The Word on Weightloss

Have you ever noticed the colors on your plate? Are they colorful and bright or are they boring and uninspired? For energy, fitness and an all-around better weight loss program, you need a little color in your diet.

These days, many people tag these bright and colorful fruits and vegetables as “super foods.” Most “super foods” are considered so because of their high antioxidant content. Antioxidants are dietary substances found naturally in foods. Nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium are all antioxidants and are responsible for protecting your cells from damage.

Antioxidants from food help to prevent free radicals in your body from attacking and changing your healthy cells. It some cases, free radical damage has been shown to be responsible for aging, tissue damage, and some diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

The easiest way to make sure your eating lots of antioxidants is to eat fruits and vegetables from every color in the rainbow! Each color provides unique antioxidant effects. When you shop for food you should notice a wide variety of colors found in fruits and vegetables in your produce section. These colors derive from plant chemicals known as phytochemicals that are potent antioxidants. So what do the different colors represent and how do you know you're getting the best antioxidant support from the food that you're eating? Check out this list of a few antioxidants that give food their color as well as their nutritional punch.

• RED TOMATOES are considered an exellent sorce of Lycopene, a potent antioxidant from the carotenoid family that protects DNA from mutation and natural sources of it are being researched for its cancer fighting potential. This antioxidant gives foods a red color.
• ORANGES and CARROTS contain carotenes that are converted into Vitamin A which is needed to protect skin and eye sight. Vitamin A has also been known to support enzyme production in the liver and sex organs.
• GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES contain quercitin, a bioflavonoid that is a great asset to better health. These nutrients are necessary to maintaining the health of your skin and provide anti-inflammatory support.
• BLUEBERRIES and other purple foods contain anthocyanines which improve blood circulation in vision.

Here’s a light and bright Southeast Asian Salad that’s sure to help you taste the rainbow tonight!

Thai Beef & Radish Salad
Yield 4 servings (serving size: 2 filled lettuce leaves, usually eaten by hand)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  chile paste with garlic
• 2  teaspoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  pound  (1/2-inch-thick) boneless sirloin steak, cut diagonally across grain into thin slices
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  fish sauce
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  sliced radishes
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh mint
• 1  serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 8  Bibb lettuce leaves

Preparation

Combine chile paste, ginger, and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag; add steak, tossing to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

Combine lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar, stirring with a whisk; set dressing aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Add steak to pan; cook 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Cut steak into 1-inch pieces; place in a medium bowl. Add radishes, cilantro, mint, and serrano. Pour lime juice mixture over beef mixture, tossing to coat. Spoon about 1/3 cup salad into each lettuce leaf, and serve immediately.