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There are many food mistakes girls make on a date. A date, especially the first one, is already stressful, but we often make it even more stressful. You don’t want to charm your date with your beautiful smile and the piece of food on your front tooth. Moreover, the last thing you want to do on a date is to suffer from bloating. While you shouldn’t overdo with your dress, makeup and hairstyle, you should not overdo with your meals as well. Here are 10 foods you should never eat on a date.

1. Spinach

Most girls are trying to keep their calorie intake under control, even on a first date. They opt for spinach smoothies, soups and salads without realizing that those healthy meals can ruin their pearly white teeth. Moreover, guys don’t want to know if you are on a diet or simply trying to eat healthy, so opt for a fruit smoothie instead of a green one.

Pomegranates have fantastic health and beauty benefits. They are delicious and versatile. You can use pomegranates in salads, rices dishes, meat dishes, smoothies, yogurts, and drink a pomegranate juice. One pomegranate has around 100 seeds in it and contains around 100 calories, making it a perfect low calorie snack for dieters. Pomegranates can also help to ward off a number of serious diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Check out some of the best reasons to add pomegranates to your eating plan.

1. Pomegranates help to reduce bad cholesterol

Pomegranates are fortified with potent antioxidants that help reduce bad cholesterol, lower high blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. It’s best to eat a pomegranate a day or add them to healthy meals, including salads and smoothies.

2. Pomegranates are low in sugar

Sugar is a culprit in many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes and skin problems. It’s crucial to limit your sugar consumption or eliminate it from your diet for good. Most fruits are high in sugar, but pomegranates are very low in sugar, which means they are good for your blood sugar levels. Half cup of pomegranate seeds contains 8 grams of sugar and about 70 calories.

3. Pomegranates boost your brain function

Due to their high content of powerful brain-boosting antioxidants, pomegranates can help to improve your memory, cognitive abilities and neurological function. They can also reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and can be beneficial for people with this disease.

4. Pomegranates help to reduce high blood pressure

Studies show that pomegranates can help people reduce high blood pressure. They are particularly beneficial for people with chronic high blood pressure. Pomegranate juice as well as seeds have high antioxidant content and have a good effect on arterial walls. If you suffer from high blood pressure, ask your doctor about pomegranates and see what they say.

5. Pomegranates have anti-aging properties

Pomegranates are known for its fantastic anti-aging properties. Incorporating more pomegranates into your daily diet will help you combat wrinkles and look much younger. The thing is, pomegranates contain a powerful antioxidant, polyphenols, which helps prevent any signs of aging. It sounds like a good reason to add some pomegranate seeds to your salad or yogurt today!

6. Pomegranates help to stop the growth of cancer cells

Sure, vegetables and fruits can’t cure cancer, but they can stop the growth of cancer cells. Pomegranates is one of the best fruits that can help you prevent cancer, if you eat them or drink a pomegranate juice regularly. I usually add some pomegranate seeds to my morning smoothie to enjoy their anti-cancer properties.

7. Pomegranates have anti-inflammatory properties

Eating pomegranates helps reduce inflammation and combat symptoms of arthritis. This fruits can also help prevent cartilage breakdown and they are absolutely good for your joints. Due to their great anti-aging properties, pomegranates help to keep your joints young and healthy. Moreover, pomegranate juice can help relieve joint pain.

8. Pomegranates boost mood

Next time you have a bad mood, snack on a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds or drink a glass of fresh pomegranate juice and you will feel much better. Pomegranates help to increase levels of serotonin in your brain, control mood swings and can even prevent anxiety and depression. When I have a terrible mood, I usually add dark chocolate and pomegranate seeds to my low calorie fruit smoothie. It works wonders for me and I feel much better and think much clearly.

You can eat pomegranates from early winter to late spring and enjoy a pomegranate juice all year round, but don’t buy juices that contain sugar. There are many other health benefits of eating pomegranates and these are some of the best ones. How often do you use pomegranates in your meals? Do you think people should eat more pomegranates?

Essential Nutrients for a Better Night's Sleep

Did you know that certain nutrients can help you sleep better at night and be more productive and energetic during your waking hours? Emotional issues such as stress and anxiety can prevent you from sleeping properly and can lead to insomnia. To avoid it, consider adding some delicious foods rich with these seven essential nutrients to your daily diet to fall asleep faster and sleep better at night. They work like a charm!

