Dieting tips

In deciding on a meal plan, it is essential to also make sure you cut down your ingestion of refined carbohydrate, fat and salt.

Some lower carbohydrate diet pointers:


* Understand the food labels Watch out for food labeling that proclaims 'low carb' - check the real nutritional information on the reverse of the can or package. Quite a few are only slightly lower and in some instances still more than a competitors usual 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 foods
(includes melon, red peppers and tomato puree)

The chemical lypcopene is a natural coloring compound and one of the phytochemical group known as 'carotenids'. It is the agent responsible for the vivid red hue of a good number of fruits and vegetables.

Intrestingly, unlike many nutrients, lycopene not only survives being cooked, but is essentially strengthened by cooking.

. Its most important benefit is that it works as an antioxidant and is believed to be of use in the fight to lower the risks of cancer.

This useful phytochemical is the most powerful fighter of singlet oxygen, which is associated with skin aging. It is also believed to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.