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Were all creatures of habit. We tend to wake up at the same time each day, brush our teeth, have morning coffee and commute to work, following the same patterns every day.

So why is it so hard to form new healthy habits?

Behavioural scientists who study habit formation say that many of us try to create healthy habits the wrong way. We make bold resolutions to start exercising or lose weight, for example, without taking the steps needed to set ourselves up for success.

Here are some tips, backed by research, for forming new healthy habits.

The best way to form a new habit is to tie it to an existing habit, experts say. Look for patterns in your day and think about how you can use existing habits to create new, positive ones. For many of us, our morning routine is our strongest routine, so thats a great place to stack on a new habit. A morning cup of coffee, for example, can create a great opportunity to start a one-minute meditation practice. Or, while you are brushing your teeth, you might choose to do squats or stand on one foot to practice balance. Many of us fall into end-of-the-day patterns as well. Do you tend to flop on the couch after work and turn on the TV? That might be a good time to do a single daily yoga pose.

BJ Fogg, author of the book Tiny Habits, notes that big behaviour changes require a high level of motivation that often cant be sustained. He suggests starting with tiny habits to make the new habit as easy as possible in the beginning. Taking a daily short walk, for example, could be the beginning of an exercise habit. Or, putting an apple in your bag every day could lead to better eating habits. In his own life, Fogg wanted to start a daily push-up habit. He started with just two push-ups a day and, to make the habit stick, tied his push-ups to a daily habit: going to the bathroom. He began by, after a bathroom trip, dropping and doing two push-ups. Now he has a habit of 40 to 80 push-ups a day.

British researchers studied how people form habits in the real world, asking participants to choose a simple habit they wanted to form, such as drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. The study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, showed that the amount of time it took for the task to become automatic a habit ranged from 18 to 254 days. The median time was 66 days. The lesson is that habits take a long time to create, but they form faster when we do them more often, so start with something reasonable that is really easy to do. You are more likely to stick with an exercise habit if you do some small exercise jumping jacks, a yoga pose, a brisk walk every day, rather than trying to get to the gym three days a week. Once the daily exercise becomes a habit, you can explore new, more intense forms of exercise.

Habit researchers know we are more likely to form new habits when we clear away the obstacles that stand in our way. Packing your gym bag and leaving it by the door is one example of this. Wendy Wood, a research psychologist at the University of Southern California, said she began sleeping in her running clothes to make it easier to roll out of bed in the morning, slip on her running shoes and run. Choosing an exercise that doesnt require you to leave the house such as sit-ups or jumping jacks is another way to form an easy exercise habit.

Wood, author of the book Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick, calls the forces that get in the way of good habits friction. In one study, researchers changed the timing of elevator doors so that workers had to wait nearly half a minute for the doors to close. (Normally, the doors closed after 10 seconds.) It was just enough of a delay that it convinced many people that taking the stairs was easier than waiting for the elevator. It shows how sensitive we are to small friction in our environment, Wood said. Just slowing down the elevator got people to take the stairs, and they stuck with it even after the elevator went back to normal timing.

Wood notes that marketers are already experts in reducing friction, inducing us to spend more, for example, or order more food. Thats why fast-food companies make it easy to supersize. Were just very influenced by how things are organised around us in ways that marketers understand and are exploiting but people dont exploit and understand in their own lives, she said.

Rewards are an important part of habit formation. When we brush our teeth, the reward is immediate a minty fresh mouth. But some rewards such as weight loss or the physical changes from exercise take longer to show up. Thats why it helps to build in some immediate rewards to help you form the habit. Listening to audiobooks while running, for example, or watching a favourite cooking show on the treadmill can help reinforce an exercise habit. Or plan an exercise date so the reward is time with a friend. The New York Times

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Five easy steps to forming healthy, sustainable habits - The Irish Times

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Provided by Eat This, Not That! How to tell if eggs are good with egg float test

If you're hosting a brunch or baking a pastry of sorts for a dinner party, it's likely that your recipe will call foreggs. The question is, are the cartons of eggs stacked in your refrigerator still any good? Or, an even better question may be this: Have you ever considered checking to see if those eggs you bought two weeks ago are still in their prime?

We spoke with head chef at HelloFresh, Claudia Sidoti, for the lowdown so you can accuratelyand quicklyfigure out how to tell if eggs in your fridge are good enough to eat and are in tip-top shape, or if it's time to toss them out. And for more food tips, be sure to check out How to Tell If the Raw Chicken In Your Fridge Is Bad!

