FitSugar

Taste the Rainbow: Colorful Antioxidant-Rich Foods and Their Benefits

Michele Foley — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:08:23 PST

Eating a rainbow of foods is an easy way to give the body much-needed antioxidants. Besides giving fruits and veggies their pretty colors, substances like lycopene and beta-carotene may protect against cancer, promote brain health, and act as an anti-inflammatory. This isn't the time to be monochromatic: since each pigment provides different benefits, get as many colors on your plate as possible. Keep reading for a rainbow color guide to see how each antioxidant helps the body and easy ways to incorporate them into your everyday meals.

Seasonal Eats: Daikon Radish

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:22:17 PDT

Daikon is a white root vegetable often seen in Japanese and Chinese cuisine that resembles a carrot. However, unlike a carrot's sweetness, daikon is spicy and tart, similar to a radish. Its pungent and sharp flavor can be enjoyed raw, pickled, or cooked. The white pigment in daikon is called anthoxanthin, which is an antioxidant that may lower cholesterol and blood pressure. In Asian cuisine, daikon is often eaten alongside meaty dishes, and is said to aid in digestion and breakdown of oil, fatty animal protein, and dairy. Cooked daikon has a similar texture and flavor to turnips. Daikon is in season during the cold weather months, so if you've picked some up recently here's a quick and simple sauté preparation.

5 Superfood Smoothie Powders to Give Your Body a Boost

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:09:51 PDT

From Peruvian maca root to Indian turmeric, here are five interesting superfoods from around the world that you can add to your smoothies for added nutritional boosts. High in minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins, prepare for these powders to help you feel energized, invigorated, and cleansed.

Source: ThinkStock

Phytonutrient-Packed Watermelon With Honey-Lime Mint Syrup

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:46:15 PDT

It's common knowledge to eat macronutrients like protein, fat, and carbohydrates, but many people skimp out on micronutrients, especially those that come from plants. Phytonutrients, or "plant-based" nutrients, consist of fruits and vegetables that make up the colors of the rainbow. By eating a variety of colors, you are providing your body with antioxidants and other nutrients that protect your body from disease and degeneration.

Lycopene, the phytonutrient that gives fruits and vegetables a red pigment, is part of the carotenoid family. You can easily obtain a high dosage of lycopene by eating watermelon. Lycopene acts as an antioxidant, and daily consumption may reduce risks of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Boost the flavor of the watermelon by tossing it in a honey-lime mint sauce.

See the watermelon recipe after the break!

Why Mushrooms Are Important For a Vegetarian Diet

Leta Shy — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:15:17 PST

It's National Nutrition Month, and while you may be eating all the bright colors of the rainbow, don't overlook that less flashy color - brown. As in, the brown crimini button mushroom, a market and salad bar staple for good reason.

The common mushroom is hiding some important nutrients that vegetarians should make sure they get enough of. One such important nutrient is selenium. While meat, seafood, grains, and nuts have excellent levels of the mineral, mushrooms are the only produce that have high levels of it, so they are especially important to include in your diet if you are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.

Selenium helps produce antioxidants and also keeps your immune and thyroid systems healthy. Studies have even shown that it may reduce LDL cholesterol levels as well as help with inflammatory diseases. Crimini mushrooms are packed with the stuff: five ounces of the mushrooms provide over half of the daily value of selenium.

The benefits don't stop there, however. Mushrooms are also high in other important minerals, including iron, zinc, and potassium, as well as vitamin D.

I love to sauté crimini mushrooms in a little olive oil and seasoning for a quick side dish, but if you're into Meatless Mondays or thinking of giving up meat for Lent, try a mushroom leek tart, a vegan mushroom and garlic bisque, or a hearty broccoli and mushroom quiche for dinner.

The Pros and Cons of Red, White, and Bubbly

Leta Shy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:05:25 PST

Afer a long day, a glass of wine may just be what's in order, especially since so many studies have proven it to be so good for us. In fact, alcohol in general has certain health benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as decreasing the risk of developing gallstones. However, all these happy benefits come with a huge caveat: they are only seen in moderate drinkers (which for women means one glass a day). Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer as well as a host of other well-known alcohol-related problems.

