Beets are becoming increasingly popular as gourmet chefs & top restaurants incorporate them into menus for their earthy sweetness, beautiful colors, and high nutrient content.  Though beets have the highest sugar content of any vegetable, they are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in folic acid, magnesium and potassium.  Their greens are incredibly nutritious as well, containing double the potassium, folic acid, calcium and iron as compared to the root.

1. Antioxidant Benefits – Beets are incredibly rich in antioxidants and contain an unusual mix as compared to other vegetables.  They contain a powerful combination of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and anthocyanins, which give them their bright red color.
2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits – Beets contain a wide range of unique phytonutrients, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.  More specifically, the phyonutrients betanin, isobetanin, and vulgaxanthin appear to inhibit COX enzymes, which are involved in triggering inflammation.
3. Support Detoxification – The betalin pigments in beets support the body’s detoxification processes.  It seems that they assist cells in expelling unwanted toxic substances.
4. Anti-Cancer Benefits – By providing abundant antioxidants and suppressing inflammation, beets may reduce one’s risk for many different cancer types.  Studies have been promising for beet’s impact on the development of colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular cancers.
5. Fiber Benefits – Beets contain two types of dietary fiber, which may decrease one risk of colon cancer and promote cardiovascular health.

Ready to give beets a try?

Shopping tips:

When perusing your local farmers market, you may find that they offer golden, white and striped beets, in addition to the more common red variety.  They are all delicious, nutrient dense, and a great addition to diet.  Try mixing the different colors of beets for a visually stunning dish.

Select bunches of beets that are uniform in size (so that they require the same cooking time) with hearty greens attached at the top.  Use the nutrient packed greens in three to four days, and keep the beet tops refrigerated for up to a month.

Below is a simple, yet very flavorful recipe from Martha Stewart for Marinated Beet Salad.

Marinated Beet Salad

Ingredients

• 5 medium beets (about 1 pound without greens), ends trimmed, halved
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan with a lid. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Place beets in steamer basket, cover pot, and reduce water to a gentle simmer. Steam until beets are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, grab beets with a paper towel and slip off skins. Cut the beets into thin slices.

In a medium bowl combine sliced beets, garlic, vinegar, and oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove and discard garlic. Serve beets topped with mint and goat cheese.

Assistance provided by Allison van Camp

Why spend hundreds of dollars each year on skin care when you can simply eat food for healthy, glowing skin?  Foods packed with antioxidants can provide protection to skin in ways that cosmetic products cannot.  These six super foods below have been shown to protect and help nourish skin for a healthy looking complexion.   Throw a few of these antioxidant-packed foods on your plate in order to protect your skin and save yourself money.

1. Almonds. Vitamin E, which helps block sun, is prevalent in these nuts.  It is an antioxidant that helps protect skin cells from damaging UV light and prevent free radicals from forming.  Try sprinkling sliced almonds on top of your salads.

2. Carrots. This vegetable is full of vitamin A, which has been shown to decrease the development of cancer cells within the skin.  Other nutrients in carrots nourish skin, prevent dry skin, and prevent blemishes from developing.  Try to eat at least ½ a cup of carrots every day.

3. Blueberries. This powerful fruit is one of the foods with the highest amount of antioxidants.  These antioxidants prevent damage from free radicals within the body.  Blueberries are also high in vitamin C content.  Sprinkle blueberries on your oatmeal in the morning.

4. Salmon. This fish is one of the highest in omega-3 fatty acids.  These fatty acids decrease inflammatory substances released by the body and reduce clogged pores.  Try adding salmon into one of your meals once a week.

5. Green Tea. Tea is packed with antioxidants called catechins, which have shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Green tea has also been shown to neutralize the damages that may appear from excessive sun exposure.  Make it a goal to drink at least two cups of green tea per day.

6. Sweet Potatoes. This potato is full of vitamin C, which is important in the process of collagen production.  Collagen is responsible for the smoothness of skin and when levels are decreased it causes wrinkles.  Try baked sweet potato fries for a dose of this vitamin C packed food.

Remember, before going out and spending money on skin care products, toss a few of these super foods in your diet!

