Good Foods You Don't Want To Pass Up!Want to loss weight, boost energy, mood lifter, or improve your skin? Try these good foods that are more than able to deliver beyond the call of duty.
*FOODS THAT AID WEIGHT LOSS
1. Apples - Apples are a good source of pectin, a soluble fiber that provides bulk and digests slowly, helping you feel full. 2. Barley - One cup of hulled barley contains 6 g of fiber (about a quarter of your daily needs), less than I g of fat, and more than 40 g of complex carbohydrates. 3. Black Beans - This good food is low in fat and packed with 15 g of fiber per cup (about 60 percent of your daily requirement), which fills you up and digests slowly so you're less likely to crave unhealthy foods. 4. Burdock Root - This root vegetable contains inulin, a carbohydrate that may regulate your blood sugar and control hunger. 5. Cantaloupe - A good food that satisfies a sweet tooth but is super-low in calories (less than 100 in half a cantaloupe) and nutrient-rich, says nutritionist Carol Ann Rinzler. 6. Carrots - They're a smart weight-loss food: convenient for snacking, low in calories, and rich in fiber. 7. Cereal - A 1999 study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that people who consume high-fiber breakfasts eat less at lunch than those who eat low-fiber or high-fat breakfasts. For best results, look for cereals that contain at least 6 g of fiber per serving. 8. Chile Peppers - Some scientists say capsaicin, the substance that gives chiles their kick, may help your body burn calories at a slightly faster rate, although more research is needed. 9. Dandelion Greens - Naturopath Sejal Parikh-Shah, N.D., recommends these greens for their diuretic properties (which help you lose water weight) and their ability to stabilize blood sugar (which prevents binge eating). Find them in your supermarket produce section. 10. Fruit Smoothies - Nutrition researcher Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., suggests drinking a homemade fruit smoothie before going out to eat. If you make your own, this good food is low in calories but full of water and air, so they fill your stomach and activate sensors that make you feel satisfied. 11. Ginger - When you're counting calories, you're more likely to feel satisfied with smaller portions if your food is highly seasoned with spices like ginger. Add freshly grated ginger to soups, stews, and stir-fries. 12. Green Tea - A 1999 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who consumed green tea burned more calories than those who took either caffeine alone or a placebo. For weight-loss benefits, pour 2 cups of water, brought just to a boil, over 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves. Steep in a covered container for 30 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day 13. Kimchi - This spicy Korean delicacy, made of fermented cabbage, garlic, and chile peppers, may help weight-loss efforts 14. Onions - Nutritionist Verne Varona says onions accelerate the break down of fats in your food. 15. Strawberries - One of my favorite good foods. They're full of water, high in fiber (3 g per cup), and superlow in calories (just 43 calories per cup), which makes them ideal for weight loss. Strawberries typically contain high levels of pesticide residues, so try to buy organic berries. 16. Tempeh - A fermented cake of pressed soybeans, tempeh is an easy-to-digest form of soy protein. 17. Vegetable Soup - This good food contains relatively few calories but takes up space in your stomach so you feel full, says researcher Rolls. She suggests that you eat a bowl of brothy vegetable soup before meals to dampen your appetite. Avoid soups that contain cream, cheese, or other high-calorie ingredients. 18. Whole-Grain Bread - A 2001 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that breads that contain unrefined grains require you to chew vigorously and create a feeling of fullness, making you less likely to overeat.
*FOODS THAT BOOST YOUR ENERGY
19. Blackstrap Molasses - An iron deficiency is a common cause of fatigue, especially in menstruating women. Blackstrap molasses can help 20. Black Tea - The caffeine in black tea can perk you up by increasing your heart rate and level of alertness. 21. Brown Rice - This good food is a source of complex carbohydrates, which provide sustained fuel and prevent fatigue. It's also rich in the B vitamins that help turn food into energy. If you're short on time, try instant brown rice, which takes only 10 minutes to prepare. 22. Quinoa - Another source of B vitamins, quinoa is also rich in protein. To make this grain, rinse 1 cup quinoa and add it to 2 cups boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes without stirring. To boost flavor, add slivered almonds, carrots, and peas in the last 3 minutes. 23. Sea Vegetables - Your body needs minerals to create energy-producing reactions in your cells, and sea vegetables are loaded with them 24. Water - If you feel tired despite getting enough sleep and eating well, drink more water.
