This document summarizes 8 foods that aid weight loss and provides details on each food. It discusses eggs, kale, yogurt, dark chocolate, salmon, chicken, cottage cheese, and grapefruit. For each food, it highlights nutritional benefits and cites studies showing how each food can help with weight loss. The document also discusses 7 foods that help sleep, such as yogurt, cherries, turkey, oatmeal, chamomile, lettuce, and 8 superfoods that can be grown at home, including kale, mint, sweet potato, beets, blueberries, chia seeds, tomatoes, and garlic.

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8 Foods That Aid Weight Loss
1. Eggs
Despite the fear that eggs are high in cholesterol, studies show blood
cholesterol is not negatively affected and they don’t have any correlation with
risk of heart attacks. High in protein and healthy fats help the body feel full
with only a low amount of calories.
Try incorporating eggs with breakfast to increase satiety and provide nutrients
throughout the day. Don’t skip the yolk though, most nutritional benefits come
from the yolk!
2. Kale
Almost any leafy or cruciferous vegetable is sure to be greatly beneficial to
weight loss however kale is a superfood, here’s why. Kale is low in calories and
carbohydrates while being very high in fiber. It can be a supplement to nearly
any meal adding volume and many nutritional benefits without adding
unnecessary calories, many studies show meals with low energy density inhibit
cravings making weight loss more subliminal.
Kale is also rich in antioxidants vitamins and minerals, superb for
cardiovascular exercise and lowering cholesterol levels.
3. Yogurt
Regardless of what yogurt you enjoy it’s an excellent natural supplement to aid
in weight loss, many studies show adding a small amount of yogurt to a diet
will help reduce BMI and overall fat levels. Given that it’s an excellent breakfast
meal when combined with fresh Fruit, add a little yogurt to your diet, after all,
dairy foods are high in calcium, an excellent aid to fat loss.
4. Dark Chocolate
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2. You may have raised your eyebrow at this one, however dark chocolate is
actually surprisingly useful in stopping food cravings. A small amount of dark
chocolate eaten between 2-3 hours before a meal causes less hunger, later a
study group given a small amount earlier that day ate on average 15% less
pizza later on. Unfortunately though the same does not apply to white and milk
chocolate!
5. Salmon and oily fish
Salmon is packed with protein, healthy fats and many nutrients, it also
manages to be one of the foods with the highest Omega-3 fatty acids per
gram, great for reducing inflammation, which has a negative part to play in
obesity. Studies have found oily fish lowers blood pressure while reducing fat
build up in arteries, this means it’s awesome for protecting against
cardiovascular disease. The government recommendation is at least two
portions of fish per week however don’t go overboard, there are maximum
recommendations also.
Mackerel, Hemming, Salmon and Trout are all excellent examples of oily fish.
6. Chicken and Turkey
Being one of the best foods for its fulfilling properties many doctors
recommend a diet high in protein. Chicken and Turkey are very high in protein,
about 30 grams per breast. With a high protein diet, the body feels fuller for
longer while cravings are dulled.
Studies show by increasing protein consumption, up to 100 more calories can
be burned per day.
Poultry increases serotonin levels in the brain, enhancing moods and lowering
stress, while Turkey is rich in tryptophan that supports melatonin production, a
chemical necessary for falling into a deep sleep. Well rested people have more
energy thus helping productivity and stronger workouts to supplement weight
loss!
7. Cottage Cheese
As earlier stated dairy products are rich in protein and have many health
benefits however cottage cheese is a cut above, being composed of little
carbohydrate and fat it does an excellent job of filling you up without excess
calories.
If you’re vegetarian then you need not worry about not getting enough protein,
11g 100 grams of cottage cheese has just 98 calories but brings 11 grams of
protein to the table, helping you feel fuller for longer. It also contains Vitamin
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3. A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B and B12 as well as 8% of the recommended daily
Calcium intake.
8. Grapefruit
Fruit is an excellent addition to this list however grapefruit is my personal
choice, upon studying it’s plethora of health benefits.
‘Studies have found that mice fed a high-fat diet gained 18 percent less weight
when they drank clarified, pulp-free grapefruit juice compared with a control
group of mice that drank water’.
