5 Tips For Timing Your Meals to Maximize Fat Loss

Your mother always told you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day -- but does it matter when you eat it? And what if your dinner time fluctuates wildly from day to day? Does meal timing actually matter? Yes! Eating at the appropriate times throughout the day will help maximize fat burning, avoid hormonal interference and keep hunger at bay. Here are five tips so you can time your meals to maximize your results.

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Start Off on the Right Bite: There's a good reason why I tell patients to eat within one hour of rising. A study from 2005 found evidence that people who skip breakfast compensate later in the day with more refined carbohydrates and fats and fewer fruits and vegetables. Skipping breakfast was also associated with significantly higher fasting cholesterol and impaired insulin sensitivity post-meal.

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Eat Less But More Often: By eating smaller meals more frequently (i.e. approximately every three hours), you will help maintain a steady level of blood sugar throughout the day, which is important. Meal frequency may also have a positive impact on your body composition. One older study found that an increase in meal frequency lowered overall body mass in men and had a positive impact on energy levels through the day in both genders. Another study found that spreading out your food intake into many small meals keeps you fuller, longer during the day and also sustains fat oxidation (a.k.a the use of fat as fuel) at night.

Lunch Early: A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that consuming meals earlier in the day was associated with faster and greater weight loss. Research scientists monitored the eating habits and weight loss success of 420 overweight Spanish participants on a 20-week diet program. Participants consumed about 40 per cent of their daily calories (roughly 550 to 570) at lunch. In the end, the group that ate lunch after 3 p.m. lost an average of 17 pounds compared with a 22 pounds in the early-lunch group. The late lunch eaters consumed fewer calories during breakfast and were more likely to skip breakfast than early eaters, which can cause it's own problems. The late lunch group also had lower insulin sensitivity, a risk factor for diabetes and weight gain in general.

Aim for the Same Dinner Time Daily: An older study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology manipulated "dinner time" for 22 obese and 24 healthy-weight individuals to determine whether eating behavior changed when standard mealtimes were altered. They found that the obese group ate more when they thought they were eating after their regular dinner hour than they did when they thought that they were eating earlier.

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Skip the Sugar, Not the Meal: Skipping a meal entirely causes a blood sugar imbalance and raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn has a host of negative consequences (from increasing belly fat to disrupting insulin receptors). So despite a busy schedule preparation truly is key when it comes to fat loss.

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Burning Fat With Flavonoids

Nuts appear to boost one’s metabolism, such that when we eat nuts we burn more of our own fat to compensate. People who don’t eat nuts tend to burn off around 20 grams of fat a day–about 5 pats worth of butter, but those eating walnuts averaged more like 31 grams–7 or 8 pats of butter. In Fat Burning Via Arginine, I explore one theory as to why this may happen (and where arginine can be found in our diet).

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It may also be the flavonoids, phytonutrients found in nuts as well as citrus, berries, red onions, beans, green tea, grapes, and cocoa, that may boost our metabolism enough to significantly slim our waistline. Based on what kind of evidence? I showcase a study done on purple grape juice in my video Fat Burning Via Flavonoids.

Just like nuts are calorically dense yet don’t seem to cause much weight gain, Welch’s was hoping that the same would be found for their grape juice. They had people guzzle down 2 cups a day for three months. Keep in mind that Welch’s grape juice has more sugar than Coca Cola. Two cups of purple grape juice contain the equivalent of 20 spoonfuls of sugar. The control group was basically given grape Kool-Aid instead, with the same number of calories and same amount of sugar, but no detectable phytonutrients.

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At two cups a day study subjects were getting hundreds of extra calories a day. Surely after 3 months they’d gain a couple pounds. Indeed that’s what happened in the grape-flavored sugar water group—how could they not with all that extra sugar in their diet? The grape juice group, on the other hand, did not. In fact, their waist circumference shrunk significantly. Drinking grape juice appeared to burn away significantly more tummy fat. So maybe there is something to the theory put forth by the nut and green tea researchers that flavonoid phytonutrients are capable of helping the body burn fat. If true, then it’s just one more reason to eat nuts and drink green tea—not grape juice. Instead of the juice, I’d recommend eating concord grapes, the source of purple grape juice that you may be able to find at a farmer’s market near you.

