Beans are more than just a protein rich staple of the anti inflammatory kitchen. I highly recommend adding beans to your diet- especially if you are interested in losing weight, as they are an excellent source of resistant starch (RS).

Resistant starch (RS) comes from fiber-like carbohydrates, which are the unsung heroes of weight control.  RS actually increases the rate at which the body burns (oxidizes) body fat. RS do not cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels and even prevent other, higher glycemic foods in a meal from doing so.

Resistant starch is so called because it resists digestion and absorption as it passes through the small intestine—where most dietary starch gets digested.  It then passes into the large intestine where it behaves much like insoluble fiber, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and the production of disease-preventive fatty acids.

Check in tomorrow for more information on resistant starch and the associated health benefits.

How do you incorporate beans into your diet?

Dairy has gotten a bad rap. Not only is dairy an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D and protein, it lends complexity and savory notes to countless dishes in the anti-inflammatory kitchen and is an important part of the Start Fresh 28 Day Diet.

As a general rule, choose organic, low-fat dairy products, unless you are buying dairy products from grass-fed animals. The fat profile of dairy products from grass-fed animals is healthier and contains more Omega 3’s than its grain-fed counter parts.

Recommended Dairy Products:

• Milk
• Butter (to be used in moderation)
• Buttermilk
• Cheese (especially recommended are: Cottage & Farmer’s Cheese, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano;  sheep and goat’s milk cheeses such as Feta, Pecorino Romano)
• Kefir
• Yogurt
• Eggs (look for organic, from free-range chickens)

How do you include Dairy into your diet?

Seafood features prominently in the 28 Day Diet and with growing concerns around toxicity, I’ve found the Environmental Defense Fund to be an indispensable tool for selecting the safest varieties of seafood. It also specifies if  wild or farmed is preferred.

• Abalone
• Anchovies (European)
• Clams, soft-shell
• Clams (farmed)
• Clams Crawfish (U.S.)
• Cod (Alaskan, longline)
• Pacific Halibut
• Lobster, spiny (Cabaja)
• Lobster, Caribbean spiny (U.S.)
• Mahimahi (U.S. troll/pole)
• Mullet
• Mussels
• Oysters (farmed)
• Prawns (Canada)
• Sablefish/Black Cod (Alaska)
• Salmon, canned
• Salmon, wild
• Sardines, Pacific (U.S.)
• Scallops, Bay (farmed)
• Shrimp, pink (Oregon)
• Squid, longfin (U.S.)
• Striped Bass farmed
• Tilapia (U.S.)
• Trout (farmed)

Which varieties of seafood do you most enjoy cooking with?

Amanda is busy mother of two and an avid cook. Today, she shares her shopping tips for the 28 Day Diet.

Do you ever find yourself going up and down the same aisles in the grocery store, tossing the same  items into the basket, planning to prepare the same  meals, and snack on the same familiar items – all out habit? If you answered yes, you’re like most of us.

It’s widely accepted that it takes 28 days to create a new habit. By the end of Dr. Perricone’s 2010 Start Fresh Challenge, that is exactly what I had accomplished; a new habit of navigating the grocery store (as well as glowing skin). When your kitchen is filled with anti-inflammatory foods, meal planning and entertaining become effortless.  Here are my tips to creating a new thought process as you maneuver the 28 day menu:

• Choose low glycemic fruits: apples, pears, berries and melons.
• Look for a rainbow of vegetables: kale, cauliflower, beets, asparagus, and bell peppers.
• Rely on the convenience of canned goods: nuts, salmon, tuna, sardines, olives, artichokes, and beans.
• Say “Cheese!” Edam, Gouda, Goat Cheese, Blue Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Parmesan, and Feta.

What are your grocery shopping tips?