First, here's some background information on what prompted us to ask Chef Sidoti this question. We'd heard of the float test, which involves placing eggs into a bowl of water. But what are you actually looking for?

With this method, if they sink to the bottom that means they're still good to eat, but if they float to the top, that means they have gone bad.

"The reason this works so well is that eggshells are absorbent, which means they allow some air to get through," Sidoti explains. "Fresh eggs have less air in them, so they sink to the bottom. Older eggs will be more likely to float."

Sidoti elaborates on exactly how to tell if eggs are good or not: "Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the bowl on their sides. Older eggs will sink to the bottom at a tilted or upright position. If the eggs float, they're too old and you should toss them."

"If stored properly in the refrigerator, eggs can stay fresh for four to five weeks. In the U.S., eggs must be refrigerated. If not, they will go bad after about two hours if left at room temperature," says Sidoti. So once you get home from grocery shopping, don't forget to pop your eggs in the fridge right away!

RELATED: 100+ healthy breakfast ideas that help you lose weight and stay slim.

"A bad egg will have a foul odor when you crack it open," says Sidoti. "The smell will usually be obvious the second you crack it open."

OK, so it's pretty simple. If an egg sinks to the bottom on one of its sides, then that's an indication it's still fresh. If an egg sinks to the bottom but sits in a tilted or upright position, that means it's on the older side and should be consumed sooner rather than later. Finally, if the egg floats to the top of the bowl, that means too much air has seeped in and has caused it to spoil. It should be thrown out promptly.

Now, grab a bowl of water and go raid yourrefrigeratorthat carton of eggs needs a thorough inspection before you start cracking on your next omelet, or any other egg dish from the 22 best ones we rounded up!

RELATED VIDEO: This Hack Lets You Check If Frozen Food Is Still Fresh After Losing Power (via Cooking Light)

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This Is the Quickest Way to Check If Eggs Are Still Fresh - msnNOW

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Like many people in my mid-20s, I approached my parents about getting married and initially chose to use a more traditional route. That is to say, creating a resume or biodata and sending it to matchmaker aunties. I wanted this approach because I wanted to be able to balance my American, Desi, and Muslim identities. I wanted things to be done in a halal way with my parents knowledge. However, over the past 2 years, my experience with the process has left me jaded.

Before I continue, I want to preface with two things. The first is that my parents are wonderful. Weve butted heads, but I recognize that they are doing what they think is best, via a method that theyre used to. Providing critical feedback of the method should not be taken as critical to my parents.

The second is that while I have critical feedback, I am not intending to discredit the entire process. Meeting people through family is hardly a bad thing, and maybe what some people need. It is very possible that I will still end up using this process. That said, there are changes that need to be made, especially in the modern world. I want to make sure that my younger brothers and sisters can get an idea of what the process is, and what theyre in store for.

The biodatas that we send and receive are inherently superficial. They are, in total, the persons education/career, info on their parents and extended family, and pictures. Theres nothing written about the persons personality barring, perhaps, a few sentences about their interests. This doesnt provide any real depth of information about the other person at all.

Then there is the emphasis that is placed on the pictures. It is important to acknowledge that physical attraction plays a role in all of this. I think one of my early mistakes was that I was trying to pretend it didnt matter at all, and thats not reasonable for a marriage. The problem, however, is that given the lack of personal detail in the written part of the bio-data, we are left with the photo being the most personal piece of information presented. Unless you really care about where a persons grandfather went to University in the 1940s, that photo ends up being the most important thing youre making your choice on.

Like Tinder, but safer, a friend said to me, as I explained how these situations played out. Thats not far off from how the experience played out for me. Were not given much time to make a decision on the bio-data, so the result is the superficial, un-Islamic swipe based on attractiveness alone.

How many times have I heard, Oh, shes too fat, or Oh, shes too short, or Too tall, or Shes pretty dark isnt she? Bengali speakers will recognize the word moyla, [dirty] used to describe women who are slightly darker, which is terribly problematic.

Its not just that women are being chosen based on their looks alone, but on top of that, theyre being held to Eurocentric notions of what is deemed attractive. Were all being held hostage to a standard designed by and for an entirely different race of people, and I have been told that it would be weird for me to be attracted to a darker-skinned woman because in the minds of many, dark skin is undesirable.

