The first commandment of healthy living is to eat plenty of fresh fruits. However, did you know that some fruits are healthier than others? Fruits do not have any added sugars but many fruits are rich in natural sugar. However, here are 11 fruits which have lowest sugar content.

Limes and lemons: Limes and lemons are known as sour fruits. While they are rich in vitamin C, they do not contain a lot of sugar. Freshly squeezed lime juice and hot water is the perfect drink to curb your appetite and raise metabolism.
Raspberries: Raspberries are rich in fiber but have only a little more than a teaspoon of sugar per cup. This makes them the perfect fruit to start the day with.
Strawberries: Strawberries may taste sweet but a cup of fresh strawberries has only about 7 grams of sugar. However, a cup of strawberries has enough vitamin C to take care of your daily requirements.
Blackberries: A cup of these berries also has minimal sugar. Along with fiber, these fruits are also rich in antioxidants. These berries also help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other such conditions.
Kiwi: Did you know that kiwis are technically berries? Each kiwi has less than 6 grams of sugar but is very rich in vitamin C.
Grapefruit: A grapefruit is a perfect breakfast. These citrus fruits are rich in fiber and low in sugar. Half a grapefruit contains only 52 calories and minimal sugar. They are also rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Avocado: Avocados are naturally low in their sugar content. One raw avocado has less than a gram of sugar. However, they are full of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
Watermelon: Summer would be incomplete without watermelons. Though they taste sweet, watermelons are very low in sugar. A cup of watermelon has less than 10 grams of sugar.
Cantaloupe: Cantaloupes are rich in vitamin A but a cup of this fruit has only about 14 grams of sugar. They are also rich in vitamin B, magnesium and fiber.
Oranges: Eating an orange is the best way to boost our vitamin C levels and keep infections away. One orange typically contains less than 70 calories and 12 grams of sugar.
Peaches: A medium sized peach has less than 13 grams of sugar. This is an example of how taste can be deceptive when it comes to calories.
Given the sugar content in these fruits, it would be a great idea for the diabetics and weight watchers to include them in their diet and have a healthy and hearty meal. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

11 Best Fruits That Are Low In Sugar Content!

For long, there have been campaigns and discussions about the harmful effects and diseases associated with alcohol consumption. In most cases, it is not the alcohol, but the quantity consumed that affects a person. Limited consumption of alcohol can, in fact, work to your advantage. Alcohol, when consumed in moderation, helps to avert, check or improve many medical conditions and health ailments.

Deal with common cold effectively: According to research, the antioxidants present in wine helps to fight common cold better. Limited intake of alcohol, red wine to be precise (~1-2 glasses per day), can, thus, help to reduce the instances of common cold significantly.
Weight loss made easy: Studies conducted by the Oregon State University suggest that certain varieties red wine (the Red Muscadine Wine) can play a pivotal role in weight reduction. The Red Muscadine, a variety of wine grapes used to make red wine contains ellagic acid. It is this ellagic acid that helps to cease or slow down the growth and development of the fat cells. Red wine also helps to manage fatty liver effectively.
Keep cardiovascular diseases at bay: The high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the Good Cholesterol is indeed good for the body. It acts as a shield, keeping the heart hale and hearty. Moderate alcohol consumption helps to elevate the level of HDL. One of the main reasons attributing to heart attacks are the small blood clots that block the arteries of the brain, heart, and neck. Alcohol (limited intake) has been able to put a check in the formation of such blood clots.
Reduced instances of cognitive impairment: Reports suggest that people who consume alcohol within limits are less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Moderate consumption tends to make the brain cells fit and more active, thus, enabling the cells to deal with stress and other related factors.
A little wine for a better libido: Limited consumption of wine is good for a better sexual life. Research indicate that the antioxidants present in wine act as a catalyst, resulting in an improved libido (lowers the incidences of erectile dysfunction in men). A little wine can work wonders for women as well (increasing their sexual desires and feelings).
Enjoy a diabetes-free life: Type 2 Diabetes and the associated ailments and complications can make life miserable. However, people who consume a small quantity of alcohol (preferably 1-2 glasses per day) are at a lower risk of developing diabetes (Type 2). A path-breaking finding indeed!
People with moderate alcohol consumption are also at a lower risk of developing gallstones. The high silicone content in beer helps to strengthen the bones, but only when consumed within limits. Beer is also rich in calcium, magnesium, and vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin).

