If you’re trying to lose weight, you know that going to the grocery store can feel like
being asked to walk through a mine field. It can be terribly hard to know which way to go
and what to choose with so many foods all claiming that they can help you slim down fast.
Unfortunately, food manufacturers don’t really care whether or not you lose weight with
their product, they just their foods to taste good enough that you continue to buy from them
regardless of the damage it may do to your waistline.

So, if you can’t believe the health claims on the food packages in the store, how are you
supposed to tell whether or not a particular food will help you lose weight or if it will
only make you fatter? Become a label reader! Regardless of what the front of the package
says, manufacturers are required to list their ingredients on the back. Reading labels will
help you make better choices and lose weight faster. Avoid the following foods like the
plague and watch your bathroom scale take a nosedive.

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup - This is number one of the foods that create fat. Up until the
past 35 years, almost all the sugar we ate was in the form of sucrose. It was produced from
sugar cane and beets. The danger of pure corn fructose is in the fact that it is without
enzymes, vitamins or minerals. The energy required for the liver to metabolize fructose
forces the body to overuse its mineral and enzyme stores. High fructose corn syrup seems
disrupt metabolism to such a degree that collagen and elastin production are markedly
reduced. That’s bad news if you suffer from cellulite! Eating this will make cellulite
worse.

2. Cooking oil - Corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil are the cheapest
cooking oils produced. They are used most often in the home and in restaurants.
Unfortunately, they are so high in polyunsaturated fats that they are not healthy. They also
oxidize much faster than other fats which generates free radicals and damages all the body’s
cells. Many degenerative diseases and certain cancers have been linked to this process.
Healthier cooking oil options are unrefined coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

3. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil - This deadly type of oil is also known as
“trans fatty acids”. Deadly, heart clogging stuff and terrible for the waistline as well.
You will see this most often in pre-packaged snack foods, coffee creamer and commercial
peanut butter. If this stuff is anywhere on the ingredient list, don’t eat it!

4. Low fat or fat free snacks - Labeling food as “low-fat” or “fat free” has been really
good for food manufacturers bottom lines, but not so good for consumers. These types of snacks, while they may be low in fat, are extremely high in sugar. Most often that sugar comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Research also shows that people overeat foods labeled as low fat. People think that the low fat foods contain about 25% less calories when in reality they only contain about 10-15% fewer calories. There is also a decreased sense of consumption guilt so people generally eat about 20% more of these so called healthy foods.

5. Soda - Both diet and regular sodas are basically carbonated chemical soups plus high fructose corn syrup or dangerous artificial sweeteners. There are absolutely no redeeming nutritional qualities in soda at all. Soda contains no vitamins, no minerals and no enzymes.If you crave a flavored drink without the calories, try a flavored herbal tea sweetened with stevia instead.

The bottom line is this, in order to lose weight fast it’s an absolute necessity that you eliminate the foods that create fat and replace them with foods that burn fat.

The USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid places an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta
6-11 servings a day

These complex carbohydrates make up the base of the pyramid. They provide B-vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Choose whole grain whenever possible. They have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than products made from processed white flour. They also hit your bloodstream more slowly, giving you a longer lasting source of fuel.

1 serving = 1 slice of bread, 1/2 bagel or bun, 1 ounce dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup cooked pasta.

Vegetables
3-5 servings a day

Vegetables are a fantastic source of vitamins and fiber and are naturally low in fat and calories. Try deep-yellow, or orange vegetables, such as carrots and squash. These are great source of vitamin A. Veggies from the cabbage and pepper families (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bell peppers) rich in vitamin C.

1 serving = 1 cup raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup any other chopped vegetable, 3/4 cup vegetable juice

Fruits
2-4 servings a day

Fruit makes a great snack or healthy dessert. It’s high in carbohydrate energy and potassium, low in sodium, and full of vitamins. Strawberries, watermelon, and citrus fruits (like oranges and grapefruit) are full of vitamin C; apricots and other orange-colored fruits have lots of vitamin A; and cantaloupe, mangos and papayas have both vitamins A and C.

1 serving = 1 medium apple, banana, or orange; 1/2 cup chopped fruit or berries; 3/4 cup fruit juice.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
2-4 servings a day

Milk products are rich sources of calcium and protein. A glass of milk has high-quality protein equal to an ounce of meat, cheese or to one egg. Try to choose reduced fat dairy products whenever possible. A glass of whole milk has the equivalent of two teaspoons of butter or three tablespoons of sour cream.

1 serving = 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese, 2 ounces of processed cheese.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
2-3 servings a day

This group is a major source of protein. Cooked beans are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. Tofu and white beans provide calcium. Almonds are good sources of vitamin E. Beef contains highly absorbable trace minerals like iron, zinc, and magnese. Poultry and seafood contribute vitamin B6, and pork is a rich source of thiamine.

