 500
calories worth of peanuts to their regular diet, they consumed less at
subsequent meals. The participants also revved up their resting metabolism by 11
percent, which means they burned more calories even when relaxing. Walnuts
contain omega-3 fatty acids. And researchers at Loma Linda University recently
found that eating 10 to 20 whole pecans daily can reduce heart disease risks.


14. High-fiber cereal can curb your appetite when you eat a bowl
for breakfast.

15. Hot red pepper Eating a bowl of spicy chili regularly can help
you lose weight. The magic ingredient may be capsaicin, which helps suppress
appetite.

So it's up to us to include the above food in our diets to maintain a healthy weight.
To your good health!