Eating nutritional meals while dieting and leading a busy life can be hard. I have recently gotten into the habit of buying a bunch of “diet” frozen dinners and taking them to work. A quick microwave and I am back at my desk with something that is good for me and filling. So I thought I would review a couple of the ones that I have been munching on in case you have been thinking about doing the same. So let’s start with the Weight Watchers intelligent Ones. Honestly I tried these because they were the cheapest brand on average I could find. They have a good selection under at my location and then some around .50. So I could spend about for a full week when at a restaurant I would be lucky to get a single meal and a fast food restaurant I could stretch that to two days if I worked at it a little. So I have tried all of the cheaper ones and some of the next level.

On the cheap I would have to say I am addicted to the intelligent Ones Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli & Chicken. Something about the sauce has me licking the bowl when I am done. It has 290 calories, only 8 grams of fat, and a Points value of 6. I don’t know about the Weight Watcher’s Point system, so not sure if 6 is good or bad. Something just doesn’t seem right when pasta is part of my diet, but I would eat this even if not worried about the calories and fat.

They offer three meals with turkey, but my favorite is Turkey Medallions with Mushroom Gravy. It has only 200 calories, 10 grams of fat, and a Points value of 4. Mostly because I like the green beans as a side, the turkey is the same in all three meals. If you like mashed potatoes with a little kick, the Slow-Roasted Turkey Breast has garlic-herb potatoes.

Finally I would recommend any of the meals with macaroni and cheese, my favorite being the Salisbury Steak. It has 250 calories, only 4.5 grams of fat, and a Points value of 5. Something about Salisbury steak that says frozen dinner. It has really great gravy and I repeat the macaroni and cheese alone is worth the purchase. I think I have pasta issues.

If I had to recommend against any of the meals I would suggest you steer away from the Tuna Noodle Gratin. It has 260 calories, only 7 grams of fat, and a Points value of 5. This is actually a great tasting and filling meal. The problem is that when it is microwaved the whole office will smell like tuna fish. In a way that it will not go unnoticed by your colleagues. I say keep this one at home.

In summary, I would not let the low prices fool you. Weight Watchers intelligent Ones food is delicious, filling, and economical. I have tried some other more expensive diet meals, but to me none are so much better that they demand a higher price. Let me know what you think and check the ingredients before trying any of these meals if you have any food allergies.

Simon Volk has been a contributing author for websites and is an acknowledged expert in the field of health and fitness. He can be found on the internet at the website:
http://www.healthfitnessarticle.com

Frozen Diet Meals – A Simple Review
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Volk

Modernization is wonderful, but there are also other factors in the modern life we live in that may subject our bodies to harm. Understanding what can harm us and what will help us will be our best defense.

Free radicals, our body’s natural enemy subject our body to more than 10,000 hits during a normal day. If our body is not able to combat the harmful effect of free radicals, then it may give us disease and pre-maturely age our body including our skin.

The pristine valleys of Tibet and Mongolia have a solution to this problem.

What do you think is their secret?

Introducing goji juice, made from goji berries grown in the remote and unpolluted hills and valleys of Tibet and Mongolia. Experts who want to save the people who live in this modern society studied what must be wonderful about these Himalayan diets and why do they live so long and free from diseases. Their studies prove that their diet perpetually include goji berries.

Further studies on goji berries prove that they are nutritious and contain vital nutrients necessary to combat free radicals.

Goji juice contains potent vitamins, and minerals like no other berry.

Goji juice also contains 18 amino acids, 8 of which are essential for our bodies, but having all 18 adds to the beneficial characteristic of this wonderful red juice.

Based on studies by numerous health professionals including Dr. Earl Mindell, the author of The Vitamin Bible, goji juice made from goji berries can give your body all the nutrients it needs to help keep a healthy and happy life.

Goji juice aside from the 18 amino acids also has 21 trace minerals, vitamins B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E. All of these can help give you healthy and active life.

Some of the beneficial effects of drinking goji juice are:

Energy and Strength – goji juice is considered as an adaptogen. It increases exercise tolerance, stamina and endurance. Goji juice may also enhance the recovery of ill patients.

Cholesterol level balance – goji juice may also help manage your cholesterol level because it contains beta-sitosterol, which can help in your cholesterol level balance. It will also help avoid cholesterol deposit in the blood vessels, thus heart problems may be eliminated.