1. Magnesium

Magnesium boasts numerous relaxing properties that can help you fall asleep the moment you hit the sack. Magnesium lowers anxiety, relieves headaches, reduces high blood pressure, and can even relieve PMS. While a magnesium 400 milligram supplement can help (make sure you consult your doctor before taking any supplement), eating magnesium-rich foods is more effective. Seeds, nuts, carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, fish, whole grains, dark chocolate, kiwi fruits and bananas are all rich in magnesium.

One of the most popular winter beverages, hot chocolate, is chock full of amazing benefits. Not only does it keep you warm during the cold winter season, it can also boost your overall health. Chocolate itself is high in powerful antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, age-related macular degeneration, premature aging, and can even reduce your risk of cancer, since they combat free radicals in your body. The darker your chocolate, the more powerful antioxidants it has. However, you may wonder if a cup of hot chocolate is as healthy as that bar of dark chocolate.

Hot chocolate has been used for many years to treat diseases and fight bad moods. It’s known as a special healthy drink from the 16th to 19th centuries, and sometimes was taken as a medicine. Nowadays people don’t consider hot chocolate as a medicine, but drink even more than ever! There are plenty of tasty and healthy hot chocolate recipes you can try to enjoy the following health benefits of drinking hot chocolate.

1. It boosts your brain power

The study shows that drinking hot chocolate can help boost your brain power and improve your overall brain health. The flavonoids in hot chocolate increase the blood flow and oxygen to your brain, helping you think better. If you want to boost your memory, try drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day. Not only will you improve your memory, but your mood as well. Just make sure you don’t use too many sugar in your hot chocolate.

2. It contains more antioxidants

According to a research conducted by Cornell University, hot chocolate contains more antioxidants than green tea and wine. Moreover, drinking hot chocolate is one of the most delicious ways to get chocolate’s powerful antioxidants. Hot chocolate contains a little bit more antioxidants than a bar of chocolate, which are released when the drink is heated up.

3. It boosts your mood

Chocolate, including hot chocolate, is a well-known mood booster. This tasty drink helps fight stress, anxiety, and depression. Hot chocolate stimulates an endorphin release, which helps to improve your mood and make you feel happier in a jiff. But the problem is, hot chocolate may contain high amounts of sugar, which is not good for your health. Consider making sugar-free hot chocolate to reap all its mood-boosting properties.

Read also – 8 Best Winter Foods You Should Be Eating Now

4. It’s good for your arterial health

The flavonoids found in hot chocolate are good for your arterial health. Flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and improving blood vessels. Opt for healthy hot chocolate and be sure to drink it in moderation. Remember, chocolate itself contains sugar and saturated fat so you can’t allow yourself to drink more than 2 cups a day.

5. It can help you lose weight

If you are trying to drop a few pounds, drinking hot chocolate can help you achieve your weight loss goal. When made correctly, hot chocolate is a delicious and low calorie drink that you can enjoy every time you have chocolate cravings. Plus, drinking a cup of low calorie hot chocolate helps prevent the intake of high-calorie and sugary foods such as doughnuts, pastries, and cakes.

Now that you’re aware of some of the best health benefits of drinking hot chocolate, what are you waiting for? Rush into your kitchen and make this fantastic winter beverage. When making your hot chocolate, opt for unsweetened coconut or almond milk instead of cow’s milk and avoid adding sugar. Remember, the less sugar you add to your drinks, the better it is for your health. Are you a hot chocolate junkie? What’s your favorite hot chocolate recipe? Let me know!

Did you know that adding more fruits to your diet can help you lose weight faster? Fruits are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, which the body needs to function properly. Fruits also help us stay healthy and full of energy daily. There are also a few ways fruits help dieters to shed weight easier and quicker. Fruits contain carbohydrates that help fuel the body, and they are low in calories. If you are not a fruit junkie, look for some sneaky ways to incorporate at least five fruits into your everyday diet. You can use them in pies, juices, smoothies, oatmeal, cereals, salads, and desserts. Fruits boast fantastic health benefits and here are a few weight loss benefits to know:

1. Fruits help burn fat

There are a few fruits that can help you burn more fat a day. One of the best fat-burning fruits is certainly grapefruit. This fruit helps boost your metabolism, stabilize your blood glucose levels, and burn more fat. However, it doesn’t mean that you should consume grapefruit only. Moderation is always a must, especially if you take any medications since it can increase the effects and side effects. Lemon is another fruit that helps burn more fat. It has fantastic detoxifying properties and helps improve your overall health. Aim to drink at least two glasses of lemon water each day to reap all its incredible benefits and reach your weight loss goal.

