Weight loss hints and tips

In planning a meal plan, the most important step is to make efforts to lower your intake of fat, salt and refined carbohydrates.

Some lower carb diet pointers:
* Eat regular meals Most reduced carbohydrate recipes are, you won't be surpised to learn, low in carbs. We all need energy, and carbohydrates are a very efficient energy source. A low carb diet requires more care in monitoring you energy levels, as the energy provided by protein and fat is much slower acting.

* Read food labels Be sceptical of food packaging that claims to be 'low carb' - check the nutritional information figures on the reverse of the tin or packet. Some are only marginally lowered and in some cases still higher than a competitors standard brand. Also, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' doesn't always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are exactly the same.

Lycopene superfoods
(includes grapefruit, red bell peppers and tomato sauce)

The nutrient lypcopene is a non-synthetic compound used to color foods and one of the carotenid family. It is the reason for the deep red colour of a good number of fruits and vegetables.

Fortunately, unlike numerous nutritional compounds, this useful phytochemical not only survives being cooked, but is noticeably increased in efficacy by cooking.

. Its most valuable theraputic value is that it serves as an antioxidant and appears to be an asset in the fight to lower the probabilty of developing cancer.

It is the most efficacious carotenoid quencher of singlet oxygen, which is linked with aging of the skin. It is also thought by many researchers to curtail the progression of atherosclerosis.