Skipping breakfast is foolish. Eating the wrong foods first thing in the morning is worse. Here is some views of nutritionists to assess the breakfast of celebs

Neil Nitin Mukesh, Actor

My day starts with a big bowl of cut fruit, a glass of juice, two egg whites and toast. Post workout, I have two egg whites and a protein shake. I follow the one-small-meal-every-twohours plan. I don't drink tea, coffee or colas.

Ishi Khosla says...

Neil is doing well with the small frequent meal plan and regular workout. I suggest he replace the fruit juice with a vegetable juice that includes beetroot. This will enhance his performance and boost his antioxidant intake too. Being high in potassium, beetroot helps beats fatigue and will help him stay energised through the day. I suggest he includes an egg yolk after the workout since it is loaded with natural vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin B, beta carotene, zinc and selenium. He could also reduce the protein powder and increase the egg whites, add a serving of soya milk along with mixed soaked nuts after the workout to get a dose of natural protein, anti-oxidants and fibre.

Shailendra Sing, corporate

My breakfasts are organic and include nuts and berries, yoghurt, porridge, eggs and milk. I soak mint leaves in hot water to make a cup of mint tea, and sweeten it with local honey.

Ishi Khosla says...

Singh seems to be having the perfect breakfast. If his BMI and waist measure optimally, then there is not much to change. Low fat yoghurt is recommended, and I'd suggest he has soya milk a few times a week to enjoy the benefits of isoflavones which protect us from disease. Since he appears to have sedentary job, a bowl of low glycemic porridge made with barley or quinoa or oats would be wonderful. Flaxseeds and walnuts will give him a dose of omega 3 heart-friendly fats.

Madhoo Shah society lady

I stay away from hot breakfast because I work out after having breakfast. I have a small bowl of either almonds or walnuts with banana or dates (at times).

Ishi Khosla says...

A fruit is always better than fruit juice. Vegetable juice with some beetroot can help enhance Madhoo's fitness performance.

Jaydeep Mukherjee chef

My breakfast is quick, convenient and easy-to-make: cornflakes with full-fat milk, oatmeal cooked in milk, eggs and toast, and very rarely does the bowl of fruit appear. On Sundays, I indulge in a loving, traditional Bengali breakfast of luchi and cholar daal (fried flour-based bread and lentil curry) or luchi and alur dom.

Ishi Khosla says...

Chefs have what I refer to as an occupational disadvantage, since they grapple with tempting foods and erratic timings. Breakfast is the one meal he can control. Assuming he has no issues with weight and health, he should include a high fibre cereal with low fat milk or yoghurt in his breakfast. Whole grain bread will give him extra fibre and keep him feeling full longer.

Ram Kapoor TV actor

I eat the same thing every morning: Two or three eggs made into an omelette or fried; toast and a glass of orange juice or coconut water accompanies my breakfast.

Ishi Khosla says...

Ram must add some nuts and seeds to his breakfast — two to three tablespoons. He must reduce the egg intake to two whites and one yolk. It's better to have whole fruit instead of juice. Substitute white bread with multi-grain bread. Vegetable juice may help boost nutrition. Muesli with dairy milk or curd could replace eggs and toast on some days.

Shankar Mahadevan composer and singer

My breakfast varies every day. It could be fruit one day, cereal, eggs or idli, dosa, upma another.... Each day is different. But good coffee is a must!

Shonali Sabherwal, says...

Substitute white rice idlis with brown rice idlis and dosas. I'd caution him against eating cereal-from-a-box. Preserved foods are high in sugar. I'd suggest he eat a 'live' breakfast of cooked dalia instead. Eggs are good but accompany them with a roti instead of bread. It's a good idea to surprise your body with variety. Coffee should be in moderation since it's acidic content may hamper digestion.

Dr Lekha Pathak, cardiologist

I breakfast like a king — coconut water, milk without cream, almonds, walnuts, two egg whites, cereal or muesli or toast with fat-free butter or dalia and some fruit. After a luxurious first meal, I tend to skip lunch.

Shonali Sabherwal, says...

