Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Jul 01, 2010
I love when one season transitions into the next, not for the change in weather or wardrobe, but because of all the new foods that become available. For instance, last week marked not only the official start of summer, but also the arrival of blueberries at my local farmers market.
Like other fruit and vegetables, blueberries are low in calories and rich in vitamins. But these little blue orbs have set themselves apart from the rest of the pack because they're positively loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants. And I love the unique sweet and sour flavor of blueberries! In fact, I was so excited to find them during my last trip to the market, that I ended up buying four pints!
That may seem like a lot of blueberries, but I've had no problem working my way through them. I realized that my last five breakfasts have been centered around blueberries. Sunday after returning home from the farmers market, I made whole-grain blueberry pancakes that I also topped with fresh blueberries, Bestlife Buttery Spread and a drop of maple syrup. On Monday, I had Irish oatmeal topped with fresh blueberries. Tuesday was a homemade granola with more fresh blueberries. Wednesday I made Blueberry Bran Muffins. And today, I started the day with a Blueberry Almond Smoothie (see recipe below). Unfortunately I'm all out of blueberries—time to go buy some more.
Blueberry Almond Smoothie
Makes 1 serving
Prep time: 3 minutes
Total time: 3 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons almond butter
Directions
Make sure all ingredients are cold before starting. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Serve.
Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 325
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrate: 28 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 16 g
Total Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Calcium: 284 mg
Sodium: 287 mg
Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Dec 03, 2009
Chocolate is one of those foods that taste good and is good for
you (in small doses, of course). That's because chocolate—any food that
is made from the seed of the tropical cacoa—contains antioxidants, the
same compounds in fruit and veggies that help reduce the risk for heart
disease and some cancers.
So what's the right amount and which type is best? If you're watching
your weight, one ounce of dark chocolate is probably the perfect
amount; you'll reap all the health benefits and keep your calories in
check. (White and milk chocolate don't appear to provide the same
benefits as dark.)
You'll want to check the label for a few things. First, look at the
amount of cocoa it contains. The higher the percentage, the less sweet
the chocolate will be. For example unsweetened baking chocolate is 100
percent; a good dark chocolate for eating is usually between 55 percent
and 85 percent. Obviously, it will depend on your personal taste which
you choose. I have found that my tastes change the more good quality
dark chocolate I try. I am personally fond of richer bars in the 75- to
85-percent range. However, when tasting chocolate, you will see that
there is a wide variation in flavor even if a chocolate has the same
percentage of cocoa. This is due to how they're processed, where the
beans are grown and other factors.
You should also take note of whether the product is processed with
alkali, which destroys some of its beneficial properties. (It should specify on the label). And because cocoa beans, like coffee and many
other products, are grown primarily in poor countries, you may want to
check if it has a fair trade certification. Products that sport this label come from a farm where laborers are treated well and are fairly compensated.
Now that you know what to buy, how should you eat it? You can have a
square or two plain, or you can try pairing it up with other foods,
such as pears, bananas, peaches, figs and nuts. For a simple dessert,
try melting one ounce of chocolate per person and dipping your favorite
fruit in it. You can also use cocoa powder (one that is not processed with alkali)
as a compliment to meat, poultry and many vegetables, especially winter
root vegetables.
For more tasty and healthy ways to enjoy chocolate, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Janis Jibrin on Fri, Oct 23, 2009
Before I even had time to miss the peaches, blueberries and other summer fruit that had become my breakfast and snacking staples for the past few months, in came the wonderful fall fruit offerings. When you think of fruit, fall probably isn't the first season that comes to mind, but you'd be surprised by how many flavorful choices you have: Apples, pears, citrus, and grapes are all at their peak right now.
You can count on these fresh picks to deliver loads of flavor—whether you're adding them to salads, snacking on them right out of the crisper, or incorporating them into your recipes. Plus, they also can help keep you healthy. Take a look below to see what each offers.
Apples: They're a good source of a beneficial compound called quercetin, which helps fight cancer. Quercetin seems to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Not to mention, apples are high in fiber. You'll get three grams for a medium, 75-calorie apple.
Pears: Eat the skin, not only for its fiber (six grams for a medium pear), but also because USDA research shows that the different varieties of pears contain different types of antioxidants in their skins.
Grapefruit: Just ½ grapefruit (40 calories) covers about half
your vitamin C requirement for the day, and if you're eating a red or
pink variety, you'll also score 30 percent of your day's vitamin A
needs. Grapefruit's two main bioflavonoids are naringin and naringenin,
antioxidants that help prevent chronic disease. (Remember, grapefruit
can interfere with a variety of medications, so check with your doctor
to make sure it's OK to eat it.)
