How Exercise Burns Fat and Benefits Health

Although most people would agree that exercise is important, the latest government report says that seven in ten adults don’t exercise regularly and nearly four in ten aren’t physically active at all. What’s more, the fig­ures haven’t changed over the last five years, despite the warnings that a couch potato lifestyle can lead to health problems. Unfortunately, most people probably wouldn’t be able to list more than a few benefits of exer­cise. They might say, “It makes you look good,” “It helps you to lose weight,” or “Exercise makes your heart stronger.”

The benefits of physical activity are more far-reaching than people realize. Exercising is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of improving all kinds of medical conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, thyroid problems, and depression. While it is best to follow a specific program, such as the one described on this website, studies have shown that even ten minutes a day of aerobic activities like walking or rid­ing a bicycle can have a positive effect on health. That’s how sensitive the body is to exercising.

To help you understand what you might receive from the Fat-Burning tips described on this website, here are ten signif­icant benefits of exercise.

As we have seen, scale weight can be deceiving. The goal of any good weight-loss program should be to lose fat, not lean muscle tissue. While most people connect weight loss with going on a calorically restrictive diet, few realize that exercise is a powerful tool for taking off the weight. A recent article in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry reported that while dieting did take off the pounds, exercising was more effective at reducing pounds of body fat: “Although total fat decreased in both weight loss groups (exercise vs. diet), the average reduction was greater in the exercise-induced weight loss group than in the diet-induced weight loss group.” Exercise also preserved and even increased lean muscle tissue, whereas dieting alone tended to reduce lean muscle to a certain degree.

The ideal presented in this article, which I also recommend on this website, is to exercise appropriately and restrict your daily caloric intake. This is the winning combination for increasing metabolism, resulting in the greatest amount of fat loss in the shortest period of time.

According to a recent survey of studies conducted by the Human Nutrition Program, regular exercise also improves blood chemistry on many levels, from the lipid profile, to levels of hormones, to amounts of glucose and insulin.

Exercise lowers total cholesterol and increases levels of HDL (good cholesterol).Exercise decreases the amount of leptin, a hormone that plays a role in regulating body fat and energy, in your bloodstream. The more leptin present, the higher your body fat.Exercise stimulates the production of epinephrine, a potent hormone that stimulates LPL lipase, an enzyme that catalyzes the release of free fatty acids from adipose tissues. The more epinephrine and lipase, the lower your body fat.Exercise decreases levels of insulin in the blood, which in turn decrease the amount of glucose present.

While dieting alone can cause some of these changes in blood chem­istry, regular exercise along with dieting increases all of these benefits. It is important to remember that a woman’s blood chemistry responds best to lower- to moderate-intensity exercise and a man’s blood chemistry to moderate to higher levels of intensity. An article in the Journal of Nutri­tional Biochemistry that studied the cholesterol levels of male cyclists showed the effectiveness of prolonged high-intensity cardiovascular exer­cise in decreasing levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

Hypertension is so prevalent in the United States that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health has come up with a whole new set of guidelines for those who may be at risk for devel­oping high blood pressure. There are now three categories:

Normal—the systolic pressure is less than 120 and the diastolic is less than 80.Prehypertension—the systolic range is 120–139 and the diastolic range is 80–89.Hypertension—the systolic number is greater than 139 and the diastolic is greater than 89.

Since blood pressure increases steadily with age, getting it under con­trol and keeping it under control is crucial. A number of studies have shown that the mortality from heart attacks, strokes, and other vascular diseases increases progressively as blood pressure levels rise. The Framingham Heart Study suggests that even people who have normal blood pressure at age fifty-five still have a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure if lifestyle choices that prevent these increases are ignored. When coupled with fat loss from an appropriate food program, such as the one described on this website, regular and appropriate exercise is one of the lifestyle changes that has been shown to decrease hypertension significantly.

Aging in adults is associated with a marked decline in the flexibility of the large elastic arteries that promote circulation in the chest region—in other words, those huge arteries that help your heart to circulate blood. The more sedentary the individual, the greater the stiffness of these arteries and the less efficient cardiac circulation becomes. Even healthy adults can suf­fer from this condition. Studies have shown, however, that regular exercise appears to minimize age-related changes in the elastin and collagen that make up the artery walls, enabling them to retain their flexibility.

A recent study published by the Journal of the American Medical Associa­tion reported that even modest levels of physical activity, coupled with a reduced caloric intake to help lose body fat, decreased a woman’s chances of having breast cancer. This was one of the largest studies of its kind involving 74,000 women between fifty and seventy-nine years old. An important point was that this exercise did not have to be intense: “While longer duration of physical activity provides the greatest protective bene­fit, such activity need not be strenuous.” This is in keeping with what I have written about women benefiting most from low- to moderate-intensity exercise.