So there you have it, with good amounts of fiber and copious vitamin C
grapefruit is a superfood when it comes to losing weight. Providing energy and
helping to supplement fat loss through exercise grapefruit is a brilliant food for
metabolism and does wonders for weight loss.
Honorable mention..
Wine!
Incredibly, wine can be considered useful in aiding weight loss, the reason for
this is the antioxidant found in the skin of grapes, Resveratrol. Managing to
inhibit fat storage, studies show casual wine drinkers carry less around their
waist and stomach than those who drink other types of alcohol! Drinking a
small amount can burn more calories for nearly 2 hours!
The study was carried out by researchers from South China Agricultural
University and Washington State University in the US. Funded by the National
Institutes of Health.
Unfortunately though grapes contain much high levels of Resveratrol and
should really be used over wine for weight loss!
As a general rule of thumb, following the 10-item hierarchy given by Matt
Fitzgerald in ‘Diet Cults’ highlights basic food groups and how healthy they are.
This hierarchy is included below as a small yet easy guide to understanding
what foods should be avoided and which are beneficial to losing weight. The
order Descends in the quality of food.
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts, seeds and healthy oils
High quality meat and seafood
Whole grains
Dairy
Refined grains
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4. Low quality meat and seafood (Animals fed an unnatural diet or not ‘free
range’)
Sweets
Fried foods
7 Foods That Will Help You Sleep
With the hustle and bustle of life causing more and more thoughts to circulate
around your head sleep can sometimes be harder to achieve, worry not
though, here are 7 foods that will you sleep.
Yogurt
Any dairy product is high in tryptophan, this natural substance is great at
helping your brain produce melatonin, a chemical required for sleep, calcium is
also very effective at reducing stress and stabilizing nerves. Being high in
vitamin B, known for its excellent ability to calm the body and mind down,
yogurt is a great choice for a bedtime snack.
Cream, cottage cheese, milk and small amounts of cheese are all great choices
just before bed.
Cherries
Cherries have been studied for their interesting effects on sleep, in one study,
members were asked to drink a glass of cherry juice in the morning and a
glass in the evening, after two weeks of this routine participants reported
better sleep. The reason? Cherries are naturally rich in melatonin. So if you’re
looking to sleep better, have a handful of cherries or a glass of fresh cherry
juice an hour before bed.
Turkey
Despite the debate about whether Turkey will help you sleep it has vast
amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes brain function and helps
the body to drift off into sleep. The reason there is debate is turkey is high in
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5. protein, which in turn can restrict the ability of tryptophan entering the brain.
This however can be easily combated by eating a small amount of
carbohydrates with Turkey.
The insulin produced by carbohydrates allows tryptophan to pass through the
blood-brain barrier, therefore allowing potential sleep promoting chemicals
from turkey to enter the brain. So try oatmeal, brown rice or whole-grains with
a little turkey before sleep.
Oatmeal
Being rich in vitamins and basic in composition oats are very healthy and not
just for sleep, high in calcium, magnesium and potassium. The latter is
awesome at helping the quality of sleep you get. If you want a bit more taste
with your oatmeal, try bananas or other foods low in sugar.
Oatmeal is also high in Vitamin D which increases serotonin levels in the brain,
with serotonin being known as a ‘happy’ chemical it alleviates anxiety and
calms the brain and body down, allowing a restful, not stressful, night of sleep.
Chamomile
Known for its anti-anxiety benefits chamomile has been used in Eastern culture
as an herbal remedy for many centuries. However a recent study has shown
that it calmed mice significantly and reduced anxiety. Even in human studies
its effect has been noted, the natural plant can reduce generalized anxiety
disorders better than a placebo.
Try a chamomile tea 30 minutes before bed to drift off into a relaxed state of
mind ready for sleep.
Lettuce
Lettuce in an excellent choice for a good nights sleep, being low in calories and
high in vitamins. It’s a great choice for a light snack at any time of day,
however it’s sleep promoting quality is that it contains Lactucarium.
