FitSugar

Seasonal Eats: Strawberries

FitSugar — Thu, 19 May 2011 03:01:09 PDT

In case you aren't already in love with strawberries, I have some reasons to get the love fest with this berry started! They are a low-calorie food loaded like a billionaire with antioxidants known as phenols. Phenols not only give strawberries their irresistible red color, but they also fill this berry with heart-protective, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. A veritable trifecta of benefits.

Strawberry season is here; so the cost of a pint should be falling and they should be abundant at your local farmers market. You want to load up on strawberries because they are loaded with vitamin C. One cup of strawberries provides well over 125 percent of the daily RDI of vitamin C, and having high amounts of vitamin C in your blood results in burning more fat. You might recall that organic fruits contain more vitamin C than conventional, so I think it is well worth it to splurge a bit on organic berries. Another reason to go organic with these strawberries is they have one of the highest amounts of pesticide residue when compared with other produce.

You can make some lovely strawberry muffins or mix the berry with balsamic vinegar for a new taste sensation. My favorite way to eat them, however, is straight up - not sliced, no extra sugar, no cream, I just pop them straight into my mouth - after giving them a good rinse of course.

Source: Flickr User Manchester Monkey

Organic Food No Healthier Than Conventional?

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 PDT

Everywhere you turn lately, it seems more and more foods are being labeled organic. It's definitely been a huge craze, although sales have fallen since the recession. Sales may fall even further after people hear about a new study published Wednesday that states organic doesn't mean healthier when it comes to nutrition

A review of 162 scientific studies carried out over the past 50 years found no significant difference between organic and conventional in regards to health benefits. Although, individual studies have found organic produce is higher in vitamin C than conventional produce. There have been similar findings when comparing the antioxidant levels of organic tomatoes with conventional, with the organic ones containing almost twice as many healthful nutrients.

So if your main concern is quality of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, then there's no need to spend the extra dough. However, if you're worried about ingesting chemical pesticides, or want to support farming practices that have the least negative impact on our planet, then continue to splurge on organic foods.

Tell me, will this news change your grocery shopping habits?

Source: Flickr User A.D.A. ~ Anna Duncan Art

What Organic Produce Is Worth the Price?

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Since it's Earth Day, I thought it would be a fittingly green time to review our produce-buying options. Organic produce can be way more expensive than conventional produce, but some fruits and vegetables you should always try to buy organic, no matter what. Be a smart shopper by knowing when it's worth the higher price and when you can save your money and put the conventional produce in your cart. Need a refresher? Take my quiz!

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Take the Quiz

To Wash or Not to Wash?

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PDT

I was talking to a friend this weekend who said she rarely washes her produce, and frankly, I was shocked. She said that since she always buys organic, she doesn't have to worry about pesticides, and wonders if washing really does any good anyway.

In fact, washing fruits and vegetables makes a difference whether you're buying organic or not. Even if your produce hasn't been touched by pesticides, it has been touched by lots of people and traveled through many different places. As a result, even organic produce could carry bacteria such as listeria and salmonella. For that reason, you should even wash fruits you peel, such as bananas and lemons, so that the bacteria isn't transferred from your hands to your food.

Though there's no guarantee that washing your produce will eliminate all chance of contamination, rinsing it under running water helps blast away impurities. For more on how and why to wash,

When washing fruit and vegetables, make sure your hands are clean, and cut away any bruised or damaged sections from the fruit or veggie.
It's also important to store perishable produce, such as strawberries and lettuce, in a sufficiently cool place so as not to breed more bacteria.
Since the outside tends to get dirtier than the inside, it does help to peel away the outer layers of a head of lettuce.
As for prebagged lettuce that is marketed as "prewashed" or "triple-washed," the FDA says you do not need to rewash it, but other experts say you should. Since it won't hurt you to rewash bagged lettuce, I say why not?

What's your take on washing produce? Do you wash all the fruits and veggies that come through your kitchen? What about prewashed salad mix and fruits that you peel?

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12 Foods With High Amounts of Pesticides

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:00:00 PDT

With all this talk about getting our daily servings of fruits and veggies, we may forget about other concerns on those foods aside from nutrients: pesticides, some of which have been classified as cancer-causing agents.

I eat a lot of fruits and veggies so I do my best to avoid pesticides but some foods have more than others, and it's hard to keep track. In an effort to make your next trip to the grocery store a little easier, here are the top twelve fruits and vegetables that contain the greatest amounts of pesticide residue:

peaches
strawberries
apples
spinach
nectarines
celery
pears
cherries
potatoes
sweet bell peppers
raspberries
grapes (imported)

Looking to get the least pesticides in your diet? Then

To avoid pesticides altogether your best bet is to buy organic foods - definitely those on the above list, if not all fruits and veggies. If you're not quite there yet, then you should wash and peel any of the above fruits and vegetables (that can be peeled) to reduce the amount of pesticides found on the food.