Most people believe that a significant loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) is inevitable with age, leading to decreased strength, mobility, and flexibility. This is not so. According to a recent article published by the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, most age-related changes in muscle can be reversed through an appropriate exercise program incorpo­rating both aerobic and resistance/strength training (working with weights or objects that you have to push against).

Individuals suffering from sarcopenia experience a significant decrease in energy levels and strength. I have discussed this topic with a seventy­year-old mentor of mine who is a retired doctor. Since my friend was involved in sports medicine, we used to discuss whether the nutrient crea­tine could be beneficial in the treatment of sarcopenia and in the preser­vation of muscle mass when you exercise. One day he said to me, “You know, I really need to start exercising.”

So, at age seventy this very learned doctor made the decision that he was going to deal with his increasing waistline. He joined the Mackie Shil­stone Pro Spa and began to do the Fat-Burning tips just three days a week (days 1, 3, and 5). He did one ten-minute circuit and fifty minutes on a recumbent bike.

Over the last five years he has experienced a dramatic increase in his lean muscle mass, a drop in his waist measurement, a significant increase

in his metabolism, and he has become more active in his daily life. For me, he is a testimony to the fact that it’s never too late to start exercise, and it’s never too late to preserve lean muscle mass. To this day he is still doing this workout three days a week.

A recent study of over 31,000 men between the ages of fifty-three and ninety showed that exercise delayed the onset of erectile dysfunction with age and improved sexual performance in those who already suffered from this problem. This research project, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, found that an average of one-third of test subjects reported problems getting and keeping an erection. Most of the men studied said that they had few problems before age fifty, but 26 percent had difficulty between ages fifty and fifty-nine; 40 percent between ages sixty and sixty-nine; and 61 percent over age seventy. Men who watched more than twenty hours of television per week, consumed too much alcohol, smoked, were overweight, had diabetes, had a previous stroke, or took antidepres­sants or beta-blockers had the most problems with ED.

One of the most interesting conclusions of this study was the connec­tion between overall cardiovascular health and the ability to sustain an erection. ED could even be viewed as an early warning system that some­thing was seriously wrong with the body’s vascular system and heart health.

Men who did the equivalent of three hours per week of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise such as running or playing tennis had a 30 percent lower risk of erectile dysfunction. It is important to note that researchers stress high-intensity exercise in combating ED. In my program, I too have found that men get greater cardiovascular benefits and lose fat more effec­tively when their IIT (instinctive intensity training) levels are on the higher side of the scale.

Lately, there has been a great deal of controversy over the safety of hor­mone replacement therapy. The major study designed by the Women’s Health Initiative was stopped midway because some participants taking HRT developed higher incidences of breast cancer and heart disease.

The main argument in favor of HRT has been that it has the ability to help postmenopausal women conserve lean muscle and avoid gaining body fat. The American College of Sports Medicine published an article in which researchers were seeking an alternative solution to taking HRT to maintain a healthy body composition. Four groups of women participated in a resistance exercise program:

No exercise, no HRTNo exercise, HRTExercise, HRTExercise, no HRT

At the end of one year, researchers discovered that the group of women who exercised and did not take HRT did better than the nonexer­cise HRT group and did as well or a little better than the group that exer­cised and took HRT. They concluded that resistance exercise was just as effective for menopausal women in keeping off body fat as taking HRT.

Most people have heard that exercise helps protect against bone loss, espe­cially as men and women reach menopause or andropause. But many do not know that the type of exercise determines the level of bone health.

In order to not only maintain bone density but to build it, you need to do exercises that “overload” the bone, giving it something to lift or push against that forces it to work at a higher level than it experiences in your day-to-day activities. That is why I incorporate resistance exercises, both on gym equipment and with hand weights, into the program I present on this website.

Worries, depression, and mood swings undermine your health, relation­ships, and work performance and reduce your sense of being in control. Research has shown that people who make exercise a regular part of their lifestyle experience stress reduction, improvement in moods, and a greater ability to handle the worries of daily life. Studies that compare the body chemistry of joggers and those who do resistance exercise with the body chemistry of sedentary individuals show a greater percentage of mood-elevating substances such as endorphins in the bloodstream of those who are regularly involved in some form of exercise.

One study on the psychological effects of exercise on people suffering from osteoarthritis showed that exercise

Helped release pent-up feelings and improve moodGave people a coping strategy for control of painIncreased levels of independence and feelings of self-sufficiencyIncreased self-esteemImproved social interaction

Recently, I saw a remarkable example of how exercise works to combat stress. A former client named Kelly who’d had great success in my pro­gram told me a dramatic story of how exercise had literally saved her san­ity during the most difficult six weeks of her life. “Mackie,” she said, “you’re not going to believe what’s been happening with me. I think I’m going to have to change my name to Calamity Jane.”

