Diet tips

In planning a meal plan, the important thing is to try to cut down your ingestion of fat, salt and refined carbohydrates.

Some reduced carb diet pointers:
* You can create really great smoothies using low carb yogurt. I know, it is not really cooking, but if you must have smoothies you can make them with low carbohydrate yogurt and fruit. Obviously, you should make sure you use only fruit that is low in carbohydrates and the whole fruit as the fiber is beneficial.

* Understand the food labels Watch out for advertizing that proclaims 'low carb' - check the actual nutritional information on the back of the package. A good number of are only a little reduced and in some cases still higher than a competitors normal brand. Also, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' doesn't always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are identical.

Foods containing allyl sulfides
( includes garlic, onions and spring onions)

The onion, leek and garlic family is high in allyl sulfides, a chemical which experts believe might be linked to a reduced risk of stomach and colon cancer.
Although there is not enough, hard medical proof available, allyl sulphides are also thought by many experts to reduce the symptoms of colds, sterilization and diabetes.

Foods containing allyl sulfides are also good for weight loss, so should be included in your weight loss program.