Is Avocado Oil The Next Anti-Aging Superfood?

The next time you’re about to buy a bottle of olive oil, consider trying avocado oil instead.

Never heard of it? You’re not alone. Although we all know the nutritional benefits of eating avocados, avocado oil has always taken a backseat to its olive brethren. A close inspection of its nutritional values, however, reveals that it may be better for our skin and overall health than olive oil.

Avocado oil is created in a multistep process. Ripe avocados are washed, pitted, and skinned. The resultant pulp is then pressed, creating a sludgy substance resembling guacamole. This sludge is centrifuged to separate the pulp from the oil.

The resultant oil, which is slightly green, is considered unrefined avocado oil. This can be consumed, or it can undergo a refining process to remove impurities.

9 ways to keep your collagen and skin looking young

You might not know what it is, but collagen is key when it comes to keeping your skin youthful and wrinkle-free

Collagen is a protein produced by our cells that helps “hold” the skin together, giving it firmness and elasticity.

When we’re young, our skin stays plump and smooth because it constantly regenerates itself.

But as we age, collagen production slows – and existing collagen can get damaged due to sun exposure and bad skin habits. The results? Wrinkles and sagging skin going south.

Luckily, there’s lots you can do to preserve your collagen and even boost its production...

9 foods to keep you young

Add age-defying foods to your diet and start looking and feeling younger.

Stress, pollution, sun exposure and excessive alcohol consumption all play a part in speeding up the ageing process. Poor eating habits are also a major contributor. These foods will help protect you from age-related illnesses and degenerative diseases, and prevent wrinkles from appearing before their time.

Avocado

Avocado should be one of your anti-ageing staples. Avocados are an excellent source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant and a free-radical scavenger that helps prevent damage to collagen. Their high levels of beneficial unsaturated fats and beta-carotene nourish skin and protect from the visible signs of ageing, as well as keeping your heart and eyesight healthy as you get older.

Inner Thigh Workout: 5 Ballet-Based Moves to Tone and Tighten

Victoria's Secret Angels' trainer Mary Helen Bowers shares how to get rid of thigh jiggle with her super-effective inner thigh workout.

Have you looked at a ballerina’s long, lean legs lately? There’s a good reason ballet workouts have become so popular recently: They work. We asked Mary Helen Bowers, professional ballerina, founder of fitness method Ballet Beautiful and trainer to big-time models like Miranda Kerr and Lily Aldridge, to show us an inner thigh workout inspired by the moves that give dancers their enviable physiques.

These five target the inner thighs, and as a bonus, hit the outer thighs, knees and butt a bit too. Plus, you can turn any of them into a great lower ab workout by simply engaging your core. Focus on pulling in the muscles beneath your hip bones and belly button. “It’s what happens naturally when you laugh or gasp with surprise,” Bowers says.

15 Natural Ways To Maintain Beautiful, Youthful Skin

There may not be a fountain of youth, but the food we eat and how we treat ourselves can prevent or even reverse aging. Your body needs the right nutrients to fight off damage, and your skin is no different. Nutrients help the cells replicate and have more energy. Processed foods, stress, toxins and low-nutrient diets will accelerate aging. Protecting yourself from harmful chemicals while getting enough sleep, relaxation and exercise will all help you maintain a healthy glow. 

1. Drink plenty of water. 

Even with a small amount of dehydration, your body functions in a less optimal way. The instant you're dehydrated, it will take a toll on your skin, causing it to look dull, flaky, saggy and loose.

10 All-Natural Ways to Stay Young

Hello, fountain of youth! Stay young with these amazing, completely natural age erasers that boost brain power, stop stress, and smooth skin.

Stress Less

Getting older — without being doomed to wrinkle-dom and jiggly thighs — does not require a high-priced trainer and a bucket o' Botox. We swear it. We know it. We asked top researchers to share their stay-young secrets for winding back time naturally. Their advice will help you stay young and have you looking and feeling everyday fabulous, by doing everyday smart things: exercise, eat healthy, de-stress — not so hard, right? Try it today.