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Amino acids and their significance for fat burning

Amino acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements play a significant role in weight loss.

Whether we gradually put on weight or stay slim generally depends on our hormones. And herein lays the key to weight loss: the systematic supplementation of certain amino acids allows us to stimulate the body to produce enough fat-burning hormones – in a natural manner and in harmony with the body's needs. 

One important fat-burning hormone is the growth hormone (somatotropin, STH). We produce this hormone while we sleep. It stimulates protein synthesis and boosts fat oxidation. Overweight patients generally have lower STH concentrations, which often hinders weight reduction. Unfortunately, the growth hormone is very expensive (approximately GBP 400–650 for a monthly ration) and must be injected under close and competent medical supervision. It is thus safer to simulate our bodies to secrete this hormone naturally. Certain amino acids have been shown to do this in many cases if sufficient quantities are taken on an empty stomach at night.

Amino acids capable of this are:

• Arginine
• Glutamine
• Methionine

The synthesis of the growth hormone also requires vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Studies have shown that obese patients may have a carnitine deficiency.

In this case, carnitine substitution (food supplementation) is certainly worthwhile. Carnitine is a biocarrier (transport substance), which is synthesised in the liver – and its precursor in the kidneys – from the two essential amino acids lysine and methionine. It acts as a carrier molecule that transports long-chain fatty acids through the inner mitochondrial membrane. Long-chain fatty acids can only pass through the membrane if they have been esterified with carnitine, whereas medium- and short-chain fatty acids can pass without this carrier (transport molecule)

Carnitine as a fat burner

Carnitine transports fatty acids more quickly and throws them into the metabolic furnace. This means that the body is burning fat instead of storing it. Owing to its fat-oxidising effect, carnitine is also used for weight reduction and is often referred to as a “fat burner”.

Carnitine is synthesised in five steps that also involve the essential co-factors vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin and folic acid. A deficiency in any of these substances may limit carnitine biosynthesis.

Professor Luppa from the University of Leipzig wrote about the fat-burning capabilities of l-carnitine in his essay from 2004, “in regards to the prevention of obesity, it can be said that current measures to improve the breakdown of fat are more effective than the propagated restrictions on fat intake in the diet. However, the precondition is the optimal functioning of the fat metabolism and its regulation. L-carnitine plays a decisive role as an essential co-factor in both cases. A deficiency in l-carnitine reduces the breakdown of fatty acids in the mitochondrial matrix due to its function as a carrier. L-carnitine is also important in regulating fat and carbohydrate metabolism for it is a substrate of the carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT).”

Furthermore, “restrictions in the availability of l-carnitine are not only recognisable in the adaptability of the lipid metabolism as the carbohydrate and protein metabolisms are also affected. As a consequence, reduced blood sugar levels and increased protein degradation can occur.”

There was clear evidence that carnitine can increase fat oxidation in certain cells of the body.

Furthermore, work by two scientists from Switzerland and the USA has now proved that the administration of carnitine can boost mobilization of fatty acids from the adipocytes (fat cells) and also increase oxidation of fatty acids in these cells.

Moreover, sufficient data has been obtained from seven animal models which all clearly prove that carnitine supplementation during a calorie-reduced diet can lead not only to a significant decrease in the body fat compared to a placebo, but also to a simultaneous increase in fat-free muscle mass.

Carnitine facilitates weight management

A 2013 clinical study has attracted a great deal of attention. It showed that dietary supplementation with 500mg L-carnitine per day, in combination with motivational training, already ensures significant weight loss in overweight individuals. Study participants were able to lose an average of 400g of body fat within four weeks, without changing their diets or level of exercise. Waist circumference measurements showed an average decrease of 1.3cm.