Coconut is excellent in any form. Almonds and walnuts are healthy nut snacks. Butter, fat-free or not, should be out of your diet since it can cause trouble by keeping your digestive lining damp and promoting un-healthy bacteria in your gut. Also, cereal is good as long it's cooked, and muesli is okay just once a week. You could drop the toast. Even if the bread pack says 'whole wheat', it still contains yeast which is not your digestive system's friend.

Ashwin Sanghi, author

I do my writing in the early morning hours. What sustains me when I wake up is a strong cup of coffee. After I am done with my writing (usually around 9 am), I have breakfast. Indian items like idli-sambar, poha, moong daal dhokla or upma are favourites. There are days, however, when I replace my Indian breakfast with a yoghurt smoothie blended with fresh seasonal fruit.

Shonali Sabherwal, says...

Idlis and poha made from brown rice are better since they provide you with a sustained dose of sugars that can help up brain activity. White rice will set him up for another craving in the day. I'd recommend upma once a week. The yogurt smoothie is a good breakfast item so long as Ashwin relies on fruit sugars, and doesn't add table sugar.

Vaibhavi Merchant, choreographer

I have lime water and honey on an empty stomach. My breakfast is usually one of the three: If I know I am going to have a long day, I eat four egg whites made into a bhurji, and unsweetened oats. This is followed by tea with a dash of milk and 1 tsp honey. Else, I eat just fruits, preferably seasonal fruits. I like apples, pears, watermelon and any type of melon. I restrict my intake of mangoes. The third type of breakfast includes unsweetened oats and a cup of tea.

Shonali Sabherwal, says...

Four egg whites is a bit much. It's high in protein and could lead to constipation. Oats are not a good daily option since they are processed and refined. On days when you have eggs, replace oats with a roti made from rajgira (amaranth) flour. A breakfast of fruits is a great option, but don't depend on it. The sugars your body acquires from fruits is a short-lived energy source as opposed to what you gain from say, whole grain. Since Vaibhavi's profession is physically demanding, I'd suggest she opts for a whole grain breakfast so that she has sugars to sustain her till lunch. Fruit can be a midmorning snack.

Indrani Dasgupta, model

It depends on what I'm feeling like. I have a couple of glasses of water once I wake up, then I have some seasonal fruits, cereal with milk or just a glass of milk. The last is a must every alternate day. Sundays are when I let myself go. A brunch of eggs, toast, cheese, ham — the works. Luckily I'm not a tea or coffee person, so I don't need that cuppa to kickstart the day.

Shonali Sabherwal, says...

One glass of water is good enough. Any more and you are pushing your kidneys to work harder. Fruit along with cereal is a odd combination. Since fruits tend to get digested first, they will interfere with digesting the cereal. Leave out toast and bread since it's pure maida. Dairy is a personal choice but has a lot of protein casein (protein found in milk) which is tough to digest. My advice would be to go for a cooked breakfast of poha or upma. Source-Times of India. Learn more »

With growing awareness, people have become more health as well as beauty conscious. In this aesthetic-loving age, it is very essential to let people know that what they consider 'aesthetic' is also related to their skin.

Importantly, manifestations of your nutritional status as well as body's nutritional needs reflect on the skin's health.

That's why we have today Priya Jain, Dietician, P D Hinduja National Hospital & MRC, Mahim, Mumbai who is going yo share with us a list of 10 foods that can harm your skin.

Foods that disturb water balance

Dehydration causes drying of the skin. Wrinkling is a common side effect of lack of moisture in the skin. Dehydration and acne are interlinked because drying of skin and dead skin cells coming together cause acne.

Excess salt

Excess salt retains additional fluid in the body causing swelling and a puffy look to the skin. The skin texture is spoilt on prolonged salt abuse. Papads, pickles, salted foods, table salt, brined/canned food products are the potential sources of salt to the body.

Excess caffeine

Caffeine is a known stimulant which increase the cortisol production in the body and enhances the ageing process by thinning the skin. This dehydrates the skin and even leads to wrinkling. In addition, caffeine is a diuretic which further increases the risk of dehydration. So beware when you decide to go for an additional helping of coffee, tea or chocolates too!

Alcohol

Alcohol inhibits the Anti-Diuretic Hormone secretion thus causing dehydration. Furthermore, it also causes vasodilatation, which then leads to excess water loss through the skin. This is also known to be a contributing factor to acute phases of psoriasis as per the American Academy of Dermatology.