Kelly had been diagnosed with cancer a year earlier. She had a suc­cessful round of surgery and chemotherapy, but she was facing a final treatment consisting of six weeks of radiation therapy. Radiation is some­what hard on the body because it lowers immune function, creates pain and swelling in the radiated area, and generally makes a person feel exhausted in the last three weeks of treatment. On top of this, she had to get up on Monday through Friday and drive to the treatment center, taking a big bite out of her workday.

Two weeks into her treatment, Kelly’s grandmother died. Then during the last month of Kelly’s treatment, her seventy-two-year-old mother was admitted to the hospital with dangerously high blood pressure and mental confusion. Her mom spent thirty days in the hospital. Because her mother lived 3,000 miles away and Kelly could not be with her, this was an ago­nizing experience. Since her sister had to bear the brunt of the hospital vis­its and medical decisions, Kelly felt completely stressed and helpless to do anything concrete for her family.

On top of everything else, Kelly was writing a book against a deadline. “Mackie,” she told me, “if I hadn’t been able to keep on exercising, I think I would have gone off the deep end. Luckily, I knew how to keep myself sane by keeping my body moving and by consciously managing my stress and eating right. What you taught me was a big factor in keeping myself together and moving forward with everything that I had to do without suc­cumbing to overwhelming stress. I can’t tell you how much better it made me feel to go to the gym or take a long, fast walk. No matter what, even if it meant walking back and forth on the pier by the ocean at eight o’clock at night in the dark, I always made time for exercise because I knew it was my lifeline.”

Far too many North Americans don’t exercise. And many of those who do often exercise without a real understanding of how to get the most out of their workout. They might go to the gym a few times a week, walk, bicycle, shoot some hoops, take an aerobics class now and again. While any kind of exercise benefits you and raises your overall level of health and well-being, the real issue is: How can you get the most out of each workout session?

Most people exercise with specific goals in mind: losing fat and inches, improving cardiovascular health, gaining more energy and peace of mind. But if you don’t really know how to exercise effectively, you may never reach your goals. My Fat-Burning tips, a carefully structured combination of resistive training, cardio, a core body workout, and interval training, is designed to give you the best of all pos­sible exercise worlds—and it only requires 300 minutes spread over six days a week, and even less as you progress beyond the basic four-week fat-loss program. No matter how out of shape and overweight you are, no mat­ter how sluggish your metabolism, this program will transform your body into a fat-burning machine in as little as twenty-eight days.

This program represents what I have learned over my thirty-year career as a top performance enhancement expert. It is based on the following:

The very latest health- and sports-related researchMy years of experience helping world-class athletes and others to achieve their highest levels of performance while teaching them how to expend their energy in the most efficient way possibleMy years of experience designing programs to help overweight, obese, and morbidly obese men and women lose fat and regain their health

To help you to get the most out of this exercise program, let’s take a look at how it is designed and why. There are detailed instructions on this website on how to perform all of the exercises, along with photographs and guidelines.

One of the most significant factors in achieving maximum fat loss is learn­ing how to exercise at the right intensity level. Most of us who belong to a gym are familiar with those who sweat and strenuously exercise until their veins look like they are about to pop. This intensity level may be danger­ous. One client told me a story of a terribly overweight man who seemed to live at the gym. “No matter which morning I went in for my workout, there he was, straining to lift massive amounts of weight on every machine he used, apparently for a couple of hours each day. One day he just disap­peared and I never saw him again. When I asked one of the trainers what had happened to him, he told me that the man had given himself a hernia. I felt sorry for him because he was trying so hard. But I could have predicted what happened because he didn’t know how to work at a level of intensity that he could handle.”

With any type of exercise, it is the quality of effort that counts rather than the quantity. Everyone has heard the expression “give it 100 percent.” But the truth is that you can only give 100 percent for a very short period of time without becoming totally exhausted and compromising the effec­tiveness of your workout. The strongest effort that you can maintain con­sistently is closer to 80 percent of your maximum.

Our goal in this exercise program is not maximum effort but doing each type of exercise at a level of intensity, based on your gender, which will guarantee the greatest amount of fat loss and increased metabolic effi­ciency in the shortest amount of time. Because somewhat different hor­monal responses occur during fat storage and fat metabolism in each gender, men and women tend to respond best to different exercise intensi­ties. According to a study published by the IDEA Health and Fitness Source, women lose more fat by exercising at low to moderate levels of intensity while men seem to lose more fat by exercising at moderate to high levels of intensity. The reason is that women sustain a lower respira­tory exchange rate (RER) than men during exercise at lower intensities. RER is the numeric index that indicates the amount of carbohydrates and fat used during exercise based on the ratio between the amount of carbon dioxide you produce in relationship to the amount of oxygen you con­sume. The lower the RER, the more fat being burned as fuel.

