FitSugar

Product Review: Greens First

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:53 -0700

I try my absolute best to eat five to nine servings of fruit and veggies a day but sometimes I fall short. I also find that sometimes it's hard for me to digest all that roughage. I talked to my nutritionist about this problem and she recommended Greens First - a megablend powder that contains super foods, organic fruits and vegetables, probiotics, fiber, enzymes, and more.

It's lightly sweetened with stevia and has a slight minty flavor, it definitely tastes better than any of the other "green" drinks I've tried. I mix the powder with a glass of cold water in the morning and I'd say that within 30 minutes I feel a boost in my energy level. The website says that one serving of Greens First fulfills your fruit and veggie quota for the day but I still eat as much fresh stuff as I can.

Health Benefits of Pears

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:13 -0700

Apples are in season in the Autumn, but pears are too. The soft, sweet, buttery flesh of the pear makes this Fall fruit one of my favorites. Plus there are so many varieties to choose from - Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou - that they each seem like a different fruit. These juicy gems are pretty healthy for you, too.

Pears are high in fiber. One medium-sized pear contains six grams, so snacking on a pear can help you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. They're a delicious way to keep you regular too, which can help prevent colon cancer. A diet high in fiber can also keep your cholesterol levels down, which is good news for your ticker. Getting your fill of fiber from fruit is also linked to a lower risk for breast cancer.
Pears contain a fair amount of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, and B6. For expecting or nursing moms, they also contain folate. Pears aren't too shabby in the mineral department either, containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Vitamin C and copper are antioxidant nutrients, so eating pears is good for your immune system, and may help prevent cancer.
Pears also contain boron, which our bodies need in order to retain calcium, so this fruit can also be linked to osteoporosis prevention.

For the other health benefits, read more.

The hydroxycinnamic acid found in pears is also associated with preventing stomach and lung cancer.
It's a hypo-allergenic fruit. That means those with food sensitivities can usually eat pears with no adverse effects.
Eating three or more servings of fruits a day, such as pears, may also lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.
Quercetin is another antioxidant found in the skin of pears. It helps prevent cancer and artery damage that can lead to heart problems. A recent study at Cornell University found it may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease. So don't peel your pears!

Tell me, what's your favorite type of pear?

Healthy Eating Tip: Have an Apple After Your Evening Workout

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:00:02 -0700

You may have heard that eating apples can help you cut back on calories. According to one study, participants who chomped on this crispy fruit 15 minutes before a meal consumed almost 200 fewer calories than those who didn't.

Since I often go straight home for dinner after my post-work gym session, I've started eating an apple as my post-workout snack. It's a healthy food - one medium apple delivers 10 percent of your daily fiber intake - that satisfies my immediate after-exercise craving and ensures I'm not starving by the time I sit down for supper. Just be sure to keep the skin on for even more nutrients. What's your post-workout, pre-dinner snack?

Melon Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:12 -0700

Refreshingly light, crisp, and juicy, melon is the perfect Summer food. You can make a mouthwatering fruit salad by mixing the different varieties, or enjoy them one at a time with some cottage cheese. I was curious to see how the many melons compare nutritionally, so I made a handy little chart. To find out which melon has the most potassium, and which has the least amount of sugar, keep reading

Nutrition 101: Fruit

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Of course fruit is refreshing and sweet, but it's also loaded with healthy goodness. Don't just grab any fruit. Knowing which ones contain the most fiber, vitamins, and nutrients can help you decide which one to choose.

Take the quiz

How Do These Berries Compare?

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

When the calendar turns to June, the holy trinity of berries are all in season: strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

I couldn't be more pleased with the tastes of the season since all three berries are nutritional powerhouses, but how do they compare? Take this quiz and see.

Source

Take the quiz

Spring Fruit Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Spring means gorgeous weather for outdoor workouts, but it also means scrumptious fresh fruit. You can say goodbye to using frozen bags of berries and dried cranberries, and say hello to biting into juicy slices of mango, oranges, and strawberries. When you choose fruits that are in season, they'll taste much richer, and should be less expensive than when you buy them off-season.

If you're curious to know how these sweet types of produce compare, then check out the nutritional info when you read more.

Fruit	Calories	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)	Iron (mg)	Calcium (mg)	Potassium (mg)
1 apricot	17	4	1	3	0	.1	4.6	90.6
1 medium banana (enjoy all year)	105	27	3	14	1	.3	5.9	422
1 cup diced honeydew (20 pieces)	61	15	1	14	1	.3	10.2	388
1 cup sliced mango	107	28	3	24	1	.2	16.5	257
1 large orange	86	22	4	17	2	.2	73.6	333
1 cup diced papaya (enjoy all year)	55	14	3	8	1	.1	33.6	360
1 cup diced pineapple	82	22	2	16	1	.5	21.5	180
1 cup sliced strawberries	53	13	3	8	1	.7	26.6	254

What Counts Toward Your Daily Fruit and Vegetable Intake?

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Several fruits and vegetables come into their prime during the Spring and Summer seasons, making it cheaper and easier for us to reach our daily requirements. Striving to eat five colors a day is a fun way to meet your nutritional needs, but do you know what size portions you should be eating to fulfill your daily five? Take the quiz to find out!

Source

Take the quiz

Dried Fruit Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of dried fruit because it's easy to find, doesn't spoil quickly like fresh fruit, and can be added to so many foods including salads, yogurt, oatmeal, and baked goods. There's also a huge variety to choose from, and since it's made from fresh produce, it's packed with lots of vitamins and fiber.

To see how your favorites compare, read more.

1/4 Cup of Fruit	Calories	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)	Iron (mg)	Calcium (mg)	Potassium (mg)
Raisins	85	22.4	1	16.8	.9	.53	14	212
Cranberries	103	27.6	2.8	22	.08	.27	0	27.8
Blueberries	120	32	6	26	1	.72	15	66
Cherries	120	32	3	25	0	.9	20	340
Mango (four pieces)	160	40	2	32	1.6	.36	40	90
Apple (six rings)	90	25	3	21	0	0	0	0
Pineapple (two rings)	130	30	2	27	1	.92	40	0
Strawberries	75	17	1.5	15	.5	.18	10	0
Peaches (halves)	95.5	24.5	3.3	16.7	1.5	1.6	11.3	298.5
Pears (halves)	118	31.3	3.4	28	.85	.95	15.3	239.8
Plums (prunes)	102	27.2	3	16.2	.93	.4	18.3	311
Unsweetened banana chips	120	13.5	2	9	.5	0	0	152.2
Apricots	102	27.2	3	16.2	.93	.4	18.3	311

Health Tip: Wash Clementines Before Eating Them

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:30:00 -0800

Clementines are one of my favorite citrus fruits because they're easy to peel, and they're sweet like tangerines but don't contain any seeds. Also, one clementine is only 35 calories and contains almost 1.5 grams of fiber. I love that you can buy them in cases, but one thing you need to remember is to wash them before you peel them. Even though you don't eat the peel, when you peel your clementine, germs and pesticides can transfer onto your hands. So when you eat fruit inside, you can end up ingesting bacteria and chemicals. So wash this orange fruit before enjoying it. Actually, this is a great tip for all fruit you're going to peel, including bananas, mangoes, and kiwi.