Foods with high glycemic load

These foods cause drastic fluctuations in the blood sugar. This leads to excess secretion of insulin and androgens during the high and low bouts respectivel. A major reason to contribute to surplus sebum production, enhanced skin cell division and aggregation of dead skin cells - leading to acne.

Excess sugar

Not literally only sugar, but even jaggery and honey!

Aerated beverages

Aerated drinks can be nightmarish for the skin. Exceptions are the so-called diet-cokes and the family. But their caffeine content makes them the villains for skin health.

Processed foods

Refined or processed foods like maida (refined flour) and its products, canned and sweetened fruits and juices are low in fiber content, thus increasing the glycemic load. Moreover the processed foods are often high in their salt/sodium content. As a by-product of processing, these also lose the nutrients of the parent food products important for skin health.

Foods that enhance free-radical production

Free radicals are known to disrupt the skin's structure by destroying collagen and elastin; the fibres that support the skin structure. They also cause damage at the cellular level by disturbing the DNA structure.

Red meat

Consumption of red meat, especially fat-laden parts can lead to inflammatory reactions. This is by the virtue of saturated fat content of meats. In excess, free radicals generated overpowers the anti-oxidation capacity of the free radical scavengers in the body.

Fried foods and hydrogenated fat

Excess heat application like during frying of foods and production of hydrogenated fat (margarine, vanaspati ghee) leads to oxidation of fatty acids and destruction of anti-oxidant nutrients like vitamin E, omega-3 fats present in the oils/fat. Generation of trans-fatty acids encourages free radical production by fueling the oxidation process. So next time you thing margarine is healthier to butter...you'll remember reading this!

Excess use of artificial sweeteners/colours/flavours

These chemicals lodge into our systems and are difficult to flush out of our body. Overuse and inability to flush them out in time could be the pre-cursor for free radical production.

Crash diets

Crash diets affect skin health through all the 3 mechanisms discussed before. Dehydration is a side effect of crash dieting. Studies suggest that consuming lot of water throughout this phase barely helps and this is because body doesn't retain water due to nutritional deprivation and lack of balanced meals.

Crash diets are known to cause dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, no wonder acnes are so common amongst anorexics and bulemics. Skin requires antioxidant nutrients (Vitamins A, C, E, zinc, selenium, etc.) that scavenge the free radicals. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology (Feb, 2005) testifies that long term vitamins C and E intake is linked with reduced incidence of sunburns from exposure to UVB radiation. These antioxidant vitamins help protect against DNA damage by protecting the skin structure. Crash diets are known to cause nutrient deficiencies and thereby the lack of antioxidants too. Source-Times of India. Learn more »

Brain foods not only nourish your brain but also provide your body with the required nutrients. So the next time you have a presentation or an exam, munch on these to help you focus.

1. Eggs

Eggs are a great source pf protein and amino acids and are great for your eyes. Moreover egg yolk helps regulate brain function and the nervous system. Have some eggs for breakfast and you are ready to go.

2. Avocado

Avocados increases blood circulation. It contain lots of protein, healthy fats and antioxidants which are vital for optimum brain function. Add some avacado slices in your salad or add them to your sandwich.

3. Salmon

Salmon is not only delicious but also healthy. The Omega-3 fatty acids in it benefit our skin and heart and also improve memory.

4. Chocolate

Who doesn't love chocolates? It is yummy and also improves brain power. The polyphenols in chocolates increase blood flow to the brain and help protect against age-related memory loss. So go on, satisfy yout sweet tooth!

5. Oats

Fiber present in oats keeps our brain sharper for long. Oats also contain protein to help you stay energized. In a bowl, add milk, oads and berries and have a power-packed breakfast. Source-Times of India. Learn more »

There are times when you are tempted to eat sugary snacks. Here's how you can beat it.

People who have a sweet tooth know just how difficult it is to stay away from the array of sweet treats that are available in the market today. And as tempting as it may seem to reach out for that sinful piece of chocolate, you're only setting yourself up for health issues in the long run. Keep sugar cravings at bay with these simple tips...