The Workout That Helps You Lose Weight and Stay Young

Get the complete You on a Diet Workout, developed by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, authors of the best-selling You on a Diet.

1. Give yourself a break

Recent studies show that stress causes physical changes in the body that can accelerate aging. Surges of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol cause blood pressure to rise and the heart to beat faster. These days, when our stressors seem unrelenting (a steady stream of job pressures, traffic jams, money problems), chronic doses of adrenaline and cortisol take a heavy toll on our physical and emotional health. "Sixty to 90 percent of all doctors' visits each year are related to anxiety, depression, obsessive anger and hostility, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart attacks — all problems caused by stress," says Herbert Benson, MD, author of the landmark book The Relaxation Response and a founder and director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Boston.

11 Fitness Foods to Help You Get in Shape Faster

The right foods can help you build muscle, improve endurance, and speed recovery.

Eats for athletes

As a sports nutritionist, I'm always on the lookout for research about how various foods can enhance athletic performance, speed recovery, and build muscle mass. When I pass this info on to my clients, they often feel the effects quickly, and I relish remarks they share like, "Wow, what a difference!" or "I feel 10 years younger." Here are 11 foods currently on my "eats for athletes" list, the research behind why they deserve a place on your training table, and simple, healthy ways to take advantage of their benefits. 

Beet juice for stamina

Recent research shows that this ruby red root veggie may be more effective at boosting energy than caffeine, or nearly anything you'll find in the supplement aisle. When UK researchers asked male athletes to down either 16 ounces of organic beetroot juice or a placebo, those who gulped the real thing cycled for up to 16% longer, an effect scientists say isn't achievable by any other known means, including training. To bolster your performance, invest in a juicer and grab some fresh beets, which are in season year-round. Or look for bottled beet juice, which can be sipped straight or blended into a pre-workout smoothie.

Honey for endurance

Research conducted at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory found that consuming honey before exercise provides "time-released" fuel to give athletes steady blood sugar and insulin levels over a longer duration. This natural sweetener also boosted power, speed, and endurance in competitive cyclists who downed it prior to and at 10-mile intervals throughout a 40-mile race. For quality and purity, I recommend USDA Certified Organic raw honey. Enjoy it straight off a spoon, or mix it into a pre-workout snack like oatmeal.

Pea protein to delay muscle fatigue

Pea protein powder has been generating serious buzz in the sports nutrition community for some time now. The reason: it's rich in branched chain amino acids, compounds that have been shown to delay fatigue during exercise. The arginine in this powder (which is made from yellow peas) has also been shown to enhance immunity, while the lysine boosts calcium absorption and decreases calcium losses to help maintain strong bones. One scoop can pack more than 25 grams of lean protein, which can be whipped into a smoothie along with almond milk, a dollop of almond butter, cinnamon, and frozen cherries or berries.

Read more: CLICK HERE

Blueberries to reduce inflammation

To test the anti-inflammatory and recovery effects of blueberries, researchers at Appalachian State University recruited well-trained athletes and fed them about 9 ounces of blueberries daily for six weeks, plus another 13 ounces an hour before a two-and a-half-hour run. The results were impressive. In addition to a reduction in inflammation, blueberry eaters experienced a boost in natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in immunity. When fresh blueberries aren't practical, reach for dried or freeze dried options to stash in your gym bag.

Tart cherries to fight pain and regain strength

At the University of Vermont's Human Performance Laboratory, researchers asked men to drink either 12 ounces of a tart cherry juice blend or a placebo twice daily for eight days. On the fourth day of the study, the athletes completed a strenuous strength-training routine. Two weeks later, the opposite beverage was provided, and the training was repeated. Scientists found that the cherry juice had a significant effect on pain reduction. In addition, strength loss averaged 22% in the placebo group compared to just 4% in the cherry group. Fresh tart cherries are only in season in late summer, but frozen and dried options are becoming easier to find, as is 100% tart cherry juice.