‘lactucarium is the milky fluid secreted by several species of lettuce, especially
Lactuca virosa, usually from the base of the stems. lactucarium is known as
lettuce opium because of its putative sedative and analgesic properties’
Essentially lactucarium has sedative properties that affect the brain in a way
not dissimilar to opium, try adding lettuce leaves to tea, or enjoy with a little
pro-biotic yogurt at night-time, you’d be surprised at how well it works!
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6. 6 Foods to Lower Blood Levels and Look After Your Heart
When looking after yourself the heart is an essential part of the body to really
take care of, regular exercise is crucial to ensure a strong ticker, however here
are 6 foods that can help you or your loved ones lower blood levels and look
after your heart.
Spinach
As a leafy vegetable spinach is naturally low in calories and high in fiber. It’s
nutrient dense filled with potassium and magnesium, both excellent for helping
to support blood pressure levels while lowering high blood pressure. Try
blending fresh spinach into a smoothie and enjoy throughout the day, or add a
cup full to meal time.
Potato
Again potatoes are high in magnesium and potassium, potassium can help the
body retain sodium while stores are low, and dispose of excess sodium when
sodium intake is high, regulating sodium intake. Magnesium on the other hand
is awesome for many reasons, more than 300 chemical reactions that occur to
keep the body running optimally. However its heart benefit is its ability to
lower high blood pressure and keep it low.
Try adding baked potato instead of rice or pasta as a base for larger meals and
enjoy a reduced risk of heart disease and strokes.
Salmon
Being an oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a small amount of salmon can
include up to 6 grams of heart-healthy fatty acids. Being easy to prepare and
one of the most nutrient dense foods available today it’s a smart choice for
everyone.
Helping to supplement diets salmon is high in pantothenic acid, also known as
vitamin B5. A vitamin that is important in the creation of red blood cells,
breaking down fat and producing energy. It’s real hearty (he-heh) benefit is it
regulates stress-related hormones that can increase blood pressure.
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7. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence rate of coronary artery calcification in
Japanese men in Japan and white men in the USA
So add a little salmon to your diet, other oily fish is also a good choice however
salmon is the best!
Beans
Consuming beans often is excellent for your heart, just a small amount is
beneficial. The Journal of nutrition recommends just half a cup of most beans
can lower cholesterol. Beans help to bind cholesterol while fiber is fermented,
this restricts cholesterol formation.
Beans are also great for being rich in flavonoids, blends of plant metabolites
believed to give many health benefits through cell signalling pathways while
also giving antioxidant effects.
Beans are a super choice for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and
strengthening the heart while preventing strokes.
Blueberries
Most berries are great for the heart, specifically for women’s health, recent
studies suggest women aged 25 to 42 who ate three servings or more of
blueberries per week had cut their risk of a heart attack by a third in
comparison to those who had less.
Strawberries and blackberries are also excellent sources of antioxidants, that
help delay cell damage. Berries also dilate blood vessels allowing more oxygen
to be delivered around the body through blood.
Try adding blueberries in with your yogurt for a heart healthy snack.
Garlic
Despite garlic needing to be used sparingly for your loved ones sake it reduces
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8. cholestorol and promotes blood flow. Garlic manages to dilate blood vessels
meaning oxygen is transported around the body easily, don’t try cut corners
however, fresh garlic is much more beneficial than dried.
Add a small clove in to your evening meal to promote blood flow and lower
cholesterol, but don’t go overboard!
FreyasKitchen.com – A compilation of our monthly posts,
visit www.freyaskitchen.com for more!
8 Superfoods to Grow at Home
A superfood is a nutritious food that’s beneficial for health, unfortunately
though there is a myth many believe, that they come with a price. Here’s our
choice of awesome superfoods that can be grown at home.
1. Kale
Kale is fiber-rich and loaded with vitamin A and C which helps keep the skin a
healthy glow, it contains antioxidants which restrict damage free radicals can
do to the body. Kale is naturally high in magnesium, excellent for energy
production.
Kale can be grown spring through to early summer.
2. Mint
Being notorious for its durability, mint is an excellent choice for less advanced
gardeners, it doesn’t need much caring for and it’s great for improving
digestion. Mint is also known for improving cardiovascular function and
breathing problems, as well as it’s ability to cure bad breath!
