These marvels of nature

deserve their reputation 

for keeping the doctor 

away when you eat one 

a day. And 

now, it seems, they 

can help you melt 

the fat away, 

too. First of all, 

they elevate your 

blood glucose 

(sugar)levels 

in a safe, 

gentle manner and

keep them up longer 

than most foods. 

The practical 

effect of this is to 

leave you

feeling satisfied longer, 

say researchers.

Secondly, they're one 

of the richest sources 

of soluble 

fiber in the supermarket. 

This type of fiber 

prevents hunger pangs 

by guarding 

against dangerous 

swings or drops in 

your blood sugar 

level, says 

Dr. James Anderson 

of the University of 

Kentucky's School 

of Medicine.

An average size 

apple provides 

only 81 calories and

has no sodium, saturated 

fat or cholesterol. 

You'll also 

get the added health 

benefits of lowering 

the level of

cholesterol already 

in your blood as well 

as lowering 

your blood pressure.

Easy does it is the password here. We've all heard about potential dangers of caffeine -including anxiety and insomnia - so moderation is the key.

The caffeine in coffee can speed up the metabolism. In nutritional circles, it's known as a metabolic enhancer, according to Dr. Judith Stern of the University of California at Davis. This makes sense, since caffeine is a stimulant. Studies show it can help you burn more calories than normal, perhaps up to 10 percent more. For safety's sake, it's best to limit your intake to a single cup in the morning and one in the afternoon. Add only skim milk to tit and try doing without sugar - many people learn to love it that way.

Soup is good for you! Maybe not the canned variety from the store - but old-fashioned, homemade soup promotes weight loss. A study by Dr. John Foreyt of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, found that dieters who ate a bowl of soup before lunch and dinner lost more weight than dieters who didn't. In fact, the more soup they ate, the more weight they lost. And soup eaters tend to keep the weight off longer.

Naturally, the type of soup you eat makes a difference. Cream soups or those made of beef or pork are not your best bets. But here's a great recipe:

Slice three large onions, three carrots, four stalks of celery, one zucchini and oneyellow squash. Place in a kettle. Add three cans crushed tomatoes, two packets low sodium chicken bouillon, three cans water and one cup white wine (optional). Add tarragon, basil, oregano, thyme and garlic powder. Boil, and then simmer for an hour. Serves six.

An entire weight-loss plan, simple called the Rice Diet, was developed by Dr. William Kempner at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The diet, dating to the 1930's, makes rice the staple of your food intake. Later on, you gradually mix in various fruits and vegetables.

It produces stunning weight loss and medical results. The diet has been shown to reverse and cure kidney ailments and high blood pressure.

A cup of cooked rice (150 grams) contains about 178 calories - approximately one-third the number of calories found in an equivalent amount of beef or cheese. And remember, whole grain rice is much better for you than white rice.

There's good reason for this traditional diet food to be a regular part of your diet. It helps dissolve fat and cholesterol, according to Dr. James Cerd of the University of Florida. An average sized grapefruit has 74 calories, delivers a whopping 15 grams of pectin (the special fiber linked to lowering cholesterol and fat), is high in vitamin C and potassium and is free of fat and sodium.

It's rich in natural galacturonic acid, which adds to its potency as a fat and cholesterol fighter. The additional benefit here is assistance in the battle against arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and the development of heart disease. Try sprinkling it with cinnamon rather than sugar to take away some of the tart taste.

We've got to be kidding, right? Wrong. Potatoes have developed the same "fattening" rap as bread, and it's unfair. Dr. John McDougal, director of the nutritional medicine clinic at St. Helena Hospital in Deer Park, California, says, "An excellent food with which to achieve rapid weight loss is the potato, at 0.6 calories per gram or about 85 calories per potato." A great source of fiber and potassium, they lower cholesterol and protect against strokes and heart disease.