Salmon to build muscle

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon have been linked to a laundry list of benefits, from fighting heart disease to staving off type 2 diabetes. But animal research shows it may also be a potent muscle booster. Compared to steers fed cottonseed and olive oils, those that consumed fish oil showed improved muscle development: their bodies used twice the amount of amino acids to build new protein tissues, especially skeletal muscles. Include wild salmon in meals a few times a week, or try salmon jerky as a portable snack. If you can't or don't eat seafood, look for an algae-based source of omega-3s.

Watermelon to reduce muscle soreness

Recently, Spanish sports medicine scientists discovered that watermelon juice helped relieve muscle soreness when about 16 ounces were consumed an hour before exercise. The effect is likely due to citrulline, a natural substance found in watermelon that's been tied to improved artery function and lowered blood pressure (it's even been dubbed "nature’s Viagra"). I'm starting to see bottled watermelon juice popping up all over the place. And when you eat it fresh, be sure to bite into the white rind a bit—that's where citrulline is found in higher concentrations.

Pomegranate for muscle strength recovery

The antioxidants in pomegranate have been linked to enhanced memory and brain activity, and now researchers at the University of Texas at Austin report that pomegranate juice helps improve muscle recovery. Researchers recruited volunteers who were randomly assigned to maintain their normal diets and add 4 ounces of either pomegranate juice or a placebo twice a day. Both groups performed resistance-training exercises, but those who gulped pom experienced significantly less muscle soreness and reduced muscle weakness for up to 7 days. Pomegranate is a winter fruit, but you can find frozen options year-round. Just thaw and add to oatmeal, parfaits, or garden salads. Small shots of 100% juice are also a good option.

Coffee for next-day energy

A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that glycogen, the body's storage form of carbohydrates, is replenished more rapidly when athletes consume both carbs and caffeine following exhaustive exercise. Compared to carbs alone, the combo resulted in a 66% increase in muscle glycogen 4 hours after intense exercise. That's significant because packing more fuel into the energy "piggy banks" within your muscles means that the next time you train or perform, you’ve upped your ability to exercise harder or longer. 

Watercress to reduce DNA damage

A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that watercress, a peppery green from the mustard family, effectively countered the "wear and tear" effects of exercise. Healthy young men were given about 3 ounces of watercress daily for eight weeks, and asked to participate in treadmill workouts that included short bursts of intense exercise. Another exercise group did the workouts without watercress as a control. The men who missed out on watercress experienced more exercise-induced DNA damage, and the benefits were seen after just one dose. In other words, those who ate the green for the first time just two hours before hitting the treadmill experienced the same benefits as those who had munched on it daily for two months. Watercress makes a wonderful salad base and, like spinach and kale, it can be whipped into a smoothie.

Dark chocolate to curb exercise-induced stress

Numerous studies support the myriad benefits of dark chocolate and new research published in the European Journal of Nutrition adds exercise protection to the list. In the study, healthy men were asked to eat 3.5 ounces of 70% dark chocolate two hours before a two-and-a-half-hour bout of cycling. Compared to a control group, the chocolate eaters experienced higher blood antioxidant levels and reduced markers of exercise-induced cell stress. Enjoy a few individually wrapped squares of dark chocolate daily, melt and drizzle it over fresh fruit, or mix it into oatmeal, smoothies, or parfaits.

Read more: CLICK HERE

The Top 10 Superfoods for Gorgeous Skin and Hair

The secret to healthier hair and glowing skin? It's not in your makeup case. It's in your diet. Nutritionist Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet, says these superfoods will give you gorgeous skin and beautiful hair.

Blueberries

This low-profile berry was ranked number one in antioxidant activity by the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to 40 common fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in blueberries protect you from premature aging, so add half a cup to your yogurt or cereal every day.