Assistance by Morgan Hoover

When you skin starts to become dry or break out, you most likely run to the pharmacy and grab the latest moisturizer or anti-aging cream.  Seldom do we stop and think that our diet may be contributing to our skin issues.  While there is no magic cure for perfect skin, the following foods do promote healthy skin, especially now during wintertime when cold weather can wreak havoc on our hands and face.

Low fat dairy, dark orange and dark green veggies contain vitamin A that helps to heal damaged tissue.

Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and plums contain antioxidants that protect cells and improve cell health. Veggies such as artichokes, beans and pecans are also high in antioxidants.

Salmon and flax seed contain omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to skin elasticity and strength.

Olive oils that are cold or expeller processed or extra virgin contain vitamin E that preserves collagen and prevents wrinkle formation.

Green tea exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that may prevent the risk of skin cancer.

Water is important in preventing dehydration and also preserving healthy skin.  Water flushes toxins out of the body that may cause skin breakouts.

Hass avocados and almonds are other healthy skin foods. While honey is a great ingredient to make your own honey beauty recipes!

Research assistance provided by Jessica Bennett

Disclosure: I am a nutrition spokesperson for the Hass Avocado Board, National Honey Board, and Almond Board of California.

Picture source

Pomegranates are in prime ripeness in early fall so, Foodie Friday this week is all about the Pomegranate. As a unique fruit, we don’t eat the outside peel, or even the inside, but the juicy pop-in-your mouth seeds with a tangy, sweet flavor are irresistible if you’re the type that enjoys when fruit “pops” in your mouth.

Many of us have never had a pomegranate, but for pomegranate lovers, and newcomers here are some fun facts I bet you didn’t know:

• The pomegranate is also known as a Granada in Spanish and a Grenade in French, probably because of the fact that it explodes like a grenade in your mouth exuding lots of juice from just one little seed ( grenades are small as well). Other names: Chinese Apple, Punic Apple, Granatapfel, Melograno, and Melagrana.
• The seeds are called Arils, each pomegranate contains up 800 arils! That’s a lot of juice.
• The taste of the juice depends on the ripeness, and can range from tangy/sour to sweet.
• The Pomegranate is native from Iran all the way to the Himalayas. It has been cultivated all through the Mediterranean since ancient times.
• As for the nutritional aspect, the pomegranate is excellent source of antioxidants which prevent hardening of the arteries, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Pomegranates are also an excellent source of B vitamins (Thiamin, Niacin and Riboflavin) which are also beneficial to heart health.

Sources: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html

http://www.juicing-for-health.com/pomegranate.html

Assistance provided by: Christina Wolfe

How many fruits and vegetables are in your daily diet?  Do you think you’re getting enough? Recently the U.S. Center for Disease and Control health officials reported that, in 2009, 67.5% of adults ate fruit less than two times daily, and 73.7% ate vegetables less than three times per day.  There is definitely work to be done across the country in terms of making fruits and vegetables more accessible and affordable so it is easier for everyone to increase their fruit and veggie consumption.  But, there’s also a number of simple little ways you can eat more fruits and veggies in your daily diet – read below!

1. Smoothies. An easy way to load up on 3 or more servings of fruit at a time, smoothies are a great grab n’ go breakfast!  Try adding different combinations of your favorite fruits with a bit of plain Greek yogurt for a tasty protein boost.  Check out my daughter and I making her favorite smoothie together!
2. Get your greens. Try keeping a large green salad on the table at dinners and as a staple in your lunches to ensure an extra bit of veggies.  Add whatever veggies you and your family love, top it with a delicious salad dressing that’s lower in calories, and you’re all set.
3. Add in veggies. Every meal of the day can get a boost from an extra dose of veggies, but it’s great to boost your breakfast, since it’s usually low on the veggies.   Toss chopped veggies into your morning omelettes, mix in pumpkin or sweet potato to your oatmeal, or throw some fresh baby spinach into your smoothie!
4. Go for easily portable fruit. Bananas are perhaps the easiest, as they come in their own ‘package’, but can get bruised easily, so keep them at the top of your bag or purse.  Other great fruits for snacking on the go include apples, kiwis, and grapes.
5. Sip on soup. With the fall weather approaching, soups are a great way to pack in more veggies, especially if you make them yourself.  Try roasted butternut squash and apple soup, broccoli and potato soup, or sweet potato and corn chowder.  Potatoes are particularly useful, in that they can help thicken up soups without adding in any cream.
6. Dip ‘em. If you’re not looking forward to eating some chopped veggies as a snack, try buying a few of your favorite dips the next time you’re at the grocery store.  Hummus, made from chickpeas, is now widely available in a variety of flavors, including roasted garlic, red pepper, and sun-dried tomato.  You can also try a bean dip or spread, or simply your favorite nut butter.
7. Cook extra. When you’re making a big family meal, cook extra veggies so that you can have them available in the fridge for the next couple of days, making it easier to heat them up quickly for a snack.  If you’re firing up the BBQ, toss on some peppers, zucchini and onions to get that grilled flavor.  If you’ve already got the oven heated up, toss some potatoes, onions, and carrots on a baking sheet to get that delicious roasted flavor.
8. Add them to baked goods. If you’re a fan of baking your own homemade treats, you probably know how flexible some recipes are.  Most muffin, cookie, or bread recipes can accommodate an extra dose of veggies – think zucchini bread!  Be careful to choose a recipe that’s low in sugar and calories – you can swap applesauce and canned pumpkin in many cookie recipes to replace most of the fat.