The superficiality is worse for women, but even as a guy I felt it. Im fine with how I look, but you can only hear, Oh, your face looks weird in that picture, or, Hes not tall enough, so many times before it starts to mess with you. Men face another superficial judgment as well: the problem with men being reduced to their ability as moneymakers. Im a graduate student and there are people in my class who have a spouse and children and are making it by just fine on the stipend we receive. But, inevitably, it will come up that Im not making tons of money, so how can I support a family? While recognizing that men do have an Islamic responsibility to financially support their families, it troubles me that the process boils men down to one thing and one thing only money, and not just having enough of it, but lots of it.

Im relatively young, 27 in May, and so when I started this process two years ago, I told my parents that I was willing to go +/- 3 years, just because I thought that would be a good range to encompass people Id have some similarities with. However my prospect of an older wife even a day older was rejected with quite some vigor. Ive been disqualified from matching with some women because they were born just a couple of months before I was.

The majority of the biodatas sent to me are of women still in college, between the ages of 19 and 22. It doesnt matter when I say thats too young, or how that I feel like Id be taking advantage of someone who hasnt fully grown up yet. I get told that Im wrong.

Do you know how many random aunties and uncles have told me that a 7-8 year age gap is necessary to make a marriage work because otherwise, the women will demand too much? Its shocking that Im being told specifically that I need a wife young enough to be manipulated and shaped to my desires. When I push back on this, Im, again, told that Im weird.

Im being constantly told to reconsider my age preferences as if wanting to marry a woman in her mid-20s is a weird thing to do when I myself am in my mid-20s. The sheer number of times I face this makes me think its an inherent flaw in how our cultures think, and not something unique to my situation. This is to say nothing of the fact that people will, to our face, tell me (26) that Im too young for marriage, but my sister (25) is rapidly passing her expiration date.

As a Bengali man, I have no problem marrying a woman of Bengali descent, but its annoying that even in 2020, its seen as a taboo to marry outside of your race in Desi culture. I personally have had it conceded to me, that if I choose an Indian or Pakistani woman on my own, that might be ok, but nothing else. Not an Arab. Certainly not someone with (black) African descent. And a white/Hispanic/black convert would cause a genuine scandal.

And even this concession is not universal, as there are many Bengali parents I know who will not let their child marry anyone outside of their own culture. Even when people have pushed through it and married outside of their ethnic backgrounds, there is still gossip and concern as to how the parents could let this happen.

Going into this I thought, Well, all I have to do is show a few videos from Imams talking about how inter-racial marriages shouldnt be taboo for Muslims, but it doesnt matter how many of these clips I show, it falls on deaf ears.

I understand the concern of losing culture and heritage to life in the West, I get it. But if I want to teach my kids about their Bengali roots I can do that with a wife of any background, and if I dont want to teach them, having a Bengali wife isnt going to make me any more likely to do so.

Ultimately, the feeling I get is that the older generation wants in-laws who they can go and have chai and gossip with, to do traditional things they saw their parents do with their in-laws. And again, while I empathize with the desire to do something familiar, this seems like an unhealthy reason to dictate why your children cant marry someone from another race or culture.

I understand that families need to mesh and that it makes things easier if there are similarities that exist. However, in what world am I reading a biodata and seeing what a womans uncle does for a living, and then deciding that shes marriage material?

It doesnt work for me that way, but it works on the minds of the older generation, and there are even ways of working the class distinction to your advantage. Uncles in the community have actually told me that marrying into a lower class may be good if you want someone to be subservient to you because theyre thankful you brought them to your status. But theyve also told me that marrying a higher-class woman isnt bad either, because a rich father-in-law could have its perks. Caveat- beware of them being snobby with you, since you may be expected to be thankful, subservient one instead.

I cant even wrap my head around what people are talking about here, but its yet another factor that I end up having to deal with during this process.

I want a wife who cares about the deen and prays 5 times a day, and I want this not to be a controversial take.

I have been told thats unrealistic. Literally a couple of weeks ago, an auntie told my sister that modern women do not pray regularly and so I should not expect that in a future wife. She said this, of course, to my sister who is both a modern woman and someone who prays five times a day without fail.

Its crazy to be told that Im being too picky because I want a wife who already has her religious-ness established. I have been told, by both aunties and uncles, that its better for me to marry a wife who isnt too religious yet so that I can shape her deen. This isnt about mutual growth in faith as you may hope for in a marriage. This is about controlling women with religion by only teaching her what I want to teach her. When older women tell you this, it raises so many concerns about what theyve been through and what they want future generations of women to go through.