Wild Salmon

Wild salmon — not farm-raised — is one of the best food sources for omega-3 fatty acids, which helps keep your skin supple and moisturized. Salmon also has selenium, a mineral that protects the skin from sun exposure. The vitamin D in salmon keeps your bones and teeth strong and healthy, too. You won't have a problem adding salmon to your diet since there are hundreds of ways to enjoy this beauty superfood. Try it grilled, baked, in your pasta, with a salad, in sushi, or just with a side of asparagus.

7 Foods That Clear Your Complexion

Read on—and eat up!—to get more gorgeous skin

While topical solutions for pimples can keep your face acne-free, you can actually help your skin along the road to clarity through your diet. What you put in your body reflects how it looks on the outside, after all.

To keep blemishes at bay, try incorporating the following seven foods, recommended by nationally recognized dietitian and nutritionist Elisa Zied, author of YOUNGER NEXT WEEK: Your Ultimate Rx to Reverse the Clock, Boost Energy and Look and Feel Younger in 7 Days, and internationally renowned cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, M.D., author of The Great Cholesterol Myth Cookbook, into your diet. Your skin will be glowing—and clear—in no time.

10 Surprising Beauty Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of nature’s most powerful ingredients that offer health as well as beauty benefits. Though it may be new for many people, its use can be traced back to 400 BC. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used natural ACV to treat many of his patients.

ACV is rich in acetic, citric and malic acids as well as vitamins, enzymes, mineral salts and amino acids. As an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antifungal agent, it helps treat the common cold, muscle pain, arthritis pain, diabetes, high cholesterol and weight issues.

This all-natural, all-purpose kitchen staple is also becoming a preferred beauty ingredient.

There are several key attributes to ACV that help maintain beautiful skin and hair as well as deal with other beauty woes.

9 Ways to Use Vinegar for More Beautiful Skin and Hair

Even if you never cook, you'll definitely want to grab a bottle.

Contrary to popular belief, vinegar—apple cider vinegar, to be exact—may not help you lose weight. But it can help you step up your beauty routine. This multi-tasking ingredient can be used to prevent acne and make nail polish last longer, but that's just the beginning. Check out all of the ways in which apple cider vinegar can help you look your best—from speeding up the healing time for bruises to tightening and toning your skin.

Skin Soother

Add eight ounces of apple cider vinegar to a bathtub filled with warm water, and soak in it for 15 minutes. Since the pH level of apple cider vinegar is similar to the pH level of the protective acid mantle layer of our skin, this soak will help restore balance.

Best Foods for Your Anti-Aging Diet

From your brain to your bones, what you eat matters. So help yourself to some age-defying foods.

"What you eat makes a huge difference in how you age and how you feel," dietitian Manuel Villacorta says.

"Even your skin will stay younger-looking if you eat right," says Allison T. Pontius, MD, an expert in anti-aging and regenerative medicine at Williams Center for Plastic Surgery in Latham, NY.

What to Put on Your Plate

Colorful fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in colorful vegetables and fruits, such as leafy greens, deep red tomatoes, blueberries, and carrots, help stop unstable molecules from damaging healthy cells. So at each meal, fill about half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Your goal is five to nine servings a day.

Best for Softening Skin: Pomegranates

Why they work: This fruit is packed with vitamin C, which helps guard against the wrinkling effects of sun damage. Plus, says Debra Jaliman, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, the juice in pomegranate seeds contains both ellagic acid and punicalagin. The first is a polyphenol compound that fights damage from free radicals; the second is a supernutrient that may increase your body's capacity to preserve collagen, the subdermal connective tissue that makes skin look smooth and plump.

Serve yourself: A cup of pomegranate seeds — not just juice — every week, suggests Jackie Newgent, RD, a nutritionist based in New York City.

