Top 5 'Bad' Foods vs.Healthy Foods

#1: Ice Cream

Stop eating ice cream. Period.

Instead, go or call around to local frozen yogurt shops until you find one that serves sugar-free, low-calorie frozen yogurt. Check to make sure that it's really low-calorie .Rather than take it home, order a small serving at the cafe, and enjoy it there. -- Buy pre-portioned, sugar-free frozen treats, such as sugar-free Fudgsicles. Just 40 calories each, with calcium, protein and no sugar, these individually-wrapped chocolate fudge frozen treats are one of my favorite healthy foods for after-dinner desserts.

#2: Baked Potatoes

French fries at a restaurant. Of course, I always opted for the variety stuffed with melted cheese and butter and topped with sour cream. And I couldn't understand why I didn't lose weight.

Answer: Those enormous potatoes served in restaurants actually are the equivalent of two to four servings. Add in those high-calorie, high-fat extras like cheese, butter and sour cream, and you're looking at a so-called side course that can have more calories and fat than you've budgeted for your entire dinner!

Swich to:
-- Steamed vegetables. Skip the butter and cheese topping and sprinkle on some herbs.
-- A baked potato or yam that you share with a friend and substitute plain yogurt for that fattening topping.

#3: Pizza

"I'm just going to have one piece," you promise yourself. Then the delivery person arrives at your front door. You open up the box and that fragrance wafts through the room. One piece leads to another... and then of course there's the garlic bread on the side. Before you know it, your diet is out the door along with the empty pizza box container.

Skip the Pizza and go for:

-- A whole-grain English muffin half. Top with fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce mixed with herbs, and put under the broiler until the cheese melts. You've got the flavor of pizza without the calories and fat!


#4: Pie

Yes, I know, apple pie is mmm...mmm...mmm. And it counts as a fruit serving, right? Hah! When you mix sugar and butter with those apples, then make that crust with lard and more sugar, and top the whole conglomeration off with whipped cream or extra-rich vanilla ice cream, you're creating a recipe for diet trouble.

Replace it with:
-- One-half cup of unsweetened applesauce mixed with a half-cup of sugar-free vanilla yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
-- A plain baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a packet of sugar-free sweetener, such as Splenda or Equal

#5: Cheese

One ounce of cheese is only about the size of a domino -- and can pack as much as 130 calories. Consider just how much cheese you can tuck away for a snack. Add on the calories in the accompanying crackers. And you've just consumed more calories in your supposedly innocent snack than you might have allotted for a half-day of food on your diet!


Replace it with:-- Individually pre-packaged "light" or fat-free cheese, such as individually wrapped low-fat string cheese.

Do you have any healthy foods you eat when you're craving something bad?

Help us out and share your ideas!

10 Foods That May Improve Your Appearance

1. Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries

Collagen is a natural protein in your skin and muscles that provides resiliency, shape and texture. Unfortunately, collagen production decreases with age— but you can fight back with dark fruit. Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries are full of antioxidants, which decrease aging and disease by lowering inflammation. Antioxidants also increase collagen production and thicken the skin, making you look younger and healthier. Blackberries, raspberries, plums, pomegranates, cranberries, Asian dragon fruit and kiwis also contain antioxidants.

2. Shellfish, sunflower seeds and sardines

These foods may not taste great together, but individually they offer a powerhouse of essential fatty acids. Flax seeds, tuna, walnuts, canola oil, soybean oil and pumpkin seeds are more good sources of essential fatty acids.

3. Dandelion, turnip and mustard greens

Foods that keep our livers cleansed of toxins, heavy metals and fats make our whole body function more efficiently. This makes us happier, which affects how we look. Plus, a healthy liver brightens our eyes and tightens our skin. Eating these slightly bitter greens has been shown to lessen your sweet tooth.

4. Oregano, thyme and parsley

If you have puffy bags under your eyes in the morning, you are almost certainly consuming much more salt than you need. Instead of salt, season your meals with herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic. Instead of salt, season your meals with herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic

5. Crunchy vegetables

Fresh raw veggies are as good for your grin as they are for your skin! Celery, carrots, string beans and cauliflower contain cellulose, which helps scrub stains from your teeth—giving you a whiter, brighter smile. If you've just consumed blueberries, coffee, mustard, red wine or cranberry juice, follow it up with fresh cucumber slices or an apple.

6. Sea vegetables

Polluted cells can't function at their optimum level. When our cells are functioning optimally, not only do we have more energy—we look and feel great. Sea vegetables are one of our richest sources of minerals and phytochemicals. These veggies help detoxify, rebuild and nourish all the cells in our body. Unhealthy foods, stress and environmental pollutants cause cells to age prematurely, potentially leading to thinning hair and premature wrinkles.

7. Meat, cheese and lentils

It may take 10 pounds of milk to make a pound of cheese, but fortunately you don't need to eat that much dairy or protein to repair your cells. As you age, your hair and skin cells become damaged, making you appear older. The protein in meat, chicken, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and certain vegetables promotes cell growth and repair, which translates to younger-looking skin, fewer wrinkles, less hair loss and a glossy mane. To take a break from meat or dairy, try soybeans and lentils instead (they contain more protein than any other legume).

8. Egg yolks, organ meats and whole-milk products

Vitamin A is especially important for skin repair, and decreased levels can lead to dry, flaky skin, lack of vitamin A may cause your skin to heal poorly and wrinkle easily. The main sources of this vitamin are foods from animals, such as liver, eggs and whole-milk dairy products. Some plants—carrots and broccoli, for example—supply beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A as needed. Apricots, nectarines, plums and cantaloupe are more great sources of beta-carotene.

9. Almond or hemp "milk"

Almond milk is a nutritious dairy alternative because of its high levels of magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, vitamin E, selenium and calcium. Licensed medical esthetician Tina Seitz says, Hemp milk is a delicious, nutty-tasting non-dairy beverage that provides essential balanced nutrition. It's a fantastic alternative to soymilk or dairy, and has a natural well-balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids to keep your mind sharp, your immune system strong and your skin glowing. Both almond and hemp milks are plant-based, and don't contain lactose. They offer high-quality protein that can give hair a radiant, healthy shine and helps keep skin soft.

10. Wild salmon with avocado and mango dressing


This is more than a delicious meal—it's an anti-aging feast! Wild Alaskan salmon has precious omega-3 essential fatty acids, which enhance blood flow. The pink/orange color of wild salmon is an anti-aging carotenoid called astaxanthin that protects cell membranes. Add avocado for its antioxidant properties and mango (for vitamin E and anti-inflammatory carotenoids) and you'll be sitting pretty after dinner!