When I tell people I want a religious wife, they seem to translate that as subservient to me, not Allah. And that scares me. I dont mean to fetishize anybody, but I want a wife whose religion drives to be bold, to stand up for whats right, to be outspoken. I want to partner with someone whose religiosity pushes me to be a better version of myself, not to do what shes told.

I dont think its unreasonable for me, as someone who has lived their entire life in the US, to think that Ill mesh much better with someone with a similar background. This isnt universal, some people will genuinely get along better with people from back home, and thats fine, but this needs to be a personal choice.

Yet, I keep getting told that it would be better for me to marry from back home. I have been told, straight up, if you bring a wife over here, shell be more indebted, to me because I brought her to America. Setting aside that I dont want to marry someone who just wants to marry me for a Green Card, why would I want to marry someone who feels like they owe me?

I fail to see how marrying from back home is an issue of compatibility in this case, it feels way more like an issue of subservience.

You can see here that the concern isnt about finding a spouse who matches with my personality, its about finding someone wholl come and cook and clean and bear children for me without speaking up about it because they feel like they owe me. Which segues to

I want to preface this section by saying that this is one topic where my parents havent, at all, been the source of my concerns, but rather, this something that comes up when talking to certain members of the community.

For men, there is an emphasis on making money to provide for a family, and for women, raising children and taking care of the home. Theres no problem with this model, but it is not the only model. Its a valid option, but I am being told its my only choice.

In the eyes of many, the preference is to pick a homemaker. This seems at odds with the desire to select a woman with a good education, making it seem that Im then not expected to let her utilize that education professionally. After all, it could be embarrassing for me if my wife makes more than me, and I have been told to be careful, because a wife who makes too much money could be too independent.

I must also be careful to stay in my exclusive role as a moneymaker too, and not try to go beyond that. I had pictures with my nephews in biodata because they mean the world to me. I was told to take them out because somehow a man taking care of children is deemedbad?. I also like cooking. I once said this to an auntie and I remember her saying, Why do you like doing girls stuff?

Quite bluntly, I dont want a wife who will only cook and clean and raise children for me. I want someone I can share those duties with because theyre my equal partner, an idea that, to me, keeps getting glossed over in this process. Every couple deserves the opportunity to figure their marriage out for themselves.

There are limits to what we can(t) do as Muslims. I understand that we shouldnt have 3 year-long courtships or live together before getting married, and I am not advocating that. But we should be allowed some time to make such an important decision. Ive been shown bio-datas and have been expected to come back with an answer in two days just two days about whether the information on this piece of paper is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Please, can we have a few months? Can we talk, and try to make sure that this is the decision we want to make (chaperoned)? When reviewing potential spouses, try to make sure everyone is one the same page about how much time you give to each other in order to avoid heartbreak and confusion.

My parents and I have a pretty good relationship. Its relatively open and comfortable, but its still a Desi parent-child dynamic. Expressing a dissenting opinion is disrespectful, which means it can be harder to speak up without fear of disappointing them.

Plus, my parents and I never openly spoke about sex or physical attraction, at least not in-depth. To go from that to suddenly having to talk to your parents about the physical aspects that youre looking for in a wife is awkward, and it can lead to miscommunication.

Its a culture clash on top of a generational one. I have a hard time articulating what I want to my parents, and its not easy to figure out. If you know this before starting the process, you can make an effort to speak as openly about things as you can. You can even recruit an older cousin or friend, or an Imam you trust to help you. Dont do what I did and go by yourself, have people to support you to make sure you and your parents are communicating well.

Its not reasonable to expect that youll get everything you want in a spouse. There will be compromises that are made, whether they be with yourself or with what your parents want. But dont sacrifice on the points most important to you. Determine those, know what your must-haves are, and negotiate on other things. Make sure your potential spouse is on board. It can be awkward, especially with how many of us were raised, but talk to your potential spouse about these important things.

While this was a reflection of my own experience, I place emphasis on the aspects I feel are more universal. Speaking to other Desi Muslims in my age bracket, it certainly does seem that my concerns are relatively common. Obviously, there are individual factors that are at play, but these were things that came up regularly when speaking to elders in the community.