Wine is one of the best ways to celebrate the benefits from one-a-day drinking. But not all wine is equal, and there are definite cons to go along with all those antioxidant pros in your glass.

Are you a fan of red, white, or bubbly? Read on to find out what the pros and cons of your drink of choice are.

Eat Right With Color - It's National Nutrition Month

Susi May — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:00:48 PST

January is dedicated to New Year's resolutions. February is all about hearts. And March is National Nutrition Month - that's 31 days dedicated to cultivating sound eating habits. Created by the American Dietetic Association to help Americans improve their diets, the month comes during the time of year when people find their resolve for making healthy choices start to fade.

This year's slogan, "Eat Right with Color," is cheerful enough to bust through the dreariness of late Winter. Eating a rainbow of foods is great way to ensure you're getting a variety of vitamins and minerals - different antioxidants create the different colors in fruits and veggies. Here's what adding a little color to your plate can do for you:

Yellow/Orange: Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, mango, corn, and cantaloupe all contain a variety of carotenoids, an antioxidant that reduces your risk of developing cancer. Also high in vitamin A, orange and yellow foods make great post-workout snacks since cartenoids help repair micro tears in well worked muscles.
Green: Vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are high in lutein, which keeps your vision sharp and clear. Treat your taste buds and your peepers to sautéed dino kale with pine nuts and currants. It's a snap to make.

Learn what the rest of the rainbow has to offer.

Seasonal Eats: How Do You Cook Turnips?

Leta Shy — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 03:05:41 PST

When shopping for in-season vegetables, turnip isn't the first Winter vegetable to come to mind. The cold-weather crop doesn't win the popularity vote over more tastier or well-known options at the farmers market.

Turnips, however, hold a good deal of nutritional value. One serving of the root (about 1 cup) offers almost as much potassium as a banana, and also contains vitamins C and B, such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and B6.

A popular preparation of turnips is as a substitute for mashed potatoes; mashed turnips have far less carbohydrates and calories. You can also slice them thinly and eat them raw in salads, or roast them with a little olive oil. And don't forget the turnip greens, which are also very nutritious. Turnip greens are extremely high in vitamin K - which is important for strong bones and healthy arteries - and antioxidants, not to mention their value as a detox aid. The greens are tasty as a sautéed side or steamed to maintain the most nutrients.

How do you enjoy turnips and turnip greens?

Source: Flickr User maureen lunn

Make Chocolate Count: Organic, Fair Trade, and Vegan Picks

Michele Foley — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:40:08 PST

I'm definitely a fan of Valentine's Day, but mostly because I like the excuse to eat chocolate. Besides tasting good, dark chocolate is full of heart-healthy flavonoids (equal to many fruits), can soothe a cough, increase blood flow, and lower blood pressure.

Spread the love even more this holiday by buying my picks for chocolate that's organic, Fair Trade, or health-inspired, and don't forget to throw in a cute card - your sweetie will love you even more for it!

Vosges chocolatier Katrina Markoff fuses her premium chocolates with things like curry, wasabi, and ginger, but we especially like Vosges because of its yoga and chocolate weekend workshops. Make vegan and gluten-free friends happy with the Vosges vegan truffle collection ($25) - with ingredients like agave nectar, organic coconut milk, pomegranate, and acai, this collection is sure to be a hit with health conscious friends.
The handmade Drunken Figs ($35) from Cocoavino are made with red wine and dark chocolate - talk about antioxidant overload! Chocolate from Cocoavino is organic and Fair Trade certified, made with wind power, and sold in eco-friendly packaging.
Forget Nestlé Crunch; Dark Quinoa Chocolate bars ($5) from Alter Eco give you that same crunch except with a tiny burst of protein. Alter Eco sources all of its ingredients from Fair Trade farms and also helps fund community development programs.

To see what other chocolate made the cut,

Chocolate Has More Antioxidants Than Fruit

Susannah Chen — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:51:37 PST

Yet another reason to savor chocolate this Valentine's Day: it does a body good - maybe even better than fruit. Or so says a new study. According to scientists, the findings show chocolate has antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavanols equal to (and in some cases greater than) fruit.

The study, conducted by the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition and published in Chemistry Central Journal, compared cocoa powders to acaí, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate powders.

Do you find the results hard to believe? Does this sound too good to be true?