FitSugar

Can Grapefruit Interfere With Medications?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:08 -0700

Orange and grapefruit juices are great sources of potassium and vitamin C, but some of you said you shy away from grapefruit - not because you don't love the taste, but because it interferes with the effectiveness of certain medications. It's true. There are chemical compounds in grapefruit known as furanocoumarins (FCs) that affect the enzymes in the intestines and liver that break down meds.

There's a list of drugs that doctors insist you avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking, because it can cause dangerously high levels of the drug in the blood, which can lead to serious side effects. Pomelos and Seville oranges, a type of bitter orange often used to make marmalade, should also be avoided.

To see a list from the Mayo Clinic of which meds may be affected by grapefruit, keep reading

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Kumquats

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700

I've always been a fan of fruit, but there's something about kumquats that used to weird me out. I've come around and maybe these five facts will help you come to enjoy a kumquat as well.

These fruits can be eaten skin and all, so look for organic kumquats, and wash them thoroughly before eating. They are like reverse oranges - the peel is sweet, and the pulp inside is sour. When you eat them together, you get a unique sweet and sour flavor. The seeds are small so either swallow them whole, or spit them out.
If you devoured eight kumquats, that would be 100 calories, 24g of carbs, 10g of fiber (wow!), and 2g of protein. Slice them thinly and add them to your salads for extra fiber and zesty flavor.
Kumquats were originally considered to be part of the Citrus family, but in 1915, they were given their very own genus, Fortunella. So technically, even though they look like oranges, they're not actually citrus fruits.

For more fun facts read more.

Kumquats aren't just eaten raw. They can be pickled, candied, made into relish or marmalade, used in desserts, or added to meats
You can find hybrid fruits such as limequats, mandarinquats, and orangequats. I bet those would be great in mixed drinks.

Fit's Tips: Look for round or oval shaped kumquats that are firm, not soft. The skin should be evenly colored. Store them in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Are you fan of the kumquat? Check out this little dude eating tasting this fruit for the first time. Tell me your reaction to kumquats in the comments section below.

Source

Give Your Green Tea a Boost With Citrus

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0700

In case you were feeling like your green tea wasn't already healthy enough, scientists have found a way to make the wonder juice even healthier. According to research, adding citrus juices to green tea may increase catechins - antioxidants believe to be responsible for green tea's health benefits- levels by more than five times, while vitamin C boosted absorbable levels of catechins by up to 13 times. So moral of the story? Think about squeezing a little lemon into your green tea tomorrow. Not only will it add a little extra flavor to your tea, but you'll be boosting its antioxidant power as well.

Source

Citrus Shortage: Vitamin C Alternatives

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:00:00 -0800

Recently California suffered when temps (remember we are talking about California here) dipped to around 30 degrees killing a good amount of the bountiful citrus crops.

So even though we are facing a minor citrus shortage, it is still recommended that you get at least 75-90 mg per day of vitamin c. In light of all this, you can still get your oranges from Florida, but there are lots of other foods high in vitamin c that you may also want to consider such as:

Papaya: 313.1 mg in one
Bell peppers: 174.80 mg in one cup
Broccoli: 205.7 mg in one cup
Brussel sprouts: 161.2 mg in one cup
Strawberries: 136.1 mg in one cup
Cantaloupe: 112.5 mg in one cup
Kiwi (the fruit, not the bird): 95 mg in one
Cauliflower: 91.5 mg in one cup
Kale: 88.8 mg in one cup

Fit's Tip: It is recommended that adults don't consume above 2,000 milligrams in one day.

Relax Already: Make Your Own Citrus-Mint Sugar Scrub

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Indulging in a hot shower or bath is one of my favorite ways to reduce stress. Couple it with a sugar scrub, and it's just as good as a full-body massage - well, almost). Why buy a sugar scrub, when it's so easy to make your own?

Here's a recipe that incorporates the summery scent of citrus. To see it read more.

You'll need:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon fresh tangerine juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh grapefruit juice
3 to 5 drops of peppermint oil

Mix the sugar and almond oil first. Then add the juices. Lastly, mix in the peppermint oil. Store in a sealed container.