Read also – 10 Foods to Eat to Burn More Calories

2. Fruits are low in calories

Even though there are certain fruits that are high in calories, those calories will not wreck your diet. One medium-size banana contains 120 calories, while a small one contains only 100 calories. Instead of reaching for commercial snacks, munch on a small banana, which is high in fiber that helps you feel full for longer. Apples, peaches and pears make a great healthy snack too. When you stick to a strict diet, consider incorporating more water rich fruits into your eating plan. They are lower in calories and higher in water that helps you stay hydrated throughout the day (but don’t forget about those 8 glasses of water a day!) As an added bonus, having a piece of fruit can help your satisfy your midday sugar cravings in a jiff and consume fewer calories. Most fruits are naturally sweet; you just need to find your favorite fruit and eat it instead of high-calorie desserts. One of the best ways fruits help you shed weight is that they help keep your calorie intake in check.

3. They fuel your workout

Fruit is one of the best foods to eat before and after your workouts. The thing is, fruit is an excellent source of glucose that helps fuel your muscles and boost your energy levels. Due to its high glucose content, fruits help muscle recover faster and work out harder. Snack on bananas, apples, blueberries, grapes, or pears before/after exercising to boost your energy and improve your exercise performance.

4. They help reduce bloating

Including water-rich fruits in your diet is a quick and easy way to reduce bloating, which is typically caused by excess fluid between your cells. There are certain fruits that can help release that fluid and eliminate bloating. Oranges, grapefruits, melons, pineapple are all good options. Due to their diuretic properties, lemons and watermelon help you get rid of bloating and feel much better after a meal.

5. Healthy snacks

If you live a busy lifestyle and want to keep your weight under control, you should pay a huge attention to the snacks you eat throughout the day. Chances are that busy schedules don’t allow you to eat healthy and it’s not surprising that you can’t achieve your weight loss goal. Whether you want to drop weight or stay slim, you should learn how to make healthy snack choices. Fruits make perfect snacks that will fuel your body, boost your metabolism and energy, and help you shed weight faster. Opt for a tasty fruit salad, add your favorite berries to a plain yogurt, use your favorite fruits in your smoothies and juices, and you won’t even notice that you don’t eat sweets and desserts.

Read also – 8 Most Delicious Low Calorie Foods

There are many fruits to eat these days, and every fruit provides us with powerful health benefits. Adding fruits to your diet will help you stay healthy and drop weight with a little effort. Just make sure you work out regularly and drink enough water each day. What are your favorite fruits that help you lose weight faster?

If you are trying to shed weight, you might want to know some of the most delicious low calorie foods to incorporate into your daily diet. While it’s crucial to consume enough calories, it’s always great to know some low calorie snack options. The problem with low calorie foods is that they are usually tasteless. But these eight foods are not only tasty, but healthy as well. They are plentiful in essential nutrients your body needs to function properly, and they make perfect on-the-go snacks.

1. Strawberries

Strawberries top this list of the most delicious low calorie foods because they have loads of health benefits and contain only 53 calories per cup. These berries are so versatile that you can use them in any drink and meal you love. Strawberries are low in sugar and high in powerful antioxidants and Vitamin C. They make a sweet, healthy snack and can satisfy any sweet tooth. You can add some strawberries to your oatmeal, yogurt and fruit salad, use in your smoothies and add a few sliced berries to your water. Or, you can make a strawberry pie or strawberry cupcakes.

When you are trying to keep your weight under control or shed a few pounds, it’s hard to make smart snack choices. You should opt for low calorie snacks that will fill you up and boost your energy levels. Protein-packed snacks are actually the healthiest and tastiest snack choices. Numerous studies show that dieters must incorporate protein into their eating plan to stay healthy and reach their weight loss goals faster. The thing is, protein helps suppress your appetite, slow down the release of fat, and it’s is crucial for your muscle recovery after workout. Here are 8 most delicious protein-packed snack ideas to try right now.

1. Green smoothie

Smoothies are incredibly popular these days. Whether it’s a green smoothie or any other diet-friendlysmoothie, it’s always a good snack and breakfast choice. Most green smoothies are packed with protein that helps keep your cravings under control and helps you feel full longer. Moreover, green smoothies help speed up your metabolism, detox your body and burn fat. Opt for spinach smoothie to boost your protein intake. You can add your favorite fruit to your green smoothie to make it more delicious.

