The Beauty Diet (3 page)

are the primary source of fuel for our brain and muscles. The goal is not to eliminate them but to learn which ones are best and in what quantities.

Healthy carbohydrates
include whole grains, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables. These foods contain natural (not refined) sugars, plus they have fiber. Fiber-rich foods help curb your appetite, plus they slow the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. Low-fat milk and yogurt offer carbohydrates with a healthy dose of beauty-enhancing protein and calcium. When choosing your healthy carbohydrates, pick those that offer lots of beauty nutrients, such as sweet potatoes (for beta-carotene), yogurt (for calcium), and kiwifruit (for vitamin C), three of my Top 10 Beauty Foods. They'll provide you with long-term energy, plus all the beneficial and anti-aging nutrients you need to look fabulous.

Refined carbohydrates
are highly processed, contain few nutrients, and have little fiber (if any). The natural oils, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements of the whole foods are largely eliminated during processing. Refined carbs include white flour, white table sugar, soft drinks, and commercial
fruit juices. They not only add "empty calories" to your diet, they can also make you moody and stiffen your skin (see
Chapter 3
).

Dietary fiber is another reason to choose whole foods over processed, refined, commercially prepared items. Fiber is beneficial for your health in various ways, but what I love most about fiber is the major beauty benefit it offers: fiber keeps you slim! In fact, I often tell my beauty-focused clients that if there was a magic bullet when it comes to weight loss, it would be fiber. Fiber keeps you feeling full without contributing any calories. So, if you want to slim
down
and look fabulous in that dress, it's a good idea to
up
your fiber intake.

When you eat, say, a piece of celery, the fiber goes right through. Why? Because, unlike cows and horses, human beings cannot digest cellulose—the main substance of the cell walls in plants. Cellulose and lignin are both examples of insoluble dietary fiber, which moves bulk through the intestinal tract and helps prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber also promotes absorption of nutrients and helps get toxins out of the body in a timely manner, both of which help to keep your features in top form.

Soluble fiber (gums, mucilages, pectins) also is not digested, but it dissolves in water and creates a gel as it goes through the intestinal tract. It helps keep blood sugar levels stable by slowing digestion and also may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.

Many women I know are fat-phobic. It's true that, gram for gram, fats have more than twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates. However, you need an adequate supply