Benefits of Healthy Snacking

What are benefits of healthy snacks? Well, snacking is one of the most important parts of our dietary habits. A day without snacks is like being on a hunger strike and no matter how full the stomach is after a meal, snacking just cannot be avoided. Most of the problems related to obesity and fat bellies are a result of snacking. However, snacking can be changed to a healthy activity that will not only end the weight gain problems but will also help in reducing weight.

As a rule, snacking should be done only in the afternoons and not between breakfast and lunch. From health point of view, a person should eat a healthy breakfast that includes boiled eggs, cereals, fresh juice, milk, tea and a slice of bread and then eat lunch when his/her stomach is empty and he/she is really hungry. Ideally the time between meals should be 4 - 5 hours as the ideal time for the digestive system to finish digesting is 4 - 5 hours.

Why Snacking is Important

If we have breakfast at 8.00 A.M and lunch at lunch at 1.00 PM and dinner at 8.00 P.M then we can see that there is 7 hours duration between lunch and dinner and 5 hours difference between lunch and breakfast, so a snack between lunch and dinner looks like a better option.  Even the people on a diet are allowed a low calorie snack like fresh fruits, low calorie wheat biscuits, handful of almonds or walnuts, green/ black tea without sugar.

Always remember that snacking is only for a short duration as it is between meals so try to avoid eating to fill your stomach to its max, but eat only to treat the temporary hunger pangs that you are having. If properly planned and monitored, snacking is healthy and helps in weight reduction as it gives energy to the body which is utilized in burning down the food. Eating junk food, cream filled biscuits or fried foods as snacks will satisfy your hunger only till dinner time. Once the dinner time comes you will again start feeling empty and will eat again and so not only will you become fat, but will become more lethargic.

Hope now you would have understood importance of snacking. And remember to make low calorie, low fat, and healthy choices for healthy snacking and remain healthy throughout life because a life without snacks doesn't sound too good, right?

Coffee may or may not be the most loved relaxing drink for you but for others it may be the only thing to live for. Like every other ingredient on earth, coffee too has its pros and cons. Some people may not be able to tolerate coffee as it may make them have insomnia, anxiety, irregular heart beat, miscarriages and high calories, etc. This article specifically talks about the positive aspects of drinking coffee. There are many health benefits of coffee and there are some major diseases that a coffee drinker will be protected from and these include the following:

Coffee Health Benefits

1) Alzheimer's disease: The first health benefit of coffee in the list is prevention of Alzheimer's disease. People taking 3 - 4 cups of coffee a day are found to be protected from Alzheimer's disease as the caffeine present in coffee reduces the production of protein called beta-amyloid which causes functioning issues in the brain and makes one an Alzheimer's patient.

2) Cancer: People consuming three or more cups of coffee a day can be protected from colon cancer, liver cancer, kidney, endometrial and oral cancers as the antioxidant compounds in coffee help reduce the risk of cancer.

3) Diabetes: Diabetes is a common disease found in many people around the world. People who are at risk of diabetes can be protected by the antioxidants, mineral and caffeine present in coffee as it improves the glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the body.

4) Pain reduction: Drinking a cup of coffee an hour before hi-intensity workouts will reduce pain in the body while working out as the caffeine helps in blocking adenine which is the chemical that activates pain receptor cells in the body.

5) Gout Problem: Gout is a painful arthritis condition of the joints that can occur in middle and old age people and those who drink 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day are less likely to develop gout as coffee consumption may lower blood levels of uric acid which is a substance linked to gout.

6) Fatal Heart Diseases: the antioxidants in coffee protect against fatal heart diseases than those people who do not drink coffee as it improves blood vessel function, inflammation and protects cholesterol from oxidation.

7) Memory loss: Coffee preserves the memory. The caffeine in coffee and tea makes the rate of cognitive decline slower and preserves the memory.

8) Parkinson's disease: coffee drinkers have lower risk for Parkinson's as these people have reduced risk of neuro-degenerative disorder as the caffeine boosts the level of brain chemical dopamine which helps protects the person of Parkinson's.

As you read above there are many health benefits of coffee. So, coffee is not really bad for health. Having 2 - 4 cups is not a bad choice on a cold winter evening or a hot summer morning.

Also Read:

• Health Benefits of Tea
• Benefits of walking

You might be interested in looking and buying yourself one nice coffee accessory. Then check out the Amazon's top list of coffee makers, coffee pour-over tools, french presses, espresso machines, coffee accessories here

With a variety of diet plans available and the variety of foods to be eaten or not, one may find it hard to choose and follow a single diet plan. For people who diet to lose those extra pounds, a low fat diet plan works best as not only does it reduces weight but also helps in strengthening the body and improving the cardiovascular diet.