Glutamine counteracts fat storage

Glutamine can be converted to glucose in the kidneys without affecting the glucagon and insulin counts. Therefore, it also contributes to the energy supply while being able to bypass insulin-induced fat storage.

It counteracts the storage of dietary fats and thus helps regulate weight. One study showed that supplementation with glutamine in a high-fat diet resulted in a loss of body fat. Furthermore, glutamine can reduce cravings for sugar and alcohol.

The B-vitamins and zinc are also important for fat burning. Vitamin B is very helpful when trying to lose weight, as almost all of the B-vitamins stimulate the body’s ability to break down fat. Moreover, they are also a nutritional source for the nerves, a factor which should not be underestimated, especially by those who wish to lose weight. The B-vitamins riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), biotin (B7) and cobalamin (B12) are responsible for controlling the metabolism and stimulate the breakdown of body fats. They are particularly effective and fast in regards to fat burning. Vitamin B2 is important as it quickly converts proteins, carbohydrates and fats to energy. The trace element zinc has similar properties for it supports the body in processing fat and carbohydrates and it is indispensable for a functioning protein metabolism. Amino acids can therefore only fulfil their important tasks for the lipid metabolism with a sufficient supply of zinc.

Source
http://www.aminoacid-studies.com/areas-of-use/fat-burning.html

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1Rudman, D., Feller, A.G., Cohn, L., Shetty, K.R., Rudman, I.W. & Draper, M.W. (1991) Effects of human growth hormone on body composition Hormone research, Volume 36 supplement 1, (pp. 73-81)

2Merimee, T.J., Lillicrap, D.A. & Rabinowitz, D. (1965) Effect of arginine on serum-levels of human growth-hormone Lancet, Volume 2, issue 7414, (pp. 668-670)

3Welbourne, T.C. (1995) Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load,The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 61, issue 5, (pp. 1058-1061)

4Kasai, K., Kobayashi, M. & Shimoda, S.I. (1978) Stimulatory effect of glycine on human growth hormone secretion, Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental, Volume 27, issue 2, (pp. 201-208)

5Evangeliou, A. & Vlassopoulos, D. (2003) Carnitine Metabolism and Deficit – When Supplementation is Necessary? Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (pp. 211-219)

6Müller, D.M., Seim, H., Kiess, W., Löster, H. & Richter, T. (2002) Effects of Oral l-Carnitine Supplementation on In Vivo Long-Chain Fatty Acid Oxidation in Healthy Adults, Metabolism, Vol. 51, issue 11, (pp. 1389-1391)

7Wutzke, K.D. & Lorenz, H. (2004) The Effect of l-Carnitine on Fat Oxidation, Protein Turnover, and Body Composition in Slightly Overweight Subjects, Metabolism, Vol. 53, issue 8, (pp. 1002-1006)

8Reda, E., D'Iddio, S., Nicolai, R., Benatti, P. & Calvani, M. (2003) The Carnitine System and Body Composition, Acta Diabetol, issue 40, (pp. 106-113)

9Odo, S., Tanabe, K. & Yamauchi, M. (2013) A Pilot Clinical Trial on L-Carnitine Supplementation in Combination with Motivation Training: Effects on Weight Management in Healthy Volunteers, Food and Nutrition, Volume 4, (pp. 222-231)

10Prada, P.O., Hirabara, S.M., de Souza, C.T., Schenka, A.A., Zecchin,H.G., Vassallo, J., Velloso, L.A., Carneiro, E., Carvalheira, J.B., Curi, R. & Saad, M.J. (2007) L-glutamine supplementation induces insulin resistance in adipose tissue and improves insulin signalling in liver and muscle with diet-induced obesity,Diabetologia, Volume 50, issue 9, (pp. 149-159)

11Bowtell, J.L., Gelly, K., Jackman, M.L., Patel, A., Simeoni, M. & Rennie, M.J. (1999) Effect of oral glutamine on whole body carbohydrate storage during recovery from exhaustive exercise, Journal Of Applied Physiology, Volume 86, issue 6, (pp. 1770-1777)

A healthy gut is the hidden key to weight loss

In a previous article in this series on diabesity I briefly mentioned the role of gut health in obesity and diabetes. I’d like to go into more detail on that subject here, especially since it’s not a very well known relationship.

