insideKENT Magazine Issue 65 - August 2017 | Page 124

HEALTH+WELLNESS
ready…steady…SLIM cont.
EGGS WATERCRESS TOMATOES
Eggs get quite a lot of flak – in the 50s, the
slogan “go to work on an egg” made sure
generations to come were all dipping their
toast soldiers most mornings, but then along
came Edwina Curry claiming that most of the
egg production in the country was affected
by salmonella and a lot of people became
wary. Fear ye not though, egg lovers – studies
have since shown that protein-packed eggs
helped slimmers who started their day with
one consume fewer calories for a whopping
36 hours after breakfast. Granted, a bowl of watercress won’t fill you
up, but add it to an already healthy diet and
you have an effective recipe for a flatter
stomach because it’s a great source of iodine,
which helps boost metabolism. Additionally,
the diuretic properties of watercress mean it’s
great at flushing out toxins and excess fluids,
and it’s loaded with countless nutritious
vitamins and minerals, so your skin will glow
thanks to a tip-top digestive system. Not only are tomatoes a delicious fat-fighting
food, they’re brimful with antioxidants, are
known for their ability to reduce both
inflammation and water retention, and – their
trump card – they are also proven to reduce
the body’s natural resistance to leptin, a type
of protein that assists with regulating both
appetite and metabolic rate, and is therefore
essential to help us lose weight.
LEMON
You know celebs are always banging on about
how they start their day with hot water and
lemon? Turns out they have a point. When
added to water, smoothies and salad dressings,
the acid in lemons has an alkalising effect on
our stomachs, which helps speed up digestion
and aids weight loss.
BANANAS
A surprising entry on the list because many
feel that bananas – regarded widely as a carb-
heavy, calorie-heavy fruit – actually contribute
to weight gain, when in fact they don’t; not
only will eating a banana fill you with slow-
release, fibre-rich energy, they also help to
relieve water retention thanks to their high
potassium levels.
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GARLIC
If you’re prepared for the bad breath that may
come with it, start adding garlic to everything
and not only will you benefit from all of its
wonderful antioxidant properties, but you’ll
also reap the rewards of all of the allicin
contained in it. A naturally occurring chemical,
allicin reacts with our blood cells to kill of any
harmful bacteria in the gut and also regulates
the formation of fat cells, so less fat is likely to
be stored.
ASPARAGUS
The Rolls Royce of vegetables, asparagus
spears are packed full of vitamins A, B-
complex, C and E, as well as zinc, which works
wonders for clearing bad skin, and potassium,
which shifts unwanted fluids from the body.
They’re also rich in asparagine – a natural
amino acid that helps breaks down fat in cells.
CHILLI
No surprises here as chilli is widely lauded for
its metabolism-boosting properties and it
deserves a mention simply for that because a
raised metabolism helps our bodies burn fat
faster, but how does chilli do it? Spicy chillies
are capsicum, a genus of flowering plants in
the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and
capsicum has been proven by scientists across
the pond to have a thermogenic effect on our
bodies, which makes us burn calories faster.
RED WINE
While we’re not suggesting you guzzle a bottle
with every meal, research has shown that
resveratrol, a substance found in grapes,
berries and red wine turns our excess flabby
bits into calorie-burning ‘brown’ or ‘beige’ fat,
which reduces weight gain by burning up
calories. Cheers to that.