FitSugar

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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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.

Bananas: Organic vs. Conventional

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Deciding whether to buy organic or conventional bananas is a toughie. Organic ones are more expensive (usually at least 30 cents more per pound), and I've noticed that they seem to bruise more easily – anyone else notice that, too? The major difference between the two are that conventional bananas are grown with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides to protect the crops from mold, bugs, and disease. On the other side, organic farmers use natural fertilizers such as manure and seaweed, insect predators and barriers to prevent pests, and they weed by hand or mulch in order to prevent weeds.

You may be thinking that all those chemicals used to grow conventional bananas are no big deal because you peel the fruit. But the chemicals are not just on the outside of the banana - they leach into the soil that is used to grow the produce. So even if you peel your banana, it doesn't prevent you from ingesting small amounts of those chemicals. Although you may feel better knowing most experts agree that the amount you ingest poses little threat to your health. If you're concerned about the nutritional value of your food, there are ongoing studies exploring the connection between pesticides and nutrients in foods; so far it looks like organic is healthier. Organic produce is also better for the planet since chemical pesticides make their way into the soil and run off into water sources.

With the sky-rocketing prices of food, buying organic may not be feasible all the time. Bananas, along with avocados, mangos, papayas, and pineapples have been found to have the lowest pesticide residue. However, apples, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries have very high pesticide residues so you might want to splurge on organic.

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What's The Deal With: Fruit and Fruit Flies

FitSugar — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Oh how I love the fresh fruits and veggies of summer. My counter is full of ripening fruit and it seems that the fruit flies love my produce nearly as much as I do. Let me tell you, I am not too fond of fruit flies and am curious - How do they get in my kitchen?

Here's the deal. Fruit flies lay their eggs on fermenting fruit NOT fresh fruit, so when the eggs hatch, the larvae have yeast to munch on. So if the fruit you bring home has already begun to ripen, it may have eggs on it, and they'll hatch at your house. More often though, contrary to what you may think, fruit flies live outdoors. So if you bought fresh fruit from the store and it's ripening on your counter, chances are the fruit flies got a good whiff and flew into your kitchen from outside.

There are many ways to get rid of them:

Don't leave food on the counter to ripen. If that's not possible, wrap your fresh fruit in sealed ziploc baggies before they ripen so the flies can't smell your fruit as easily.
If you do leave fruit on your counter, eat it before it gets too ripe.
Don't leave dirty dishes around. As soon as you're done eating, wash them immediately. Also be sure to clean your sink thoroughly - fruit flies can live off the scum in the drain.

If you want to see what else you can do to get rid of those little buggers then read more

Keep your trash can clean and take the trash out once a day so you don't have food scraps rotting in your kitchen - trash is a fruit fly's dream come true.
Fruit flies love wine, beer, and soda, so rinse off your bottles and cans before placing them in the recycling bin.
If you have a bad infestation, you can make a fruit fly trap: take a cup or shallow dish and pour something sweet in the bottom like a little wine, juice, or some watered down honey. Or you can use a ripe piece of fruit, like a banana. Then cover it with plastic wrap or a clean drink lid and poke a small hole into the middle of it. The flies are attracted to the sweet smell, so they fly in and can't get out.

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Foods to Sleep On

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:30:00 -0800

Come 10 pm, when the rest of the world is starting to wind down, you're winding up. Maybe it's something more, but it could be what you're eating (or not eating). Yahoo Health has created this list of the top 10 foods to help you get a good night's sleep.

Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.

Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."

Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.

There's more so read more

Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.

Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.

To read the full article, check out Yahoo health.

Fit's Tip: It's all about the serotonin and melatonin.

What Is the RDA of Potassium?

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 09:15:00 -0800

Potassium is one of the essential minerals found lacking in the average American's diet.

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.

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 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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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.