Vitamin C –
Vital for collagen production, immune functioning and dental health
Fiber/Carbohydrates – Vital for weight maintenance, LDL cholesterol
reduction, blood sugar maintenance, and is the main source of easily-obtained
energy for our bodies
Pectin –
Vital for LDL cholesterol reduction, blood sugar maintenance, digestion, and
heart disease prevention
Folic acid – Vital for metabolism, heart disease prevention, cellular maintenance, and
neural tube development during pregnancy
Anti-oxidants – Neutralizes free radicals in the body, which are suspected to be the
a cause of heart disease and cancer
Apples
have a low glycaemic index (GI).Low
GI foods are digested slowly and are gradually absorbed into the bloodstreams
as glucose, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.Apples also have powerful diuretic powers, assisting
in ridding toxins from the body. They are naturally low in calories and can “snap
one to life” better than a morning cup of coffee.
Low-Fat Yogart
Goal: 3 to 5
servings a week
What it does: As a health food,
yogurt is almost as old as, well, good health itself. But experts say evidence
continues to accumulate that reveals its benefits in many new and exciting
ways. And not just yogurt any fermented dairy product -- including kefir --
contains healthy “probiotics” -- bacteria with the power to protect you in
myriad ways.
There is a suggestion [that yogurt] may decrease the risk of
breast cancer and there’s very strong evidence it can reduce problems associated
with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory digestive tract disorders --
both conditions that impact women more than men. Additionally yogurt can help
reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and infections.
Enjoy a cup of yogurt at breakfast, lunch, or snack to help
meet the Dietary Guidelines recommendation for three servings of low fat dairy
each day. It’s loaded with bone-healthy calcium -- something everyone needs
more of at every age. One cup of yogurt has about 448 mg of calcium, compared
to just 300 for eight ounces of skim milk.
is higher in calcium than some other dairy products and
contains a great package of other nutrients, including protein and potassium.
It can also be enhanced with other good-for-you substances.
Yogurt is a vehicle food that can be enriched with probiotics for a healthy
balance of bacteria in your gut, and beneficial, heart-healthy plant stanols
and lactose sensitive people may tolerate yogurt better than milk.
Pomegranate Juice Why drink pomegranate juice?
Vitamin A – Vital for proper vision,
immune functioning, bone health, and skin health.
Vitamin C – Vital for collagen
production, immune functioning and dental health.
Vitamin E – Vital for circulatory
system functioning, blood clotting, and skin health.
Iron – Vital for immune
functioning, cellular functioning, and metabolism.
Anti-oxidants – Neutralizes free radicals
in the body, which are suspected to be the a cause of heart disease and cancer.
To
obtain maximum effect of this juice, drink the pure organic type. This contains the most
anti-oxidants with no sugar. As
little as ¼ cup of pomegranate juice daily may improve cardiovascular health by
reducing oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Consumption of pomegranate juice has also been shown to lower blood pressure
in hypertensive individuals.
Quinoa (KEEN-wah): An
Ancient Food Back in Fashion Regarded as a sacred food by the Incas, provides a wide range of vitamins and
minerals. This supergrain seed contains more protein than most cereal grains
(22 grams per one cup/250 millilitres uncooked quinoa) and is considered a
complete protein because it contains all eight of the essential amino acids we
need for tissue development.
Quinoa is
higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese,
and zinc, and lower in sodium compared with wheat, barley and corn. This
gluten-free grain also receives an honorable mention for being low in saturated
fat (one gram of fat per one cup/250 milliliter’s uncooked quinoa).
Simple
Solution for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
Quinoa was
a staple of ancient Andean civilizations. Today, thousands of quinoa varieties
thrive, ranging in color from pale ivory to yellow and even purplish black.
Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green
vegetables like spinach and swiss chard.
YUMMY - Quinoa and Butternut Squash Spinach Salad with Cranberry and Pear
Serves 4.
2 cups
butternut squash or pumpkin, diced into ½-in. (1.25-cm) pieces 1/2 cup quinoa 1-1/2 cups water 2 tsp soy sauce (I think this should be omitted!) 1 tsp sesame oil (I think this should be omitted!) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground allspice salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 Comice pear, halved, cored and diced into ½-in. (1.25-cm) pieces (I used a
Bartlett pear) 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 3 tbsp olive oil roasted walnuts, chopped into small pieces 2 cups spinach or arugula
1. Preheat
oven to 400F. Spread squash pieces over a greased or aluminum foil-lined baking
sheet and roast squash at 30-40 minutes, until tender when pierced with a
fork. Let cool.
2. In a
medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, cinnamon,
allspice, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then
reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let
stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Let cool almost to room temperature.
Gently fold in the squash, pear and dried cranberries.
3. In a
small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and olive oil. Spoon over the
quinoa mixture and toss lightly. Serve the salad warm or chilled sprinkled with
walnuts and spinach or arugula.