Mint can be grown indoors in winter or planted in the warmer spring.
3. Sweet potato
The Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends the healthiest choice
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9. for people to make when changing their diet, is to swap fatty foods with foods
high in complex carbohydrates, the reason they have complex in their name is
due to the way the body uses them, energy is used when needed, as opposed
to being stored and potentially converted into fat later on.
Being rich in vitamin A, essential for healthy skin, eyesight, growth and
reproduction, sweet potato is a great choice to replace rice or chips at meal
time. Sweet potato wedges are easy to make and very healthy indeed.
Despite potatoes growing in the winter sweet potatoes prefer a warmer climate
to thrive, plant sweet potatoes after spring, when the soil is warm.
4. Beets
Beets may be high in sugar but they purify the blood and contain betaine, a
substance used to fight depression, they’re also high in tryptophan which
contributes to better sleep and a more relaxed mind. Interestingly, beets are
an aphrodisiac, they contain high amounts of boron, which is known to help
with production of sexual hormones! With a low caloric density, try adding
beets to your eating regimen to feel fuller for longer.
In northern America and Europe, beets generally grow well in the Winter.
5. Blueberries
Despite these little berries being quite expensive in supermarkets they can be
grown in your home. With a vitamin rich profile and high in antioxidants
blueberries are an excellent superfood. The university of Michigan studied rats
to find whether the addition of blueberries had any effect on them. It turns out
rats fed blueberries had less abdominal fat, lower blood fat and cholesterol
than rats not fed the same.
Maine produces a quarter of all blueberries in North America, optimally from
May until Early August.
6. Chia Seeds
Germinating just three weeks after planting chia seeds are a great option to
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10. grown at home, the carbohydrates from these little seeds are predominately
fiber making them excellent for digestion and energy. For a plant food chia is
composed of approximately 14% protein, making it one of the most protein
rich. Many athletes incorporate chia seeds into their diet as it helps give them
energy while being fulfilling and excellent in muscle recovery. Sprinkle a few
onto your cereal and porridge in the morning!
Chia seeds thrive in a dry environment so Summer is the best month to grow
them.
7. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are really simple to grow and are a staple in many meals, rich in folic
acid these red globes are a smart choice for newer growers. Folic acid can
prevent excess homocysteine in the body, which interferes with serotonin and
dopamine (the happy chemicals). Studies have shown that diabetics who eat
Tomatoes regularly have lower blood sugar due to the excellent source of fiber.
Tomatoes are warm weather plants so it’s best to sow the seeds in March.
8. Garlic
The first human use of garlic dates back over 7000 years, native to central Asia
it has many health benefits proven through science. Studies show that garlic
can help reduce the likelihood and severity of the common cold! The average
length of symptoms decreased by 70%, just a day and a half in comparison to
the 5 days in the placebo group. Consuming 2.56 grams of garlic per day
reduced the days ill with a cold by 61%. If you do try to grow garlic however,
grow some
mint too!
Tomatoes are in season throughout Summer, from June to October.
5 Reasons Fast Food Is More Dangerous than You Think
Using a process call hydrogenation food companies make a fat that’s more
suitable for their products. However these ‘solid fats’ affect the body in very
damaging ways, here’s our 5 Reasons Fast Food Is More Dangerous than You
Think.
Damages Your Heart
90% of the US population get too much salt, the average American consumes
about 3500 milligrams of sodium per day – nearly a third more than the 2300
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11. milligrams recommended. Excess salt in your diet can lead to many heart
problems, mainly raising blood pressure and heightening the risk of a stroke or
heart attack. Kidneys are also met with a greater workload, relieving the body
of excess sodium. Salt intake is responsible for millions of deaths a year.
Increases the Likelihood of Bad Moods and Depression
The US and France are more dejected than third-world countries, proof that
depression is getting more common in first world countries. Depression in the
10 highest-income countries in the study was 14.6 percent, this is partly due
to people’s diet.
A 2012 study by the Public Health Nutrition followed 8,964 people with no
background of depression, the results showed a correlation between their diet
and the depression felt from it. The more fast food consumed the worse it
made the participants feel.
Addictive
Unfortunately those bad moods may get worse as more fast food is consumed.