Alcohol In Controlled Quantity - Can It Be Good For You?

If you are looking to lose weight, it is of utmost importance to focus on your diet. Eating a balanced diet along with regular exercise is your key to losing weight. You need to focus on picking the right foods to lose weight.

Carbohydrates are classified into three types - simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates and fiber.

Simple carbohydrates consist of foods such as fruits and sugar. These foods should be consumed in limited amounts as they tend to spike your blood sugar levels. Excessive consumption of simple sugar ups your risk of diabetes and leads you to gain weight.

Complex carbohydrates are foods like whole grains, oats and millets that have a different digestive mechanism compared to simple carbohydrates. These foods are digested slowly and thus, the energy is released slowly into the bloodstream. This means that there is no blood sugar spike during the process of digestion. However, it is important that you should not consume these foods in excess. Overconsumption of these foods may lead to weight gain.

Fiber is a type of nutrient that is also known as roughage and it is present in vegetables and fruits. Fiber rich foods are cabbage, broccoli and carrots. Fiber helps in improving digestion as it adds bulk to your stool. The other important benefit of fiber is that it enhances your heart health by reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body. Fiber is helpful in weight loss as it improves satiety and promotes digestion.

Protein is another component that is emphasized on when you try losing weight. Good sources of protein are eggs, chicken, turkey and lentils. It helps in building muscle in the body, which in turn increases your metabolism rate, so that your overall calorie burn increases. It is recommended that you consume 1 g of protein per pound of body weight. Protein lets you hold on to your muscle mass which increases your lean muscle mass that burns fat.

Can Specific Proteins and Carbs Keep Weight Off?

Plums originally originated in the continent of Asia. They are the member of the plant Genus Prunus, which also consists of apricots, cherries, and almonds. One can t go wrong in adding plums in their diet. Plums have the qualities of being low in calories and they also enable you to meet your daily dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber needs. Some other amazing benefits of plums are :

Low in calorie content: Plums contain few calories as compared to its portion size, as they are low-energy foods containing 70 calories. There are just 70 calories in two plums of medium sizes. It has been suggested by CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Preventions) that when one includes more amounts of low-energy dense foods in their diet, it can help them to limit their total amount of calorie intake for controlling hunger and weight loss.
Good source of fiber: Plums are very good source of fiber. 2 grams of fiber can be found in two medium sized plums. In average, adults need about 20 to 30 grams of fiber in a day, where most people consume only around 15 grams of fiber. The fiber content in foods can help control hunger. Fiber also helps to add bulk to our stool. It helps to mitigate and prevent constipation. Fiber also has the power to prevent the risks of heart diseases by absorbing cholesterol from our blood stream.
Low glycemic index food: The calories in plum come from the carbohydrates in the form of sugar. In two medium sized plums, there is about 19 grams of carbs and about 16 grams of sugar. Although plums are high in sugar and carbohydrates, plums are low glycemic index food. The glycemic index helps to rank the foods that contain carbohydrate on how and by how much they affect blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index can cause a brisk rise in blood sugar. Whereas foods with low glycemic index cause a little bit of rising in blood sugar. And also people who eat too many of high glycemic index food has a high risk of diabetes and also heart disease according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Whereas eating low glycemic index foods helps to control diabetes and also helps in weight loss.
Good source of vitamin A: Eating two medium sized plums can provide about eight percent of a person s daily need of vitamin A or 400 international units. Vitamin A is essential for eye health, development and growth, immune health, reproduction, and bone health. Vitamin A is also known as a fat soluble vitamin.
Good source of vitamin C: It is an important water-soluble vitamin. We need a minimum intake of vitamin C in order to make collagen which also helps in healing of wounds and plums are rich in this nutrient.