Pinpoint the triggers

What sets off your cravings? Is it your mood or easy access? Do you reach out for sweet treats when you're depressed, stressed or anxious to make yourself feel better? Or do you eat it when you're in a good mood? Is there a dessert, pastry or ice-cream shop close to where you work or live, which you hop in to whenever temptation beckons? One of the first things to do when you want to beat sugar cravings, is to look out for recurring patterns. Keep a journal if you want and write down the time and place when you usually get these cravings. This will help you identify the problem and devise a solution as well.

Forgo the diet drinks

While diet drinks may seem like a great alternative to those wanting to diet and keep away from sweet cravings, researchers warn that while these drinks are low in calories, they increase the chances of of weight gain - that's because the artificial sweeteners which are present in them, trigger appetite and increase sugar cravings since your body yearns for the real thing.

Maintain blood sugar levels

Sugar cravings could indicate that your blood sugar levels are not balanced. To rectify this, eat smaller meals often instead of just three large ones. Also, eat foods that are low-GI (glycemic index). These are known to release energy slowly during the day, so your energy levels don't fluctuate. Low-GI foods like nuts, legumes, oats, brown rice and non-starchy vegetables are good options. Also, get your chromium levels checked. Chromium is a mineral which stabilises blood sugar levels and helps control sugar cravings. Include food items like apples, mushrooms, broccoli, whole grains and grape juice in your diet.

Be mentally strong

Easier said than done, true. But certainly not impossible. Telling yourself a firm no and then sticking to your decision can be tricky. But you need to tell yourself the advantages of cutting down sugar from your diet. Not only will it do wonders for your health, it will also avoid tooth decay, wrinkles and saggy skin. Studies also say excess of sugar affects our ability to recall things and remember.

Vanilla to the rescue

Strange as it may sound, vanilla scent reduces sugar cravings. You could spray vanilla-scented perfume, use a vanilla-based air freshener or light a vanilla-scented candle when you feel tempted to reach out for something sweet.

Workout more

The human body craves for sugar when it lacks energy. And although exercising may seem least appealing when you're down, it is actually a good idea. To keep sugar cravings at bay and increase your energy levels naturally, make sure you exercise regularly. Not only will you feel better about your body, exercise will also serve as a reminder why you should not give in to sweet temptation.

Opt for healthier food

Thankfully, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to sticking to healthy foods. When you get a sweet craving, munch on some fruits instead or have a tasty salad, whole grain biscuits, yogurt or juices. And stay away from people who encourage you to give in to temptations. You should also eat carbohydrates, which are known to trigger the release of happy hormone serotonin in the brain. Source-Times of India. Learn more »

Diets generally fail for one of two reasons: they are either too restrictive about the kind of food you eat, or they leave you feeling as if you haven't eaten anything at all. In either case, it's usually not long before you have chocolate biscuit crumbs on the corners of your mouth. You won't be sabotaged by either of those problems with our programme, which was created for us by expert trainers and nutritionists. If you want to shrink your gut, get enough protein in your diet. In this case, about 25% of calories.

Get enough protein Protein makes you feel full and helps you to build muscle – which increases metabolism, making it easier to lose weight. Just as important, high-protein diets have been shown to be the best way to attack belly fat.

Get enough fat About 30% of your calories should come from fat. Firstly, fat helps you to feel fuller longer between meals, slowing your appetite. Secondly, it provides essential fatty acids needed for optimal health. Above all, fat makes you feel that you're eating real food, not starving in the land of plenty. If you get enough protein and fat, your total calorie intake should take care of itself. Because you feel full, you won't binge on a packet of crisps and blow your calorie count for the day. The remaining 45% of calories in this plan comes from carbohydrates – enough to give your palate a full range of tastes and your body a combination of fast and slow burning fuel.

The fat-to-muscle diet

The meals shown here are ‘templates' that you can vary to keep your tastebuds happy. Follow them and you'll consume between 2,400 and 2,800 calories every day. That should provide plenty of calories for all but the most severely obese, while allowing most men to shed fat at a steady pace. Don't worry about hitting all the numbers on the nose every time. If you exceed your fat quota during lunch, for instance, just cut back a little during dinner.