Megan Fox, costar of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (out June 24), gives good quote. In this week's Entertainment Weekly magazine (on sale now), Chris Nashawaty shares his lively, unfiltered chat with her in which she bares all about the movie, fame, creepy men, jealous women, her refusal to be ''a publicity android,'' and more. Here are some of her most provocative quips from the article, with photos shot exclusively for EW by Matthias Vriens on May 26, 2009, in Los Angeles.

''I've always been übersexual, wearing the smallest clothes I could find. I would go to the mall in a short, short skirt and giant heels.''

Milk. A natural ingredient found in milk can protect against obesity even as mice continue to enjoy diets that are high in fat.

Anatural ingredient found in milk can protect against obesity even as mice continue to enjoy diets that are high in fat. The researchers who report their findings in the June Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, liken this milk ingredient to a new kind of vitamin.

"This is present in what we've all been eating since day one," says Johan Auwerx of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

The researchers identified this ingredient, known as nicotinamide riboside, as they were searching for alternative ways to boost the well-known gene SIRT1, which comes with benefits for both metabolism and longevity. One way to do that is to target SIRT1 directly, as the red wine ingredient resveratrol appears to do, at least at some doses.

Auwerx's team suspected there might be a simpler way to go about it, by boosting levels of one of SIRT1's molecular sidekicks, the cofactor NAD+.

This milk ingredient does just that in a rather appealing way. Not only is it a natural product, but it also gets trapped within cells, where it can do its magic.

Mice that take nicotinamide riboside in fairly high doses along with their high-fat meals burn more fat and are protected from obesity. They also become better runners thanks to muscles that have greater endurance.

The benefits they observe in mice wouldn't be easy to get from drinking milk alone, Auwerx says. It may be more likely that the compound would serve as a new kind of metabolism-boosting supplement. Tests done in people are now needed to help sort out those details.

On the other hand, he says, this milk substance ultimately offers the same benefits attributed to resveratrol, but in a different way. It's possible that many small effects of ingredients found in our diets could add up to slimmer waistlines -- perhaps longer lives, too.

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that are key to good health. Now, a newly released study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists suggests plant foods also may help preserve muscle mass in older men and women.

The study was led by physician and nutrition specialist Bess Dawson-Hughes at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass.

The typical American diet is rich in protein, cereal grains and other acid-producing foods. In general, such diets generate tiny amounts of acid each day. With aging, a mild but slowly increasing metabolic "acidosis" develops, according to the researchers.

Acidosis appears to trigger a muscle-wasting response. So the researchers looked at links between measures of lean body mass and diets relatively high in potassium-rich, alkaline-residue producing fruits and vegetables. Such diets could help neutralize acidosis. Foods can be considered alkaline or acidic based on the residues they produce in the body, rather than whether they are alkaline or acidic themselves. For example, acidic grapefruits are metabolized to alkaline residues.

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis on a subset of nearly 400 male and female volunteers aged 65 or older who had completed a three-year osteoporosis intervention trial. The volunteers' physical activity, height and weight, and percentage of lean body mass were measured at the start of the study and at three years. Their urinary potassium was measured at the start of the study, and their dietary data was collected at 18 months.

Based on regression models, volunteers whose diets were rich in potassium could expect to have 3.6 more pounds of lean tissue mass than volunteers with half the higher potassium intake. That almost offsets the 4.4 pounds of lean tissue that is typically lost in a decade in healthy men and women aged 65 and above, according to authors.

Sarcopenia, or loss of muscle mass, can lead to falls due to weakened leg muscles. The authors encourage future studies that look into the effects of increasing overall intake of foods that metabolize to alkaline residues on muscle mass and functionality.

The study was published in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

For most people, work involves working with other people. Unless you work from home, you’re going to have to deal with the annoying, hateful or downright disgusting habits of the people with whom you work. While you might not be able to make them go away, arming yourself with the knowledge of who you might encounter could make them easier to bear. Here are a few types of co-workers and how to deal with them.

The Stinky

Working in the company of other people means you tend to get close. Sometimes it’s too close for comfort. Whether it’s wearing too much cologne, consuming garlic pills or sweating out the remains of last night’s booze fest, sitting in a cubicle next to a stinky co-worker can make your work time hard to handle. The solution: move desks or have a private conversation to let them know you’re sensitive to strong odors and are having a hard time concentrating.