Best for Smoothing Fine Lines: Blueberries

Why it works: These delicious little blue wonders contain more antioxidants than almost any other food does. Translation: They can give your skin extra protection against the skin-damaging free radicals that result from sun exposure, emotional stress, and even overexercising (especially running).

Serve yourself: One-half cup every day will help to prevent the cell-structure damage that can lead to loss of firmness, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Top 10 Get-Gorgeous Foods

Every woman wants to eat better, look gorgeous, and do it effortlessly. Now, you can have it all when you pack your diet with these beauty-enhancing foods!

Eat Your Way to Pretty Skin and Hair!

As former model-turned-chef, I found my passion for life through cooking delicious real, foods; and I simultaneously found that beauty truly does start from the inside out! If you want smooth skin, flaxseed will help. Do you desire long, shiny hair? Opt for an avocado. Want to add more moisture to dry skin and hair? Choose a sweet potato. And that's just the beginning! Read on to find my top ten secret beauty foods for gorgeous skin, hair, and nails.

Avocados

Rich, creamy, and packed with good-for-you monounsaturated fats, avocados are the ultimate get-gorgeous food. Key for healthy hair, skin, and nails, monounsaturated fatty acids or "good fats" can aid in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, while improving HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Avocados also contain antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folate; and one avocado is packed with more potassium than a medium banana—almost 900 grams! Additionally, studies show that avocados are "nutrient boosters," meaning they aid the body in absorption of nutrients from other foods.

10 Essential Beauty Foods for Women

The food we eat affects us in many ways. Many foods enhance us on the inside with their composition of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Yet many foods can also impact the way we look on the outside. While we already know that eating greasy foods, for example, can negatively impact our skin, there are actually many foods that support the beauty of our exteriors. The following ten foods are ideal for enhancing our outer beauty in healthful ways.

1. Strawberries

The cleansing potential of strawberries is perfect for enhancing the beauty of the skin. Eating strawberries helps your body flush out dead skin cells as well as other impurities. The vitamin C power of strawberries is also essential for repairing damaged skin; a single cup a day can help you support the body’s ability to repair damaged skin tissue.

4 Beauty Tips For Women To Stay Healthy And Beautiful Through The Ages

Beauty tips for women is an ongoing search, and one great temptations, if you can afford it, is to use surgery to help cover up your natural aging. Sadly, there are many reports from women who feel that they now look worse after their expensive plastic surgery than they did before. Rather than taking a chance of an operation gone wrong, there are lots of tips and techniques that you can use to keep yourself looking and feeling beautiful rather than opting for an operation. In this article we will examine some beauty tips that will allow you to wear your age with pride and confidence.

Tip #1: Diet

Diet is perhaps one of the most important beauty tips for women towards having and maintaining a healthy look. Consuming lots of fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods does more than just benefit your general health. A diet like this also helps to prevent weight gain and increases your energy levels to keep you active during your day. These types of foods also have the benefits of encouraging strong healthy and shiny hair, strong fingernails, and results skin that has a healthy radiance.

9 Foods That Make You Even Sexier

To look hot, you can hit the gym, wear cute clothes, and try out new beauty tricks. But eating the right food (yup, food) can take your sex appeal to boxer-bursting proportions. Add these seduction-boosters to your diet to look—and feel—amazing.

YOGURT

Dieticians swear by Greek yogurt—it's packed with protein that fills you up and it tastes great. But it also contains a lot of amino acids, which are good for getting rid of dark circles under your eyes, says beauty expert Narine Nikogosian, author of Return To Beauty. Planning on having a late night? Have a Greek yogurt for breakfast the day before to ward off any dark circles that might try to creep up the next day.

KIDNEY BEANS

They don't just taste yummy as a side dish. Kidney beans and many other legumes are packed with ingredients like protein, iron zinc, and biotin, that give you longer, stronger hair, says Cosmo Radio health expert Jennifer Wider, MD. In fact, having a biotin deficiency can leave you with dry, brittle locks, so it's especially important to stock up on beans for a gorgeous 'do. Mix some kidney beans into your salad or toss them with a little olive oil and salt for a delish snack.

