Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Top 5 Healthiest Foods of Summer


Summer is the time of year when you're out of school, have nothing to do, and want a great body for the pool. People normally eat more during summer because they have nothing better to do. It is not hard to make good food choices during the summer if you know what to look for.

Top 5 Healthiest Foods of Summer:

1. Berries- Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Acai berries, and Raspberries are all great additions to summer. Berries possess tons of antioxidants that help in reducing your chance of getting cancer and improve your memory. You can easily add berries to cereal, oatmeal, low-fat ice cream, whole grain waffles, or just try them plain.


2. Watermelon- Summer is not summer without having some watermelon. Watermelon will fill you up easily and is made up of 92% water. Watermelon also has vitamins and lycopene in it which help in reducing your risk of certain forms of cancer. When eating it, try to eat it plain without adding salt and sugar to greatly increase the health benefits.


3. Green or Black Tea- It is always nice to sit around the pool and drink a nice cold glass of tea. Green and black tea are loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, and has other anticancer properties. Black tea has also been shown to help in lowering the bad LDL cholesterol that is responsible for clogging arteries. Tea also can help keep your GI function normal. When drinking tea, try to prepare it without adding all the sugar and artificial sweetners which add to the amount of calories you consume.


4. Lean meats- In the summertime there is always a cookout on weekends. You can watch the midsection by choosing the right meat at the weekly BBQ. If you have a choice, stick with the lean steak/beef, or choose chicken or fish. You want to eat your meat in moderation because you can rack up a ton of calories real quickly along with cholesterol.


5. Peppers- There are many varieties of peppers you can get. You can get bell peppers, jalapeno, and any other and make a good choice. The more colorful the variety, the better. Peppers are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. When you prepare your peppers make sure to steam them, cook them out on the grill, or prepare them without the use of butter.


Try out some of these healthy summer foods and reap the benefits they provide. If you are trying to lose weight this summer, just work on cutting out some calories each day (for example cutting out 500 calories a day for a week= lose 1lb a week); choose healthy foods, and stay away from the fast food joints.

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