The Top 10 'Look Better Naked' Foods

I know what you’re thinking: yuck, a diet. The d-word word has rather evil connotations— hunger, deprivation, and drudgery, to name just a few. Then there are also the major inconveniences of not really being able to eat at restaurants or meet friends for after-work drinks. Evil, indeed.

Fortunately, the Look Better Naked eating plan requires none of those things. The only catch: You’ll have to hit the supermarket and spend a little time in the kitchen, but probably no more than you would have otherwise. The majority of the ingredients in this diet are included not just for their weight-loss or palate-pampering properties. Look Better Naked foods have natural elements that will enhance your appearance—by targeting belly fat, plumping up skin cells, “glowifying” your complexion, adding luster to your hair, strengthening your nails, and even protecting you from illness.

>> Get a super–sexy body in six weeks

This luscious fruit is famous for containing loads of cholesterol-lowering, heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which boosts the "bioavailability" of antioxidants in foods that it's paired with. Tomatoes are an especially good complement—a fact that makes a strong case for adding tomatoes to your guacamole—because they're rich in lycopene, a pigment-rich antioxidant known as a carotenoid that reduces cancer risk and cardiovascular disease.

To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne (both LBN guilt-free flavor boosters). If an avocado is firm, place it in a paper bag with an apple or banana, which will emit ripening ethylene gas. And if you're only going to eat half the avocado, leave the pit in the part you don't use; it will prevent browning.

>> Plates looking a little monochromatic? Get more tips on pairing your produce.

Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are fed grain, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. This, in turn, contributes to a host of problems. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown helps reduce belly fat and build lean muscle. Beef is also among the best sources of highly absorbable iron in your supermarket. Low iron levels, which are common in women, not only zap your zip, but can also cause brittle nails, according to Francesca Fusco, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York City's Mount Sinai Medical Center.

>>Dig into these 37 protein-packed recipes that will keep you satisfied.

Take your pick—blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are all insanely good for you. In general, the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice—and the better it is for you. Blackberries, for instance, are loaded with anthocyanins, powerful antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function (and are also found in red wine and tea). Can't say anything bad about blueberries either, but wild varieties contain 26 percent more antioxidants than cultivated ones. Blueberries also contain vision-protecting vitamin C as well as appetite-quelling fiber (although raspberries have more fiber than any other berries). And scientists now believe that blueberries battle urinary tract infections, says Elizabeth Somer, RD. Strawberries pack up to three times more vitamin C than other berries and have fewer calories, but they're one of the most important foods to buy organic, according to Keith Block, MD, author of Life Over Cancer, because they have a unique capacity for absorbing pesticides.

Berries are high in antioxidants!

Beans are a healthy way to add protein to your diet, as well as potassium, folate, and iron—and the darker the beans, the better, concluded researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Their study found that beans are loaded with the same heart-healthy, cancer-preventing compounds found in red wine, berries, and tea. But black beans had the most, followed by red, brown, yellow, and white. (For comparison's sake, 1/2 cup of black beans had the same amount of anthocyanins as two glasses of red wine.) But don't discount good-for-you yellow legumes, such as soybeans. All beans are low in fat, and they're packed with protein, fiber, and iron—nutrients crucial for building muscle and losing weight.

C'ack these instead of toasting bagels!

>>Think beans are just for taco salads? Think again. We made 40 delicious meals with only 10 ingredients, and one was black beans!

Bright-red peppers have high levels of antioxidant vitamins A and C, according to James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado and co-founder of America on the Move, a national weight-gain-prevention initiative. Just 1 cup of chopped red peppers contains three times the minimum amount of vitamin C and nearly 100 percent of the vitamin A recommended for a typical 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Green and yellow peppers contain less vitamin A, but all peppers are naturally fat free and low calorie, and they contain 3 grams of fiber per chopped cup, making them excellent snacks or mealtime fillers.

>>Check out 10 more can't-go-wrong munchies that will satisfy your craving and help you lose pounds.

Selenium is a vital trace mineral that mops up those pesky free radicals and helps protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, according to Matthew Kadey, RD. A cup of Brussels sprouts contains twice as much selenium as, say, butternut squash or kale. "Your thyroid can't produce certain hormones without it," he says. "You can blame hormones for a lot of bad stuff, but they also happen to run your entire system—and thyroid hormones, specifically, control the metabolism of every cell in your body." Plus the sulforaphane in Brussels sprouts fires up enzymes that may stop breast-cancer cells from growing.

>>Want more heart-healthy foods? Treat your ticker right with these go-to recipes.

In terms of lean protein, white meat chicken (minus the skin) reigns supreme. And lean protein is also a terrific source of coenzyme Q10, which assists skin cell turnover. (So goodbye flaky old dead cells, and hello fresh, rosy new ones!) You can easily grill enough chicken for a week's worth of meals—to chunk into salads or slice for sandwiches, for example. Just rub a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic, and dried rosemary and fire on each side for about 5 minutes, and then store in the fridge for up to a week.

>>Whip up these low-fat chicken recipes in 30 minutes or less.

A San Diego State University study turned up this bit of fulfilling news about dried plums, aka prunes: They're supremely satiating. Women who ate 12 prunes one day, then ate the equivalent calories' worth of low-fat cookies the next day, said they felt significantly less hungry 2 hours after eating the fruit than they did after eating the cookies. The abundant fiber and sorbitol (a sugar alcohol that the body metabolizes slowly) in prunes keep blood sugar and insulin levels in check. Prunes may also help shrink your waistline. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that among 74,000 women surveyed, those who got more fiber were 49 percent less likely to suffer weight gain. Prunes help fight the hardening of arteries and pack a powerful antioxidant punch, too. Dried cherries are another good option.

>> You don’t always have to buy fresh. Go dried, frozen, and canned with this list of the 125 best packaged foods.

The ideal breakfast, according to Larry McCleary, MD, author of The Brain Trust Program, is an egg. The incredible edible contains B vitamins, which enable nerve cells to burn glucose, your brain's major energy source; antioxidants, which protect neurons against damage; and omega-3 fatty acids, which keep nerve cells firing at optimal speed. They're good for your belly, too. Those who eat eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight than those who eat a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Opt for Organic Valley Omega-3 eggs, which contain 225 milligrams of omega-3s.

>> Eggs are one of the top 12 foods for fighting fat and building strong muscle. See what else made the list.