Our gut is home to approximately 100,000,000,000,000 (100 trillion) microorganisms. That’s such a big number our human brains can’t really comprehend it. One trillion dollar bills laid end-to-end would stretch from the earth to the sun – and back – with a lot of miles to spare. Do that 100 times and you start to get at least a vague idea of how much 100 trillion is.

The human gut contains 10 times more bacteria than all the human cells in the entire body, with over 400 known diverse bacterial species. In fact, you could say that we’re more bacterial than we are human. Think about that one for a minute.

We’ve only recently begun to understand the extent of the gut flora’s role in human health and disease. Among other things, the gut flora promotes normal gastrointestinal function, provides protection from infection, regulates metabolism and comprises more than 75% of our immune system. Dysregulated gut flora has been linked to diseases ranging from autism and depression to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.

Recent research has shown that the gut flora, and the health of the gut in general, also play a significant role in both obesity and diabetes. I’ve seen this anecdotally in my practice as well. Nearly every patient I treat with a blood sugar issue also has a leaky gut, a gut infection, or some other chronic inflammatory gut condition.

We now know that the composition of the organisms living in your gut determines – to some extent, at least – how your body stores the food you eat, how easy (or hard) it is for you to lose weight, and how well your metabolism functions. Let’s take a closer look at the mechanisms involved.

Intestinal bacteria drive obesity and metabolic disease

A study published this year in Science magazine found that mice without a protein known as toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) in their gut gain excessive weight and develop full-blown diabetes and fatty liver disease when fed a high-fat diet. If we think of the gut flora as a community, TLR5 is like a neighborhood police force that can keep the houligans in check. Without TLR5, bad bacteria can get out of control.

The study authors found that these bad bacteria caused a low-grade inflammation in the mice, which caused them to eat more and develop insulin resistance. They also found that treating these mice with strong antibiotics (enough to kill most of the bacteria in the gut) reduced their metabolic abnormalities.

But the most interesting part of this study is what happened when the researchers transferred the gut flora from the TLR5-deficient overweight mice into the guts of skinny mice: the skinny mice immediately started eating more and eventually developed the same metabolic abnormalities the overweight mice had. In other words, obesity and diabetes were “transferred” from one group of mice to the other simply by changing their gut flora.

Other studies have shown that the composition of the gut flora differs in people who are obese and diabetic, and people who are normal weight with no metabolic irregularities.

One possible mechanism for how changes in the gut flora cause diabesity is that different species of bacteria seem to have different effects on appetite and metabolism. In the study on TLR5 deficient mice I mentioned above, the mice with too much bad bacteria in their guts experienced an increase in appetite and ate about 10 percent more food than their regular relatives. But it wasn’t just that these mice were hungrier and eating more; their metabolisms were damaged. When their food was restricted, they lost weight – but still had insulin resistance.

Other studies have shown that changes in the gut flora can increase the rate at which we absorb fatty acids and carbohydrates, and increase the storage of calories as fat. This means that someone with bad gut flora could eat the same amount of food as someone with a healthy gut, but extract more calories from it and gain more weight.

Bad bugs in the gut can even directly contribute to the metabolic syndrome by increasing the production of insulin (leading to insulin resistance), and by causing inflammation of the hypothalamus (leading to leptin resistance).

How modern life screws up our gut and makes us fat and diabetic

What all of this research suggests is that healthy gut bacteria is crucial to maintaining normal weight and metabolism. Unfortunately, several features of the modern lifestyle directly contribute to unhealthy gut flora:

• Antibiotics and other medications like birth control and NSAIDs
• Diets high in refined carbohydrates, sugar and processed foods
• Diets low in fermentable fibers
• Dietary toxins like wheat and industrial seed oils that cause leaky gut
• Chronic stress
• Chronic infections

We also know that infants that aren’t breast-fed and are born to mothers with bad gut flora are more likely to develop unhealthy gut bacteria, and that these early differences in gut flora may predict overweight and obesity in the future.