Breakfast

5 tbsp (40g) wholegrain flakes or porridge oats

150 ml (5fl oz) skimmed milk

2 tbsp chopped nuts

2 tbsp raisins

Total: 566 kcal, 20g protein, 80g carbohydrate, 19g fat

Lunch

Sandwich made with 2 slices wholemeal bread, 5 oz (150 g) ham or tuna, 1 slice low fat cheese, 2 slices tomato

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 carrot

1 glass (150ml/5fl oz) orange juice

Total: 621 kcal, 47g protein, 50g carbohydrate, 26g fat.

Dinner

5 oz (150g) cooked lean meat, poultry or shellfish

Small green leafy salad

2 tsp French dressing

Medium serving (80g) broccoli

4 tbsp (150g) cooked rice or pasta or potatoes

1 medium-sized fruit eg apple

Total: 662 kcal, 39g protein, 60g carbohydrate, 31g fat.

Floater meal

2 slices wholemeal bread

2 tbsp peanut butter

480ml (16fl oz) skimmed milk

1 medium apple

Total: 605 kcal, 32g protein, 70g carbohydrate, 23g fat.

Nutrition tips

If you want to see your muscles, you have to get rid of what's hiding them. To do this, you must eat enough to preserve muscle, but not so much that you put on fat. Here are some basic rules to follow to lose fat and build muscle:

Fill up on protein and multi-coloured vegetables. A high-protein diet makes you feel full longer and keeps your belly flat, whereas eating too many carbohydrates makes you feel bloated. Eat chicken, fish or beef with as many vegetables as you want, the more colourful the better.

Go easy on ‘dry' carbohydrates. After 4pm, try to stay away from refined carbohydrates such as white rice and bread. If you want to include a carb with your evening meal, choose the unrefined kinds, like wholewheat pasta or brown rice.

Eat fibre. Fibre keeps you regular and helps your body to better assimilate dietary fat.

Try sprinkling your cereal with raw oat bran. Start with one tablespoon a day for two weeks, then double that amount.

Consume good fats. You don't need to cut out fat altogether - you'll feel deprived. You should aim for around 95g per day. Where possible choose monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive and rapeseed (canola) oil, avocados and nuts in place of saturated animal fats like cheese, butter and meat. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats found in linseed or flaxseed and fish oils are also great. Source- Men's Health. Learn more »

If you thought dieting is the sure shot easy way to lose that extra flab, think again. Not all diets are as good as they sound. Here we list down five diets that seem easy to follow and give quick results but do a lot of harm to your body in the long term.

Up in smoke
What: Due to the nicotine present in cigarettes, one’s brain feels full and satisfied after smoking. You end up eating less as this kills appetite.
Downside: It may help you kill appetite and lose some kilos but smoking causes illnesses like asthma, heart attacks and cancer which is not only dreadful but also deadly.

Sleeping beauty
What: Just like the name suggest, a dieter loses the extra flab by sleeping for days under heavy sedation. Since the body is not getting any nutrition or extra calories during these ‘sleep days’, it uses up the fat already stored in the body, thereby bringing down the number a few levels.
Downside: Heavy sedation for days under the influence of sleeping pills and other medications can lead to addiction to these and can also cause sleep disorders.

Back to baby food
What: In this diet, you can replace the regular foods in your meals with 14 jars of baby food, to be consumed throughout the day. This can be followed by one adult meal at dinner time.
Downside: Now, you don’t need to be a doctor to know that the dietary needs of adults and babies are different. With this diet you will end up with nutrient deficiency.

Cotton to the rescue
What: Fancy stuffing yourself with cotton balls every time you feel hungry? This diet is all about that. Instead of regular meal, dieters consume cotton balls in order to fill their stomachs so that they are full with only a few bites of food.
Downside: This leads to malnutrition, fainting spells, damaged organs and is fatal in the wrong run.

From a distance
What: This French fad diet is all about fooling your mind and body that you have eaten what you want, in the quantities you want, without actually eating. In this, you just hold the food up to your mouth but don’t eat it.
Downside: All that you can consume while on this diet is hot water with some salt. No guesses again that this will lead to weakness and nutritional deficiency. Learn more »

Ads often make us feel good or bad about the food we eat--the cake is sinfully delicious, the carrot soup is packed with nutrition, so be guilt free. How much of our eating should be caught in this moral ground? Experts explain how you must eat whatever you have been eating as a child, and grown up with, with small changes.