I also, again, want to stress that this isnt an attack on my parents. While I have a level of frustration with how this situation has played out, I recognize that this is what theyre used to. And to their credit, they have made some concessions. Furthermore, its not just parents who are playing a role in this. The (often unwarranted) voices of certain elders are given undue emphasis, and that, I think has complicated the situation even further.

Ultimately, Im not telling people that they shouldnt consider arrangements or biodata, but if you do, then you must openly discuss this with your parents. Make sure they know what you want, and stand firm if its something important, even if it complicates things. It may put a strain on your relationship with your parents, but its better to open about things now than to have anger and resentment towards them for years later.

Ill end with a specific piece of advice to the brothers: You have a duty to learn about why these issues are red flags and to push back on them yourselves. Women can be labelled as too rebellious if they push back themselves, and we need to be aware of this. Speak up for your (biological) sisters, family members, and friends when you notice their discomfort. Make sure you establish with your potential spouse that she is actually on board with the process, not just going along with it because she feels that she needs to. It might be awkward, but its important to establish a clear line of communication with someone even before you get married.

May Allah bless us all with happy, healthy, and fruitful marriages. Ameen

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Obesity in the Ummah The Struggle For Wasat - MuslimMatters

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Experiencing weightlessness, gazing back at the Earth as a pale blue dot and the adrenaline rush of being propelled into orbit at 20,000mph: life as an astronaut has various unique attractions.

The food is not among them, with space travellers over the years enduring delicacies such as freeze-dried ice-cream, liquid salt and pepper, and dehydrated prawn cocktail. However, the menu is now set to be expanded, with the first space-grown lettuce having been found to be as safe, nutritious and palatable as the Earth-grown variety.

Gioia Massa of Nasa Kennedy Space Center, the lead scientist on the lettuce-growing project, said that growing food in space could be crucial for astronauts on long-duration missions such as Artemis III, scheduled to land humans on the lunar south pole by 2024, and Nasas first crewed mission to Mars, planned for the late 2020s.

If you store packaged food for a long duration the quality, flavour and nutritional quality decrease, the vitamins degrade, she said. We cant guarantee that theyre going to get enough nutrition right now.

She added: There may also be psychological benefits of growing plants and looking after plants.

Space food is said to have improved in recent years anything sent to the International Space Station (ISS) has to score a six or above on a one-to-nine taste scale where one is the worst thing youve ever tasted. But even so, astronauts can grow fatigued of eating the same old vacuum-packed meals.

Theres some weight loss in many of the astronauts, said Massa.

Lettuce was grown in batches onboard the ISS between 2014-16. The vegetable production system known as Veggie comprised of plant pillows (sealed units containing ceramic soil), LED lighting and a watering system that involved astronauts injecting water through a tube.

The lettuce crops grew undisturbed for 33 to 56 days before being harvested and eaten, or deep-frozen and returned to Earth for chemical and biological analysis. Astronauts rubbed the leaves with sanitised wipes before eating. We dont want to get anyone sick. Thats why were doing all this, said Massa.

The space-grown lettuce was similar in composition to Earth-grown controls, and some plants were even richer in elements such as potassium, sodium, phosphorus, sulphur and zinc. They had higher levels of bacteria, possibly due to their growing in a warmer, more humid and closed-air system, but were not found to carry any dangerous bacteria such as coliform E coli or salmonella. The findings of the project are published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

Nasa is now expanding the range of produce grown onboard the ISS, with plans for pak choi, dragoon lettuce, wasabi mustard and red Russian kale to be grown later this year, as well as tomatoes and peppers. It will be longer before these can be transformed into a stir fry, however. We have nowhere to cook up there so were looking at things that taste good fresh, said Massa.

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Space-grown lettuce to give astronauts a more varied diet - The Guardian

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Many people choose beverages with artificial sweeteners rather than the so-called 'full fat' sugary versions for health reasons. However, new research suggests that drinking a diet fizzy drink while eating carbohydrates might do you more harm than drinking a full sugar version.

The study found that, while artificial sweeteners used to replace sugar have no impact on their own, when consumed with a carbohydrate they decrease the brains response to sweet tastes.

This could lead to eating more food to try to satisfy those sugar cravings, which could, in turn, lead to weight gain.

Scientists examined how the brain responds to sweet tastes

Scientists at Yale University examined 45 volunteers of a healthy weight, who consumed seven beverages over a two week long period.