A recent article in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise supports this finding further by reporting that women have a lower RER than men during prolonged exercise in a fasted state—in other words, before meals. While both genders will get the most out of their exercise if they do it on an empty stomach, this is especially so for women. If a woman eats some kind of carbohydrate, such as a power bar or a pro­tein drink, before exercising, she will tend to use that as fuel. On an empty stomach, she will use greater amounts of internal fat and stored carbohy­drates as a metabolic fuel source. This study also showed that women who are still menstruating are at their fat-burning height in the week following their cycle.

The simplest and most effective way to monitor your intensity level so that you get the most out of your workout is by using my Instinctive Intensity Training (IIT) Scale based on the rate of perceived exertion. Once you have checked with your doctor to make sure that there are no restrictions on your ability to exercise, go to your gym, warm up carefully, then see what you would consider to be your maximum effort. If you are overfat and are at risk, you may choose to perform this maximum effort test as part of a pulmonary stress test in the presence of your physician or a cardiologist. Your insurance may pay for this test with the appropriate diagnosis and CPT code.

Once you’ve identified what your maximum effort feels like, use the following scale to find the appropriate IIT zone for your workout:

INSTINCTIVE INTENSITY TRAINING SCALE

IIT Level          Percentage of Maximum Effort           Perception

4                                                          40                                             Warm-up effort

6                                                          60                                             Mild effort

7                                                          70                                             Moderate effort

8                                                          80                                             Strong effort

9                                                          90                                             Very strong effort

10                                                        100                                           Maximum effort

The concept behind the IIT scale is that no one can tell you exactly how many pounds you need to use or how vigorously you need to exercise. How you perceive whether an exercise is low, moderate, or high intensity is a subjective experience based on your general level of fitness. A level of effort that seems easy for one person might present a challenge to another person, especially if he or she is deconditioned, is overweight, or hasn’t exercised for a while.

To find your appropriate IIT level, you must learn to listen to your body. That means paying attention to a broad spectrum of physical sensa­tions, including fatigue levels, muscle or leg pain, physical stress, and shortness of breath. For each type of exercise I am asking you to do, you need to estimate how hard you need to work to achieve the desired level of intensity.

Research has shown that your perception of the amount of effort you feel you are putting into an activity is likely to agree with the actual physi­cal measurements of that effort—that is, if you feel you are exercising moderately, measurements of things such as how fast your heart is beating would probably confirm that you are exercising at a moderate level. For example, during moderate activity you can sense that you are challenging yourself but are not yet near your limit.

The cardiovascular and interval training exercises in my program are designed to be performed at a gender-specific intensity level that will enable you to achieve your metabolic and fat-burning goals.

Health Benefits of Pears in the Mediterranean Diet

Known throughout the Mediterranean for centuries, pears are second only to apples as the favored baked fruit. Baked pears are far less common in this country, although we aren’t sure why. A fresh baked pear is a mouth-watering, sweet, but­tery treat, and easy to prepare. Ripe pears are tasty, too—juicy, sweet, fragrant, and tender.

Most pears purchased from the supermarket aren’t yet ready for eating, however. Pears are far more edible when they ripen off the tree, so green pears are picked and shipped (convenient, since the unripe pears are harder and sturdier, so they travel better). Unripe pears are long-lived, and rival apples when it comes to long-term storage potential. Chill them and they’ll last and last (the harder varieties like Bosc and Comice can keep for up to seven months). A week or so before you are ready to eat them, bring them to room tem­perature and ripen in a brown paper bag.

When purchasing pears, look for firm fruit without cuts, bruises, or blemishes. Superficial nicks are fine if you plan to eat the pears that week. Bruises and soft spots should be avoided. Pears need to sit for a few days to soften suffi­ciently for eating once you bring them home. A ripe pear yields slightly to pressure on the stem end, and spoils quickly. Keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of days at most.

Pears are generally available all year in the United States, but their peak season is August through October. Sample the different pear varieties in most supermarkets: Anjou, Bartlett, and Bosc are among the most widely available, but you’ll often see other types. Asian pears are crisper and are best in the fall.

Pears may not sport the orange color that distinguishes carotenoid-heavy fruit, but they have plenty of other nutri­tional properties to recommend them. Pears are full of vita­min C, and fresh raw pears are particularly high in fiber. They also contain many other vitamins and minerals. Dried pears are great for snacking and are a more concentrated source of nutrients.

