FitSugar

Quiz: The Juicy Truth

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:30:52 -0800

With juice labels touting their healthy benefits, it's easy to believe we're doing our bodies good with a glass of fruit juice. But just this week, Dr. Jennifer Ashton caught my attention when she stopped by the CBS Early Show to clear up some juicy health myths. Take the quiz and see how juice stacks up to your other beverage choices.

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Juice It: Grapefruit vs. Orange

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:00:29 -0700

What breakfast is complete without a cold glass of juice? I love the flavor of both fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juices, but never thought about which was more healthy.

Since both are citrus fruits, they seem equally nutritious, but when I compared the two, there's more of a difference than I expected. To see what I discovered, read more.

Although the differences aren't major, I was surprised that grapefruit juice contains fewer calories per serving. So if you're trying to lose weight, and you drink juice every morning, choosing grapefruit over OJ will save you 140 calories a week. If it's potassium or protein you're concerned with, OJ has grapefruit juice beat. Will knowing these nutritional differences make you choose one over the other, or is flavor more important to you?

	8 oz. Grapefruit Juice	8 oz. Orange Juice
Calories	90	110
Total Fat	0 g	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	10 mg	0 mg
Potassium	300 mg	450 mg
Carbs	21 g	26 g
Sugars	18 g	22 g
Protein	1 g	2 g

Healthy Eating Tip: Cook Whole Grains in Juice

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Cooking whole grains is simple - just heat the grains in water and that's it. If you want to enhance the color, flavor, and nutritional value of the grains, it's just as easy. Just use juice instead of water.

Choose from 100 percent carrot, orange, apple, beet, or pomegranate juices. It's a great way to change it up in the kitchen, and your body will appreciate the extra vitamins and antioxidants.

Odwalla Juice Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

When you have a craving for a sweet, flavorful drink but don't want soda because it's made with refined sugar and chemicals, remember that juice is an option. The juice that you can find just about anywhere is Odwalla. They're fresh and come in a variety of choices so you can satisfy whatever taste you're craving. If you've ever wondered how all their beverages compare, check out this breakdown.

Serving Size = 8 ounces (about two servings per container)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Super Protein: Chocolate Protein	170	3.5	240	24	20	10
Super Protein: Original	190	1	180	35	29	10
Super Protein: Pumpkin Protein	160	3.5	115	22	17	10
Super Protein: Vanilla Al'Mondo	190	6	80	25	19	10

To see the rest, read more.

Serving Size = 8 ounces (about two servings per container)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Blueberry B Monster	140	0	10	34	23	0
Carrot Juice	70	0	160	15	13	2
Citrus C Monster	150	0	15	36	27	2
Strawberry C Monster	160	0	20	38	29	2
Lemonade	120	0	10	30	28	0
Strawberry Lemonade	110	0	10	28	25	0
Summertime Lime	120	0	10	29	27	0
Serious Energy: Tropical Energy	160	0	20	39	30	1
Serious Focus: Apple Raspberry	170	0	15	40	37	0
Superfood Original	130	.5	10	30	25	1
Superfood: Berries GoMega	160	2	15	34	24	2
Mango Tango	150	1	10	34	30	1
Strawberry Banana	130	0	0	31	26	1
Orange Juice	110	0	15	25	24	1
Mojito Mambo	50	0	5	14	12	0
Pomegranate Strawberry	50	0	10	14	12	0
Pomegrand: Pomegranate Juice	160	0	30	40	31	0
Pomegrand: Pomegranate Berry	140	0	20	35	27	0
Pomegrand: Pomegranate Limeade	120	9	10	30	27	0
Mo' Beta	150	0	15	37	26	1

When drinking up, remember the bottle contains two servings. Why not share your bottle with a friend?

10 Healthiest Drinks

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:30:00 -0700

When the heat of Summer has you looking to quench your thirst, it's a good idea to do so with a healthy beverage. The question is: What are healthy beverages? Health.com is reporting on a new study that ranks 10 beverages by their levels of disease-fighting antioxidants. Here are the top 10 healthiest beverages.

View Slideshow ›

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.