Why Follow a Diet Plan?

As a general rule of any diet plan, the basic focus remains on reducing the calorie intake and increasing the calorie burning process so that the body uses its stored energy (fats) for performing the normal functions. Since we are eating less fats and burning more this method proves logical in reducing weight. Medical science concludes that 1 gm of protein has 4 calories and 1 gm of fat has 9 calories, which is almost double so lowering the intake of fats is essential to reduce weight to your desire. Also, there are a variety of fats in the body, some are healthy like the ones in olive oil, canola oil, nuts while others are unhealthy and should be avoided.

Calorie Calculation in Your Diet Plan

There is a fixed calculation for the daily calorie intake according to age and gender. It is essential that you know your daily calorie count when you start a low fat diet plan. Today almost all store food items display number of calories they have. You should look at the calorie figure and follow the food calorie chart below to determine how much calories you should intake every day.

AGE (WOMEN)	CALORIE INTAKE DAILY	LIFESTYLE
18-30	2000	Sedentary
18-30	2200	Moderately Active
18-30	2400	Very Active
31-50	1800	Sedentary
31-50	2000	Moderately Active
31-50	2200	Very Active
50 +	1500	Sedentary
50+	1800	Moderately Active
50+	2000	Very Active
AGE (MEN)	CALORIE INTAKE DAILY	LIFESTYLE
18-30	2500	sedentary
18-30	2600 - 2800	Moderately Active
18-30	3000	Active Men
31-50	2200	Sedentary
31-50	2400 - 2600	Moderately Active
31-50	2800 - 3000	Active Men
50+	2000	Sedentary
50+	2200-2400	Moderately Active
50+	2400 - 2800	Active Men

Once you know your total calorie intake you should plan it so, that only 20-30% of the daily intake includes fats while the rest is on plant food, carbohydrates, proteins and water. Being low on fat will help reduce the stored fat much more quickly and if you include exercise and walk in your day you are sure to lose a lot of pounds in a week. However it is recommended that you lose 2 pounds a week in order to reduce weight healthily and the low fat diet plan is the perfect way to do it.

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Best Colors for Spring Dresses 

Spring starts with colorful flowers blooming, weather being pleasant and everyone looking happy and fresh. Fashion designers look busy matching the right color combinations with attractive designs to suit the consumer needs and everyone anxiously look forward to the new fashion trends being launched.

After a winter season filled with dark dull colors of brown, black, navy blue, grey and teal people enjoy buying vibrant shades for summer, which look good to the eye and feel relaxing to wear. Here are some ideal Spring colors to wear for an elegant attractive look and comfortable feel.

1)   Lemon color: Usually vegetable and fruit colors fill the spring color palettes but this year lemon yellow color is assumed to look trendy and fresh in the heat prone sunny weather. Mixing lemon yellow with white, cream or grey can be a suitable day wear on a hot summer day.

2)  Tangerine/ Mirinda orange: Another vibrant addition to the wardrobe is tangerine color or mirinda orange color. Being a vibrant color it will surely attract the eye in day time as well as night. You can wear it as a single color or mix it with peach, yellow, white in the day and blue, black, maroon, red and brown as a night wear.

3)  Aqua Blue: A lighter yet brighter blue which is a must to have for a day wear wardrobe. This Spring dress color is so cool and calm that it's better to wear it on its own but still if you want to have a mix and match then wearing it with bolder shades of blue, white, grey, off-white, pink, move in days and mix it with black, hunter's green, purple, magenta at nights for an appealing look.

4)  Lime green: Green is an ever living color and all of its shades are attractive however our spring palette this year includes lime green color. It is considered as an adventurous, playful color that gives a fresh look to the personality and usually suits everyone. It draws the attention off the heating weather and keeps one focused on the coolness of the color itself.

5)  Raspberry: A beautiful purely feminine, bold and a refreshing color that always gives you a classy look. Whether day or night, it will always make the personality look stronger, bolder and stunning. It not only makes you look stunning but also brings softness and brightness to your face and makes you stand out of the crowd.

6)  Tomato Red: Another bold color to add in the wardrobe. Tomato red is a charming color that so much affects your body and face that you will always look fresh even after a day full of tiresome activities. In extremely heat wear it anywhere any time it will surely make you the center of attraction.

7)  Peaches and Pinks: Peach and pink colors are usually part of our wardrobes however invest in baby pink and light peach shades for a hot summer day so as to give your body the coolest feeling.

These are some of the main Spring and Summer colors that are must have this year. However, you are the best judge of what will look good on you. Never copy others but wear something unique and original so that you attract all eyes truly.