It’s interesting to note that the diabesity epidemic has neatly coincided with the increasing prevalence of factors that disrupt the gut flora. I’m not suggesting that poor gut health is the single cause of obesity and diabetes, but I am suggesting that it likely plays a much larger role than most people think.

How to maintain and restore healthy gut flora

The most obvious first step in maintaining a healthy gut is to avoid all of the things I listed above. But of course that’s not always possible, especially in the case of chronic stress and infections, and whether we were breast-fed or our mothers had healthy guts.

If you’ve been exposed to some of these factors, there are still steps you can take to restore your gut flora:

• Remove all food toxins from your diet
• Eat plenty of fermentable fibers (starches like sweet potato, yam, yucca, etc.)
• Take a high-quality probiotic, or consider more radical methods of restoring healthy gut flora
• Treat any intestinal pathogens (such as parasites) that may be present
• Take steps to manage your stress

Source
http://chriskresser.com/a-healthy-gut-is-the-hidden-key-to-weight-loss/

Smart Snacking: How To Keep Your Metabolism Burning All Day

Apples

Apples are a 'good carb,' and they're packed with fiber. Eating two apples is enough to fill your fruit intake for the day, and you're not adding a lot of calories. Apples also have vitamin C, and satisfy your sweet tooth. They make your stomach feel fuller, so you'll eat less during the day, without having to worry about working off a lot of fat.

Almonds

Many kinds of nuts, when eaten in moderation, can provide a number of health benefits. First among equals are almonds, especially raw almonds that have no salt. Technically, almonds are high in fat, but a handful a day are very good for you. The fats in almonds are monounsaturated, the same as in olive oil, and these fats help reduce heart disease. Studies have also shown that almonds, eaten in moderation, helps keep your weight down, which combined with an active exercise program, can keep you healthy for a long time.

Broccoli

The greener the vegetables, the better for your body. Broccoli is a great snack you can eat raw, or steamed. It lowers cholesterol, gets rid of toxins and is packed with vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin K. If you're busy, you're better off packing raw broccoli florets in a bag, and eating them on the go. Avoid dipping sauces, as they are often loaded with fat and sugar.

Low Fat Plain Yogurt

Low-fat plain yogurt has many benefits. It's probiotic, which means that it's filled with 'good' bacteria, also known as 'live cultures' that can help relieve digestive problems. Yogurt is also a high-protein, low fat food, perfect for maintaining a healthy diet. In addition, yogurt is low in calories, but be careful about the sugar content of some flavored yogurts. You're better off buying non-sweet yogurt and using honey or brown sugar to make it sweet.

Canned Tuna

Tuna is packed with vitamin B3, vitamin B12 and protein. It's a lean, delicious food that is also low in fat. Tuna is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that have huge antioxidant benefits. The best kind of tuna is albacore tuna, which is pure white tuna with no mixture of other tuna species. For snacking, you can eat tuna straight out of a can, mix with brown rice or sprinkle over a healthy salad.

Edamame

Edamame is a fancy name for soybeans that are boiled. They are a delicious, low-fat and low-calorie snack that's full of protein and fiber. You'll also find vitamin C and vitamin A and iron. You can pack edamame in a bag to down them by the handful, but don't add too much salt, or you'll negate the health benefits.

Cottage Cheese

Although, you don't want 'cottage cheese' thighs when you work out, you do want to eat cottage cheese to stay healthy. It's high in protein, calcium (for bone strength), magnesium, potassium and zinc. Cottage cheese is also a low-carb food that helps regulate blood sugar, improves digestion and is rich in antioxidants. You can eat cottage cheese by itself as a snack, or add it to a salad or egg-white omelette.