1 serving = 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup cooked beans, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, nuts, or seeds.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets
Use sparingly

This group represents the tip of the pyramid. It includes butter, oils, margarine, sour cream, soda pop, candy, and sweet desserts. Remember, not all fats are created equal. You want to minimize saturated fats found in animal products like meat and dairy, and trans-fats found in margarine or fried snack foods (look out for “partially hydrogenated” anything). Now that we’ve covered all the basics, let’s put it all together in a plan that’s right for you. Here are some sample diets at 3 different calorie levels:
1,600 calories is appropriate for many sedentary women and some older adults.
Bread group servings . . . . . . . . . .6
Vegetable group servings . . . . . . .3
Fruit group servings . . . . . . . . . . .2
Milk group servings . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Meat group (in total ounces) . . . . 5 oz.
Total fat (in grams) . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Total added sugars (in grams). . . .24

2,200 calories is about right for most children, teenage girls, active women and sedentary men. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding may need somewhat more.
Bread group servings . . . . . . . . . .9
Vegetable group servings . . . . . . .4
Fruit group servings . . . . . . . . . . .3
Milk group servings . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Meat group (in total ounces) . . . . 6 oz.
Total fat (in grams) . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Total added sugars (in grams). . . .48

2,800 calories is good for teenage boys, many active men, and some very active women

There’s a lot more to foods than just the nutrition they contain. Some can act as medicines, helping to tame inflammation in the body, or protect cells from DNA damage. Others can act as aphrodisiacs (see number 2 below). Still others can protect your memory.

Superfoods are “super” precisely because they offer more benefits than what you can find on the “nutrition facts” label. Every one on this list qualifies!

1.Blueberries

These amazing berries are on anyone’s list of superfoods. Recent research shows that they’re brain food– feeding blueberries to rats actually slows their age-related mental decline. Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a plant compound recently shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Their ORAC value (antioxidant rating) is the highest of any fruit. And blueberries are rich in fiber. Tip: try them frozen. They taste like sherbet!

2.Maca

Based on a long history of traditional use in Peru, maca has recently become known as a “natural Viagra”, and is popular as an aphrodisiac, and for increasing fertility and stamina. (I talked about it in my book ‘The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth” as part of a natural treatment for restoring sexual potency.) But maca’s also a superfood from a nutrition point of view. It’s an important staple for the Andean Indians, has been around since 3800 BC and is rich in sugars, protein, starches and essential minerals, especially iron and iodine. You can buy it as a supplement, or, even better, as a powder which you can add to shakes.

3.Cherries

Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds that don’t show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. That’s one reason why they’re so great for gout. My favorite “healthy” desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you.

4.Guava

Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear”, one low-calorie cup of this vitamin rich fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. And in one widely used nutrition lab test for antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries, and right behind kale. Guava also contains cancer fighting lycopene.

5.Kale

Kale is a member of the brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among it’s relatives. It’s simply loaded with nutrition. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K. Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories. Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.

6.Sardines

These are the best kept nutrition secret in the world when it comes to health foods and the secret weapon of travelers looking for a cheap, portable, easily available source of protein. Sardines are rich in omega-3 fats, and one of the least contaminated of any seafood since it’s so low on the food chain. Eat them out of the can or throw them on some salad.

7.Coconut oil

This superb oil has been long neglected as a healthy oil because it contains saturated fat. But not to worry: the saturated fat in coconut is a very healthy kind called MCT (medium chain triglyecerides) which is easily burned by the body for energy. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, a natural anti-viral and anti-microbal. And today’s excellent virgin coconut oil- unlike the inferior products of a few decades ago- doesn’t contain trans fats. Note to skeptics: The Puka Puka islanders consumed 80 % of their diet from coconut products and had virtually no heart disease.

8.Green tea

Here’s a superstar beverage if there ever was one. Green tea helps with weight loss and helps fight against cancer. It contains EGCG, a catechin (plant compound) which stimulates metabolism and has anti-cancer properties to boot. Green tea also contains theanine, a natural relaxant which helps explain why the caffeine in green tea doesn’t make you nearly as jittery as coffee.

9.Flaxseeds

Flaxseed oil is one of the only plant sources of omega-3 fats, but the flaxseeds themselves provide the added nutrition benefit of fiber along with the omega-3’s. Flaxseeds can be thrown on salads, tossed into smoothies, or sprinkled on vegetables. They also contain lignans, a group of plant nutrtients that have been studied by the National Cancer Institute for their cancer preventive properties.

10.Eggs

The protein source against which all others are judged. And for goodness sake, stop with the egg white omlettes. The yolk is loaded with good stuff! Half of the measly 4.5 grams of fat are actually monounsaturated fat, the same heart-healthy fat that’s in olive oil. The yolks are also one of the best sources of lutein, the superstar of eye nutrition. Plus they contain choline, which helps support brain function and help keep harmful homocysteine levels down. Look for the new designer eggs with increased omega-3 content.

11.Pomegranate juice

If you’re wondering if all the hype about pomegranate juice is for real, stop wondering: it is. Animal studies suggest that pomegranate juice combats artherogenesis (hardening of the arteries) as well as other cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. It’s rich in antioxidants and has a higher amount of polyphenols- heart healthy plant compounds– than even red wine. Look for the pure pomegranate juice (not the watered down cocktail). You can always dilute it with water or mix it with other juices.

In the long run, the rules for healthy eating are a lot simpler than you might think: Eat food that your ancestors could have hunted, fished for, gathered or plucked.

If it’s food your grandmother would have recognized as food, it’s probably good for you.

And if it doesn’t have a bar code, so much the better.