5 diet myths debunked!

The term 'diet' immediately makes you think of a starving and depriving weight-loss regimen. But diet simply means what food we eat in the course of 24 hours, one week or one month. Nonetheless, certain myths have arisen surrounding this term too and which have been debunked here:

Myth 1: cutting carbohydrate helps you lose weight

You need carbohydrates for energy. A minimum of 130 grams of carbs is recommended each day which is a far cry from low carb diets that start with 20 grams or less. Fat diets aside, what matters is how refined the carbohydrates are. Refining removes grain's fibrous coating, which leads to faster food digestion. That&#x2019;s why whole fruits with their fiber and nutrients are good choices despite their simple carbohydrates. The idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour while loading up on healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Myth 2: diet foods help you drop pounds

If you scan labels for the lowest calorie and fat counts you might be doing yourself more harm than good. Pre-packaged diet foods have a lot more sugar and trans fat. As with carbs, it is the quality of fat and not the amount that matters. Monounsaturated fats (nuts, olive oils, avocados) and polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean) help your cardiovascular system and improve weight loss. Trans fat and saturated fat have been linked with heart disease and even cancer.

Myth 3: the more you cut calories, the more weight you will lose

If you cut your calories too far you'll end up decreasing your metabolism and muscle mass. To get the most out of calories you should choose whole foods like fresh meat and fish, and whole grains that are as close to their natural state as possible. They have higher nutrient density than refined foods as they pack more vitamins and minerals into fewer calories.

Myth 4: dairy products make you fat

A dairy-rich diet can double fat reduction and weight loss, and help prevent weight gain. Three servings of low or non-fat dairy a day is recommended every day. A cup of milk or yogurt or 1 and a half ounces of cheese equals one serving.

Myth 5: brown equals whole grain

Whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity, diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grain is essential. Whole grain foods tend to be richer in vitamin b and e than, refined grains.

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Related Tip: 85% Indians are Making These DIET Mistakes! Are You One of Them?

If You Diet for Weight Loss, Here are 5 Myths You Might be Living With!

On an average a person consumes nearly 800 calories daily from added sugar. This does not just include natural sugar found in fruits or milk but the processed sweet sugar as well, that is added to cakes, tea, coffee, confectionery and even pasta sauce and salad dressing. However, it is possible that you can limit your sugar intake or even quit it to get some truly amazing benefits.

When you take this hard decision, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as mild depression, anxiety or restlessness. But if you remain adamant and continue with your decision, your body will soon show some incredible results that you couldn't have imagined.

Here are a few of them:

1.&nbsp;Your heart will beat happily

Sugar raises insulin levels that activate the responses of sympathetic nervous system thereby elevating your bp and heart rate. When you cut down on sugar, your ldl cholesterol will decrease by 10% and triglycerides will reduce by 20-30%. And your risk of heart attack will reduce manifold.

2.&nbsp;Your weight fluctuations will be gone

With the exception of fruits, sugar is mostly present in processed or high-carb foods that contain loads of other unwanted constituents like fat etc.

So when you quit sugar, your body has to no longer worry about those unwelcome calories and your weight will stop moving right and left across the scale.

3.&nbsp;Digestion will become efficient

When you quit sugar, the digestive system becomes more efficient. Since your stomach and intestines have to no longer worry about those difficult to digest processed foods, their abilities and functioning improves. Even your colon begins to work better, may be you take more trips to the restroom, so things get even more on track.

4.&nbsp;No more acne troubles

Sugar triggers acne troubles. When you cut it down, you will no longer be troubled by those zits that dampen your looks. Your skin will actually clear up, cracks will disappear and you will get a healthier skin.

5.&nbsp;You will no longer have sweet craving

With sugar, there is a huge negative, as you enjoy sweets, you crave for more sweets. But if you quit sugar, slowly you will begin to avoid foods that contain sugar and as a result, whenever you will eat anything that has sugar, it will taste over sweet and you will not be able to have large portions. This means no more cravings for sugar!

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5 Wonderful Things That Happen to Your Body When You Quit Sugar!

