Fall for Fall Fruit

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.

Bring on the Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts have gotten a bad reputation–in movies and on TV shows, parents are always forcing or bribing their kids to eat the  veggie. Many blame their dislike of the veggie on their sulfuric smell and taste, but this only happens when you overcook them. If you cook them right, you're in for a treat. In fact, I always gladly finish my Brussels sprouts—and even go back for seconds! Not just because they're so cute (Brussels sprouts resemble tiny cabbages, and are indeed in the cabbage family), but because they are delicious, loaded with nutrients, easy to prepare, and quite versatile.

My favorite way to make them is by roasting them with a little olive oil cooking spray and a crackle of fresh black pepper. To prepare them, simply rinse, remove any loose leaves, trim the thicker bottom portion, and they’re ready to go. (I prefer to slice my sprouts in half—they cook quicker and get a bit crispier on the outside.) Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with pepper, and bake at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once. If I'm making a small batch, I stick them in the toaster oven; larger batches go in the regular oven.

Eat your roasted Brussels sprouts as is, add them to your salad, or create my favorite side dish by tossing them with balsamic vinegar and freshly grated Parmesan. One cup provides two servings of veggies and packs in fiber, more than 100 percent of your daily needs of vitamin C, and special phytonutrients that may help ward off certain types of cancer. You (and your kids) may want to think twice before bypassing Brussels sprouts!

For more tasty ways to prepare veggies, check out TheBestLife.com.

Instant Nutrition Boosters

Got a minute? Then you have time to make a major difference in your diet. These five quick and easy adjustments will help slim you down and infuse your diet with more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients.

1. Say buh-bye to butter. Replace regular butter with peanut or almond butter. Nut butters contain the same amount of calories as margarine or butter, but they keep you feeling full longer. That may be because the creamy spread is high in protein; there is 4 g of the satiating nutrient per tablespoon. Plus, the healthy monounsaturated fats help protect your ticker. If you're in the mood for a butter-like spread, be sure to choose one that contains no partially hydrogenated oil, such as Smart Balance Buttery Spread, which carries the Best Life seal.

2. Choose whole over white. Opting for whole-grain products, such as bread, cereal and rice, over white will help you get your fiber fix for the day. Hitting the 25- to 35-grams-per-day goal for fiber will help keep you satisfied and reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, constipation, and obesity.

3. Drink your vegetables. Don't have time to wash and chop? Six ounces of vegetable juice counts as one of your three or more daily vegetable servings. Ideally, you should use juice to fill just one of your veggie servings because the whole vegetable is much more filling for the calories.

4. Select a smarter cup. Coffee can weaken your bones, but drinking fat-free milk can help offset the risk, according to a study from the University of California at San Diego. So add some calcium to your cup by turning your coffee into café au lait or your espresso into a latte. Calcium- and vitamin D-enriched soymilk is also an excellent choice—soy has been linked to protection against heart disease. (Many flavors of Silk soymilk have the Best Life seal.)

5. Go for real fruit, not fruit juice. Fruit juice can cost you up to about 150 calories per 8-ounce cup. The real deal—a piece of whole fruit—will set you back only 60 calories. Plus, whole fruit contains fiber (there's 3 to 4 g in a medium orange or apple), whereas fruit juice has none. Note: Veggie juice, though lower in fiber than whole veggies, is still OK for one of your daily veggie servings because it's low in calories. In fact, it has half the calories of most fruit juices.

For more quick and easy healthy-eating tips, check out TheBestLife.com. 

Eat Your Veggies!

Here's a simple fact: Vegetables are the best foods you can eat—whether you're trying to lose weight or simply eat healthier. Packed with water and fiber, which makes them extremely filling, veggies are one of the best sources of disease-fighting phytonutrients. Study after study shows that people who eat the most veggies (and fruit) have the lowest risk for cancer. (You should be getting at least four vegetable servings per day.)

Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of drowning their healthy veggie in fat (think of broccoli covered with melted cheese or a potato topped with butter), turning a once low-calorie food into a calorie-bomb. You don't have to have your veggies plain, though. A lot of people have been turned off of veggies because they think they lack flavor—and in some cases, they can be right. But there are so many easy ways to add flavor to veggies without adding extra calories or fat. Try these suggestions below to enjoy the four-plus servings of veggies you should be eating each day.

Get roasting. Roasting gives vegetables a wonderful sweetness and allows you to prepare them with a minimum amount of fat. Toss vegetables with a touch of olive oil or use a bit of balsamic vinegar to add a little oomph.

Break out the broth. Reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth is a great way to add more flavor to veggies. Start by heating olive oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, toss in chopped vegetables of your choice and let them cook for two to three minutes. Then pour in a cup or so (it cooks down, so it doesn't really matter how much you use) of reduced-sodium broth. Cover the pan for one to two minutes so the vegetables steam, then remove the lid and continue cooking until the vegetables are completely wilted or tender crisp.

Go for frozen. Frozen veggies can, in some instances, be even more nutritious than the fresh stuff because they are flash frozen right after they're picked. That means the nutrients don't have any time to break down, unlike fresh veggies which may not hit your plate until several days after they are picked. Look for frozen vegetables that have 0 mg (or close to 0 mg) sodium. And if you choose frozen veggies with a sauce, check to make sure that it has no more than 350 mg of sodium per serving and no trans fat.

Take a dip. Dip carrots, celery or red pepper sticks into a low-fat or nonfat ranch dressing.

Make your own coleslaw. Buy pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix and combine with a light vinaigrette.

Be adventurous. Make it your goal to try one new vegetable each week. Some often-ignored veggies worth sampling include: jicama (sprinkle it with lime juice and chili powder); hearts of palm (this canned veggie is great sliced into salads); beets (delicious roasted); Swiss chard (can be used in place of spinach); celery root (good cooked and pureed); and radishes (they add a nice crunch to salads).