Food hand-fed to us, when we were five years old, (and Mama was not at home), by our grandmother, experts believe, is the best food for us. Today with the blitzkrieg of ads shouting claims of going vegan, or having meatless days, turning vegetarian or bringing in sunflower seeds and wheatgrass to improve immunity may ultimately be just a conspiracy for us to change or debate our eating habits. Ads play on our emotions of guilt over food. They suggest and headline food pages with lines of how you must not indulge in the decadent chocolate cake or deep fried chilli chicken, instead chew on carrot or cucumber sticks whenever hungry. Furthermore, you are a good child if you eat healthy (read organic in some cases) snacks and you are bad (?) if you eat processed or fried food.

But Dr Brinda Nayak, a nutritionist asks, “How can any food be good or bad? All food is good, unless it is prepared in an unhealthy way or in an unhygienic condition. Whether it is simple south Indian rasam rice and fried fish or a pulao of rice with vegetables, one must enjoy the food that you grew up eating, whether at your home or at a birthday party with friends.”

Dr Jha, an acupressure cum naturopath explains, “The food that you ate as you grew up is what your body is made up of. If you are now 38 years old and suddenly feel you must not eat samosas or meat as you need to take care of your health index, it may not be such a good idea. Sure, you can reduce the quantity and the style of cooking it a bit as your grow older but why remove it entirely from your diet and replace it with health items—millets, sprouts, carrot salads, herbal tea or red rice? Healthy food can get boring after a while, you need a change every now and then.”

Dr Jha explains how a patient of his has lost interest in eating food since her spouse has suddenly turned vegan, and insists on all kinds of food choices which she is not used to. So, she simply stopped taking an interest in food, and lost weight. “By denying yourself sweets or an occasional fried food item in the week, or even chocolates once a week, you will get mentally and physically ill. Your body requires everything in moderation, and in small qualities, whether it’s salt, sugar or even oil, you need to eat everything that makes you feel happy, and this same food will keep you healthy.”

So the next time you get tempted to eat a slice of chocolate cake, go ahead. Take a slimmer slice if you please but eat it wholeheartedly. Learn more »

Are you cringing every time you look in the mirror? For a large section of working women, weight gain has become a battle fought practically every day and every minute.

High stress jobs along with unhealthy eating habits and lack of any physical activity has lead to many women being diagnosed with lifestyle diseases or a bulging waistline. According to various studies, reasons like boring work, discouraging colleagues, high stress and plain laziness prompts working women with desk jobs to eat unhealthy food.

But there are simple and easy ways to stop and bring about a change in your lifestyle. Chetna Rajyaguru, senior dietician at Shalby Hospital, Ahmedabad says, “Women with desk jobs are affected worst as they don’t get any physical exercise and tend to eat whatever they can get to curb hunger. One can’t change bad habits immediately but you can learn to recognise your problem areas and then make small changes to deal with it. This way you would stick longer to your plan of losing weight healthily.”

Chetna lists out some easy ways for working women to counter the urge to eat unhealthy:

• Carry small healthy snacks with you like nuts or a fruit.


• Never stay hungry for long. Eat some small snack every three hours


• Don’t miss meals like breakfast or lunch.


• Cut down on your sugar intake as that also prompts one to eat more.

Here’s how to replace your bad food choices with healthier ones:

• Carry two servings of fruits with you.


• Keep nuts (like walnuts and almonds) handy to munch on in case you feel hungry.


• Stay away from aerated drinks as they are high in calorie and make you hungrier. Instead opt for nimbu paani and coconut water.


• Carry a portion of salad with sprouts or boiled peas.


• Don’t skip meals


• Replace your food choices with more protein rich food.

Learn more »

The triangular wedge of bright red and green fruit isn't just a summer special.

It can be a great all-year snack as it is packed with nutrition, can hydrate a person and is also low-fat. The juicy fruit also has innumerable benefits. While it has beta-carotene, which acts as a powerful ally against many types of cancer, particularly colon cancer, the fruit is a great source of several vitamins. It has vitamin A, that induces better eye health, vitamin B6, vitamin C that can aid in building immunity and preventing cell damage as well promoting healthy teeth and gums.

Did you know?
A single watermelon gives 22 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein and 5 per cent of your daily value of fiber.

