Berries

Like other fruits, berries are high in water and fiber, which can keep you full longer. But they have another benefit — they’re very sweet. This means berries can satisfy your sweet tooth for a fraction of the calories you would take in gobbling cookies or brownies. Blueberries stand out because they’re easy to find and loaded with antioxidants.

I like to get my daily berries in a smoothie. I freeze the fruit ahead of time for quick and easy morning mixing. Click Here To Get My Recipe

They also make a great tag-along snack and finger food if you pack them in single serving containers. Here are a few tips:

• If you are going to freeze your berries, lay them out on a cookie tray and freeze overnight before putting them into baggies or containers. This will allow them to freeze individually and skip the whole squished fruit routine.
• Use hard containers over baggies if you are packing them to-go. This will help keep them in tact on the trip.
• Use them as an after school snack for your kids. It gives them something sweet too much on while getting a good dose of vitamins and antioxidants.
• Try adding them on top of a plain cereal or oatmeal and skip the sugary flavors. The natural sugars in berries are much better for you.
• Let your kids help you pick them out at the grocery store. Studies show kids are more likely to eat healthy if they are part of the process.

Berries get credit for being some of the highest in antioxidants, anti-cancer and anti-aging properties of all foods. They are also a vitamin powerhouse when it comes to getting your daily dose.

How do you eat your berries? Leave your answer in the comment section below, I always like getting new ideas.

Related articles

• 7 Foods That Cure
• High Fiber Foods
• Eating Berries May Lower Risk Of Parkinson’s

Good Mood Food: Fresh Produce

Foods can boost energy in three ways: by providing sufficient calories, by delivering stimulants like caffeine, and by pushing the metabolism to burn fuel more efficiently. As for mood, the best foods are those that stabilize blood sugar and trigger feel-good brain chemicals, such as serotonin.

Another way to stay hydrated and energized is to eat fluid-filled foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Skip dry packaged snacks like pretzels in favor of apple wedges or celery.

I like to get at least one or two pieces of fruit each day. Smoothies and juices are a great way to do that. Juices can be made in large batches and kept in the refrigerator. Smoothies can have your fruits frozen ahead of time to make for quick blending later. Also, if you pack your own lunch you can throw a piece of fruit in there. The extra fluid and fiber will even help keep you feeling full longer.

Canned and frozen fruits are often just as good for you. Just be sure to check the ingredients to confirm that they are 100% fruit an not packed in extra sugars.

Other hydrating foods include oatmeal and pasta, which swell up with water when cooked.

Click here to see other Good Mood Foods you may be missing out on

Food Fraud: Food Chain Smoothies

Who doesn’t love a good smoothie? Especially with all the buzz about getting more fruits and vegetables into your diet more and more food chains are offering smoothies as an option. Before you go thinking it’s a “better” option, check this out:

That “healthy” berry blend at a smoothie shop can have a whopping 80 grams of sugar, 350 calories or more, little protein, and often no fresh fruit. Fruit “concentrates” are often used instead of fresh fruit. And sorbet, ice cream, and sweeteners can make these no better than a milkshake. Talk about good marketing!

Food Fix: Know your smoothies. Look online to find nutritional info for places you visit often, and have a standard order that you know fits into your diet goals. That way when you are on the run, you don’t get stuck making any snap decisions that “seem like a good idea at the time” (trust me, I’m guilty of that too!)

Or: If you are simply a smoothie lover, skip the trip all together and make them at home. Here’s what I do:

• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 scoop amazing grass
• 1 1/2 cups milk (or milk substitute)

All of your fruits can be frozen ahead of time in plastic baggies for convenience. Then I just pour milk into the blender, add the powders, drop in the fruit and blend! You’re only 2 or 3 minutes away from a great healthy smoothie any time you like.

This recipe serves 2: 239 calories, 5.4 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, 32.2 g carbs, 135 mg sodium, and 18.3 g protein

 

*See other posts about Food Fraud here to find other dishes that are fooling you

Double Greens Smoothie

Serves 2

When summertime is heating up and you don’t want to cook in the morning, try this surprise smoothie for an on-the-go breakfast that’s packed with the nutrients of hearty greens but tastes like a perfect blend of fruit.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy beverage, such as almond, rice or soy 
2 dried apricots or 4 pitted dates 
1 banana 
1 cup chopped kale leaves 
1 cup spinach leaves 
1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries

Method

Combine non-dairy beverage, apricots, banana, kale, spinach and berries in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrition Per Serving: 160 calories (30 from fat), 3.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 115mg sodium, 30g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 10g sugar), 8g protein

 

Related articles

• Eating Berries May Lower Risk Of Parkinson’s
• For More Efficient Muscles, Eat Your Greens

Winning Smoothie Recipe

With summer here and the heat upon us, cool drinks are an essential part of the day. Last week I asked my email subscribers to send me their smoothie recipes. Those who participated had a chance to win a 60 serving container of Amazing Grass Berry Green SuperFood and their recipe posted here!

I’m happy to announce Robert Burkhardt of Asheville NC is our winner. Congratulations, Rob!

Here’s his smoothie:

1/4 Pink or Red Grapefruit,peeled
1/2 Orange,including white part of peel,quartered
1/3 cup Pineapple,chilled
1/2 cup White or Red Seedless Grapes
1 cup Ice Cubes

• Place all ingredients in blender in order given,and process until smooth.
  This is also great with a tad of juiced Ginger.
• Sometimes I’ll freeze the Pineapple and grapes prior to making this,and use cubes of frozen juice-usually leftover Grapefruit Combo drink-to make a Sorbet type dessert.

Thanks a bunch to Robert and all of my other readers for being here, look for more chances to win great stuff in your inbox!