FitSugar

Healthy Cooking Tip: Cook Your Carrots Whole

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:16:55 -0700

Orange and sweet, carrots rank as one of my favorite foods. Recent research has revealed that the carrot, similar to the potato, retains more of its cancer-fighting nutrients when cooked whole.

The anticancer properties of carrots are enhanced by 25 percent when not chopped preboil. When you chop a carrot, you increase the surface area of the veggie, so more nutrients leach into the water when boiled. The researcher wholeheartedly believe that carrots taste sweeter when cooked whole, for the root veggies retain their natural sugars.

While steaming carrots is my cooking method of choice, I am not sure I will try to steam mine whole. Roasting whole carrots, on the other hand, is something I already do. How do you cook your carrots? Will you be cooking them whole from now on?

Fact or Fiction: Carrots and You

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0800

It is National Nutrition Month, so I wanted to highlight one of my favorite veggies – the humble yet versatile carrot. There are some lingering myths about this orange vegetable, or are they myths. Take this short quiz and see if you know what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to carrots.

Source

Take the quiz

Learn to Love: Carrot Juice

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

We often think of juices as being healthy, but in reality, a big cup of juice can also be a big cup of calories. Because juices are super-concentrated and often have added sugar, they can be much higher in calories than their fruit counterparts. For instance, one large orange contains 86 calories, while an eight-ounce glass of OJ has 110 calories.

But I admit I love juice, and sometimes it just really hits the spot. So I've recently made the switch to carrot juice, initially because I noticed it was much lower in calories: Eight ounces of Odwalla carrot juice has just 70 calories. I've since grown to love the sweet but not too sweet flavor - now Odwalla's Carrot Orange Apple Juice blend tastes too sweet! And the nutritional benefits are hard to beat, so read more.

Not surprisingly, carrot juice can easily provide your RDI of vitamin A, which helps with vision and bone growth, fosters cell growth, and enhances the immune system to ward off infection. The tasty beverage is also rich in B vitamins, calcium, and potassium. Because of its low calorie content, it makes a great base for smoothies.

Do you love carrot juice too? Tell me how you use it below.

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The Raw and The Cooked: Broccoli and Carrots

FitSugar — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:30:00 -0800

Are all veggies better for you when they are raw? It is a common assumption, but is it true? Take this two question quiz and see.

Source

Take the quiz

8 Foods Men Should Eat Every Day

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Best Life Magazine has compiled a list of eight foods that men should be eating every day. I know this list is made with men in mind, but these are foods women may want to consider adding to their diets as well. So while you're throwing a few blueberries on top of his cereal in the morning, you may want to add a few to yours as well.

Spinach: It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus (for him, I suppose): Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration.
Yogurt: Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”

There are more foods you may not have thought about so read more

Tomatoes: There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.
Carrots: Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids-fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis-but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots.
Blueberries: Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health.
Black Beans: All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.
Walnuts: Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three.
Oats: The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy.

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The Raw and The Cooked: Veggie Edition

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:45:00 -0700

To me, summertime means fresh veggies. They are in season, abundant and since they are so abundant, tasty and cheap. However, I do prefer some of my veggies cooked, but are they just as nutritious? Let's find out.

Take the quiz

Another Reason To Eat Organic: Vitamin C

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 17:15:00 -0700

The belief that pesticides do not have an effect on nutrients in foods, is being seriously challenged.

Recent news from an EU funded project has found that organic fruits contained more Vitamin C than their non-organic counterparts. Specifically researchers found that organic carrots, apples and peaches contained higher levels of vitamin C and flavonoids, an antioxidant. While last week, U.S. researchers revealed that organic kiwi fruit have significantly more vitamin C and polyphenols. If you're looking to up your vitamin C intake, you may want to go organic. Still confused about what organic products are worth the extra money? Then check out this post.

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How Much Fiber is in That: Vegetables

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:30:00 -0700

All this talk about fiber. We all know we should be getting enough - at least 25 grams of fiber each day.

Getting this much will help lower your risk of heart disease, as well as some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Did you also know that eating a little bit more - 30 grams of fiber a day - can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer by 50%!