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Get Fresh, Organic Fruits & Veggies Delivered to Your Doorstep

Heather Dale — Fri, 20 May 2011 02:22:46 PDT

Living in California - the fruit and vegetable capital of the US - I've never really considered ordering produce and having it shipped to my house. Usually I just head to my local farmers market and pick up the veggies that I'll need to sustain me throughout the week. But with hectic schedules, and not making it to the market as often as I'd like, I'm realizing that these organic produce delivery services are a great way to stay stocked with healthy fresh vegetables, while still supporting your local farmers.

Find out more about these delivery services and how to sign up for one in your city!

13 Health Gimmicks You Can Stop Wasting Money On

Business Insider — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:15:21 PDT

Consumers have a tendency of falling for the next big health gimmick. Save your money on health duds with these Business Insider tips.

No matter how many times we're told otherwise, Americans' obsession with get-healthy-quick schemes will likely never die. Too bad most of these fads aren't worth their weight in salt - or your hard-earned dollars. We've put together a list of some of the worst budget-sucking health trends that still persist today.

Coconut Water

Coconut water may be nature's version of Gatorade but some brands have already caught fire for over-hyping its nutrient content. Vita Coco agreed to settle a $10 million class action lawsuit over an independent study that showed the drinks didn't pack near as many electrolytes as advertisements implied. Some coconut waters are also loaded with added sugar, which will do nothing to help your waistline.

Alternative: Pick up your own young green coconuts on the cheap from an Asian produce market. Just crack them open with a cleaver and pop in a straw.

"All-Natural" Foods

30 percent of Americans bought more natural foods in 2011, according to a Rodale study. But what are we really paying more for? There's no clear cut regulation on what makes food "natural," which means just about any company can slap that label on its packages, add a fancy green theme and jack up the price.

Says Andrew Schrage of MoneyCrashers: "Before buying any food that is touted as being 'all natural,' take a look at the ingredient list before you check out. Keep in mind that butter and salt are indeed natural ingredients. So stocking up on natural foods may not achieve anything other than increasing your grocery bill."

Read on for more.

Natalie Coughlin: An Olympian Who Loves Food as Much as We Do

Camilla Salem — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:30:37 PDT

What do backyard chickens and 11 Olympic medals have in common? Natalie Coughlin, that's what. The gold medalist and world champion is gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, while cultivating a healthy interest in all things food-related. From growing vegetables in her own backyard in Lafayette, CA to her highly effective method of kitchen organization, Natalie gives us the scoop on her experiences with food.

YumSugar: You raise chickens in your backyard and you consider yourself an urban farmer. What do you grow or produce yourself that you're most proud of?

Find out her answer and so much more when you keep reading.

The Lowdown on Produce: Dirty Dozen vs. Clean 14

Lizzie Fuhr — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:36:42 PDT

With all of the information overload about the state of our current agriculture system, sometimes it's hard to keep the most basic rules straight. Whether you've been buying local produce for some time or you're finally getting serious about avoiding all the crazy pesticides, the Environmental Working Group makes it its job to inform people about which produce is best organic and where you can skip and save some extra dough.

The EWG compiled two lists: Dirty Dozen, which you should always buy organic, and Clean 14, where conventional will do just fine Some of the picks on each list may surprise you! Keep reading to learn the lowdown on pesticides and produce.

5 Ways to Make Fitness More Eco-Friendly

Michele Foley — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:38:05 PDT

With Earth Day a few days away, there's never been a better time to think about ways to green your fitness. Here are ways to tweak your daily habits just a little bit to do your part to reduce, recycle, and reuse.

Exercise outdoors: Skip the treadmill, stair climber, or stationary bike and go outside. You'll save money, reduce your consumption of energy and materials, and cut back on transportation usage and cost.
Make meals greener: There are several ways to make mealtime more eco-friendly. Save money and avoid wasteful to-go containers by packing lunch in reusable BPA-free containers; avoid produce that's high in pesticides and buy organic and local produce; and even if you're not a vegetarian, help the environment by cutting back on meat and having meat-free days once or twice a week.
Choose the right materials: When shopping for fitness gear, look for products made with recycled or renewable materials. Take it a step further and buy from companies that make a point to offset their carbon footprint.
Use less energy: Reducing how many things you turn on and switch off is a no-brainer, but use Earth Day as an excuse to really unplug. Reducing energy has its health benefits too: taking the stairs is a great way to burn calories, and turning off your computer or TV is a great way to destress and increase social interaction. Try biking to work, and if you can't get outdoors for your workout, rent fitness DVDs from the library.
DIY fitness gear: Cut way back on materials and production costs by doing it yourself! Make your own hand sanitizer, yoga mat cleaner, and produce wash and turn an old pair of jeans into a yoga mat bag.