Health Benefits of an Apricot in the Mediterranean Diet

Apricots are familiar to denizens of the Mediterranean, particularly in Turkey. Americans like their apricots fresh, canned, and dried, and each form has its gastronomical and nutritional benefits. The bright orange-yellow color is a dead giveaway that these velvety little fruits are potent sources of beta-carotene in any form. Dried apricots are a concentrated source of energy and fiber, as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals. Fresh apricots are richer in vitamin C, and when eaten at the peak of ripeness and slightly warmed by the sun, are an utter delight.

The problem with fresh apricots is that they are incredibly delicate and don’t last long.

The apricot season in the United States is approximately May through July, but if apricots aren’t grown near you, you may have trouble finding good fresh ones. Ripe apricots are soft and have a lovely apricot aroma. If apricots are greenish when picked, they will probably spoil before they ripen, but you can attempt to ripen them by storing them at room temperature in a brown paper bag. Dried apricots and cooked or canned apricots are other delicious and nutritious alternatives.

Health Benefits of a Citrus fruit in the Mediterranean Diet

Citrus fruit is plentiful in America, grown in abundance in Florida, Arizona, and California. It travels well, keeps well, and is plentiful all year in every state, making it a conve­nient (and self-packaged) food. Citrus trees are also familiar fixtures in the Mediterranean, as the climate is just right. Therefore, including lots of fresh oranges, grapefruits, tan­gerines, lemons, and limes in your diet is quintessentially Mediterranean. And don’t forget the more unusual citrus choices, for variety: kumquats, tangelos, and tangors, if you can get them.

The orange juice industry has made it known that orange juice contains the folic acid so important for women of childbearing age.

Deficiencies of folic acid have been linked to fetal abnormalities, and the United States Food and Drug Administration has stated that women of childbearing age can dramatically reduce the risk of having a child with neu­ral tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly by consuming enough fruits and vegetables to assure adequate folic acid intake. Although some legumes and vegetables are even richer sources of folic acid, the orange still ranks as a good source.

Citrus fruits’ real claim to fame is its high concentration of the antioxidant vitamin C. Although vitamin C is present in most fruits, one medium orange supplies the entire rec­ommended daily allowance (currently 60 milligrams, al­though recent studies have suggested that 100 to 200 milligrams daily best saturates cells with vitamin C). Many studies have linked vitamin C consumption with reduced cancer risk. In addition to vitamin C’s antioxidant properties, vitamin C gives the immune system a boost and aids the body in the absorp­tion of iron, particularly that from plant-based sources, which aren’t as readily absorbed by the body as the iron in animal meats. If you down a glass of orange juice with your iron-fortified cereal (for an extra C boost, throw in a few strawberries, too), your body will absorb more iron than it would without the extra vitamin C.

Vitamin C is also important for maintaining the body’s collagen supply. Collagen is necessary for healing wounds, strengthening blood vessels, and maintaining bones and teeth. Collagen has also been linked to a decreased risk of cancer metastasizing (spreading through the body).

Too much vitamin C (in daily megadoses of over 1,000 milligrams) could lead to kidney stone formation in certain people, and even higher doses have been shown to cause ab­dominal cramping, diarrhea, and nausea. Such megadoses would be virtually impossible to achieve from food, and are only a problem when people take vitamin C supplements, so we recommend getting your vitamin C from food sources— and what better food source than citrus fruits?

In addition to vitamin C, citrus fruit has other star quali­ties. Red grapefruit has been the subject of recent cancer research because of its high level of lycopene, the phyto­chemical that has been linked to lower rates of prostate and possibly breast and colon cancer. Red grapefruit is sweeter than yellow grapefruit—just one more reason to enjoy it. Even those who don’t normally appreciate grapefruit’s puckering tang might enjoy the sweeter red variety.

Don’t worry about the color of the rind when choosing your citrus. Most commercially produced citrus is waxed and much of it is dyed. The citrus rind and citrus oil are also potent sources of the phytochemical limonene, a monoter­pene often used in household products like detergent and furniture polish (which you should not, of course, eat!). Limonene has exhibited extremely strong anticancer effects, even causing complete regression of mammary tumors in laboratory rats. Try slicing organic citrus rind and candying it for a unique treat, made even more special when dipped in chocolate (for special occasions only—despite the orange rind, this is basically candy). Many cookbooks contain recipes for candied lemon, orange, and grapefruit peels.

Store citrus fruits in the refrigerator to keep them fresh the longest. Citrus can also be stored in a cool, dry place but will need to be eaten more quickly. Make sure the citrus can breathe. Airtight bags or containers tend to encourage mold­ing. If allowed to come to room temperature, citrus fruits will be juicier and more fragrant.

Health Benefits of Melons in the Mediterranean Diet

A highly perfumed melon evokes ancient times in exotic lands. Watermelon is native to Africa and was first cultivated there; the first recorded watermelon harvesting was nearly five thousand years ago in Egypt, according to the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Pharaohs stocked watermel­ons in their tombs, and legend has it that the Roman gover­nor Demosthenes, after ducking half a watermelon that was thrown at him during a political debate, set the watermelon on his head and thanked the thrower for the helmet to wear while fighting Philip of Macedonia.