Human body requires a minimum amount of fat from the diet to help in the functioning of hormones, memory and in the absorption of specific nutrients. If one includes meals containing healthful fats, those tend to create a sense of fullness and also take time to digest the carbohydrates. Let us take a look at some of the most healthful high-fat foods:

Avocado: Avocado contains a high monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, which provides a number of health benefits. Oleic acid is anti-inflammatory in nature and thus plays a crucial role in the prevention of cancer. They are high in fibre and a single fruit provides 13.5 g out of the 25 grams, recommended for females and 38 grams for males every day.
Dark Chocolate: Taking only 1 oz of dark chocolate can be sufficient enough to get rid of sweet cravings. It provides enough amount of healthful fat along with other nutrients like potassium and calcium. Research suggests that having dark chocolate helps to lower the risk of heart disease in people living in the United States.
Eggs: Over a number of years, people have known egg whites to be healthy but in reality; egg yolk contains a number of important nutrients. The egg yolk has Vitamin D and choline, which is a Vitamin B that provides support for the proper functioning of brain, liver, nerves and muscles. A study this year has come up with the report that having an egg per day can lower the risk of heart disease.
Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds have omega-3 fatty acids and a healthy dose of fibre. Every 2 tablespoon of flaxseeds contains 9 gm of unsaturated fat and 5.6g fibre. The fibre gives a feeling of fullness and leads to the reduction of cholesterol.
Nuts: Nuts are rich in healthful fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and thus aid in preventing heart diseases and Type 2 diabetes.
Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fats which are good for heart s health. It has Vitamin E, Vitamin K and antioxidants which are potent. One can use it at a regular basis for cooking and dressings.

Healthy Fats Important For The Body!

Body fat or adipose tissue is a constituent of the human body. Its primary function is to provide energy to the body. Body fat builds up differently in men and women. Recent studies explore the health consequences ensuing from these differences. 

Usually, men have an  apple-shaped  body. This is because men accumulate visceral fat   fat that is stored in the abdominal cavity   around the belly. Women, on the other hand, depict a  pear-shaped  body because they have more fat deposits around the hips. Visceral fat is extremely dangerous because it affects the internal organs of your body, including the liver, intestines, and pancreas. 

Body Fat Percentage in Men and Women 

To evaluate your health, it is essential that you know your body fat percentage (BFP). A healthy body fat percentage depends on a number of variables such as age, body type, gender etc. For example, BFP range tends to be higher in women than in men because women require more body fat. The average BFP of females falls in between 25% and 31%. 

What is a good body fat percentage?

Ideally, for men between ages 20-40, healthy BFP ranges from 8%-19%; between ages 41-60, normal BFP ranges from 11%-22%; between ages 61-79, the normal should be between 13%-25%. For women aged between 20-40 years, healthy BFP ranges from 21%-33%; between ages 41-60, normal BFP ranges from 23%-25%; between ages 61-79, the normal should be between 24%-36%. 

What body fat percentage is unhealthy?

Body fat percentage below or above the normal range (as stated above) is considered unhealthy. For instance, if the BFP of a woman aged between 20-40 years is more than 30%, then it is considered overweight. Similarly, if a 50-year-old man has BFP below 11%, he is deemed underweight. Nevertheless, there are several ways to maintain a good body fat percentage.

How to Lose Body Fat Percentage?

Many people come up with questions like   Is it hard to lose body fat percentage? Certainly not, unless you have a serious underlying condition (obesity or PCOD). You can reduce your BFP by following the pointers below- 

  Follow a protein-rich diet   It will decrease your appetite, reduce calorie intake, and preserve muscle mass. Good protein sources include dairy products, meat, eggs, legumes, seafood etc.   Add vinegar to your diet   Induces a sense of feeling full, lowers body fat, and reduces calorie intake 

  Eat more healthy fats   Helps you burn fat quickly. Coconut oil, olive oil, and avocados are good sources. 

  Reduce carb intake   Cutting down on refined carbohydrates like white bread/rice, pasta, snacks, cereals etc. can help you shed that extra flab. 