*FOODS THAT LIFT YOUR MOOD 
25. Avocados - They're one of the richest plant sources of B vitamins, including [B.sub.6]. (Half an avocado provides one-third of your recommended daily amount.) [B.sub.6] appears to help elevate mood, and some studies show that people who are depressed lack this vitamin. 26. Bananas - A good food that provide magnesium, a muscle-tension fighter that helps you relax, and more than half your daily requirement of [B.sub.6], a nutrient that may ease depression. 27. Brazil Nuts - This good food is a rich known source of selenium, a trace mineral that studies suggest can improve mood. 28. Chamomile Tea - This tea has a slight anti-anxiety effect and acts as a mild sedative. 29. Chocolate Cocoa - contains phenyl-ethylamine, a compound that increases your production of the brain chemicals adrenaline and dopamine, which elevate mood. 30. Flaxseeds - A 2000 study at the University Of Arizona College Of Public Health in Tucson reported that people with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may be at higher risk for depression. Other studies show that consuming omega-3 fatty acids may improve mood. 31. Oatmeal - It's rich in thiamin, a B vitamin. Even a mild deficiency of this vitamin can hamper brain function. 32. Orange Juice - One 8-ounce glass provides 18 percent of your daily requirement of folic acid, a B vitamin that may prevent depression. 33. Potatoes - This good food produce a calming effect because they clear your blood-stream of amino acids that compete with another amino acid, tryptophan. When tryptophan is free to enter your brain, it helps make serotonin, a brain chemical that induces calmness 34. Stevia - If you have a sweet tooth, try stevia, a sweet herb that does not cause your blood sugar levels (and your mood) to climb and dip the way sugar does. 35. Veggie Burgers - Eating protein is helpful when you need to clear your mind,
*FOODS THAT GIVE YOUR SKIN A GLOW
36. Adzuki Beans - These easy-to-digest beans provide 27 percent of your daily requirement of zinc, a mineral that your skin uses to repair damage. 37. Almonds - Twenty-four of this good food contain 9 g of monounsaturated fats (as well as some good-for-skin omega-3 fats) and 6 g of protein. They also have nearly half your recommended daily amount of vitamin E, 7 percent of your daily calcium needs, and a notable amount of zinc, all nutrients that keep skin healthy. 38. Beet Greens - Nutrition author Deborah Kesten recommends them if you have dry skin; This good food contain nutrients that keep skin moist, including vitamin A, biotin, vitamin C, and linoleic acid. Try them sautded with garlic in olive oil. 39. Collard Greens - They're one of the best sources of lutein and one of my personal good foods, an antioxidant that appears to have a sun-blocking effect for your eyes (protecting you against cataracts and macular degeneration). 40. Garlic - It contains antimicrobial compounds that can protect your skin from fungal infections. If you're prone to athlete's foot or other skin conditions, add one or two cloves of chopped raw garlic to your food daily. (Garlic's effects are strongest when it's eaten raw.) 41. Grapeseed Oil - This mild-tasting oil is one of the richest sources of linoleic acid, an essential fat that helps heal damaged skin, and it contains proantho-cyanidin, a powerful antioxidant that may prevent sun damage. 42. Hummus - Diets low in iron can lead to overly pale skin, but two ingredients in hummus can help: chickpeas, which are a rich source of iron (1 cup provides 18 percent of a woman's daily iron needs), and lemon juice, a source of vitamin C, which increases iron absorption. 43. Kiwi Fruit - This tasty good food is a powerhouse for skin. It's one of nature's richest sources of vitamin C; one kiwi contains more than 100 percent of your recommended daily intake. 44. Lentils - Like every other tissue in your body, skin needs protein to be healthy, and these legumes are a super source because they're also full of fiber, iron, B vitamins, and minerals. Try cooked lentils tossed with olive oil, parsley, and lemon. 45. Olive Oil - A recent study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition examined the effects of diet on skin wrinkles. Researchers compared the diets and skin of people living in sun-exposed areas, and found that those with the least wrinkling had high intakes of olive oil, vegetables, and legumes. 46. Salmon - Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish like salmon keep your skin resilient and may reduce the inflammation that leads to chronic skin conditions like psoriasis. Aim to eat salmon and other cold-water fish, including mackerel, at least twice a week.47. Shiitake Mushrooms Diets low in selenium are associated with an increased risk of certain types of skin cancer. One cup of shiitake mushrooms provides about two-thirds of your recommended daily intake. 47. Shiitake Mushrooms - Diets low in selenium are associated with an increased risk of certain types of skin cancer. One cup of shiitake mushrooms provides about two-thirds of your recommended daily intake. 48. Soymilk - If you're plagued by blemishes and drink milk, you might want to try an alternative like soymilk. The culprit may be iodine, a mineral that your body needs but that triggers acne in some cases. Iodine ends up in milk (including organic brands) because it's used to clean milking machines and cows' udders. 49. Tomatoes - They're packed with the antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin C, and lycopene, all known to protect against sun damage and skin cancer 50. Wheat Germ - It's one of the richest sources of the B vitamins that help prevent redness and rough, scaly skin
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