For even more great ideas on how to increase your veggie intake, check out the countless delicious recipes in the recipe database at TheBestLife.com.

Grape Expectations

Besides being delicious and easily portable, grapes are a rich source of the disease-fighting antioxidant called resveratrol. This phytonutrient gained some fame as a possible explanation for the lower heart disease rates in wine-sipping French people.

Grapes produce resveratrol to protect themselves against environmental stressors, such as harsh sunlight and attacks from fungus or other microbes. In humans, resveratrol is also protective, possibly reducing the risk for heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. It does so by taming inflammation and fighting off free radicals, which damage DNA.

Although red wine put resveratrol on the map (the compound is found in the fruit’s skin; white wine is processed without grape skins), grapes are a healthier way to get this compound as alcohol has been shown to increase cancer risk, even if used in moderation.
Of course, you probably already know that local produce is best—it’s often freshest, tastiest and most nutritious. But one of the only places grapes are grown here in the United States is California; it has an ideal grape-growing climate. That means you’ll rarely see grapes at farmer’s markets in other states. We’re in grape season right now (it runs from May through January), so the ones you’ll get at your grocery store are at their peak. So, next time you’re shopping, pick up a bagful and don’t be afraid to experiment. This versatile fruit is more than just a snack—you can use them in your salads (try the recipe below), meals and desserts!

Chicken Salad with Marinated Grapes and Red Onions

Pair this refreshing salad with a big slice of crusty, whole grain bread dipped in 2 teaspoons olive oil or a healthy spread (like Smart Balance Buttery Spread), and you’ve got a meal!

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups halved grapes
1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
1 pound rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from bones and skin removed
4 cups mixed greens

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add grapes and onion and set aside.

2. Combine chicken and greens in a large bowl. Dress with grape mixture and serve.

Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 291
Protein: 32 g
Carbohydrate: 14 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 92 mg
Sodium: 401 mg
Calcium: 50 mg

For more healthy-eating ideas and tasty recipes, check out TheBestLife.com.

Your Three-Step Plan for Squeezing in More Produce

The produce aisle has every food you need to help curb weight gain (or promote weight loss) as well as reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many other health ailments. Yet very few people eat as many fruits and vegetables as they should. To squeeze more fruits and veggies into your day, use this simple three-step plan:

1. Prep
As soon as you get home from the store, wash and peel or cut up your fruit and veggies so they're ready to eat anytime. (There are some exceptions to this rule; for example, you shouldn't wash grapes until you're ready to eat them because they spoil more quickly after rinsing off the bloom, or protective white covering.) If you can't see yourself working that hard on grocery day, buy the cut up and pre-prepped stuff in the store.

2. Store
Out of sight often means out of mind, so try placing your fruits and vegetables on the shelves in your refrigerator and turn the produce drawer into a "junk food" drawer. Also keep a colorful fruit bowl arrangement on the table, and have grab-and-go snack bags (the cut-up raw veggies and peeled and segmented oranges that you already prepped) ready and waiting in your fridge.

3. Eat
Always fill 2/3 of your plate with plant-based food (fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes) and 1/3 with lean protein such as fish and poultry. Remember, eating more of the good stuff leaves less room for the bad stuff.

For more healthy-eating advice, check out TheBestLife.com.

Be a Smarter Shopper

Food shopping can be an ordeal when you consider how crammed supermarket shelves are with products that promise to lower this and reduce that. We're bombarded in every aisle with confusing labels and claims.  

As a registered dietitian and nutrition professional committed to helping people lead a healthier lifestyle, and as the author of the e-book, The Grocery Cart Makeover (www.grocerycartmakeover), I know first-hand just how confusing and frustrating it is to make healthy choices at the grocery store. That's why I wanted to offer you some smart-shopping tips. This week, I'll be focusing on how to spot a real whole-grain product.

But first, let me explain why whole grains are so good for you: Whole grains have not had their fiber- and nutrient-rich bran and germ removed by processing, making them a good source of fiber (which can help with weight loss), B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and iron, as well as disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals. Obviously, this makes them a better choice than foods made with refined flour. But it's not always easy to spot whole-grain foods, especially because of confusing whole-grain claims that many manufacturers put on their products.

To pick out the real whole-grains from the fakes, simply look for foods (bread, cereal, couscous, rice, crackers, pasta and other products) that are 100 percent whole grain—meaning they contain no refined flours. Keep in mind that packages won't identify flours as refined, so if the label does not say "100 percent whole grain," check the ingredient list. The predominant or first ingredient listed should be a whole grain (check out the list below for specifics). Steer clear of products whose ingredients list start with refined grains, like white flour (usually listed as bleached or unbleached enriched wheat flour), semolina or durum flour, and rice flour.  
 
Finally don't be fooled by clever packaging or marketing. For instance, avoid packages that claim to be an "excellent" or a "good source of" whole grain. These foods often contain far more refined grain than whole grain. Also beware of terms like "seven grain," "multi-grain," "whole-grain blend," and "made with whole grain;" these are not whole-grain foods.

Whole grain ingredients to look for:
Whole wheat
Oats
Rye
Brown rice
Bulgur wheat
Oatmeal
Barley
Buckwheat
Cracked wheat
Quinoa
Amaranth
Wild Rice
Popcorn
Millet
Spelt
 
Refined ingredients to limit:
Bleached or unbleached enriched wheat flour
White flour
Wheat flour
Semolina or durum flour
Rice flour
White rice
Cornmeal
Corn flakes

For more information on shopping and eating healthfully, join TheBestLife.com.