Besides following a healthy diet, you should also engage in physical activities to bring down your body fat percentage to its normal range. Exercise more often   begin strength training to get rid of belly fat and build muscle mass. You can also lose fat by consuming these natural fat burners:

  Caffeine   boosts metabolism and helps you burn more fat as fuel

  Green tea extracts

  Protein powder/supplements   boosts metabolism and reduces appetite 

  Soluble fibre 

Having a healthy body fat percentage is the key to staying fit and steering away from a host of ailments. Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet along with moderate exercise and routine check-ups is extremely important. 

How Body Fat Affects Men's & Women's Health Differently?

5 Ways to lose weight with tea

Apart from going on a diet and / or hitting the gym, there are many natural ways to shed the extra kilos. One of these highly effective ways is drinking / sipping tea. Consuming Green tea, nowadays, has become very popular because of its many health benefits.

Also  tea is very effective at improving cellular function and your body's immune system.
Tea Contains nutrients known as phytonutrients that are found in fruits and vegetables. Also its flavonoid content can help you in losing significant amount of belly fat.

To help you to lose weight while improving your overall health, it is recommended to have tea without any milk or sweetener added into it. The many different ways that tea can help you to lose weight are-

1.Adding tea drinking When you are working out / going to gym:
A study reveals that having 4-5 cups of green tea every day alongside a 25 minute workout for 12 weeks can help an individual lose 907 grams more weight than an individual who doesn't drink tea.
Another Brazilian study has highlighted the fact that individuals who take about 3 cups of green tea every day tend to experience fewer cell damage brought on by workouts. So, to accelerate your body's recovery rate following an intense workout, it is best to consume green tea.

2. Before heading out for dinner
Having a cup of green tea before going out for a dinner can significantly reduce your desire to eat. This is because EGCG, the active compound found in green tea, brings about a boost in the production of the cholecystokinin (CCK) hormone, which is responsible for suppressing hunger. The more this hormone gets released, the more your desire for food decreases.

3. Before going to bed
Tea is also known to contain compounds that can reduce your stress levels, induce sleep and subsequently cut down your body's ability to store fat. For this reason, making a habit of having tea before your bedtime will prevent you from experiencing sleep deprivation, which is a factor that contributes to weight gain.
Before going to sleep, consuming a cup of chamomile tea can help to calm your nerves and release stress.

4. After you wake up
Having green tea right after you wake up can help in weight loss, as this is the best time when your body is better at absorbing EGCG, the active ingredient in green tea that is responsible for fat burning.

5. Adding it to your salads as a dressing
Adding green tea to your salads can increase your chances of losing weight. A study found that when used in salads, green tea can reduce your appetite by 40%, thereby helping in losing weight.  

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How To Sip TEA Most Effectively for a Visible Weight Loss

If you are into healthy eating, but like a dose of fat in your diet, we have a surprise for you. Not all fats are unhealthy. Saturated fats should be taken as a part of your diet while trans-fat should be banished. There are a lot of fats that are healthy and can actually help in promoting good health. So, read on to know how to eat lots of fat and still be healthy!

1. Avocados: The fat in Avocados is a mono saturated fat. Other than fats, Avocados provides potassium, fibre, magnesium, folate & vitamin E.

2. Eggs: The fats found in eggs are considered healthy. Moderate consumption of eggs is not associated with increased heart disease risk in healthy individuals. Though eggs contain cholesterol, it is also rich in protein, biotin, choline, vitamin A & antioxidants lutein & zeaxanthin. Choline is needed to produce acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions. Thus, egg being a good source of choline & other nutrients should be consumed in moderate amount. 

3. Fish: Fish has proven health benefits thanks to the omega three fatty acids which can actually aid you in your weight loss journey and keep your heart healthy. This lean protein also helps in giving you essential nutrition when ingested on a regular basis.

4. Seed Oil: Sunflower, olive oil and flaxseed oil have healthy fats with proven health benefits for everyone. The fats present in this kind of oil are very healthy and can actually help in retaining the good health of bones.

5. Nuts: Dry fruit, almonds, figs, pistachios and raisins help in giving you your daily dose of natural fats that are healthy. You can munch on these for essential vitamins and minerals along with the fat content.

Improve your overall health as well as the quality of your hair and skin with these essential and healthy fats!

Fats & Health - Can They Go Hand In Hand? 

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