Watermelons are thought to have grown along the banks of the Nile even before 2000 B.C.E., and cantaloupe seeds brought from Armenia as a gift to the pope were first planted in Cantalupo, Italy—hence their contemporary name.

Mel­ons of all types spread all over the Mediterranean region centuries ago and have been a part of the Mediterranean diet ever since. Whether scooped out of their rinds with a spoon for dessert or cut into small slices and wrapped in strips of prosciutto as an antipasto, melons are a Mediterranean fa­vorite. While the melons grown in the Mediterranean aren’t widely available in this country (such as the dark green Spanish melon), other melons, such as juicy cantaloupe and honeydew melons, are available during much of the year, al­though they are in season in late summer through fall. Once only available during the summer when they are in season, watermelons are now also available all year, depending on where you live.

To pick a perfect honeydew or cantaloupe, look for a fruit with a pleasing melony scent at the smooth end. It should yield slightly to pressure at the stem end and be heavy for its size without cracks or spots. Cantaloupe should have a golden netting over light yellow. Honeydew melons should be creamy white or light yellow in color with a slightly oily film on the outer rind. Melons that stand for a day or two at room temperature will be juicier and more aromatic.

Watermelons should also seem heavy for their size and their bottom side should be pale yellow, signifying that the watermelon ripened on the ground. Folklore suggests balancing a broom straw on top of a watermelon to determine ripeness. If the straw rotates slowly, the melon is ripe.

Melons are heavy on nutrition. They contain many vita-mins and minerals, as well as fiber. The watermelon’s red color is the result of the powerful antioxidant carotenoid ly-copene, that cancer fighter also present in tomatoes and red grapefruit thought to reduce prostate cancer risk and possi-bly breast cancer risk. Cantaloupe is high in vitamin C and beta-carotene (obvious from its orange color). Honeydew melons are also good sources of vitamin C.

Although melons do not cook well, raw melons make a lovely dessert or even part of the main meal, served in slices, cubes, or balls alongside meat or grain-based dishes. For a truly Mediterranean appetizer, serve slender cantaloupe and honeydew slices wrapped in strips of prosciutto (an admittedly pricey dry-cured Italian ham), or Canadian bacon or thinly sliced ham. All versions are tasty.

Health Benefits of Cherries in the Mediterranean Diet

Although the cherry tree’s unfortunate fate at the hands of little Georgie Washington is the stuff of American legend, cherries have been around for centuries and were probably first domesticated over two thousand years ago in southern Turkey or Greece. The Romans loved them, and they have been planted and consumed all over Europe for centuries.

The cherry varieties most available in the United States are sweet cherries—the popular, mahogany-skinned Bing cherry, the yellow-pink Rainier cherry, the dark red Lambert cherry, and the sweet Vans cherry—and sour cherries, most often used in pie fillings and other cooked desserts. Gaining in popularity are tart-sweet dried cherries.

Cherries are in season in midsummer and arrive at the market fully ripe. They are best handled gently, washed right before eating (when feasible—if not, wash and pat dry, then store in the refrigerator), and eaten as soon as possible. Choose plump, glossy berries with deep color and strong, intact stems. If you don’t plan to eat your cherries right away, store them in the refrigerator, as you would berries, unrinsed between layers of paper towels, then wrap in plas­tic or store in an airtight container. Rinse just before serving. Cherries are rich in quercetin and kaempferol (flavonols), plus other powerful antioxidants. Tart cherries may also have anti-inflammatory properties, making them possible al­lies in the fight against arthritis pain (the Cherry Marketing Institute suggests eating twenty tart cherries per day to re­duce inflammatory pain).

Health Benefits of an Apple in the Mediterranean Diet

Apples are a part of the cuisines of many countries, and have existed in the Mediterranean as early as the third century B.C.E., when Cato, a Roman writer, mentioned seven different varieties of apples. The Roman Pliny, writing in the first century C.E., names thirty-six varieties of apples in his writings. Caesar’s invading Roman legions are credited with introducing apples to Britain, and the first American settlers brought apple seeds to the New World.

One medium apple has about 80 calories and supplies 5 grams of fiber, more than a serving of oatmeal and about one-fourth the daily fiber recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Most of the fiber in apples is soluble fiber, a substance demonstrated to lower cholesterol levels.

But the benefits don’t stop there. A daily apple may indeed keep the doctor away, especially if that daily apple remains unpeeled. Recent research out of Cornell University has uncovered a host of phytochemicals in apple skins, including the flavonoids known as quercetin glycoside, phloretin glycosides, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin, most heavily concentrated in the skin. Apples have been shown to exhibit higher antioxidant activity than oranges, grapefruits, carrots, spinach, onions, and green peppers, according to the Cornell study. (Wash and rinse apples well with vinegar and water if they aren’t organically grown.)

