Dieting made easy

When deciding on a weight loss program, it is essential to try to restrict your intake of salt, fat and refined carbohydrate.

Some reduced carbohydrate diet pointers:
* Make reduced carb breadcrumbs for deep fried foods. While you can sometimes buy reduced carbohydrate bread crumbs, you can also make them by using low carbohydrate bread. All you have to do is toast the reduced carbohydrate bread in your oven on a sheet of cookie paper. When it is well browned, grind it in your blender. Keep in an airtight jar.

* Understand the food labels Don't trust food packaging that proclaims 'low carb' - check the real nutritional information on the back of the tin or packet. A good number of are only a little reduced and in some instances still more than a competitors normal brand. In addition, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' does not always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are just the same.

Lycopene superfoods
(includes watermelon, red bell peppers and rosehip)

The chemical lypcopene is a non-synthetic coloring agent and part of the same family of phytochemicals as carotene. This chemical is the reason for the deep red color of many fruit, vegetables and pulses.

Intrestingly, unlike many other healthy agents, lycopene is not damaged during the cooking process, but is actually strengthened by going through the cooking process.

. Lycoprene's key value is that it is an antioxidant and is believed to help to lower the probabilty of cancer.

This useful phytochemical is the most effective quencher of singlet oxygen, which is correlated with aging of the skin. It is also thought by nutritionalists to slow down the development of atherosclerosis.