Top Nutritionists Spill Their Beauty Food Secrets

What you consume can have a major effect on how you look—and no one knows this better than nutrition experts. That’s why we tapped seven savvy nutrition pros to share their personal secrets for everything from glowing skin to endless energy. So make a commitment to turn over a new, even more beautiful leaf in the New Year with their look-good, feel-good secrets.

1. Citrus Sipper

“I add orange slices to my water to boost flavor and add vitamin C, which helps your body create collagen by providing structural support to skin and giving it resilience and strength,” says Lisa Drayer, R.D., author of “The Beauty Diet.” “I aim to drink two cups of water with each meal and one with snacks. I find that it not only helps keep my weight in check, but it also keeps my skin moist and boosts my energy.”

Superfoods for Beauty

We’re not knocking the power of a fantastic face cream, thickening mousse or high-tech teeth whitening session, but the foundation of your beauty is pretty grassroots—it’s your diet.

The health of every organ affects our appearance. Just as eating well can keep our heart in tip-top shape, we can shave years off our looks if we chew the right things.

Our skin is barraged inside and out by stress, hormones, junk food and weather, just to name a few. A healthy diet helps your skin withstand these insults via nutrients that help repair, maintain and enhance it.

“The more support you give your skin the more support it will give you,” says Doris Day, M.D., a New York dermatologist and author of “Forget the Facelift.” Whether it’s clearer skin you’re after or more lustrous locks, read on to find out which beauty superfoods can help you get even more gorgeous.

Beauty from the Inside Out

You are what you eat, right? Well, that goes double for your skin, hair, and nails. Stay glowing and gorgeous by putting more of these foods on your plate

While a fresh blowout and a hint of blush can help you look your best, some of the most potent beauty weapons are found in the supermarket. Your food picks have an enormous effect on your appearance, says nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D., author of The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful. And you'll see results fast. "In just 28 days—the lifecycle of your skin—a nutritious diet can impart a glow that no cream can accomplish alone," says Ellen Marmur, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City and author of Simple Skin Beauty. Boost your good looks by adding more of these items to your cart.

Blueberries and Pomegranates

Both of these fruits are bursting with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help protect you from fine lines and dryness by neutralizing the free radicals that weather your skin. Plus, their high vitamin C content enhances the production of collagen, which keeps your skin nice and plump, says Glassman. (And weighing in at less than 100 calories a cup, they have the opposite effect on your waistline.)

5 Beauty Foods for Natural Radiance

Add these foods to your diet for natural radiance.

Who hasn’t ever aired a complaint about their appearance: wrinkles, puffy eyes, sleep-deprived? Go ahead, insert your issue here. Here’s the good news: a solution may be in what you add to your grocery cart. Try these 5 beauty foods for a natural glow and radiance from your smile to your skin.

Foods for a Healthy Smile

Raisins: You might think that because raisins are sweet and sticky, they’re not good for your oral health. But research has shown that antioxidants in raisins fight the growth of a type of bacteria that can cause inflammation and gum disease.

Other food solutions to try: Green tea—a daily cup of green tea significantly lowered Japanese men’s risk of developing gum disease.

13 Herbs And Spices Scientifically Proven To Help You Lose Weight

If your idea of the perfect weight loss meal is plain chicken or fish with a salad and brown rice, then you're missing out on some major ingredients shown by reams of research to help the body burn fat: herbs and spices.

Herbs and spices are the best way to add flavor to food for no extra calories, sugar, sodium, or other junk—which is critical to do when you're trying to lose weight. Why? It's pretty simple: Research shows that if you don't like the taste of what you eat, you're much less likely to stick to any diet, no matter how disciplined you are. Herbs and spices add a significant amount of flavor to food and can turn, for example, that piece of plain chicken into a restaurant-worthy meal, thanks to just a little rosemary, paprika, sea salt, and ground pepper. 

