FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Freeze Bananas

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:21 -0700

Warmer weather makes bunches of bananas turn brown quicker, so before you have to throw them away, freeze them to use for smoothies or banana bread. Just unpeel your nanner, wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the freezer. You can add the frozen banana right to the blender for a fruit smoothie, and for banana bread or muffins, allow them to thaw first. It's a helpful time- and money-saver.

What's the Deal With the Morning Banana Diet?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

I've been hearing a lot about this new Morning Banana Diet that is taking Japan by storm, so I decided to do a little investigating on whether or not it's worth all the hype.

Basically, the rules behind the Morning Banana Diet (MBD) are relatively simple. Eat at least one banana for breakfast and anything you like for lunch and dinner, as long as you don't eat after 8 p.m. An afternoon snack is OK (even if it's unhealthy), but no desserts after meals and you're encouraged to drink only room temperature water. You'll need to go to bed by midnight and keep a food journal. Exercise is not necessary, and you shouldn't force yourself to do it if it stresses you out (WTF?).

If you remember the general rules of for spotting an unhealthy diet, you probably also remember that all diets should promote healthy eating and exercise. Clearly, the MBD does not, and therefore does not get a thumbs-up in my book - not to mention the fact that it's really not something you could do for the rest of your life (I don't care how much you love bananas). Yes, bananas are good for you, but so is exercise, as well as a lot of other fruits and veggies that you could incorporate into your breakfast.

When you read about a new diet and it seems too good to be true, chances are it is - a silver bullet does not yet exist, and we'll know if and when it does. Until then, the real key to keeping yourself healthy is to maintain healthy eating and keep moving.

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Fiber Quiz: 3 Prunes or a Banana?

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:30:00 -0700

We have all had our fair share of tummy and intestinal troubles. Often we look to food to help either get things moving or to slow things down. Often it seems we need more or less fiber in our systems, so I am curious to see if you know...

Source and Source

Which Has MORE Potassium?

FitSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 12:30:00 -0700

We've all heard that potassium is good for us. It's an essential mineral that is necessary for muscle function, the transmission of nerve impulses and for carbohydrate and protein metabolism.

Your RDI of potassium is 4,200mg, so let's test your knowledge to make sure you're getting enough.

Source, Source, and Source

Health Roadblock: PMS

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:30:00 -0800

Lots of times we can be doing just great on a health kick and then WHAM, it's that time of the month and all you can think about is chocolate.

What's a health conscious girl to do when she is seriously PMS'ing? Try feeding your sweet tooth, but not with an entire fun bag size of Snickers, with something that tricks your body into thinking it's still being bad. Go for a banana filled with peanut butter or chocolate syrup. For me, chocolate dipped strawberries always do the trick. This way you're still getting the sweets but without all of the calories and fat that come from candy bars and cake. Plus, you're getting the added nutritional value from the fruit.

Fit's Tip: For an even better version, dip the fruit in dark chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa.

Snack Attack: Frozen Peanut Butter Banana

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Even though it is cold outside, and maybe even because of the cold, I crave ice cream. To satisfy my sweet (and cold) tooth I reach for a frozen banana filled with peanut butter.

Here's how you make it:

Take a very ripe banana, since frozen foods tend to be less sweet, slice it almost in half lengthwise. Make sure to not cut the banana all the way in two.
Put your favorite kind of peanut butter inside the banana. I like salted and crunchy.
Wrap the stuffed banana tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 3 or more hours.
Unwrap and eat.

Why we love it:
Bananas are high in potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6.
Peanut Butter is a good source of protein.
It is frozen so it takes a while to eat and eating more slowly increases the satisfaction. Plus it is a great ice cream substitute.

Craving a Banana Split? Try This Instead

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:00:24 -0700

I believe in the occasional frozen treat, but just because a banana split contains a serving of fruit doesn't mean it is good for you. At Dairy Queen, a banana split will cost you 530 calories and Baskin Robbins' version is nearly double that calorie count. Yikes. If you're bananas for frozen treats, I suggest you satisfy your craving with a chocolate-dipped frozen banana. Trader Joe's Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas are only 160 calories per banana. Or you can try the DIY version YumSugar likes. Her recipe for frozen chocolate-covered banana bites would work perfectly fine with whole bananas. I would stick a popsicle stick in the bottom of the banana to make a handle for dipping it in chocolate as well as for eating the treat.

Do you have a light recipe for a frozen treat? Why not share with us all in my Healthy Recipe Group? Join today!

What's the Deal With Organic Bananas Wrapped in Plastic?

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Have you ever noticed that sometimes organic bananas are wrapped in plastic bags, while the conventional ones aren't? I always thought this was a method of bug protection, but it is something entirely different.

Organic bananas are wrapped in plastic because it helps speed up the ripening process. Although all bananas are shipped in their unripened green state, conventional bananas get a quick spray of an ethylene gas to accelerate their transition from green to yellow. Understandably, the organic bananas are not gassed and are instead prepackaged in plastic bags. Since bananas naturally give off ethylene gas, the bags allow the fruit to soak up the gas and turn yellow on their own. Pretty clever, huh? Too bad about the excess plastic though.

Do You Wash Bananas Before Eating Them?

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Ever since I heard that you should wash bananas and other fruits before peeling them, I can't eat a banana without giving it a rinse first. Considering all of the hands and surfaces that the fruit comes into contact with, I'd hate to transfer any of those germs from my hands to my food. How about you?

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Food Review: Fiber One Banana Nut Muffin Mix

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Normally, I steer clear of processed baking mixes and their artificial ingredients, but a pal of mine raves about Fiber One Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix, so I decided to give the product line a try. I opted for the Banana Nut variation; both flavors yield muffins that contain 20 percent (five grams) of your daily fiber requirements.

Like other brands of boxed mixes, the Fiber One Muffin Mix calls for water, vegetable oil, and eggs. While the nutritional information for the packaged mix is appealing, the added ingredients double the fat content from three grams to six grams per muffin and increase the calories from 130 to 160. Find out my opinion of this product and learn how I altered my batch to make it healthier when you read more.

The box suggests replacing the oil with applesauce and the eggs with egg whites or fat-free egg product. With the recommended substitutions, the box indicates each prepared muffin contains 140 calories and three grams of fat. Since I happened to have a ripe banana on hand, I used pureed banana instead of applesauce. My batch turned out beautifully: very moist on the inside with a delicious muffin-top crust and an unmistakable banana flavor, with bits of walnut in each muffin. For sake of unprocessed eating, I'll still make my own reduced-fat muffins, but these are a tasty alternative in a pinch.