Food for the Lazy Dieter

D.I.E.T. is a four-letter word. Count 'em. There are four letters in that word and we all know that four-letter words are bad news. Well, to me, a diet is bad news, too. I don't like to diet -- at all. I'm a hedonist at heart, but being knowledgeable about nutrition, I tend to be able to moderate my libertine tendencies somewhat. However, I'm super-lazy when it comes to dieting.

The Food for Super Lazy Dieters
Fortunately for me, I've discovered a super food that make losing weight and sticking to a healthy diet a lot easier. This food is blue-green algae, and in this article I break down the essential ingredients in this food, and explain why each ingredient makes it easier to sticky to a healthy diet. It does for me, and I'm a hedonist to the extreme.

Chlorophyll for the Gut
Blue-green algae has one the highest chlorophyll content of any food around. Chlorophyll helps the dieter by invigorating the intestinal lining, which enhances digestion and the assimilation of nutrients. It also increases the peristaltic action of the gut, which reduces constipation, soothes gastric ulcers, and soothes inflammation in the gut.

Carnitine for Burning Fat
Carnitine is basically a fat-transporter. It's an amino acid our body makes that transports fat molecules across the cell membrane, so the cell can metabolize the fat and give us energy. This allows us to have more stamina for workouts and burn more fat. While blue-green algae doesn't contain any carnitine, it has all the raw ingredients our bodies need to produce carnitine.
Phenylalanine for Good Mood
Now this is something every dieter needs -- a good mood. Blue-green algae contains phenylalanine, which is an amino acid that has been show to elevate the mood and decrease appetite. So, if you take blue-green algae 30 minutes before eating a meal, chances are that you'll have a happy meal and not eat as much.

Tyrosine for Decreased Cravings
Blue-green algae contains moderate amounts of this amino acid. Tyrosine is a precursor to thyroxin, which is a hormone associated with reducing symptoms of depression. Having adequate amounts of tyrosine, and hence thyroxin, helps emotional or binge eaters decrease cravings. Tyrosine has been used to treat eating disorders because it is also elevates mood and decreases cravings.

Blue-green algae, in short, is a power-packed food that contains a lot of the basic nutrition our bodies need. It also contains ingredients that elevate our mood, decrease appetite, and reduce food cravings. How's that for a totally natural food source? Not bad, right? Plus it's organic, which puts it into the "very health" category.

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Photo credit: Oh God... diet... again!!!

Are You Getting Enough Green?

Surveys show that 80% of North Americans fail to get optimal amounts of fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, as recommended by the USDA and the National Cancer Institute. Consuming "green foods" (nutrient-dense, minimally processed, whole foods) is an important way to achieve a healthy diet. But what makes green foods so great? Chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is essential in the photosynthesis reactions that convert radiant energy from the sun into chemical energy for life processes. Inside the cells of green plants, chlorophyll combines with carbon dioxide and sunlight to form simple sugars. Without chlorophyll, plants would be unable to perform essential metabolic functions such as respiration and growth.

Chlorophyll has a similar effect in humans. There is considerable research and anecdotal evidence that chlorophyll is effective in rebuilding the blood, through metabolic processes that are not yet completely understood.

Chlorophyll has also been shown to stimulate liver function and excretion of bile, strengthen immunity, and detoxify chemical pollutants. Numerous recent studies have also indicated that chlorophyll has anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic properties.

Chlorophyll is found in highest concentrations in green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, and in cereal grasses like wheat grass and barley grass, but the highest concentration is found in blue-green algae. Given all the potential benefits of adding chlorophyll, why not consider adding more "green" to your diet?

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Photo credit: Chinese chicken salad