Yet Americans only eat, on average, an apple every three days. Apples are one of the hardier fruits that keep well and ship well, and compared to many fruits, they are amazingly long-lived. This durability adds to apples’ convenience. You can buy them in bulk and eat them, as long as they are stored in a cool, dry place, for months. Some apples can keep for six months or more (such as the popular Red Delicious) un­der the right conditions. What food could be more conve­nient than an apple?

Look for apples with firm flesh and without bruises, soft spots, depressions, cuts and nicks, or little holes. If the in­side flesh is showing and has been exposed to the air, vita­mins and minerals may have been destroyed. Apples grown locally or regionally are great if you can get them. Big or small, apples can be surprisingly sweet and juicy. Color varies among apple varieties. Red Delicious, for example, are a bright or deep red, while Gala apples are yellow over­laid with a rosier red.

Avoid apples with a brilliant shine. Lots of shine probably means lots of wax, which traps pesticides. If you can find only waxed apples, peel them before eating. Whether you peel or not, wash all apples with vinegar and water, and scrub with a brush. Cut out any bruises or nicks. Apples last longer in the refrigerator and ripen faster at room tempera­ture (as is the case with many fruits).

Some of the more widely available apple types, all great for eating out of hand, are Braeburn, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith (also perfect for pies), Jon­agold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty (also ideal for baking), and Winesap. Many other types ex­ist, too. Check your local market, produce stand, or grocery store. Apples are widely available all year round in the United States, and the many types, flavors, colors, and uses make them irresistible. Shouldn’t you be eating more?

Health Benefits of Peaches and Nectarines in the Mediterranean Diet

Peaches and nectarines (a smooth-skinned type of peach) are spectacular summer fruits when you are lucky enough to get good ones. In the Mediterranean, where peaches are abundant in the summer, the quality is high. In the United States, peaches and nectarines bought out of season are fre­quently disappointing, even inedible. Nothing compares to the perfect, juicy, fragrant peach or nectarine, however. These fruits don’t need any adornment.

However, peaches stuffed with chopped nuts and the crumbs of almond cookies are a popular Italian dish, and fresh peaches or nectarines poached in a little wine are a not-so-sinful plea­sure, considering the high nutritional content of these fruits: rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids (again, the color is the clue), peaches and nectarines are a nutritious way to wind up a great meal.

Cooking brings out more of the flavor in even the ripest peach, so consider cooking peaches whenever the mood strikes you. In addition to poaching, peaches are delicious grilled, baked, or even lightly sautéed in a fruity olive or nut oil. Peaches are closely related to almonds, so any combination of these two “fruits” is pleasing.

Peaches and nectarines don’t keep well, but once ripe, will keep longer, in the refrigerator. Both are best purchased tree-ripened. Skin color is irrelevant to ripeness, but the peach should yield slightly to light pressure and have a fruity aroma. To ripen an unripe peach or nectarine, place one to three fruits in a paper bag for two or three days. Peaches and nectarines are in season (increasing your chances of getting good ones) in July and August. When you can’t find good fresh peaches or nectarines, canned and frozen peaches are an acceptable alternative, retaining most of their nutritional value (they lose some vitamin C but the carotenoid content remains the same).

Health Benefits of a Banana in the Mediterranean Diet

Although you may not think of bananas as being a typical Mediterranean fruit, bananas are a part of the cuisines of Africa and Spain. Descriptions of bananas can be found in Greek texts from the time of Alexander the Great. Spanish missionaries introduced bananas to many parts of the world, and these cousins of the lily (which, incidentally, grow on very tall plants, not trees) exist in many forms and types throughout the world. Conveniently wrapped in their own package, bananas are a good source of potassium, that min­eral needed for our heart to beat normally. When potassium levels fall dangerously low, which can happen during fasting or with severe diarrhea or vomiting, sudden death can occur.

Potassium is also involved in maintaining our body’s fluid balance and keeping our cells healthy. (Oranges, dates, and figs are actually richer sources of potassium than bananas.)

Bananas are delicious when the tips are still green, when the flavor is tangier, and at every stage until the skins are quite dark. The riper the banana, the sweeter it tastes. Cooked bananas are even sweeter, and grilled bananas are a delicious dessert, or even a side dish with a main course. Firmer, less ripe bananas are best for grilling or frying, while very ripe bananas mashed to a pulp are a superb addition to baked goods, and can even take the place of some of the fat.

