STRAWBERRIES - DID YOU KNOW?

 

I received this from an old classmate a few years ago.

FOODS TO BOOST BONE HEALTH IV

This is the final post in this series on bone health. Prunes. Don.t snurl your nose, prunes really aren't that bad. For a while now, I have been eating 2 prunes a day to counteract a medicine I have to take. I have come to look forward to eating them! Actually, prunes are a bone-strengthening powerhouse. Prunes contain vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants that support bone strength, according to Dr. Raj Dasgupta., who says, "studies suggest prunes may slow bone loss in postmenopausal women."

Dr Jennifer Brown said, "It's a good idea to incorporate 50 grams, equivalent to five or six prunes, into your diet daily. She went on to say, "I would advise women to introduce them gradually to avoid unpleasant GI side effects," such as cramps, gas, or bloating.

file photo

WHAT ARE CARBS?

We hear so much about carbs, especially if you are diabetic, but do you really know what a carb is?

First of all, carb/s is a shortened term for carbohydrates.  Okay, so, what is a carbohydrate? A carbohydrate, along with protein and fat, is one of the 3 macronutrients supplying our bodies with the calories they need to function.  That's right; our bodies must have calories to function properly.  Simply put, carbohydrate foods are the sugars and starches.  So, fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, etc are carb foods.  Many foods, milk for example, contain all 3 of the macronutrients of carbs, fat, and protein.

Diabetics are told to watch their carbs and to avoid refined carbs. When you eat foods high in poor quality carbs, such as refined sugar, bleached white flour, white bread, etc, they can raise your blood sugar.  This may cause your insulin to spike to higher-than-normal levels.  Over time, excessive sugar in the blood can be damaging to the body leading to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  Pictured below are some examples of healthy carbs.

file photo

HEALTHY CLUE ON BANANA SKINS

 FYI

APPLES

  

Oranges and Cholesterol

Did you know that oranges may help to lower blood cholesterol? They contain terpenes that reduce serum cholesterol levels, and they are high in LDL-lowering fiber.

DO YOU KNOW LEMONS CAN HELP ALLEIVE ACHES AND PAINS?

We are in the 'ber months now, heading into the months of being cooped up indoors. Do you have more aches and pains during this time? Perhaps you need lemons to the rescue. Thanks to some Polish scientists, we have discovered the juice of two lemons worked into your daily diet, can ease those aches and pains. They say this is due to eriocitrin, a compound found in lemons that reduces tissue inflammation. It is also said to speed the breakdown of metabolic waste that makes muscles and joints ache. If you are suffering from aches and pains, give lemons a try.

file photo

WATERMELON AND VITAMIN C

Need more vitamin C? Enjoy a cup of watermelon. One cup of watermelon will provide you with more than 20% of your daily vitamin C requirement and the best part it that it's less than 50 calories.

GRAB A BANANA FOR MOSQUITO BITES

How strange does that sound? When those nasty mosquitos bite on you, how can a banana help? According to some experts, painful welts on the skin can be relieved by a banana peel. You simply rub the inside of the banana peel against the inflamed areas for a minute and let it absorb to relieve the itching. You are probably wondering how that works. Evidently, the abundance of polysaccharides of the peel seeps deep into the skin cells and stops the irritation quickly. By the way, polysaccharides are a skin-soothing starch-like polymer.

INFORMATION ON BANANAS FOR DIABETICS

There is always confusion about whether or not diabetics can eat bananas. Personally, I eat them often and cook/bake with them all the time and I never have a blood sugar problem from them (yes, I am diabetic). I do, however, eat them just barely ripe and I only eat a small to medium one. I make banana bread but add cinnamon and nuts, both blood sugar stabilizers. I also make banana pudding using Splenda and I use the just barely ripe bananas in it.  Here are some facts from Amy Reeder, registered dietitian, about bananas.

• Bananas are a healthy way to get nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.
• Bananas do contain carbohydrates.
• Bananas are sodium-free, cholesterol-free, and fat-free.
• Counting the carbs in a banana is tricky because it depends on the size and the ripeness of each banana. This chart will help you figure the carb grams in bananas based on size:

6 inches or less: 18.5 grams

6-7 inches: 23 grams

7-8 inches: 27 grams

8-9 inches: 31 grams

9 inches or larger: 35 grams

• If a medium banana has 31 g carbs this would be the breakdown: 19 g would be sugar, 11 would be starch and that includes 3 g of fiber.
• Bananas are considered low glycemic index foods. A medium banana has a glycemic index of 51(anything under 55 is low glycemic). But as with carb grams, glycemic index numbers change with the banana depending on its ripeness. Check the chart that follows:

Medium fully ripe = 51 gi

Medium under ripe (still some green on peel) = 42 gi

Medium over-ripe (some brown spots starting to appear on peel) = 48 gi

• Plantains are members of the banana family. Plantains fall into the green banana category and are eaten cooked, usually fried.
• Note: Be cautious of dried banana chips as they usually have a higher sugar and fat content due to preparation. Read labels carefully and it you eat them, eat them with nuts.

DRIED FRUIT VS FRESH FRUIT

Dried fruit can be handy to add to cereals, baked goods, salads, etc. But remember this: As the fruit shrinks when it dries, you also need to shrink your portion size! Sugar counts and calories jump up when fruit is dried and the Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and and it's value drops. Below are a few facts about dried fruit vs fresh fruit.