If citrus isn't your favorite scent, try this recipe for Brown Sugar Body Scrub. Not only will a sugar scrub relieve tension, but it's also a gentle way to exfoliate dead skins cells from your body.

Are the Kardashians' QuickTrim Diet Products Quackery?

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:50:02 -0800

A very pregnant Kourtney Kardashian is having a hard time accepting her baby weight. Slim sis Kim says that "Kourtney is going crazy. She feels so big right now. She's just ready to have the baby." According to Us Weekly, sisters Kim and Khloe are both dieting with their QuickTrim diet products and expectant mom Kourtney is jealous because she sees how they're both losing weight.

I've got to admit that I'm sick of hearing about the Kardashians, and now they're promoting this diet product and proving that it works. Ever wonder what it is exactly, or if it's even healthy? My gut says it's not, so I decided to check out the website to see what I could dig up. Here's what I found: QuickTrim Fast Cleanse ($30) is a "lemonade flavored drink designed to help rid the body of excess water weight, belly bloating, and intestinal bulk." So are you supposed to drink these magic citrus beverages all day and that's it?

To hear more about QuickTrim and what the ingredients are, read more.

The Fast Cleanse drink I just described is one product made by QuickTrim. It contains many ingredients including pure lemon juice concentrate, chicory root (fiber), and aloe vera gel. Although it's made with natural ingredients, detoxing your body isn't necessary.

QuickTrim makes two other diet supplements, but these are in tablet form: Extreme Burn ($50) and Burn & Cleanse ($60). Extreme Burn claims to burn up to 8,000 extra calories per month. Burn & Cleanse is a 14-day diet system that promises to burn calories all day, and cleanse and detox you all night. They're made with ingredients such as cocoa extract, acai fruit extract, hyssop, false unicorn root, and green tea leaf extract. Sounds like a witch's potion to me. But at least you're instructed to take these tablets between meals, not in place of them.

These pills are supposed to stimulate your metabolism, maintain your blood sugar levels, burn fat and calories, and contain antioxidants to promote a happy mood. Safety-wise, QuickTrim products are not FDA-approved, so I'd skip them completely and save your moolah to buy things you know will help shed pounds, like a gym membership or fresh fruits and veggies. If you're trying to lose weight, don't fall for this quick-fix diet scam. As I've said before, the safest and most effective way to slim down is with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Processed Food: News Roundup

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:00:00 -0700

The health food nut's arch enemy has been in the news a lot lately. Yep, I am talking about processed food. In this day and age, with our busy lives, it is hard to live without some processed foods. Here are three news stories that might just sway us to make a little more time when it comes to food and nutrition.

A microwave popcorn enthusiast was diagnosed recently with "popcorn lung" - a rare life threatening disease with the medical name broncheolitis obliterans. The diagnosing doctor believes the onset was caused by inhaling fumes of the extra buttery flavored microwave popcorn that contains the chemical diacetyl, which has been linked previously to the disease. The man ate two, and sometimes three, bags of the popcorn daily!
Just a caution, especially if you are looking to sleep, citrus flavor sodas can have more caffeine than colas. The consumer groups involved in a recent study are not anti caffeine; they just think caffeine content should be listed in the packaging.
This really comes as no surprise, but a new British study found food additives may make children more hyper active. The culprit here is artificial food coloring and preservatives. Although the study was not conclusive and is being questioned by some experts, the U.K. Food Standards Agency, which funded the study, has already revised its advice to parents about what to feed their children.

Source

Great Fruit: Grapefruit

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:15:17 -0800

Grapefruit is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C and fiber. In fact, half a grapefruit provides 110% of the recommended value for vitamin C and contains more than 60 phytonutrients, which health experts believe help your body battle heart disease, cancer and other maladies -- a high level of pectin found in the fruit may also help you maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.

With health in mind, the Florida Grapefruit for Your Best Life Chef Recipe Contest was born! The contest was hosted by The Florida Department of Citrus and Bob Greene (Oprah's personal trainer) -- Together, they sought out recipes that bring flavor and good health together using grapefruit and fit the health criteria of The Best Life Diet (Bob's book).