The investigators conducted studies before, during and after the testing period, including performing MRI scans to look at how the brain responds to sweet tastes. Some participants drank fruity soft drinks with added table sugar, while others had beverages with the carbohydrate maltodextrin.

The latter group showed more changes in the brains response to sweet taste, as well as the bodys insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

Tricking the brain about the number of calories present?

"When we set out to do this study, the question that was driving us was whether or not repeated consumption of an artificial sweetener would lead to a degrading of the predictive ability of sweet taste," explained Professor Dana Small, director of the modern diet and physiology research centre at Yale University.

This would be important because sweet-taste perception might lose the ability to regulate metabolic responses that prepare the body for metabolising glucose or carbohydrates in general.

Perhaps the effect resulted from the gut generating inaccurate messages to send to the brain about the number of calories present. The gut would be sensitive to the sucralose and the maltodextrin and signal that twice as many calories are available than are actually present."

'Drinking diet sodas with carbohydrates is not advised'

The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, concluded that while it is okay to have diet fizzy drinks once in a while, drinking them with carbs is not advised.

"If youre eating french fries, youre better off drinking a regular Coke or better yet water. This has changed the way that I eat, and what I feed my son. Ive told all my friends and my family about this interaction, Professor Small concluded.

Reported in the Metro, the Calorie Control Council, which reviews low-calorie sweeteners and sugar replacements, responded to this study, commenting, "The Calorie Control Council is reviewing the small studys findings and methodology but stands by the overall safety and benefits of sucralose and other commonly used low-and-no-calorie sweeteners which have been confirmed through decades of scientific research."

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Diet versions of fizzy drinks aren't necessarily better for your health - the science explained - Derry Journal

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Vicki Gunvalson's daughter, Briana Culberson, and her husband Ryan have been following the Keto Diet for some time now and they don't have any apparent plans to change up their high-fat, low-carb lifestyle.

Briana's been known to sendRyan off to the grocery store with a list of Keto-friendly essentials for the whole family.And,Ryan has shared snaps of the diet-compliant meals he cooks up for everyone in the Culberson household, including the couple's two boys.

But, do Vicki's grandsons Troy and Owen actually enjoy the diet? Ryan answered that question on Instagram Stories, when a fan seized upon the Ask Me Anything feature to inquire about the boys' dietary preferences. Ryan answered: "We let [the boys] cheat but they do use the Keto products we do as well."

Luckily for the kiddos, those products tend to include cheese wraps, avocado mash, and tons of fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Highlights

Desserts are something that we can all eat at any given time of the day. The same applies for hot beverages such as tea, as well as cold ones such as colas. All these food items have one thing in common - excessive amounts of added sugar. Cutting down on added sugar in our diet is something that we all strive towards. But sugar is one ingredient that can creep up into the diet without us even knowing about it. This added sugar can cause harm to our body in more ways than one.

The human body's natural way of protecting itself is through inflammation, which helps the body defend itself from illnesses and stimulates healing. But excess sugar in the diet simulates a situation, wherein the body is constantly in a state of inflammation. "Excess sugar in the diet can definitely lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation, which can cause chronic disease," says registered dietician Samantha Bartholomew. In fact, chronic and sustained inflammation is often linked to diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. These diseases can be a direct result of eating excessive processed sugary foods.

So we understand the problem - but what is the solution? The good news is that you need not cut down on sugary foods entirely, as the body does require it in some portion for vital functions. A better alternative is to cut down on eating foods and drinks that contain added sugar in quantities more than necessary. These are foods that we consume every day, but whose high sugar content most people aren't aware of.

1. Flavoured Coffee

Your daily morning cuppa from the nearby cafeteria may just contain more added sugar than you know. This principle extends to flavoured coffees too. Did you know that most large flavoured coffees contain up to 25 teaspoons of sugar? This is nearly three times the amount in a can of cola. So if you're thinking of ordering a cup of flavoured coffee - think twice!

(Also Read:Everything You Can Do With Instant Coffee, Besides Drinking It!)

2. Protein Bars

Their high protein content has catapulted them into the limelight for being an 'anytime snack' to gorge on. But even protein bars aren't all that healthy as they may contain up to 30 grams of added sugar! This actually makes them nutritionally similar to a candy bar, even with the higher protein content. In case you're looking for a healthy snacking option, a better alternative would be to have one whole fruit to keep the added sugar content in check.