Beef Jerky

Yep, they're good for you and filled with protein. But you have to make sure you buy a brand that's low in sugar and sodium. You should also avoid 'smoked' or 'barbecue' flavored jerky as these tend to have a lot of additives. You can also buy turkey jerky if you want even less fat. Jerky is just dried meat, so you're getting all that protein on the go.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a superfood that you can enjoy anytime. They are one of the highest antioxidant-containing fruits in the world, and you can eat them raw, in smoothies or in yogurt. Studies have shown that eating blueberries after a workout can help your muscles recover much quicker because antioxidants help promote healing. Blueberries are also packed with vitamin K, vitamin C and fiber.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a negative calorie food item. It takes more energy to chew and consume the food than what's in the nutritional value of the item itself. This is great for boosting your metabolism and is also giving of rich nutrients and antioxidants.

Cheese

Studies have shown cheese contains butyric acid. This compound is linked to reduced obesity, reduced hunger and higher metabolism. It is shown that consuming natural cheese with whole-grain bread has boosted metabolism nearly 50% than processed cheese and white bread. 

Avocado

Much like almonds, avocado contains monounsaturated fats which plump cell membranes enabling them to to work better with fat-burning hormones. Avocados boost your metabolism by protecting the energy-producing parts of your cells from free radical damage. 

Egg Whites

Egg Whites are a great source of Leucine, an amino acid used for weight loss. This amino acid kick starts your metabolism as it raises your base metabolic rate and boosts your weight loss. Be careful when consuming egg whites and avoid eating it raw. There are serious health risks associated to raw egg whites - take the time to cook it and see the health benefits kick in. 

Water

While water isn't necessarily a "snack," it is a required part of your everyday eating habits. Studies found that drinking water increases your metabolic rate by 30% in healthy men and women. It also fills you up naturally which lowers your cravings for other foods.

Spinach Salad

By eating spinach, you protect yourself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis and other diseases. Spinach has a delicate texture and jade green color that provides more nutrients than any other food. This is a great food to help get your metabolism to a speedy rate.

Whey Protein

Whey is an ideal snack for boosting metabolism. It is quickly digested and can help boost enough t burn an extra 150 to 200 calories per day. Add some whey into a protein smoothie or make your own version of ice cream with it added in. This is guaranteed to boost your metabolism fast!

Oatmeal

To jumpstart your metabolism, eat oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal is rich in fat soluble fiber which requires a lot of energy to break down. This helps boost your metabolism as it also decreases your cholesterol levels and reduces your risk of heart disease. 

Lean Meat

Metabolism is affected by multiple factors out of your control - however, increasing your muscle mass allows you to burn more calories (increases your metabolic rate). Muscle tissue requires protein and exercise - by eating more protein, you can build muscle mass therefor enhancing your metabolism.



Source
http://www.strengthmeetsstyle.com/smart-snacking-how-to-keep-your-metabolism-burning-all-day/89/236/?utm_source=Taboola&utm_medium=BriH&utm_campaign=1

14 Best Fruit and Vegetable Juices for a Healthy Life Style

The health benefits of fresh juicy fruits and vegetables need no further emphasis, but with our busy schedules and over dependence on processed foods and ready to eat meals most of us fail to reach the daily intake of 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables. But juicing is an easy and fun way of consuming all the nutrients and goodness of vegetable sand fruits without spending time on cooking. Juices are an integral part of any well-planned weight loss diet and in addition it also provides great and youthful looking skin, shining hair and healthy nails.

The high level of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in juices helps in maintaining proper health and regular consumption enhances beauty naturally and promotes healthy hair growth. The vitamin C in freshly squeezed juices improves collagen level in skin which is a key factor for skin elasticity that makes skin smooth, supple and younger. The mineral calcium present in certain fruit and vegetables juices helps in strengthening bones, fighting arthritis, lowering high blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Potassium reduces stiffness of joints and increases flexibility thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

 

Fruit and Vegetable Juices for Quick Weight Loss:

When it comes to weight loss, it is always better to stick to more vegetable juices because fruit juices contain a large amount of fruit sugar even when no additional sugar is added to it and it can affect a person’s weight loss efforts in a negative way. Therefore it is recommended to add more vegetables to your weight loss smoothie.

