A few tips on healthy eating

In planning a diet, the important thing is to also endeavour to restrict your ingestion of refined carbohydrates, salt and fats.

Some reduced carb diet tips:
* Know what is in your food Don't believe food packaging that claims to be 'low carb' - check the nutritional information figures on the back of the can or packet. A good number of are only marginally reduced and in some instances still greater than a competitors normal brand. In addition, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' doesn't always mean 'low carb' - often the carbs are exactly the same.

Lycopene foods
(includes grapefruit, red peppers and spiny bitter gourd)

The nutrient lypcopene is a simple chemical compound and member of the same group of phytochemicals as carotene. It is the reason for the red colour of some types of food.

Usefully, unlike numerous other healthy agents, lycopene does not become less effective if subjected to heat, but is genuinely strengthened by cooking.

. Its most interesting medical value is that it acts as an antioxidant and appears to be an asset in the fight to lower the risk of developing cancer.

Lycopene is the most powerful eliminator of singlet oxygen, which is linked with aging of the skin. It is also believed to prevent the growth of diseases affecting arterial blood vessels.