Health Benefits of Berries in the Mediterranean Diet

What a glorious category of fruit! Berries are colorful, fun to eat, juicy, delicious, even fun to pick. They are perfect for cooking or eating raw. Freeze them for an icy treat, bake them into bread, or pop them one after another for a snack. Berries are delicate and they don’t last long, so buy them, rinse them, and eat them immediately—and often.

Berries are beloved in the Mediterranean. Fragrant wild strawberries are a much-anticipated component of produce markets in Italy, and although the strawberries cultivated in the United States are somewhat different, the spirit remains the same.

Blueberries, cultivated in North America, make a lovely Mediterranean-type dessert and are reminiscent of their cousins the lingonberries, the blueberry’s European (and Mediterranean) equivalent. Plump, juicy blackberries, tangy raspberries, tart, globe-shaped gooseberries, and the all-American cranberry are other delicious choices. (Cran­berries are too tart to eat raw for most people, but they are wonderful cooked into recipes.)

The vibrant colors of berries are a giveaway that these juicy fruits, perfect for snacking, are loaded with cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Flavonoids make blackberries purple-black, blueberries deep blue, and strawberries and raspberries rosy red. Berries are also full of vitamin C, fiber, and folate, all cancer fighters, too. In fact, in the fight against cancer, few foods are more powerful than berries.

Unlike some fruits, berries will last only a day or two in your refrigerator, and a little mold on one berry can trans­form the whole bowlful into a moldy mess overnight. Even berries untouched by the mold can take on an unpleasant taste. The best choice is to pick your own berries or buy them from a local produce stand or farmer’s market.

Alternatively, berries from the supermarket can be stored layered between paper towels, and lightly rinsed just before serving. Blueberries last slightly longer than other types, such as strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Firmer and best used in cooking, cranberries are the exception. They keep well in the refrigerator and will keep for months in the freezer. When you can’t find them fresh, frozen berries are similarly high in nutrients.

Health Benefits of Plums in the Mediterranean Diet

Plums are no strangers to the traditional Mediterranean diet. Spiced plums cooked with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves is a French specialty, served chilled. Many types of plums are available in the United States, including the juicy Japanese plums perfect for snacking and the drier European plums best suited for cooking. Plums are available from May through October.

Plums range in color from yellow to blue-black, with every shade of red, purple, and blue in between. Plums are best when tree-ripened, but because plums soften (without developing additional sweetness) after picking, ripe and unripe plums can both feel soft and ripe in the store. If your market allows it, you will be better off taste-testing the store’s plums before buying. Plums are a nutritious and complexly flavored dessert.

Let us not forget plums in their dried form! Super-nutritious prunes have a reputation for promoting regularity, but they do far more than provide fiber for our bodies. Prunes are a concentrated source of many vitamins and minerals, and have high levels of caffeic and ferulic acid, phenolic acids demonstrated to have potent anticancer effects in animal studies

Health Benefits of Grapes in the Mediterranean Diet

Whether or not you are a fan of wine, you very well may be a fan of the noble grape. Whether green, red, or blue-black, grapes are fun to eat, deliciously juicy, and as sweet a fruit as anyone could wish for. Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits known to man, and hieroglyphic evidence exists that the people of ancient Egypt were growing grapes and making wine.

Some grapes are native to North America, but the Mediterranean region was the first to cultivate grapes, trans­forming them from small, sour fruits to the juicy globes of sweetness we know and love today. European grapes brought to North America from Europe sparked the con­sumption of fresh grapes, the making of raisins, and the Cal­ifornia wine culture.

Even today, Italy leads the world in the production of table grapes. (Chile is second and California is third.) How­ever, in the United States, 97 percent of the table grapes available come from California. Other states producing grapes include Arizona, Michigan, and New York. The most popular eating grape in this country is Thompson seedless, a delicious variety of green grape. Because it is seedless, Thompson grapes (and other seedless varieties) make con­venient snack foods.

Grapes are available all year, adding to their convenience. They are harvested ripe, so choose any grapes that look plump and fresh, are firmly attached to their stems, and have a healthy bloom (the white powdery cast to fresh grapes). Green grapes should have a golden cast, and red and blue-black grapes should have a deep, even color. Grapes brought to room temperature before serving are the most flavorful. Rinse just before serving.

Grapes (especially the red varieties) are rich sources of flavonoids, the substances in wine suspected to offer so many health benefits. Grapes also contain caffeic, ferulic, and ellagic acids, phe­nolic acids with strong antioxidant properties that give both grapes and wine their color and flavor as well as the charac­teristic tartness. Grapes additionally contain the phytoestrogen resveratrol, a phenolic fungicide that may support a healthy heart. (Peanuts also contain resveratrol.) A small bunch of fresh grapes makes a satisfying conclusion to any meal. Raisins are also great for snacking, in breads, and in recipes where fruit is cooked.