Take a look at the Benefits of Healthy Eating!

Free radicals are molecules produced normally as we age but also a result of an unhealthy diet or exposure to pollution, tobacco smoke and house hold chemicals. Damage from free radicals may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. 

A free radical in the body is an atom or group of atoms, usually an oxygen molecule that has lost an electron. It will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule. This causes atomic instability within body cells, even as deep as DNA.

These high-energy particles bounce around our bodies like a pinball, damaging cells. It should be noted that some free radicals are helpful. The key is good nutrition to combat the damaging free radicals with antioxidants

WHAT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT?

Antioxidants can block the process of oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. By doing this though, the antioxidants themselves become oxidized. That is why there is a daily need to replenish our antioxidants. 

How they work can be classified in one of two ways:  Antioxidants are molecules that will safely interact with free radicals to prevent vital molecules from being damaged. In short, an anti-oxidant is one of many chemicals that reduce or prevent oxidation, thus preventing cell and tissue damage from the free radicals in our bodies.

Our bodies must have daily antioxidants to continue to stay healthy.

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WHAT ABOUT CARBS IN A HEALTHY DIET?

Despite what people think, carbohydrates actually do play a role in a fat loss diet. You have your good carbs and you have your bad carbs; the trick is to eat the good carbs. 

There are two different types of carbohydrates; processed and complex. Processed carbs are found in snacks, packaged meals, desserts, cakes and in junk food in general. Complex carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, wheat products and salads. 
The complex carbs are beneficial for all of us. Experts recommend that we eat 55 – 60% of our calories to include these good carbs!

Here is a list of some foods that will include these good carbs –

• Pasta/Spaghetti

• Baked potato

• Sweet potato

• Beans

• Apples

• Melon

• Orange

• Cucumber

• Onion
  Whole-wheat bread

• Oatmeal

• Shredded Wheat

• Strawberries

• Raspberries

• Wholewheat

• Rye/Crispbreads

• Wholewheat Cereal (Shredded Wheat, Muesli, Bran Flakes)

BENEFITS OF CHANGING YOUR EATING HABITS: 

	Strengthen your immune system
	Have a healthy heart
	Lower Cholesterol
	Lower your weight
	Maintain your weight
	Feel Much Better
	Look Younger!

DID YOU KNOW?

Damage to cells caused by free 
radicals have been shown to speed up the aging process.

The Amazing Benefits of healthy eating.
  

We know that weekly meal planning can be hectic and very complicated when your goal is a healthier diet. 

That's why we created our healthy meal planner -  DinnerPlanner Difference; a dinner menu that will provide you with healthy recipes and an organized plan for each week. We make eating healthy easy!  

THESE FOODS ARE GREAT SOURCES OF IMPORTANT ANTIOXIDANTS.

APPLES  are great cleansers, good for cleansing the blood and helping liver function. Protects against heart disease. Rich in pectin that can help to lower cholesterol levels. 

APRICOTS   dried apricots are a very rich source of beta-carotene and also contain iron. 

BERRIES   good source or antioxidants, blueberries especially. Cranberries are a good liver and kidney cleanser and used effectively for urinary infections. Blueberries are a potent antioxident.

BROWN RICE AND WHOLEGRAINS   a rich source of fiber, contains vitamin E and other nutrients and helps fight bowel cancer.

CABBAGE   packed with vitamins C&E, beta-carotene, potassium, iron and is a good detoxifier. Captain Cook never sailed without barrels of sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) which his men had to eat every day – they never had scurvy which was the blight of sailors.

CARROTS rich in beta carotene and alpha carotene which protects your heart.  Can help to reduce cholesterol levels and protect against strokes.

CHERRIES great source of antioxidants.  Contain vitamin C & A, and they provide potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, and fiber. Cherries can help protect against colon cancer.

DRIED FRUITS   like apricots are brimming with nutrients iron, calcium, potassium – high in beta-carotene and vitamin C.

GARLIC/ONIONS   Garlic is a very powerful protector and cleanser. Very high in antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal components. Excellent for the immune system. Onions are garlic's cousin containing cancer fighting compounds.

KIWI, MANGO, ORANGE AND PAPAYA    aid digestion and cleanse the blood. Excellent sources of vitamin C, beta-carotene.

NUTS AND NUT OILS   great source of vitamin E, zinc and selenium, especially brazil nuts. Selenium works with vitamin E to protect cells against oxidants (free radicals). High intake of selenium is said to help reduce the risk of colon, prostrate and lung cancer and can help to prevent skin cancer. Just one brazil nut per day can fill your daily selenium requirements!

BEANS    beans, lentils, chickpeas are excellent sources of protein and fibre, also potassium and iron. Although they do not have antioxidant properties, they provide these nutrients without saturated fats and cholesterol. They are a wonderful substitute for meat being versatile and tasty.

SEEDS   sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, all rich sources of antioxidant vitamin E and selenium.

SOY   The Soy bean is the staple food of the East where the incidences of cancer are much less. Soy and its products, Soy milk, Soy sauce and tofu are now readily available in the West. Soya is high in protein and minerals and also isoflavones which are now thought to reduce the risk of certain cancers. 

SPINACH  great source of folic acid containing high amounts of lutein which is a strong agent in fighting cancer. A great vegetable for women that fights cancers and birth defects. 

TOMATOES   contain a high content of Lycopene which are thought to aid the recovery from cancer by killing off free radicals.

VEGETABLES   orange, red, or green colored ones are packed with beta-carotene, also vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium. Excellent sources are broccoli,  kale, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and peppers. 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY POTATOES

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CHILI