Australia’s School of Medical Sciences Head of Pharmacology, Professor
Margaret Morris, co-authored a report that suggests eating fast food can
change the brains response to signals linked with food reward.
This was managed by feeding one animal group a healthy diet of rat food,
while a separate group was fed more human food such as pie, cake and
cookies. After several weeks the rats in the ‘junk food’ group weighed 10%
more than the ‘healthy’ group.
Recent studies show that dopamine is released when we eat salty and sugary
foods, therefore the same pleasure centers that are activated by drugs and
alcohol, are activated by food.
Obesity in Children
With a shocking 30 percent of North American children falling into the ‘obese’
category, that’s a 50 percent increase in 20 years, given the saying ‘children
are the future’. We owe it to them to educate on the effects of overeating and
the importance of a healthy nutritious diet.
What’s more shocking is a study completed by the Institute of Medicine in co-
operation with the National Research Council, found that immigrant children
are more healthy than American-born equal. The difference was found to be on
diet, immigrant children eat more wholesome food including fruits and
vegetables and less processed fatty food than their counterparts.
Processed Foods Are Loaded with Artificial Ingredients
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12. It doesn’t take much searching on the packet to find ingredients that sound
like they belong on a pharmaceuticals site, this is generally because they’ve
been artificially manufactured to replicate certain purposes, whether that be a
longer shelf life, or a more explosive taste.
The more processed the food the higher the chance of finding artificial
ingredients such as;
Preservatives – Chemicals that help the food achieve a longer shelf life.
Colorants – Chemicals used to change the foods color
Flavors – Chemicals that give the food an artificial flavor
Texturants – Chemicals that change a foods texture
Only preservatives don’t initially attempt to change the actual food to make it
seem more appealing.
Manufacturers DO NOT have to show flavor blends as they are composed of
already sanctioned artificial flavors.
With an incredible 65% of the world’s population living in countries where
being overweight kills more than being underweight, we should make sure to
prioritize healthy food consumption through media outlets and throughout our
education system.
5 Cleaning Hacks for the Kitchen
Cleaning is a chore at the best of times, worry not though, here’s Freya’s
Kitchen’s 5 Cleaning Hacks for the Kitchen.
Use Baking soda for a deep oven clean
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13. The oven is probably the most important cooker in the kitchen, so it makes
sense to look after it, sodium bicarbonate used in cooking, for cleaning, or in
toothpaste, so it’s perfectly safe to use here! Simply add baking soda to a
small amount of water and leave for at least an hour while a paste is formed.
Then wipe away grimy surfaces with a damp cloth, burnt food wipes off much
easier and even stains can be removed.
Baking soda can be used repeatedly as there’s no danger of corrosion, so add a
little baking soda to you cleaning
routine, those stubborn areas will soon bend to your will.
H 2O 2
Hydrogen peroxide has a plethora of uses around the home, but you may not
know it can be used to eliminate stains on the counters. Just add a few drops
of Hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia to water and scour away,
you’d be surprised how well this works! You can also Spray hydrogen peroxide
on glass surfaces to loosen dirt and grime.
Use salt to clean pans
With many pans consisting of cast iron it’s a good tip to use salt to clean them,
just add a little oil and heat them up, when the pan has been heated add a
generous amount of salt, let it cool for a couple of minutes and wipe away
excess food. Rinse off all the mixture and use a small amount of vegetable or
olive oil to restore.
Blend with washing up liquid!
If you use your blender often you’re probably aware of how tedious it can be to
clean, however it need not be. Just take the blender container, fill it with hot
water (not too hot) and add a little washing up liquid, dry off any water on the
exterior and let it blend! After 15 seconds just empty the water into the sink
and rinse it out, awesome!
Lemon-aid for the microwave
Of all the appliances that need cleaning in the kitchen there’s little more
frustrating than the microwave. The high heats cause food to occasionally
splatter on the metal sides and the heat makes it solidify, making it a
nightmare to clean, however this little trick might help out.
Just fill a heat proof container and squeeze in the juice of one lemon, put it in
the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, the slight acidity of the steam makes
any grime easier to clean, while not damaging the innards of the microwave.
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