(Also Read:How to Make Healthy Protein Bars at Home)

3. Pre-Cooked Meals

Convenient as they may be, did you know that pre-cooked meals comprise a number of high-sugar syrups in them? Syrups such as sucrose, fructose, barley malt, dextrose and maltose are high in sugar are commonly found in pre-cooked meals and soups. Freshly-cooked meals are the right way to go in case you are looking to lower the sugar content in your diet.

These are the three most commonly consumed food items that are surprisingly high in added sugar. If you unknowingly consume any of these in high quantities, you may have to rethink your diet. Instead of these, fresh unprocessed foods like berries, olive oil and salmon and leafy greens can help the body stave off chronic inflammation due to their low sugar content.

About Aditi AhujaAditi loves talking to and meeting like-minded foodies (especially the kind who like veg momos). Plus points if you get her bad jokes and sitcom references, or if you recommend a new place to eat at.

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Watch: These Are 3 Of The Most Surprising Sources Of Added Sugar In Your Diet - NDTV Food

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A woman who embarked on an amazing body transformation has claimed that dieting and going to the gym are useless and credits an unapproved weight loss drink with successfully slimming her down.

Jessica Smart, 36, lost more than 44kg after she put on weight during numerous attempts to have children, including four pregnancies which ended in miscarriage, The Sun reports.

The woman, from Utah, US, told how after a difficult divorce in 2011, she met her current husband Andrew, 36, through online dating and by 2012 they wanted to start a family.

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However, they had a huge battle ahead of them due to infertility and other health issues.

I felt betrayed, like my body was going against me, Jessica said. My hormones, thyroid and everything else just stopped functioning properly. I became pregnant four times and had four miscarriages.

Four times I got excited and hopeful and struggled in the early stages just to be devastated by another loss. Four times I had to say goodbye to a child I never got to meet.

With each miscarriage, she gained weight, but she fell pregnant for a fifth time, and then finally in 2014 she gave birth to her son Dash, 5.

Every time I put on about 10 pounds (4.5kg) to 1 stone 1 pound (6.8kg) and was left with at least 2 stone 12 pounds (18kg) excess weight and little hope of having my own child.

But then I got pregnant again and I thought I couldnt even keep a pregnancy when I was healthy, how is it going to be possible now?

But, fast forward all the nausea and discomfort throughout my pregnancy, come Christmas Day of 2014 I gave birth to my now five-year-old incredible, beautiful little boy.

By the time she left the hospital she was 45 and weighed 108kg.

Jessica tried numerous diets such as counting calories and exercise, but she never got the results she needed.

When I left the hospital with my wonderful little gift, I was 7 stone 2 pounds (45kg) overweight. I was adapting to being a new mum and trying to embrace the changes I saw when I looked in the mirror, Jessica said.

I told myself to be kind to me, to be patient, but I was actually spiralling down a dark hole of self-hate and wasnt even aware of it.

I felt guilty as a mother and a wife for feeling the way I did about myself. I wouldnt wish those feelings on anyone. I believe they call it baby blues it was the hardest time of my life.

So, I decided to do everything I knew I could to lose weight, but I wasnt getting any results.

Then in September 2016 she was surprised to find she was pregnant again, going on to give birth to another son, Duncan.

Although I was beyond grateful for my children after the long journey it took us, I still freaked out because I was still carrying that extra 7 stone 2 pounds (45kg).

After having her second child, Jessica went to the doctor to see if there was a medical reason why she couldnt lose weight.

I didnt have the determination or energy to play with my boys. I was so stuck in my way of thinking. I was trying so hard then to lose weight.

I was counting every calorie and working out for hours at the gym, but nothing worked.

Finally, I went to the doctor hoping they would find some answers for me. I wanted to know why I was broken.

But he told me all my levels were normal, adding, You should just join Weight Watchers. He had no idea how much I was already doing to lose weight.

I left that day feeling devastated and hopeless. I didnt know where to go from there, but I promised myself that no matter what I would keep going.

Then, she discovered a slimming drink that puts the body in ketosis and helps melt away the pounds.

Right around that time one of my clients in a very similar situation to me introduced me to a simple technology. A drink that would put me into ketosis.

I had no clue what it meant at the time. She told me that if we drink it, we will lose weight.

At first I laughed about it and thought, OK if its that simple why arent we all drinking it?

Although sceptical Jessica decided she would give it a try, and now the mum weighs just 63kg.

It seemed too good to be true, but I thought Id give it a try and you know what? Right away I started to feel better, I noticed a small change in my mood, energy and drive.

