The 8 Healthiest Fruits

Since before we can remember, our parents shoved the "eat your fruits and veggies" rule down our throats. No I'm not here to say that this is not the case or that fruits are secretly horrible for you and killing our youth! I have always been curious as to which fruits are actually the best ones for you. 

So here they are. The 8 Healthiest Fruits.

#1 Strawberries

-Great source of vitamin C

-Helps control type 2 diabetes

-helps fight off heart disease and inflammation

#2 Red Grapes

-Source of resveratrol (a powerful antioxidant that helps fight heart disease)

#3 Kiwi

-Lots of vitamin C

-Lower the risk of cancer

-Protects from DNA damage

#4 Apples

-Skin has a high source of fiber (soluble and insoluble)

-Filled with antioxidants

#5 Oranges

-Lots of vitamin C (almost a full day's worth)

-Lots of potassium

-Source of hesperidin (lowers cholesterol)

-According to research, the sent of oranges is calming

#6 Blueberries

-Rich in antioxidants that prevent cancer and macular degeneration

-Protects against urinary tract infections

#7 Papaya

-Source of papain (helps improve your digestion)

-Lots of vitamin C

good source of folate 

#8 Bananas

-High in potassium

-Low in sodium

-Lowers rush of high blood pressure and stroke

-Helps prevent stomach ulcers

Bloggers, Redheads and Zombies for Obama

In celebration of Obama's re-election, my dad sent my brother and me a link to a Democratic merchandise website and said we could get one thing, whatever we wanted. I decided to get THIS because I love Michelle and think this quote is something everyone should keep in mind.

It reads:

"Success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in peoples' lives."

-Michelle Obama

What I thought the best part about this website was the long list of "Special Interest" Obama buttons. Here were some of my personal favorites:

(I'm a redhead if you didn't guess.)

Click HERE! to see more crazy Obama pins or HERE! to go on the Democratic Stuff website!

More on the Paleo Diet

This morning, I received an email from this health blog I follow and one of their recent articles was on the Paleo Diet! In case I didn't do a sufficient job in explaining what it is to you, here is another source with a little more information on this diet.

Click HERE! for the link to "What to Expect on the Paleo Diet" by Calorie Count.

If you are like me and don't always actually reading the whole thing, here are the highlights:

1. You will have more energy
2. You will feel full longer
3. Grains are in everything!! (aka: Eating Paleo is hard)

10 Healthy Food Myths Busted

Although I have passed the age of 17, I still receive daily emails from Seventeen Magazine, and yes, they are still very helpful and relevant. The topics of the short articles range from dating advice to my favorite, FOOD!

Here's a straight-forward slideshow that was send to me today about healthy food myths, so naturally, I had to share it with all of you! Whether you have not yet become a teenager or are long out of the teen years, healthy food tips apply to you, so I encourage everyone to check out this article below!

Seventeen's "10 Healthy Food Myths Busted"

Here are some of the myths that shocked me when I saw they were actually false:

Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

I love peanut butter! If I was stranded on a desert island and I could bring only one food, it wouldn't be a question what I would choose. Peanut butter is my love. 

Whole wheat bread

I did not expect this one at all, but it's totally true! I have heard from many people (including my nutritionist Bonnie that whole grain is actually the best way to go. 

Fruit Smoothies

Jamba Juice lied to me! All this time I thought my Caribbean Passion and Razzmatazz smoothies were giving me a heathy boost! I for one will NOT cut smoothies out of my diet. They are a staple! Especially post workout. Nothing tastes better. What's better to do is make your own smoothie at home. That way you know exactly what goes into it so you can ensure it's healthy qualities.

Click HERE to go to Seventeen Magazine's Health Page!

Halloween Fun Fact!

At Halloween time, 600 million lbs. of candy is sold! That's $1.9 billion worth of candy. 90 million (nearly half) of this is chocolate.

Healthy Rainy Day Soups

Today in the lovely Chambana, it is raining. Hard. As I'm sitting here in FSHN 120, shoes soaked, there is only one thing that I really want.

SOUP.

I want some delicious, chunky, warm, healthy soup. Keyword: Healthy.

If anyone is suffering from this same craving as I am, here is a list of the healthiest canned soups that I have researched.

#1 Pacific Foods Organic Spicy Chicken Fajita

#2 Blue Menu Minestrone Low-Sodium

#3 Campbells Select Harvest Light Vegetable Beef and Barley

#4 Progresso Reduced Sodium Italian-style Wedding

#5 Healthy Choice All Natural Cheese Tortellini

Try these out and tell me what you think!

Click HERE for more healthy soup ratings!

Nutrition Tip #2 - Eat Less Meat

Today in FSHN 120, we learned about the average protein intake of Americans. To my surprise, we discovered that on average, Americans eat more than 2x the amount of protein that they need for a healthy diet, meaning that this excess intake of protein is, in fact, unhealthy.

So what is one to do?

Here's the tip: Treat meat as a flavoring or a special occasion food. You will appreciate it more and it will taste a whole lot better as a treat instead of the main dish in your meal. One easy trick that I do to achieve this is have a large salad for my main course and throw on a few pieces of chicken to get my protein. This way, I have a sufficient amount of protein, but have another food item that is my main course.

Another, possibly more extreme way to achieve this lower amount of protein is to try to eat a flexitarian diet. This diet consists of mostly plants but allows for occasional meats. (As opposed to the paleo diet that required a TON of meat. Nom Nom Nom.) This diet will make it easier to maintain a more healthy level of protein intake.