What about you?  What are your tricks to increase your fruits and veggies?

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

It’s happened to the best of us at one time or another.  You decide to start a diet, or just to start eating healthier and being more active, and thoughts soon drift to how much you’re going to miss enjoying dessert after meals.  Not to worry – you don’t have to give it up!  It is absolutely possible to include desserts as part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Make the simple switches.  Traditional desserts have a lot of extra calories, fat and sugar added to them, but making a few simple substitutions can reduce these by quite a bit.   Try mashed bananas instead of oil, or whole-wheat flour instead of white flour.  Even Greek yogurt or canned pumpkin can be added to most dessert recipes!
• Find a way to include fruit.  Whether it’s apple slices baked with cinnamon atop frozen yogurt, roasted bananas with chopped nuts, or simply strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, fruit can always be part of a great dessert!  Make the focus on the fruit in the dessert, and you’ll end up eating less of the other high-calorie parts.

• Watch your portions. If you’re still stuck on your favorite desserts and refuse to give them up or make any recipe changes, you can still include them in your healthy diet.  The key is just to keep an eye on your portion sizes so that you don’t load up on too many calories at the end of your meal.  You can split restaurant desserts with family or friends, or even take half of it home to enjoy the next day!
• Swap milk chocolate for dark chocolate.  Let’s face it, we all love a nice chocolate dessert every now and again.  Why not make it the kind of chocolate known to have health benefits?  Dark chocolate is known to have antioxidant properties similar to that of red wine, while milk, white and other kinds of chocolate do not share this benefit.  As with all decadent treats, this doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want – try to keep it in moderation – but if you’re going to eat chocolate, make sure it’s the dark variety!

How do you include desserts as part of your healthy lifestyles?  I’d love to hear your tips – leave me a comment below and fill me in!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

It’s summertime, and in my family, a fun weekend jaunt might include a lazy day of berry picking (and eating!). This juicy member of the berry family and the rose family is a tart pick that is especially abundant from the months of June through October.

Fun Facts about the “Other” Berry

• Not your average berry. Raspberries are packed with antioxidants. Studies have shown that their antioxidant levels may be as much as 10 times those of strawberries!
• Color your plate. Not just red, these little fruits can even come in shades such as purple and yellow!
• Nutritional benefits. Raspberries are plentiful in potassium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C.
• Nutritional plus. They are actually a wonderful source of dietary fiber. Half a pound of raspberries contains about 20 grams of fiber.
• Low cals. According to the USDA, a cup of raspberries contains about 60 calories.
• Freeze away. Raspberries can be frozen without losing a lot of their nutritional content, although their Vitamin C levels may be halved.
• Delicious cure. Raspberries are believed to alleviate many common annoying ailments such as inflammation, allergies, pain, and failing eyesight.

Assistance provided by Pam Majumdar

Spice up your summer this year by spicing up your homemade sandwiches! That’s right. Sandwiches are great delivery vehicles for a number of health benefits including antioxidants, increased metabolism and overall a great way to maintain that summer bod you’ve worked hard all spring for.