Cookout ideas:
- Combine watermelon, cucumber and cantaloupe for a summer salad.
- Puree watermelon and place in popsicle molds. Freeze until you have refreshing melon-pops.

Quick-fix

Watermelon refresher Ingredients:
Chunks of watermelon, seeds removed: 3 cups
Lime juice: of one lime
Lime peel: 1 tsp, shredded
Cold water: 1 cup
Salt: A dash
Mint: for garnish

Method:
Blend the watermelon, lime juice and zest until very smooth. Add in the cold water and salt; cover and refrigerate. Serve over ice and garnish with watermelon wedges and mint. Learn more »

High cholesterol is a big threat to healthy living. Hence, if you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is imperitive to change your eating habits, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As with other lifestyle-related diseases, certain foods are good and bad for people with high cholesterol. Today, we bring you some foods that can actually lower down your cholesterol level. Mrs. Eileen Canday - Chief Dietician at Breach Candy Hospital, gives us a list of the 20 best foods to lower cholesterol.

Almonds
Opt for a fistful of almonds as a daily snack, when diagnosed with high cholesterol.

Almonds are filled with vitamin E and flavonoids, which help cut bad cholesterol by almost 10 percent and also decreases the development of artery blockage.

Oats
Oats contain soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which helps in lowering your body's ability to absorb cholesterol.

Hence, eat oats daily for breakfast, to lower your cholesterol level and stay healthy.

Avocados
Avocados have cholesterol-lowering properties because they contain beta-sitosterol, which can lower cholesterol levels by nearly 15 percent.

Olive oil
Use extra-virgin oil for cooking, instead of normal cooking oil.

Olive oil is a good heart-healthy choice, because it contains antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats that can lower bad levels of cholesterol.

Omega-3 fatty acids
Include fishes like mackerel, salmon and tuna at least twice in a week.

Fishes that are rich in omega-3 can lower cholesterol levels and aid in boosting good cholesterol. For vegetarians, choose foods like flaxseeds and rajma.

Beans and lentils
Again beans and lentils are a good source of soluble fibre, which aids in lowering cholesterol levels.

They are also high in protein and low in fat, which is a complete package for healthy hearts.

Soybean
The protein present in soybean protects against various heart ailments. Soybean helps in lowering bad cholesterol and simultaneously increases good cholesterol.

Eggplants and okra
These two vegetables are great agents for lowering cholesterol, because they are good sources of soluble fibre. But avoid frying these, as that would diminish their nutritional properties.

Garlic
Garlic helps lower cholesterol and fights plaque that clogs your arteries.

Eat not more than 3-4 garlic cloves each day, to obtain maximum heart benefits.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, vitamin C, potassium and fibre, which help in cutting cholesterol levels.

Prefer eating tomatoes which are cooked or sun-dried tomatoes.

Green tea
Results may vary from individual to individual, but some studies suggest that drinking green tea early in the morning may fight high cholesterol.

Blueberries
Compounds present in blueberries are good for your heart. Eating blueberries regularly can sharpen your mind as well as lower bad cholesterol level.

Apples
Apples contain soluble fiber called pectin, which helps in lowering bad cholesterol.

Carrots
Raw carrots contain pectin, which helps in lowering cholesterol levels. Besides, carrots are also good for your eyes and skin.

Barley
Barley has unique health promoting properties, especially for heart health.

Like oats, barley too contains beta-glucan, which helps in lowering cholesterol and prevents artery blockage.

Red wine
We all know about red wine's health benefits. Consuming red wine helps heart health as well.

The fibre called tempranillo, found in red wine, is great in lowering cholesterol.

Plant sterol
Consuming fortified foods like orange juice and yoghurt, which have high levels of plant compounds, is good for heart health.

They help prevent cholesterol absorption and lower the level of cholesterol.

Dark chocolate
Eating dark chocolate is very beneficial for your health. It helps lower cholesterol levels by almost 10 percent.

Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are rich in a fibre called phytosterols. This fibre helps in preventing artery blockages and lowers cholesterol levels.

Spinach
Besides spinach being Popeye's secret for quick power, it is also good for cardiovascular health.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach contain lutein, which helps guard against blockages in arteries and lowers cholesterol. Source-Online Learn more »