The first was written by Sara Ost who used to be a Healthbolt blogger until she moved on to become the editor of ecosalon, a place that’s all about living green. Sara wrote this article – Ignite Your Brainpower with the 20 Smartest Foods on Earth – highlighting foods that supercharge your brain.

…advocado, blueberries, wild salmon, nuts, seeds, coffee, oatmeal, beans, pomegranate, brown rice, tea, chocolate, oysters, olive oil, tuna, garlic, eggs, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cacao nibs…

The second list – 25 Fat Melting Foods – can be found in the Aug/Sept edition of the Australian fitness magazine Oxygen. These are foods that either (1) fill you up with less calories, (2) have a thermogenic effect, or (3) have other properties that contribute to weight loss.

…ginger, hot chills, water, coffee, green tea, fat free milk, carrots, low-fat yoghurt, stock-based soup, oatmeal, brocolli, chilli with lean beef, grapefruit, fish, apples, trail mix, lean turkey or chicken, eggs, whole grain cereal, tofu, fat-melting shake, salad, cheese and crackers, whole grain bread, cinnamon…

Check these articles out if you can as they have lots of information as why these foods are good for not only your brain but also your waist.

And don’t forget… 

The ‘win a copy of the Food Matters DVD’ ends today. 

Enter here

(winners will be announced on Monday)

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Image details: Healthy beets served by picapp.com

We're mere moments from the start of a holiday weekend. A weekend full of relaxation, togetherness, and food. Of course, for most of us, the term “food” shall be used loosely to describe “meals” which consist of brats, hot dogs, burgers, assorted mayonnaise-laden salads, desserts, and maybe, maybe a slice of watermelon. Oh, and beer.

And what we really should be eating differs greatly. In fact, here’s the list, according to the New York Times, of the 11 superfoods which should be staples in our gone-awry diets. Check and see just how many you intersperse into mealtimes:

1. Beets

2. Cabbage

3. Swiss Chard

4. Cinnamon

5. Pomegranate Juice

6. Dried Plums

7. Pumpkin Seeds

8. Sardines

9. Turmeric

10. Frozen Blueberries

11. Canned Pumpkin

So…how’d you do? I have exactly 3 of those things on a regular basis, and most I never eat at all. Hmm. Peculiar. I wonder where “brownies” and “Lucky Charms” are on that list?

Anyhoo, if that’s not enough to prompt a diet overhaul, then I’m not sure what is. But…go ahead and enjoy the weekend’s naughty indulgences first. After all, we are celebrating America’s independence, right? And what’s a celebration without a cupcake or a mittfull of chips?

Exactly!

For more tips on how to incorporate these foods into your diet, read the whole story here.

Post from: Healthbolt

Macaroni and cheese, pizza, chocolate chip cookies. Not usually found at the top of a dietician’s “Nice” list, are they? Well, no more. With a few tweaks here and there, your favorite foods can go from Nutritionally Naughty to Superfood instantaneously.

Add this: Cauliflower
To: Macaroni and Cheese
For the benefit of: Preventing Lung Cancer

Yep, adding just a 1/2 cup of pureed cauliflower to your comfort food go-to on a regular basis can lower the odds of getting lung cancer by 30% for non-smokers and 69% for smokers!

Add this: Toasted Shelled Hempseeds
To: Chocolate Chip Cookies
For the benefit of: Age-Proofing Your Mind

Adding 4 Tablespoons of these tiny nuts drives up the omega-3 fatty acid content of grandma’s cookies, which should aid in repairing brain tissue, staving off Alzheimer’s and improving insulin sensitivity. All of those factors help to create the ultimate in brain health.

P.S. Adding wacky tobacky is not the same here, folks. Sorry.

Add this: Feta Cheese
To: Pizza
For the benefit of: Improving Your Energy

When Spanish scientists compared cow’s milk to goat’s milk (which feta cheese is made from), they found that feta helps prevent iron deficiency, which just happens to be a major player in causing fatigue. Without sufficient iron, the level of oxygen to your muscles is hindered, thereby making you sluggish.

Add this: Spelt Flour
To: Pancakes
For the benefit of: Ramping Up Your Immune System

Spelt flour is packed with special carbs called mucopolysaccharides, which rev up your body’s resistance to infection. Not only that, spelt is a great source of B-17, which has been shown in studies to help prevent cancer.

With this great news, now’s the time to table-up to some of your favorite, once-forbidden foods. Mmm-mmm!

Post from: Healthbolt