Source

Beverage Break Down

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:00:00 -0800

Ok, so we've done break downs of cocktails and beer, but what about regular everyday drinks? How do they compare?

For 12 fl oz - the size of a bottle or can - how many calories do they have:

Orange juice (fresh): 167
Orange Julius (in the mall): 304
Apple Cider: 186
Apple Juice: 175
Lemonade: 165
Grapefruit Juice: 145
Unsweetened Cranberry Juice: 174
Ocean Spray Cran-Grape: 210
Carrot Juice: 142
V-8 100% vegetable juice: 75
Glaceau Vitamin Water: 75
Skim Milk: 136
Whole Milk: 220
Lowfat Milk: 156
Chocolate Milk: 227
Soy Milk: 150
Gatorade: 75
Tea: 0
Iced Tea (sweetened): 107
Black Coffee (no cream or sugar): 0
Coffee with 1 tbsp cream: 50
Hot Cocoa (Mix): 120

How does this compare to sodas? read more

Red Bull: 166
Ginger Ale: 120
Root Beer: 165
Sweetened Seltzer: 150
Coca Cola: 143
Diet Coke: 1
Pepsi: 150
Diet Pepsi: 0
Sprite: 155
Mountain Dew: 165

Purely Good for You

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0800

Sometimes, we all need a little extra oomph when it comes to our fruit intake.

Pure Fruit Technologies has created exotic juice supplements that are extremely good for you! With flavors like Mango-Xan Antioxidant Recovery Formula, Seabuck-7 Rejuvenation Formula, Goji-Zen Longevity Formula and Gac-Chi Heart & Vision Formula, it's hard to believe that they would actually taste good. I've tried and tested and they do taste good (I was more shocked than anyone). Out of the four mixtures, my favorite was the Mango-Xan. A bit thicker than normal juice but definitely do-able. The best part is you just need a little (1 oz) of each supplement to reap the benefits. The mini's ($2.95 for 1.67 oz) are a great way to try them out first. Buy them here. (A case of 12 starts at $35.40) or you can go here to find a store near you that carries them.

Fit's Tip: Struggling to find a stocking stuffer for the health nut on your list? Pure Fruit Technologies has pre-packed gift sets like the 12 days of health ($34.95). Buy it here.

Is Pickle Juice the New Sport Drink?

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:01 -0700

I feel bad throwing out pickle brine, but I never know what to do with it when I eat the last pickle. My friend saves the juice for her Bloody Mary mix but I'm not a big fan of the brunchy cocktail. But apparently pickle brine has another use - as a sports drink!

You lose electrolytes whenever you have an intense workout or sweat intensely. Even though it sounds weird that pickle juice makes a good electrolyte replacement, it totally makes sense when you consider how much salt is in the juice. Sodium is an essential component in helping the body retain fluids, which is extremely important for long workouts, marathons, or any other endurance activity. Not having enough fluids in your muscles can result in some serious cramping and dehydration.

It's definitely an acquired taste, but if you feel like you want a natural alternative to Gatorade, try adding some pickle juice to water, or make some pickle juice popsicles. I might give it a shot the next time I'm out on a major bike ride or an all-day climb in hot weather.

Source: Flickr User nonelvis

Apple and Grape Juice Prevents Clogged Arteries

FitSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

In general, I say it is better to eat fruit than to drink juice. Recent research, though, has found that some juices are better than actual fruit for preventing clogged arteries, which lead to heart disease. Well, at least this is true for hamsters.

Eating and drinking the juice of both grapes and apples can help prevent arteries from clogging. A team from The University of Montpellier tested these fruits and juices on hamsters while feeding them a high fat diet. They discovered that compared to those only given water, the hamsters that consumed fruit or fruit juice had lower levels of cholesterol and less fat accumulating in their arteries. To see which juice was most beneficial and in what quantity read more.

Purple grape juice was the most beneficial (it contains the highest amount of phenols, an antioxidant), followed by purple grapes, apple juice, and then apples. The only bad news is you'd have to eat three apples, three bunches of grapes, or four glasses of fruit juice a day to reap the benefits. Also, there was no info about whether or not these fruits and juices had any effect on existing clogged arteries.

Source