 

Green Detox:

Ingredients:

• Fresh Chopped Kale- 3 Cups
• Apples- 2
• Cucumber-1
• Lemon-1/2

Put all the ingredients in a juices or food processor and process till it turns in to a nice smoothie. The best time to have this smoothie is for breakfast or lunch. The kale and cucumber helps in complete detoxification of the entire system and it soothes the digestive system as well. Both apples and cucumber are great natural weight loss foods that help in losing weight.

 

Fresh Green Lemonade:

Ingredients:

• Kale- 3 Cups chopped
• Apples-2
• Cucumber-1
• Mint-1/2 Cup
• Lemon-2

Kale is an amazing vegetable loaded with vitamins and minerals. It is a great source of vitamin K, C, beta-carotene, lutein, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. Both apples and kale are super foods for weight loss and mint is a natural stimulant that helps digestion and converts fats in to usable energy. Put all the ingredients in a juicer and juice till it turns in to a smoothie. Sip it for breakfast or lunch for best results.

 

Metabolism Booster:

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers-2
• Celery-5 stalks
• Apple-1
• Coriander-1 Cup
• Lemon-1
• Red Pepper-1

Boosting metabolism is the key to fast weight loss. Speeding up metabolism leads to more calorie burn and lemons and spicy peppers work effectively in boosting it. The high water content of cucumber and celery keeps the body hydrated and fuller for a longer period of time. Put all the ingredients in a juicer and make a smooth paste with thin consistency.  Have it as a mid-morning snack or in the afternoon.

 

Grapefruit Crusher:

Ingredients:

• Grapefruit-1
• Apple-1
• Kale-2 Cups Chopped
• Cucumber-1
• Lime-1

Grapefruit is a power food for weight loss because a certain enzyme present in this pink citrus fruit lowers insulin level in blood and prevents the secretion of fat storing hormones that helps in weight loss. In addition, it is a great source of vitamin C that not only fights cold and flu but also provides youthful and smooth skin. Peel the grapefruit and cut it into a few pieces add with all the other ingredients in the juicer and enjoy your tangy smoothie.

 

Fruit and Vegetable Juices for Amazing Skin:

As far as beautiful and healthy skin is concerned, it is best to choose fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, A, B and C and beta-carotene as vitamin C and beta-carotene are the building blocks of youthful and bright skin that glows from within.

 

Skin Cleansing Potion:

Ingredients:

• Carrots-2
• Spinach-2 Cups
• Apple-1
• Cucumber-1
• Ginger-1 Inch

Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A, C and D along with folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid and small quantities of potassium, sodium, magnesium and copper. The vitamins present in carrots helps in maintaining the skin cells and the beta carotene in apples and spinach prevents skin damage whereas silicon present in cucumbers improves skin tone, quality of hair and nails. The anti-oxidants present in ginger prevent premature skin aging and acts as a natural remedy for acne and pimples. Put all the ingredients in a juicer and blend well. Drink it during breakfast to flush out toxins from the skin.

 

Youth Enhancer:

Ingredients:

• Cabage-8 Leaves
• Carrtos-4
• Ginger-1 Inch

The beta-carotene present in carrots and cabbage provides a natural radiance to skin and adds a healthy glow to the face. It also helps in maintaining collagen in skin that keeps the skin supple and youthful and prevents appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It also acts as a natural sunscreen that reduces sun burn and protects skin from within. Put all the ingredients in a juicer and enjoy this refreshing smoothie.

