That's Fit

In the market for a tasty, healthy treat? Try blueberries. Why? Read on and you'll find a handful of reasons.

Blueberries are quite low in calories -- there are only 83 calories in one cup, says CalorieKing.com. If for some reason, this is too much for you, you can burn these calories off with any one of the following: 11 minutes of walking, four minutes of jogging, three minutes of swimming, or six minutes of cycling (based on a 35-year-old female standing 5.74 feet tall and weighing 144 pounds). Or you could just pick some berries yourself -- I did the other day and spent about 45 minutes walking up and down rows of bushes, sweating my butt off. I surely burned off a serving or two of these blue berries. Really, though, it doesn't matter to me whether or not I burn them off because they are so darn good for me, the health trade-off is worth the caloric intake.

According to the The World's Healthiest Foods, blueberries are superbly healthy for these reasons.

• They are good for the heart, the brain, and the eyes.
• They protect against colon and ovarian cancers.
• They promote gastrointestinal health.
• They help relieve diarrhea and constipation.
• Their antioxidants neutralize free radical damage to cells and tissues.
  
  

Clearly, blueberries are bursting with health benefits. So buy some, pick some, eat some. They'll do your body good. So will the following antioxidant-rich foods.

Pizza is something that's typically reserved for my "reward day" (see earlier post). This is probably a good thing, since I'm just about the last person you want to have around when you order pizza. Why? Because I never eat the crust. Never have, probably never will. The crust is the best part, what's wrong with you? is typically what I hear from my buddies, but still I remain an anti-crust pizza eater.

Strangely, I never thought that my almost Seinfeldian aversion to pizza crust could potentially have an effect on my hair.

Researchers from the University of Munster in Germany found that diet plays a significant role in hair-retention, and that crusts contain eight times more antioxidants than the rest of the pizza or loaf of bread. Couple this with a separate study highlighted in Men's Health, where it was discovered that antioxidant intake is vital to ensuring proper circulation to the scalp and the production of malanin -- the hormone that makes hair richer and thicker, and it becomes abundantly clear that there is, in fact, something wrong with not eating the crust.

100% fruit juice is a good addition to your breakfast. Without the added sugar, you're getting much of the fruit nutrition without added ingredients. The RDs over at HealthCastle shared their list of the top five juices:

• Concord Grape juice. According to a recent study, grape juice has the highest amount of antioxidants.
  
• Wild Blueberry juice. A close runner-up to grape juice, blueberry juice is also high in antioxidants. (Some listings rank it higher.)
  
• Cranberry juice. The flavonoids in cranberry juice can improve blood flow, possibly benefiting blood pressure and cholesterol while reducing the risk of blood clots.
• Cloudy apple juice. The cloudier varieties of apple juice are less filtered. Subsequently, they have more antioxidants than highly filtered varieties.
  
• Fortified orange juice. Many OJs are fortified with calcium, vitamin D, or plant sterols.

Do pay attention to serving sizes, however. A tall glass of orange juice may be two or even three servings. Stick to a small juice glass so you can enjoy your morning beverage without going overboard.

Kim Cattrall, Hilary Swank, and Mariska Hargitay have something in common, and I'm not talking about their wildly successful careers or their overflowing bank accounts. It has to do with health, a drink, and the color green.

The "green drink" is their collective beverage of choice and here's what it's made from: Cucumber, celery, fennel, chard, kale, parsley, and apple. Full of antioxidants and only 50 calories for an eight-ounce glass, this energizer can be yours -- get the recipe for this fresh juice here.

So why the allegiance to this green concoction? Because all three women follow the nutritional wisdom of Oz Garcia, author of the new book Redesigning 50: The No-Plastic Surgery Guide to 21st-Century Age Defiance. Learn more about this nutritionist to the stars here -- and see if this guy has what it takes motivate you in healthy directions.

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

It's no secret -- beans are great for you. In fact, we've told you before on You Are What You Eat about the amazing health benefits of two common types of beans -- kidney beans and garbanzo beans, aka chick peas. But when it comes to beans, don't limit yourself; there are other healthy beans you should make sure you're eating too. Case in point? Black beans.

Black Beans aren't a staple of most people's diets, but maybe they should be -- In addition to being a great source of fiber and protein, black beans also contain valuable antioxidants and vitamins, including manganese, magnesium, folate and iron. All that and they're virtually fat free. You can't do much better than that, huh?

Imagine a sliced apple, say the health experts at Canyon Ranch. Leave those slices sitting for a bit and before long, they'll turn brown. Oxidation is the cause. And harmful free radicals are the result. Free radicals pull apart molecules in healthy living tissue and eventually cause the apple to dry and shrivel. They can cause human skin to wrinkle and can cause cancer too.

Now don't forgo apples in your diet -- just don't slice and let them brown. But do let the visual of those brown pieces motivate you to choose a rainbow of colorful, antioxidant-rich plant foods to enrich your diet each day. Here's what you need.