Normal Kidney Function – your kidney is the vital organ that may possibly control the brain and other organs in the body. It is thus essential for better health that you keep your kidneys functioning properly. Goji juice is believed to be helpful in keeping this essential organ functioning properly.

Supports General Health – as mentioned earlier, free radicals harm our body in many ways. Thus, eliminating this natural enemy will help keep our body strong and avoid illnesses. Goji juice is a potent antioxidant that may keep our body healthy.

Other beneficial factors which may come from goji juice are enhanced sexual function, blood sugar level balance and vision problems.

This is because goji juice contains more beta-carotene even compared to a carrot. The vitamin C contents of goji juice, which is 500 times more in weight than orange, will help keep the immune system functioning properly to avoid illness.

These are only a few of the helpful and beneficial functions of goji juice and because goji juice is safe even for children.

If drinking this sweet and tasty juice excites you well enough, you can also eat goji berries with your food. You can eat them fresh or the dried goji berries are also available. You may use your imagination as to how you can enjoy these wonderful and amazing berries.

The author Kirk Bachelder manages a business offering Goji Berries, Goji Berry Juice and Goji Seeds for sale at http://www.gojiberries.us

Goji Juice
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirk_G_Bachelder

Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of the ways to support your vision. As early as in our 30’s, our eyes and vision can begin to deteriorate. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, smoking, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to healthy eyes and good vision. Long hours spent at a computer screen and the vibration from driving have a cumulative negative impact on eye health over time.

Healthy vision is related to the health of the individual parts of the eye – the cornea, iris, macula, lens, optic nerve, pupil, retina and the vitreous humor. And making good ocular nutrition and eye health food choices are one of the ways that good vision can be supported. Information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute and the results of other ocular nutrition and eye health studies have shown that using nutrition to improve and support eye health definitely happens.

Here are foods that are known to support and improve eye health:

Collard greens, kale and spinach – studies on ocular nutrition and eye health show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we get older.

Green vegetables and corn – another study on ocular nutrition and eye health has shown a reduced risk of developing cataracts for persons having diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin. Foods high in these two carotenoids include broccoli, collard greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolks. Persons with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study done on persons ages 40-59, those with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin experienced a reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.

Apricots, bilberries and blueberries – apricots are rich in beta carotene and lycopene that help promote good vision. Beta carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A as needed, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to cells and tissues including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may result in the development of cataracts or damage the blood supply to the eyes and lead to macular degeneration. Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue.

Blueberries are related to cranberries, and both also help the body resist urinary tract infections. Bilberries are a form of wild blueberry that grow on small bushes. Bilberries were used by British pilots to improve their night vision during World War 2. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition and eye health food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes.

Our eyes are considered to be the most important of the senses. By knowing which ocular nutrition and eye health food choices support the eyes, you can include more of these foods in daily meal planning.

Olinda Rola is President of Infosearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com a website of natural solutions for a variety of health problems. Visit Ocular Nutrition to read more on additional ways to obtain essential nutrients for eye health and vision support.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Olinda_Rola

Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually be good for us? This is the nutrition news we have all been waiting for. So here is the scoop on chocolate and its health benefits. Yes, you read right, health benefits!

Recent studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. They contain a compound called flavonoids which may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers.

It is important that we are all on the same page here, not all chocolate have these health benefits. The healthy flavonoids found in chocolate are found in the cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Milk chocolate is diluted with milk and sugar and contains little amounts of these substances, therefore providing fewer health benefits. So, for those of you who love dark chocolate this is your lucky day! The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more antioxidants it contains. The quality of the chocolate you consume is also important. The cocoa butter is quite pricey so less expensive brands will replace the cocoa butter with milk fats and hydrogenated oils which are bad for our health. Look for high quality chocolates with their main ingredients being cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the purest forms of chocolate you can eat and is lower in fat and calories than other chocolates.

Although this is great news for all chocolate lovers, don’t forget that most chocolate (unless you use unsweetened cocoa powder) does still contain sugar and saturated fat.

And please remember calories. An ounce of chocolate contains around 135 calories. So enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or an ounce of chocolate once in awhile to contribute to your health and not to your waistline!

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has received a bachelor’s degree in both nutrition and psychology and has extensive experience in nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. Meri specializes in weight management, cardiovascular health, and sports nutrition and consults with professional athletes at Titan Sports Performance Center. Her practice includes teaching people how to eat for endurance, improve vitality, and lose weight healthfully. For more information visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com

About the Author: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meri_Raffetto