 

Sweet Smoothie:

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato- 1 Peeled
• Apples-2
• Carrots-2
• Spinach-1 Cup

Sweet potatoes are rich sources of vitamins A and E. While vitamin A that helps in removing age spots, wrinkles and fine lines vitamin E provides a clear glow to skin, reduces dryness and acts as a natural sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Spinach is a rich source of health benefiting minerals like iron and phyto-nutrients that have amazing anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

 

Purple Haze:

Ingredients:

• Beet-1 Along with greens
• Cabbage-1/4th
• Cucumber-2
• Red Grapes-1 Cup
• Parsley-1 Cup

Beets are a rich source of vitamins A, C and K and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and magnesium. Beet juice reduces skin irritations, acne and pimples while the oxalic acids helps in dissolving inorganic calcium deposits that works as a natural remedy for kidney stones, arthritis and heart diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of red grapes help in preventing inflammation of the arteries and protect the heart.

 

Berry Punch:

Ingredients:

• Strawberries- 2 Cups
• Blueberries- 2 Cups
• Blackberries- 2 Cups

This is an amazingly delicious berry smoothie that rich in anti-oxidants, anthocyanins, phytochemicals and flavonoids that  are not only helpful for gorgeous skin but also helps in the body from damage caused by free radicals, reduces chances of stroke, heart attack and type 2 diabetes. The essential fatty acids improve skin hydration while vitamin C protects the skin from damage caused by free radicals and increases the levels of elastin and collagen. Pour all the ingredients in a juicer and turn to a smooth paste.

 

Fruit and Vegetable Juices for Healthy Hair:

When it comes to healthy and shining long hair, Silica is the most important mineral that strengthens hair follicles by supplying vital nutrients to the scalp. It also treats hormonal imbalance which is a major reason for hair fall in women. Our hands are one of the first things that people notice and silica helps in strengthening nails that gives a beautiful appearance to the hands. Therefore, try to consume vegetables that are loaded with this mineral.

 

Cucumber Refresher:

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers-2
• Apples-2
• Mint Leaves-1 Cup

Enjoy this delicious juice while soaking up its goodness. It hydrates the body while potassium present in cucumber lowers high blood pressure. It is also a rich source of antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamins A and C that reduces the damage caused by free radicals; it also helps in reducing cholesterol and relieves joint pain, arthritis and gout. The silica present in cucumber promotes hair growth naturally and improves the texture of hair.

 

Healthy Hair Growth Juice:

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers-2
• Carrots-2
• Tomato-1

The mineral silica present in cucumber improves blood circulation to the scalp and encourages hair growth. Silica in combination with vitamin A and beta compounds strengthens the hair roots that prevents hair fall, brittleness, split ends and improves the quality of hair.

 

Hair Grow Smoothie:

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers-2
• Strawberries-1 Cup
• Carrots-2
• Apples-2
• Lemon-1

The antioxidants present in the strawberries improves blood circulation to the scalp and promotes fast hair growth whereas, silica present in cucumber improves hair texture, prevents hair breakage and split ends and increases the luster of the tresses. Beta-carotene present in carrots treats dandruff and itchiness of scalp. In addition, it also helps in improving the workings of the immune system.

 

Lettuce Crush:

Ingredients:

• Romaine Lettuce-3 Cups
• Cucumber-1
• Apple-1
• Parsley-1 Cup
• Lemon-1

 The vitamin C and beta-carotene in romaine lettuce make sit a heart healthy green veggie that reduces the risk of heart disease and also promotes the creation of hemoglobin in the blood. Whereas the silicon present in both lettuce and cucumber improves texture of hair, rejuvenates dull and limp hair  and strengthens nails. Parsley and lemon help in digestion.

 

Green Punch:

Ingredients:

• Spinach-3 Cups
• Cucumbers-2
• Red Grapes-1 Cup

The flavonoids present in spinach have anti-cancer properties whereas the antioxidants help in fighting chronic diseases. Lutein and zeaxanthin found in abundance in spinach improves vision and protects the eye. The high level of vitamin A increases moisture retention of skin and vitamin K promotes healthy functioning of the nervous system. Black grapes protect the scalp from infections and dandruff and prevent premature graying of hair. Now that you know the secret to a fit body, beautiful skin and shining long tresses; enjoy your juices and flaunt your beauty to the world.



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