Your mom was right - vegetables are so good for you. Eating fresh and cooked vegetables are a great way to get your fill of fiber, but just how much fiber do your veggies have?

To find out, I made this handy dandy chart. Want to see it? Then read more

Vegetables:

Food	Serving Size	Fiber in Grams
Tomato	1 small	1.4
Ketchup	1 Tbsp	.2
Cooked Beets	1/2 cup	2.5
Carrots	1 medium raw	1.7
Red Bell Peppers	1/2 cup chopped	1.5
Green Bell Peppers	1/2 cup chopped	1.3
Yellow Bell Peppers	1/2 cup chopped	.7
Avocado	1/4 cup diced	1.7
Onion	1 tbsp raw	.2
Asparagus	1/2 cup cooked	1.7
Artichokes	4-5 small hearts	4.5
Baked potato	1 small	4.2
Baked Sweet Potato	1 small	4
Steamed Broccoli	1/2 cup	2.6
Brussel Sprouts	3/4 cup cooked	3
Cauliflower	3 florets raw	1.2
Celery	1/4 cup raw	2
Corn	1 medium ear or 1/2 cup	5
Lettuce	1 cup	.8
Steamed Kale	1/2 cup chopped	1.3
Mushrooms	5 small	1.4
Olives	6	1.2
Green Peas	1/2 cup	9.1
Baked Acorn Squash	1/2 cup cubed	4.5
Yellow Summer Squash	1/2 cup	2
Zucchini	1/2 cup	3

Healthy Meals Made Easy: Make a Big Salad

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 10:15:00 -0700

A great way to make sure you get your veggies for the week is to make one big salad. I'm more likely to eat a salad everyday if it's already made, as opposed to having to take time to make one everyday. Who has time for that?

It'll take about 30 min to an hour to buy all the stuff you need, and another 30 minutes to wash and cut everything up.

Here are some tips to make it go by even quicker:

Make a list of all the things you love in your salad including fresh veggies like carrots, cucumbers, yellow, green, orange, and red peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery. Don't forget the fresh and dried fruit, nuts, flax seeds, and salad dressing as well. Having a list will help you remember everything. There's nothing worse than getting home and realizing you forgot the lettuce.
If you don't have a big huge plastic container with a lid, make sure to pick one of those up too.
Look for pre-washed lettuce in bags or plastic containers, and baby carrots. Buying these will save you a lot of time.

Want some more tips? Then read more

Once you get home, you won't even have to waste anytime putting your groceries away. Just wash everything and cut it up, and throw it in the container, pop on the lid and place it in the fridge.
If you like fresh fruit in your salad, cut it up, squeeze some lemon juice on it, and place it in a separate container.
Keep the dried fruit and nuts separate as well, and add them to the individual salads when you make them.

Now you'll have salad ready to have with dinner every night of the week.

Fit's Tips: If you prefer to eat salad for lunch, you can spread that big salad out into 5 separate containers instead of one big one. Then in the morning, you can just grab it before you go.

Healthy Carrot Soufflé

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:50:12 -0800

When my sister moved to Georgia a few years ago, I had the chance to spend Thanksgiving with her. Amongst all the dishes on the table was a Southern staple that I thought about for months after coming home - brown sugar and maple glazed carrots. I wanted to make this dish at my own Thanksgiving dinner this year, but was shocked to find out how much sugar and butter the recipe calls for. I decided to try and make my own healthy alternative to the dish and I think you'll be happy with the results.

There's barely any butter in my version and the dish has much, much less sugar. I also decided to make it into a souffle (I'm using the term loosely here!) to cut back on oil and give it a creamier taste and texture. This would be a great side dish for your Thanksgiving meal and it's an awesome replacement for a candied yam dish - carrots have fewer calories than yams and are exploding with vitamin A. Chances are your guests won't even know the difference!

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Healthy Carrot Soufflé
original recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds of peeled, cut carrots
1/3 cup of plain lowfat yogurt
2 eggs and 1 egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Steam carrots until tender, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Place carrots in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.
Combine yogurt, eggs, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into the carrots.
Pulse in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to the mixture.
Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray or butter.
Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until set and firm.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

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