1. Toast that Grain! Some people who don’t normally like whole grain and whole wheat breads find themselves falling in love with them when toasted. Not only will you increase your fiber intake and up your metabolism, but you’ll also have a toasted, fresher sandwich!
2. Hungry for Hummus. Try swapping your mustard or mayo with hummus! Hummus is a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas and is packed with vitamins, minerals and protein. Chick peas are low in fat and the olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats = heart healthy!
3. Kick It Up a Knotch by adding chipotle spread or wasabi horseradish sauce into your sandwich. Remember: spicy foods increase your metabolism and give you that antioxidant kick!
4. Seasonings, Please. When the awesome sandwich maker asks if you want seasonings, say yes! You can always use dried herbs that are rich in antioxidants to help protect your body from free radicals aka: “the bad stuff.”
5. Salad Sandwich. Your leftover salad from last night is a great addition to your homemade sandwich for lunch today. Not only will you get and feel fuller longer, but your sandwich will be happier and so will your body.

Have you tried any of the above? What do you like to do to give your homemade sandwich that extra kick in nutrients and flavor?

Research provided by Monica Lobo, RD.

Fresh fruits are yummy AND healthy! The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that we should consume 4 servings of fruits per day. 1 serving of fruit is about ½ cup. The equivalent amount to a ½ cup serving is ½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, 1 medium fruit (apple, orange, etc), ¼ cup dried fruit, or ½ cup fruit juice.

Besides enjoying eating and drinking fruits as they come, we can transform and incorporate them into decadent creations! Side dishes, appetizers, drinks, desserts, etc. They’re oh-so-colorful too!

1. Berry Good Smoothie: In a blender, combine 1 pitted nectarine, ¾ cup hulled strawberries, ¾ cup blueberries, 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder, and 1 cup crushed ice. Blend until smooth, pour into glass and serve!

2. Romaine and Fresh Strawberry Salad: Combine 2 cups romaine lettuce and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry vinaigrette dressing and toss well. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cashews.

3. Cinnamon Rice with Apples: Combine ¾ cup uncooked white rice, 1.5 cup apple juice, 1 chopped and core apple, and 1/3 cup raisins. Season with cinnamon. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover for about 17 minutes. Lift lid, and see if rice is moist enough for your taste; if not, cook another couple minutes. Mix in fresh parsley. Serve immediately. You can pair the rice with a white meat main dish – complements each other really well!

4. Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa: Combine in a large bowl 3 cups chopped watermelon, ½ cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tbsp chopped green onions, 1 tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper and ½ tsp garlic salt. Mix well and serve. The juicy watermelon replaces tomatoes in this salsa that’s simultaneously cool and spicy hot! Serve it with tortilla chips or use it as a topping for grilled chicken. Yum!!

5. Berries a la mode: Place 2 cup berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup low-fat granola. Bake at 350 F until fruit is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!

Do you have other yummy ways of incorporating fresh fruits into delicious creations?

Assistance provided by Rachel Yam

When I think of summer fruits, “sugar and spice and everything nice” comes to mind. However, that’s NOT the case with tart cherries! Unlike the sweet cherries that come mainly from the upper West Coast, tart cherries are grown primarily in the Northeast.

Since we were children, we viewed cherries as a bonus, a reward. (Remember asking “pretty please with a cherry on top?”) But there’s nothing extra about it; tart cherries should be an essential component of your diet. Plant compounds known as phenolics are abundant in tart cherries, giving the fruit valuable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

One of the primary phenolics is anthocyanin, which assists in the blocking of inflammation-cauing enzymes. The darker the cherry, the more anthocyanin it is believed to contain. Anthocyanin’s benefits are believed to extend to the reduction of conditions such as gout, arthritis, and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Although phenolics are present in sweet cherries as well, tart cherries are thought to contain greater amounts of the compound while also containing less sugars. Either way, both types of cherries are thought to have much greater concentrations of these kinds of phenolics than other fruits.

Cherries are always available, no matter the season, so why not give the tart cherry a try? They’re easy to add to cereals and oatmeals, salads, desserts, and even smoothies and juices. Look for frozen tart cherries in the frozen foods section of the grocery store and make one of my favorite smoothies.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie

1/2 cup tart cherries

1 cup 1 % organic milk

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Blend and enjoy this yummy treat!

Have you tried tart cherries?

Assistance provided by Pam Majumdar