The Brown Noser

No one wants to get in bad with their bosses. The average person will greet their boss warmly each morning or wish them a happy birthday when that big day comes around, but the brown noser takes it a few steps further. The brown noser will show up with a gaggle of balloons, a box of the boss’ favorite chocolates and a hot coffee on the boss’ birthday. Don’t compare yourself to this person. Your best bet is to do good work; a good boss will notice.

The Gossip

There’s at least two of these in every office. There’s the one who spreads the rumors, and then the one who listens with rapt attention. If you’re really unlucky, your workplace is populated by a handful of gossips who will kvetch about every move of every co-worker in the place. What to do about it: don’t friend them on Facebook or other social media sites, and avoid telling them ANYTHING personal. It could come back to bite you.

The Bully

Lumped in with the gossips are the bullies that unfortunately show up in most workplaces. Once again, give them as little fodder for ridicule as possible, and never let them know you’re bothered by them. Bullies lose interest when you don’t give them the attention they crave.

The Lazy

Some annoying co-worker habits are simply conflicts of personality; others will actually affect your work. The lazy co-worker is one of those who can actually make the work you do harder, since they’re likely to let you pull their weight whenever humanly possible. What to do about it: don’t be a pushover. Politely and professionally let this co-worker know what you expect of them and don’t bail them out. If it gets bad enough, bring your concerns to your boss.

The Annoying

From slurping coffee in an obnoxious manner, crunching chips loudly or telling bad jokes, the annoying little habits of the people in your close vicinity at work are many. Sorry to say friend, but these are the marks of being human. Chances are the way you tap your foot while writing an email or how you sigh when you arrive at work are habits that set your co-workers on edge too. In other words, deal with it.

The Old Timer

The long-suffering employees of any company may be the darlings or the banes of the boss. On one hand, they know everything and can keep the workplace running smoothly. On the other hand, they know everything and will let everyone know it. While it can be really annoying to hear them go on and on about the perfect way to fold a shirt, recognize that you could learn something from the old timers in your workplace. Chances are they’ll be there when you’ve moved on, so along with a bit of patience, give them a dose of compassion for suffering through the long years at that dead-end job you’re planning to ditch at the first opportunity.
The main thing to remember when dealing with annoying co-workers is to stay calm no matter what. Do your job well and make sure you really focus on your tasks, not your co-workers. How do you deal with your annoying co-workers?

Eating healthy is a goal for many people, but most of us give up on this goal without even trying. You might think that healthy eating takes a lot of time and money and it’s so overwhelming. Moreover, if you don’t want to lose weight, you might think that you don’t need to stick to a healthy eating plan. In fact, there are many benefits of eating healthy and it’s a sure way to live longer. No matter your age and shape, it’s important to incorporate more healthy food into your diet. However, you don’t have to leap in all at once, take small steps and remember that small changes always make big differences. As your small changes become habit, you can add more healthy choices to your eating plan. Here are 10 tried and true tips for cleaning up your diet. Start making small diet changes right now.

No matter how busy and hectic your mornings are, you should never skip your breakfast. There are many easy and fast breakfast ideas to try these days. To save more time in the morning, prepare your breakfast the night before. If you are a big fan of smoothies, then prepare all your ingredients a night before. It will take less than 3 minutes to chuck them in a blender in the morning and you will have a super healthy breakfast. Overnight oatmeal with almonds and blueberries is another healthy option. Just boil the oats in the water for about 1 minute, cover your saucepan and let it stand overnight at room temperature. In the morning, cook the oats for about 10 minutes, top with the chopped almonds and blueberries, and sweeten with brown sugar, if needed. Yummy, healthy and quickly! Remember, eating a healthy breakfast leads to healthier choices all day long.

Everyone should have a couple of watermelons at home when the fruit is in season. When someone visits, cutting up a watermelon and quickly throwing a wonderful, refreshing drink or snack together can impress and delight them. Check out the list of 10 amazingly delicious watermelon recipes.

Watermelon sorbet

Cut up watermelon into chunks and toss together with a cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Let the sweetened watermelon stand for a half hour. Then, throw it in a blender together with tomato juice and blend until smooth. Add a little lemon juice, stir thoroughly and freeze. Ball up the frozen mixture with an ice cream scoop and serve in a glass bowl.