Plums - 5 Health Benefits You Never Knew!

As people grow older, they age physically as well as mentally. Just as they become more susceptible to conditions such as arthritis, their risk of mental illnesses also increases. It is also important to note that physical ailments influence mental ailments. Thus, arthritis may not only be a problem in itself but may cause mental disorders as well. 

Some of the most common psychological problems that affect the elderly are:

Depression: Depression can affect people of all ages but the elderly have a higher risk of suffering from it. The symptoms and effects of this condition vary from person to person. These include feeling sad constantly, tiredness and lack of energy, lack of self-worth, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, insomnia and reduced appetite. This may be caused as a side effect of certain medications or treatment, as a result of frustrations caused by other physical ailments or just an effect of age.
Memory Problems: As people get older, their memory weakens. Many lose their long-term memory skills. They may also lose their short-term memory. This is not the same as being forgetful. Characteristic symptoms of amnesia include confusion, memory loss, inability to recognize people, etc. Amnesia may be caused by a number of factors including trauma to the head, brain damage or psychological factors such as PTSD.
Dementia: Dementia is characterized by the person s mental inability to function normally. This could be in the form of random mood swings, apathy, confusion, changes in short-term memory or failed sense of direction. Dementia is typically caused by the death of brain cells due to tumors, infections, lack of oxygen, lack of nutrition etc. Parkinson s disease, Huntington s disease, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia are all forms of dementia.
Alzheimer s Disease: This is a kind of dementia as well. In such cases, the patient loses memory of where they are and believe themselves to be in another place and time zone. The patient may not be able to rationalize things happening around him and may be unable to recognize their own family members. This is a neurodegenerative disease that involves shrinkage of the brain cells. It may be genetic. Alzheimer s can be treated and managed but it cannot be cured.
Insomnia: Insomnia can be classified as a physical and mental ailment. It is characterized by the inability to sleep well at night. Some of the noticeable symptoms include tossing and turning for hours in bed before going to sleep, waking up frequently at night, waking up earlier than planned and falling asleep during the day. Insomnia in the elderly is typically caused by stress and anxiety. It may also be the result of certain types of medication.

5 Common Psychological Problems That Affect People In Old Age!

Whether you are running out of time or just not hungry in the morning, missing a breakfast is equivalent to a grave crime. It is particularly a big mistake if you are aiming to lose weight or avoiding gaining weight. The metabolism rate slows down while you are asleep for conserving energy, and it invariably requires a power-packed energy to restart the metabolism with a forceful vigour. Therefore, the sooner you fuel your body with a healthy breakfast, the better it is.

When should you eat?

In a report published by National Weight Control Registry, it was declared that about 78 percent of successful dieters have a wholesome breakfast every morning. The ideal time is within an hour from when you wake up because you are more plausible to eat more than needed in the latter half of the day if you do not eat anything in the morning. This will lead to unwanted weight gain and other health troubles. Furthermore, eating a moderate meal in the morning improves cognition and mood as well.

If you are not able to eat immediately after you wake up, you must at least eat something wholesome within one hour. Eating early can keep your blood sugar and insulin levels under control while boosting your metabolism. When you are waiting too long to have the first meal of the day, you will develop a habit of opting for food rich in fats and bad carbohydrates and lower in nutrient content owing to irresistible hunger.

What should you eat?

Before breakfast 1 glass of water is necessary for cleaning of stomach. The ideal first meal of the day must include a balance of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat. It is advised to abstain from high sugar foods like cookies, pastries, donuts or sugary cereals. Instead, you can look for hard-boiled eggs, proteins, brown bread, oatmeal, muffins and fruit juices. You must also have a cupful of green tea with a few drops of lime juice squeezed over it. This will help in detoxifying your body and bring out your skin's natural beauty and glow.

Why You Should Eat Breakfast Within an Hour of Waking Up?

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