Within a few weeks my negative thinking changed, and I was starting to wake up and I wanted to learn everything I could about keto and how it worked.

I realised I couldnt lose weight because I wasnt giving my body the right fuel and as soon as I made the switch within 10 months I managed to lose the entire 7 stone 2 pounds (45kg).

Since losing the weight, Jessica now works as a keto coach.

Now I just spread that hope, hope that theres something better. That there is a different lifestyle that is so amazing and freeing, Jessica said.

Theres a better fuel that your body needs that you can run on to lose weight youve struggled with all these years. Its a pretty simple change and anybody can do it.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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Keto diet: Mum credits losing over 40kg low carb diet not the gym - NEWS.com.au

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Eating a balanced and nutritious diet has been touted by health professionals as one of the greatest ways to prolong your life. Now studies reveal the best diet to extend your life expectancy.

Dr Zhilei Shan conducted research for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

In his study, he tracked more than 37,000 Americans with an average age of 50.

Presenting his and hes colleagues findings at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2020, the researchers reported what they discovered.

Their results revealed that those who ate the most plant protein were 27 percent less likely to die of any cause compared to those who ate the least amount of plant protein.

Additionally, people who ate the most plant protein were 29 percent less likely to die from coronary heart disease.

Plant protein includes nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains.

Dr Shan said: It isn't enough just to avoid red meat it's also about what you choose to eat in place of red meat.

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The researchers pointed out that plant proteins include phytochemicals, which he said have been associated with lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

The co-author of the study, Dr Frank Hu, added: Based on statistical modelling, if you replaced five percent of animal protein with plant protein, that was associated with almost 50 percent lower risk of mortality.

That's very large - it means that you have to replace more than one third of your animal protein with plant protein to get a huge benefit.

Continuing his analysis, he said: The benefit is more pronounced when red and processed meats are replaced by plant protein sources."

Another study, by Dr Laila Al-Shaar a postdoctoral research fellow in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Cardiovascular Epidemiology focused on 43,259 American men.

Findings revealed replacing one serving per day of red or processed meat with foods such as nuts, wholegrain or dairy, was associated with up to a 47 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease.

The results of the experiment was based on self-reported questionnaires every four years since 1986.

Dr Al-Shaar said: On average, Americans eat approximately 3.5 servings of red meat each week, and about one-third have red meat daily.

Reviewing her study results, she concluded: Our findings suggest that even partial replacement of red meat with healthy, plant-based sources of protein could substantially reduce rates of coronary heart disease.

The NHS states eating lots of red and processed meat is likely linked to bowel cancer.

The health body recommends choosing the leanest cuts of meat if you still choose to indulge in a non-vegetarian diet.

It adds: Try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pt and beefburgers.

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How to live longer: Best diet to increase life expectancy - proven in two new studies - Express

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Its no secret that its hard to keep up with fruit and vegetable intake, especially when youre trying to lose weight. Luckily, there are plenty of other ways to get all of the nutrients your body is craving. You dont always have to eat handfuls of berries and bunches of bananas to get the fruits you need to maintain healthy diet.

You can easily sneak a ton of fruit into a delicious smoothie and you wont even realize just how much fruit youre consuming when it tastes that good. Trust us, your taste buds will seriously thank you when you keep your focus on adding these amazing detox smoothie ingredients to your go-to cold drink.

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Some of our top favorite recommended smoothie ingredients for weight loss are berries. Berries are the perfect option thanks to their delicious sweetness, and also due to the fact that there are a variety of options to choose from: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even raspberries. Berries contain a ton of different nutrients that do wonders for weight loss.

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In an interview with Health, registered dietitian nutritionist Susan Burke March explains why berries are one of the best foods for weight loss. Berries are low in calories and high in fiber, which pleases your sweet cravings but doesnt add a ton of excess calories into your diet.

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If youre not in the mood for a sweet smoothie, dont worry, we still have you covered. Some of the healthiest smoothies are green smoothies-- kale smoothies in particular are an amazing addition to any diet.

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According to Healthline, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Healthline reveals that kale can help with weight loss since it is low in calories but also keeps you feeling full and satisfied long after you consume it.

What are your go-to healthy smoothie ingredients? Let us know your favorites in the comments below!

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The Best Detox Smoothie Ingredients For Instant Weight Loss, According To Nutritionists - SheFinds

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