Grapes: You've likely heard about the phytonutrients (resveratrol, in particular) in red wine. That compound, of course, comes from grapes. And it's not just red grapes: Grapes of all colors are rich in resveratrol, an antioxidant that promotes heart health and also helps stave off cancer. Red and black grapes get their color from anthocyanins, another beneficial antioxidant.
Oranges: For just 60 calories, an orange delivers 93 percent the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, three grams of fiber, and 10 percent of the DV for folate, a B vitamin that helps fight cancer and birth defects. Oranges also contain powerful antioxidants called citrus bioflavonoids.
For more health-eating tips, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Janis Jibrin on Fri, Oct 02, 2009
Summer may be over, but that doesn't mean you'll have to wait months to eat the season's fruit again. Thanks to the technology of flash-freezing, you can buy excellent frozen versions of your favorite produce. Not only are frozen options more convenient than fresh—no spoiling!—but they can often be more nutritious. After all, 'fresh' produce just isn't all that fresh after being shipped across the country. Heat, light and time all destroy key nutrients. Flash-freezing, on the other hand, happens just after produce is picked, which locks in most vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
Take a look at all the good-for-you nutrients these frozen picks offer.
Blueberries (unsweetened)
Calories per cup: 79
Frozen facts: They're an excellent source of fiber (four grams per cup), putting a dent in that 25-grams-per-day goal for women (38 for men). They're also a rich source of anthocyanadins, antioxidants linked to reducing blood clots and improving memory.
Blackberries (unsweetened)
Calories per cup: 97
Frozen facts: They contain an amazing eight grams of fiber per cup.
Peaches (unsweetened)
Calories per cup: 107
Frozen facts: They pack four grams of fiber, 443 milligrams of potassium, and a whopping 236 milligrams of vitamin C per cup.
Strawberries (unsweetened)
Calories per cup: 77
Frozen facts: A cup contains four grams of fiber and 91 milligrams (one and a half times the daily value) of vitamin C.
For more healthy-eating advice, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Willow Jarosh on Mon, Sep 28, 2009
Last week I was preparing a recipe that called for nuts and as I added a cup of hazelnuts to my bowl, I tossed one into my mouth. Much to my dismay, my hazelnuts had gone rancid. As I picked the nuts out of my batter (note to self: Make sure ingredients are good before combining them with other ingredients), I wondered if there was any harm in using rancid nuts—as well as other foods that contain healthful fats, such as oils and seeds—aside from the fact that they taste gross.
As I researched, I learned that there are indeed some side effects that go beyond bad taste when these foods go rancid. In fact, it's changes in the chemical structure of the fats that create that distinct rancid flavor, and those same changes can turn heart-friendly monounsaturated fats into less healthful versions. In addition, the antioxidant content in these foods diminishes over time. Protecting nuts, seeds and oils from becoming rancid helps preserve their flavors as well as their health benefits.
Heat and time are the major factors leading to rancidity and the depletion of antioxidants. To extend the life of nuts, seeds and oils, move them away from heat sources, like the oven or sunny windows. Better yet, stick oils in the refrigerator and store nuts and seeds in the freezer. You might find that the cold temperature of the fridge causes oils to become thicker or slightly cloudy, but running them under water for a minute should clear them right up.
To learn more about healthy eating, join TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Stephanie Clarke on Mon, Aug 03, 2009
While I love the taste and texture of fresh berries in the summer, frozen berries have a different (but equally important) place in my heart! They're a freezer must-have because they pack in lots of nutrition like vitamin C, fiber, and tons of antioxidants. Plus, they last much longer than fresh, and are available and budget-friendly year round. Here are five of my favorite ways to enjoy them:
1. A smoothie snack: Blend 1 cup of your favorite frozen berry with light flavored soy milk, like Silk Light vanilla or chocolate, for a quick and delicious summer snack.
2. Blueberry pancakes: Add frozen blueberries to whole wheat pancake mix.
3. Do-it-yourself fruit yogurt: Add thawed mixed frozen berries to plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt for a fresh fruited yogurt that saves you lots of added sugar.
4. Strawberry shortcake breakfast: Top frozen waffles with thawed frozen strawberries and low-fat plain yogurt drizzled with maple syrup.
5. Balsamic berry dessert: Let berries (try using mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and blackberries) defrost in balsamic vinegar mixed with a small amount sugar (about 1 teaspoon per cup of berries) for 30 minutes or longer; serve over light vanilla ice cream.
For more healthy-eating ideas, check out TheBestLife.com.