What's more, many herbs and spices can actually boost your metabolism and help your body burn fat more quickly. Here, 13 herbs and spices with science-backed powers to help you lose all the weight you want in the New Year:

25 Flat Belly Meals

What you need right now—fast, healthy, slimming dishes

Secrets to a Flat Stomach

If you're like most women, you are forever feeling overbooked and overfed. Here's a solution: quick meals made from healthy, delicious packaged foods that follow the rules of our bestselling Flat Belly Diet!

These 25 meals, developed by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, coauthor and creator of Flat Belly Diet, will leave you satisfied on fewer calories, which makes it much easier to lose weight without feeling hungry. The cornerstone of the eating plan (and these weight loss meals) is the almighty MUFA.

What's a MUFA?

MUFAs are foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, healthful fats that research links to less belly fat and better overall health. The best part: MUFAs are found in rich, delicious foods like olives, nuts and seeds, oils, avocado, and (yes!) dark chocolate. Incorporating a MUFA into every meal is easy; we made it even easier by combining them with our favorite new supermarket products.

This Food Can Help You Shed Up To 7 Pounds Of Belly Fat

Desperate to shed some not-so-jolly holiday weight but shuddering at the thought of dieting or becoming one with the treadmill? Here's some New Year's cheer: Drink a few whey protein shakes a day and your body will automatically start burning more belly fat, suggests research from the medical journal Obesity.

Paul J. Arciero, a professor of exercise science and health at Skidmore College in New York recruited 30 overweight men and women for an intriguing diet study. He and his colleagues assigned the volunteers to one of two diets: The first group followed a traditional carb-focused plan that gave them about 15% of calories from protein—about what the average American typically eats.

8 Food Swaps That Will Flatten Your Belly In A Week

If your belly is sapping your body confidence, don't despair. The reason for your puffy midsection may well be bloat, not fat. That's because one of the worst culprits for this problem—a slow digestive system—is common among women over age 40. However, exciting research now suggests you can get your digestion moving and beat bloat with a few easy menu and lifestyle tweaks. Put all of these ideas into effect right now, and you should be flatter, sexier, and fitting comfortably into your clothes in less than a week.

1. Add: Two kinds of fiber

Why It Beats Bloat: Constipation distends your belly, and one easy way to get rid of it is by starting each morning with a breakfast cereal that guarantees your body a daily dose of fiber. This gets the digestive system moving within a day or so and keeps it that way. Based on a study of breakfast cereals, University of Toronto researchers say that consuming two kinds of fiber at once is most effective. The scientists found that participants had an easier time staying regular with a cereal that contained both insoluble fiber (from bran) and gel-like soluble fiber (from psyllium). The two types work together to pull water into your colon and speed up elimination, explains Joanne Slavin, PhD, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota. The result? You look and feel lighter.

1 Daily Teaspoon Of This Spice Could Help You Lose 3 Times As Much Body Fat

Trying to kick a weight loss plateau? Unhand the celery and head for the spice cabinet: New research shows that cumin powder can help jumpstart weight loss, decrease body fat, and improve unhealthy cholesterol levels naturally. 

Researchers at Iran's Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences randomly split 88 overweight or obese women into 2 groups. For 3 months, both groups received nutrition counseling and decreased their daily intake of calories by 500. But one group was also eating 3 grams (a little less than 1 teaspoon) of cumin powder daily, swirled into 5 ounces of yogurt (the same amount of yogurt, minus the cumin, was also prescribed to the control group). 

At the end of the 3-month trial, members in the cumin group had lost 3 more pounds than those in the non-cumin group for a total of 13 pounds weight loss. More impressively, the cumin group members decreased body fat percentage by 14.64%—almost triple the 4.91% loss posted by the control group—apparently due to the addition of the fat-burning spice.