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Mangosteen juice is not only popular for its sweet taste but also for its restorative and rejuvenating properties. When bought commercially, it is fairly expensive because a mangosteen tree takes up to 15 years to yield fruit. The juice is rich in vitamins B and C as well as phosphorus, iron and calcium. It therefore has a number of medicinal applications. Studies have revealed that people who ingest mangosteen juice on a regular basis generally enjoy holistic or all-round good health. Its beneficial effects are said to be noticeable in as little as four weeks of continued use.

Mangosteen is rich in the group of antioxidants known as xanthones and may therefore have an anti-aging effect too. It is an accepted medical fact that the ingestion of antioxidants promotes overall metabolic resistance to disease by boosting the absorption of vitamins. Eating fruits has always been the key to a healthy diet: add exercise to it and your body will reward you with tremendous energy. While some of us love our fruits, some can hardly swallow a handful a week. Eating smart helps a great deal in promoting good health. Try and learn a tiny bit about your daily food, and thus you will be able to eat right even if you dont consume the exact quantity required daily.

The Mangosteen tree requires warm temperatures and abundant rains to grow. Its growth is slow, and it reaches its peak in about 10 years but by then it is producing huge quantities of Mangosteen fruit annually. The health benefits from Mangosteen juice is quickly absorbed by the body rather than eating fresh or dried. The most important health benefit from Mangosteen juice probably is the rich content of antioxidants within in each fruit. Antioxidants are known for their property to fight and slow the aging process, thus providing us with wrinkle-free skin.

Drink Mangosteen juice for good health. These health benefits can include such things as ones daily doze of vitamins and minerals, because Mangosteen contains vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, calcium, potassium, iron and fiber. While the health benefits from Mangosteen juice are vast, it should not be taken instead of required medicines, as it only complements our immune system by helping it fight infection and other such diseases.

Preparing our body with natural ingredients found in nature without any preservatives or additives is the only way to ensure a long, healthy and happy life. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as often as possible to maintain yourself in great health and spirits.

Xanthones have very powerful anti-inflammatory properties and they are very potent antioxidants. The mangosteen fruit is considered safe and also helps protect the entire gastrointestinal system, unlike many drugs which are not safe. The body requires antioxidants because of the damage done to the cells by free radicals, which can trigger the initial phases of certain illnesses. Dirty air, smoke, stress, over exercise, and environmental pollutants are the cause of free radicals getting into the body. These free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants, helping to stop disease from occurring and promote wellness.

The power of antioxidants neutralize free radicals, can be measured, and this is called the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value. More free radicals will be neutralized, as the value of ORAC in your blood is higher. If an antioxidant supplement has an ORAC value of more than 90,000, it is claimed by experts to be effective. If you want to receive the full benefits of the nutrients in the mangosteen, it is best to check for independent laboratory tests performed on a particular mangosteen juice product.

Research has found that Mangosteen juice using cold processing when being prepared is of much higher quality. This is because it’s been found that some nutrients in the Mangosteen fruit die at the time they are cooked. Cooking the juice can render some preservatives more harmful, and also make the juice acidic. Its best to select a mangosteen juice which uses cold processing when being prepared since it is of higher quality. A liquid formula is more bioavailable (body ready) so that the cells in the body can absorb it more readily. The phytonutrients and xanthones are within the mangosteen whole fruit, which includes the pericarp and the pulp, and they work synergistically. Powders and pills cannot include the mangosteen whole fruit, so these may not provide the health benefits that a liquid juice provides.

We have examined what to consider when looking at the different brands of Mangosteen juices- Independent testing, amount of xanthones, amount of phytonutrients, the ORAC value, the other nutrients in the product, the way the product is processed, and whether it is a liquid product or not. For a fair comparison of price and quality, have a look at how many bottles of a less expensive product you would need to give you the same amount of nutrients as a more expensive product has. What you think is a ‘cheaper’ product may be a lot more expensive when you do the Mangosteen juice product comparison carefully.

Eating healthy can be easy and simple to implement. Once you start making choices that are healthy and incorporate the habit into your life, it becomes second nature and you won’t have to think about it much again. Make sure you always have healthy food choices available and the rest is a piece of cake.

When considering a meal or a snack, always strive for a proper balance between a protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Have you established for yourself your caloric consumption needs? I know for myself, if I want to maintain my weight, I should not eat any more than 1500 calories per day. If I want to lose, my daily calorie intake is no more than 1200 calories per day.

Once you find out how many calories you should be eating, you then need to space them over 5-6 small daily meals/snacks through the day. The meals and or snacks should compliment each other with the proper balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. I will give you an example of these choices to make during the day.

I should quickly mention something about portion sizes. Do you know what a serving of protein looks like? No, it’s not the 16 ounce Prime Rib at your local steak house. A portion of protein is 3 ounces, the size of a woman’s palm.

SEVERAL VISUAL EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT FOOD PORTIONS:

* 1 medium fruit — tennis ball or tight fist

* 1/2 cup of rice, pasta, cooked cereal, fruit, or veggie — cupcake size or tight fist

* 1 cup of salad — the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.

* 1 medium baked potato — computer mouse

* 1 cup of cold cereal — large handful or tight fist

* 3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish — palm of a woman’s hand or deck of cards

* 1 ounce of cheese — 4 dice or the top half of your thumb

* 1 ounce of poultry, fish, chicken or meat — 1 egg

* 1 tsp — the tip of a medium-framed woman’s thumb. 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbsp

BREAKFAST:

We all know that we need a good breakfast to start our day. Without that, we are setting ourselves up for failure of maintaining our blood sugar levels. I would suggest keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same calorie count and then adding smaller snack between meals.

Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced breakfast.

Protein: 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 cup low fat yogurt, 1 oz of low fat cheese

Carbohydrate: granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin, 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal.

Fruit: 1/2 banana, small apple, orange, grapefruit, 3/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries

LUNCH AND DINNER:

Preparing lunch and dinner is very simple. Pick a lean protein, add some vegetables and top it off with some fruit for dessert.

Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced lunch or dinner.

Protein: Lean beef, pork, beans, chicken, fish, turkey, etc.

Vegetable: Salad greens, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, etc. For a serving size, fill about 1/4 of your plate with protein, 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, and the other quarter with healthy carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, brown rice, corn, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, etc.

Dessert: Pear, apple, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping.

SNACKS:

Snacks between meals are what make or break the weight loss. You need to maintain your metabolism in between meals so that you continue to burn calories throughout the day. For your snack, consume between 100 to 125 calories.

Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced snack.

Protein: Low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat, 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese.

Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, baby carrots, etc.

Healthy fats: 2 tbsp of peanut butter, handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado.

This is easy! Remember, these are just guidelines for healthy foods. You do not have to eat the same thing every day. There are so many more foods then what I listed here but be creative. Make healthy choices that are exciting. Try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Remember, this is easy!