And the winning recipe is...
Florida Grapefruit and Jerk-Grilled Chicken with Arugula Salad by Chef Matthew Laman (pictured)

To read the recipe, read more

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 Servings

Chicken:
4 (6oz.) boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon jerk marinade

Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Non-stick cooking spray
2 cups no-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 2 Florida grapefruits (about 16 oz. of juice)
1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped

Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Florida grapefruit (peeled, segmented and coarsely chopped)
2 papaya (peeled, seeded and diced)
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
16 grape tomatoes sliced in half (lengthwise)
4 fresh ¼ inch pineapple rings

Place chicken breasts and jerk marinade in large zip-top bag, seal and refrigerate for one hour. Remove chicken from zip-top bag and place on hot grill. Grill chicken breast until thoroughly cooked, about 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic with non-stick cooking spray, then add chicken stock and grapefruit juice. Bring to a boil, lower temperature to medium low and reduce to syrup. Add cilantro. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine arugula, olive oil, chopped grapefruit and pepper together. Toss the ingredients to coat arugula. Add tomatoes and papaya.

Place one pineapple ring on the center of 4 dinner size plates. Top each ring with one grilled chicken breast. Divide salad into 4 equal parts and place on the grilled chicken breast. Drizzle plates with sauce.

Nutrients per serving: 414 calories , 39 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 10 g total fat, 142 mg sodium, Vitamin A 70% DV, Vitamin C 339% DV, Calcium 12% DV, Iron 14% DV.

To get the other two winning recipes, check out the Florida Grapefruit For Your Best Life Contest site.

8 Habits of the Super Healthy

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:00:10 -0800

If you are looking to keep colds and flu bugs at arm's length, I researched habits of healthy women. Here are eight habits that will help keep you well over the following months.

First, start by upping your vitamin C intake. While the vitamin won't prevent you from catching a cold, it will boost your immune system. And if you do happen to catch a cold, vitamin C will decrease the duration of runny nose time. Try to eat foods naturally high in the vitamin, like citrus fruits and red bell peppers.

To see the other seven habits, just start the slideshow.
Source: Getty

View Slideshow ›

Healthy Recipe: Barley and Greens Salad With Citrus Parmesan Dressing

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:30:59 -0800

This hearty, colorful salad would be perfect for a holiday table or any time of year. Served warm or cold, the layers of flavors in this dynamic dish mean you don't get sick of eating it. The citrus parmesan vinaigrette is subtle yet delicious, and it could be made without the cheese to lighten it up. I also used less olive oil for the dressing than the recipe called for but a little more citrus juice. In my opinion, this recipe is a can't miss.

One of the things I love about this salad is its flexibility. The original recipe calls for farro, but I used pearled barley as my grain, and though the recipe includes yellow split peas, I left those out and added cherry tomatoes for a more holiday-looking plate. My tip: Serve the crumbled goat cheese in a separate passing bowl, so you can monitor how much you're putting on your salad. This is salad is a great option if you're traveling with your dish; just wait to add the mixed greens until you reach your location.

To see the recipe, read more.

Barley and Greens Salad With Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

For Salad
6 cups cooked pearled barley
1 to 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 cups peas, fresh if possible, boiled for 30 seconds in salted water and drained
4 handfuls of mixed salad greens
1 white onion, cut into 1/2-inch wide slices, tossed in a bit of olive, sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped chives
For Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette
1 large orange (zest and juice)
1 chopped shallot
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions

Combine barley, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat (cover the barley with water by a couple inches). Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside until ready to use.
As the barley is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice onion and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast onions for about 35 minutes or until browned (toss once midway).
Boil water for peas. If using frozen peas, follow directions on bag, drain water and set aside until ready to use.
Chop all other vegetables and herbs, and make your dressing by whisking together all ingredients for the vinaigrette.
In a large bowl toss the barley and peas with the Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette. Toss until well coated.

Add the roasted white onions, halved cherry tomatoes, and salad greens and give the salad another (more gentle) toss, so as not to bruise the greens.
Serve in the big bowl or on a large platter topped with the spring onions, goat cheese, and chives.

Serves 8-10.

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