• Apples - 1 small apple has around 77 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 12% of your daily value of Vit C. 1/2 cup of dried apples has 104 calories, 4 grams of fiber and only 3% of your daily value of Vit C.
• Plums - 3 medium plums have 91 calories, 3 grams fiber and 31% of your daily value of Vit C. 9 dried plums have 205 calories, 6 grams fiber, and only 1% of your daily value of Vit C
• Grapes - 1 cup grapes has 104 calories, 1 gram fiber, and 26% of your daily value of Vit C. 1/2 cup raisins has 217 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and only 3% of your daily value of Vit C.

These are just a few examples, but they clearly show the differences in dried fruit and fresh fruit.

KICK START YOUR METABOLISM WITH THIS?

When I was a kid, I loved spending the night next door with my grandparents. And one of my favorite treats was breakfast the next morning. My grandmother never drank coffee or tea but had a cup of hot water every morning with breakfast. When my dad found out I was drinking a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of sugar for breakfast, he was not pleased! Imagine my surprise when recently reading a medical report that said to start your morning with a cup of hot water and lemon to rev up your metabolism for the day! If only grandma had known to add lemon! Have a sluggish metabolism? Try some hot water and lemon.

file photo

ORANGES TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Did you know that oranges may help to lower blood cholesterol? They contain terpenes that reduce serum cholesterol levels and they are high in LDL-lowering fiber. What a tasty way to improve your cholesterol numbers!

file photo

MAKING A HEALTHIER SANDWICH

If you are fond of sandwiches or eat more than you would like out of necessity, there are many ways to make sandwiches healthier.  Here are a few healthy ideas for your sandwiches:

• Start with a whole-grain bread.  Never use plain white bread as it is an overly processed unhealthy food.
• Make the main ingredient a healthy protein.  Use a lean meat, fish, or other protein not a fatty, unhealthy meat.
• If using cheese, choose a low-fat cheese.  Cheese is a good source of calcium, just be sure to use a low-fat variety.
• Add fresh fruit to your sandwich.  Thin slices of apple or pear are good options.
• Definitely add some dark leafy greens.  Fresh spinach is a great option.
• Beware of the mayo or other fat and/or sugar loaded sauces.  Try mustard or hummus.  Thin slices of avocado are also a good idea.

file photo

BANANAS WITH ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES

 

SOME BENEFITS OF BANANAS

Here are some facts about bananas of which you may not be aware.  Consider these facts:

• Bananas have 2Xs as many (good) carbs as an apple
• Bananas have 5Xs as much iron and vitamin A as an apple
• Bananas have 3Xs as much phosphorus as an apple
• Bananas are rich in potassium 
• Bananas have natural sugar
• Bananas are a great source of natural energy because of the rich amounts of vitamins and minerals
• Bananas can boost your mood because they contain mood-controlling  tryptophan
• A Banana at lunch is good for students as the potassium in bananas can boost brain power and alertness

These are just a few of the benefits of bananas you may not be aware of.  Unless you have an allergy or other health reasons why you should not, include bananas in your diet on a regular basis.

LOOK AT YOUR PLATE

Do you ever take a look at your plate before you start eating?  If you don't, you should!  First of all, look at the quantity of food.  How big is the plate and how much food is it holding?  Secondly, what types of food are on your plate?  About half of your plate (this is especially important for diabetics) should be holding vegetables, and not just any vegetables!  We are talking a variety of colorful low carb vegetables, not french fries and onion rings.  Sorry 'bout that! :(  To complete that plate the other half should be divided in thirds, one-third for whole grains, one-third for beans, nuts, seeds, or low carb fruit, and the last third for protein including lean meat.  Studies have shown that the colorful vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that help prevent disease.  And a plate that looks like what I have described above will promote good blood glucose levels.  That is why I said above that it is important for diabetics.  It is also a good rule for anyone who cares about their health and their diet.

Be sure that bread is whole-grain!

MORE ON BANANAS

 

Since yesterday's post was about bananas, I thought it a good idea to follow up with this chart.

Should It Be A Banana A Day to Keep the Doctor Away?

 

Instead of eating an apple each day for optimum health, the adage should state that a banana each day keeps the doctor away.  Here we examine why.  The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than their round counterparts.  

If you are diabetic, you may have been told to only eat half a banana at a time.  Here is the reason why; a banana has twice the carbs as an apple and also more natural sugar.  So, beware of that if you are a diabetic.  But here is the good news, a banana has five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times as much phosphorus as an apple. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium. 

The banana a “super food” that is an integral part of a healthy daily diet regimen.

Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy. Eating only two bananas will give you enough energy to exercise or workout for an hour and a half.  Note: If you are a diabetic and you eat two bananas you had better workout for an hour and a half!

Bananas are also ideal for eating during that midday lull when you feel tired and sluggish.  Instead of drinking caffeine or having a sugary snack, bananas provide a level of energy that lasts longer without the dramatic crash caused by caffeine and/or sugar.

Would you believe bananas are a brain food?  Because they are rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. 

Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.  Bananas are one of the foods commonly recommended for anyone suffering with high blood pressure.

The above are just a few of the benefits of eating bananas.  Are bananas a regular part of your diet?

Note: some of the above information was gathered from LifeScript

TANGERINES FOR YOUR HEALTH

Tangerines are often thought of as a Christmas fruit.  But these little citrus gems are a health food!  Like all citrus fruit, tangerines are loaded with vitamin-C.  One cup of tangerine sections will yield your whole day's supply of immune-strengthening vitamin-C.  The best part for those counting calories is that cup of tangerine sections only adds 86 calories to your daily calorie count!  Tangerines also give you a generous amount of cancer-fighting vitamin-A, potassium, and some B-vitamins to help you fight fatigue.  So don't just enjoy tangerines in December but enjoy them as often as you can.  Think of tangerines as a great-tasting health food!