If you find yourself elected to serving brunch for a family gathering or a large group of out-of-town guests, make it easy on yourself by using prepared foods and easy-to-handle items that satisfy varying tastes. Don’t forget to use food as part of the decoration to create a festive atmosphere. Here are a few tips for planning a brunch for a large group.

1. The Brunch Table

Finding the right amount of space is one of the most difficult parts of entertaining large groups. Keep the tables for serving food and set out clusters of chairs to allow people to congregate together while they eat. Make sure you have enough small, tables nearby for setting down drinks. Add plenty of color to your table decoration to create a festive note. Reds, yellows, oranges and primary blues and green make guests feel relaxed and comfortable. Put out plenty of napkins and flatware. Keep cups close to the beverage serving areas to limit foot traffic. Buy extra containers of condiments so guests don’t have to stand in line.

2. Breads and Pastries

Unlike great grandmothers years ago, hostesses don’t have to spend days in advance of the event cooking breads and pastries for large groups of family. Supermarkets offer a wide choice in breads, rolls, pastries and cakes for every occasion. Mix up hardy whole grains breads with more delicate, crusty rolls. Add a variety of pastries, but opt for the lighter, less calorie-laden types.

3. Proteins

You can find a number of prepared meat items that only require warming, slicing and serving. Use pre-cooked bacon, sausage or turkey to provide the protein part of your brunch menu. Large bags of pre-cooked shrimp and jarred cocktail sauce are available in many supermarkets. Spiral-sliced ham goes a long way in serving a big crowd and can be served with easily whipped-up scrambled eggs for gatherings on the early side of the brunch clock. Or the ham can be used to make sandwiches with bread and rolls. Provide the tomato slices, lettuce and a variety of condiments. Encourage your guests to get creative and have fun. You can also find pre-cooked eggs that can quickly be turned into deviled eggs.

4. Fruits

You can serve fruits for your brunch in a number of ways, including large bowls of apples, oranges, bananas and grapes set out to enjoy at will. Fruit cut into pieces and mixed together in a fruit salad is another easy and attractive way to provide a fruit component for your brunch. Cut up orange pieces, grapefruit, pineapple, bananas, strawberries and blueberries for a cheerful and tasty treat. This can be served in clear plastic bowls or cups to that the mixture of colors and textures offer a visual dimension.

2. Red bell peppers

I’m a huge fan of red bell peppers. I can eat them raw all day long instead of apples and salads. Red bell peppers help me to satiate my sweet tooth and feel full longer. One red bell pepper contains about 40 calories, making it an excellent food for dieters. Red bell peppers are high in Vitamin C, fiber, and contain only 1 gram of sugar. Whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to stay slim and healthy, red bell peppers must be added to your daily diet. You can eat them raw or use in your salads, soups and stir-fries. As an added bonus, red bell peppers give you perfect skin.

3. Cucumbers

What I love most about cucumbers is that they have salty and sweet flavors at the same time. They contain only 16 calories per cup and are 94% water content, which means they help you stay hydrated, active and healthy. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium, B vitamins, Vitamin C and fiber. They also contain mineral silica that is good for your hair, skin, and nails. Use them in salads, soups, smoothies, sandwiches or eat them raw. I also add a few slices of cucumber to my water to make it tastier.

4. Spinach

Every time you make a salad or your favorite sandwich, consider adding some spinach to it. A cup of spinach contains about 20 calories, no fat, and it’s an excellent source of protein, fiber, calcium, B vitamins and Vitamin C. Moreover, spinach contains 100% of your daily Vitamin A needs, 25% of your daily iron needs, and 30% your daily magnesium requirement. It’s also high in chlorophyll that helps keep your cells healthy. Unlike many bitter and tasteless greens, spinach has a buttery, sweet taste that can make any meal more delicious. I add spinach to my morning smoothie and lunch salad, and use it in stir-fries and soups.

5. Grape tomatoes

In fact, any tomatoes are delicious, but grape tomatoes are delightfully delicious! Plus, they are low in calories – one grape tomato contains about 5 calories. Grape tomatoes contain natural sugars, making them a tasty snack to satisfy your sweet tooth. Grape tomatoes are also high in fiber, potassium, Vitamin C, and lycopene. There are many ways to use grape tomatoes (let me know your favorite ones!) to reap all its health benefits and improve your weight loss. I love to eat them raw and add to my salads, gazpacho, and veggie pizza.