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New rules about eating carbohydrates may change the way you slim down

For years, low-carb eating plans have been all the rage, with many women attempting to slim down on high-protein diets. A new diet plan out of America is encouraging women to eat carbs in order to lose weight. Foods like jacket potatoes and spaghetti are on the menu, with claims followers of the diet can lose up to 3kg a week.

Too good to be true? Studies have shown resistant starch, which is found in complex carbs (think brown, not white), actively encourages weight loss. The starch which is found in foods like brown rice, oats and beans, travels down the digestive system, nearly intact, producing fatty acids that stimulate fat-melting enzymes and stokes up your metabolism.

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From SparkPeople.com

In several studies, moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a reduced risk for certain cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease. But does your choice of drink really matter? Most health experts recommend the following hierarchy when choosing alcohol based on potential health benefits (such as antioxidant content): choose red wine over white wine; choose wine over beer; choose darker-colored beers over lighter-colored beers; and choose beer over hard liquor and liqueurs.

But while a few research studies suggest that wine may be more beneficial than beer or spirits in the prevention of heart disease, most studies do not support an association between type of alcoholic beverage and the prevention of heart disease. At present time, drinking wine for its antioxidant content to prevent heart disease is an unproven strategy. It still remains unclear whether red wine offers any heart-protecting advantage over white wine or other types of alcoholic beverages.

So if you already imbibe, do so in moderation (no more than 1 daily drink for women; 2 for men), and select your alcohol of choice. However, keep calories in mind; alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, and many drinks contain several hundred calories and lots of added sugar, which can be detrimental to your weight-management efforts.

INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Avocados
1 Lime – juice of one lime
2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander

DIRECTIONS
Yields 24 2-tablespoon servings. (Editor’s note: if you use this to top the gazpacho, you only need to use about a tablespoon, which means that the serving has about 46 calories and 5 g fat.)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine peeled and pitted avocados, lime juice, salt, cumin, and coriander. Mash with a fork into almost smooth texture.

2. In a large bowl beat the cream until stiff peaks (this means that it holds its shape).

3. In the large bowl, fold the avocados concoction into the whipped cream.

4. Serve and enjoy! If you have any leftovers, be sure to chill. Place the pits of the avocado into the remaining whip and cover with plastic wrap (press the plastic wrap directly onto the whip to minimize air exposure as the whip will turn brown).

Source: SparkPeople