I used to work at a large software company. There was a woman who worked in a different department and I always was impressed with her appearance. She was in enviable shape. Also, she was just always so put together and nice looking. I guessed she was in her late 50's or so. Later on I found out that she was only 31. 31! Her hours upon hours (or years upon years) in the tanning booth had wreaked so much damage on her skin that she had aged herself by 20 or more years.

Today it's common knowledge that we should apply sunscreen and practice other sun safety measures. But if you're of a certain age (ahem... my age) you remember the days of slathering baby oil on and laying out in the backyard for hours. If you used to worship the sun and your skin is showing signs of damage, there are things you can do:

• Use sunblock every day -- whether it's sunny or not.
• Apply cleansers or moisturizers with antioxidants, glycolic acids, and retinoids.
  
• Use a night repair product.
• Eat healthfully and exercise (it really can improve your skin).

If you have any particularly worrisome spots or irregularly shaped patches of darker skin, be sure to see your doctor.

"No longer easy on the eyes, 'cause these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below," croons Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard in a song off their 2005 album Plans. If you were to ask a scientist from the Corporate Research and Statistics Group to evaluate these lyrics, they'd tell you Mr. Gibbard probably needs more vitamin C in his diet.

That's because research into the effects of vitamin C on skin revealed that of 4,000 people examined for a 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, those who consumed the highest amounts of this vitamin in their diets had significantly fewer wrinkles than people with the lowest levels. Researchers posit that the antioxidants found in vitamin C help increase collagen production and regeneration, thereby keeping skin looking younger.

However, not everyone subscribes to this 'An orange a day keeps the wrinkle away' construct. Many experts believe that it's too difficult, if impossible, to ascertain which specific foods actually contributes to wrinkles, or the lack thereof.

Pomegranate juice has for quite some time been touted for its antioxidant properties. Citing heart health as a primary benefit of its ability to help prevent free radical damage, many people made the switch to this more expensive juice in recent years.

But as good for your heart as pomegranate may be, there's evidence to suggest that men may be able to derive an added boner ... er, I mean bonus from this popular fruit.

A University of California study revealed that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day helps erectile dysfunction. It turns out that the same antioxidant properties that help ward off free radical damage also prevent circulatory issues, thus offering a wee bit of help to the fellas who need it.

Craving a juicy burger on the grill this summer? Grilling has come (no pun intended) under fire lately, due to a cancer-causing compound that's created when meat is grilled.

The truth is: I love cherries. Some other truths: Cherries have the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits, a growing body of evidence shows that tart cherries may help relieve arthritis, cherries are one of the few foods known to regulate natural sleep patterns, and cherries also might reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Geez, and I just loved them for the taste.

Wait. There's more: Cherry consumption help prevent colon cancer, may aid in the management of diabetes, and may be good for the brain.

Ready to love cherries, like me? If so, check out this handy tool and learn how to incorporate cherries into your routine. Take a peek at these recipes too -- this month's featured treat is Confetti Couscous Salad with Dried Cherries. Yummy. And for up-to-date cherry news, pay this location a visit every once in a while..

First off, lets just be clear: no matter what you eat, you still need to use topical sunscreen. No matter what.

Okay, now that we're clear on that, let's get to the whole "eating your sunscreen" thing! The sun wreaks havok on our skin when the UV rays cause increased free-radicals that run rampant and leave nothing but damage in their wake. Some foods, particularly those high in antioxidants, can help to protect us from the sun by "mopping up" those nasty little bad guys and leaving our skin feeling younger, healthier, and (perhaps most importantly) cancer-free.

I love this time of year. When my local produce stores start carrying fruits and vegetables that aren't labeled "product of some outlandishly far away country." Locally grown products are fresher, better for the environment, and even seem to taste better. Depending on where you live, many berries may be already in season. Strawberry season is just around the corner for me, and I can't wait! Berries pack a powerful nutritional punch (via FitSugar).

Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. They can help ward off certain diseases and may even slow the aging process. You can mix things up by looking for different tastes such as currants, gooseberries, and lingonberries.

Try topping your morning cereal or oatmeal with berries, enjoying a bowl of berries with some skim milk, mixing them in your yogurt, topping a small slice of angel food cake, or just popping them as they are. Your health -- and taste buds -- will thank you.

Feeling and looking like a superstar starts with eating superstar foods and when it comes to summer salads, you might know that veggies are good for you but do you know which ones are the best? In terms of antioxidant levels there are five veggies that stand out from the rest and you'll want to be sure to throw as many of them as you can in your salads this summer. Which veggie do you think is the absolute richest in antioxidants?

Something wonderful happened a couple of weeks ago at my supermarket: Fresh, ripe strawberries started appearing on the shelves, and my fridge has been full of them ever since. That's right -- it's strawberry season. I'm crazy about berries of all kinds, and strawberries are my favourite. Thankfully, my body loves them too -- they're low in calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants.

Me, I eat my strawberries au naturel -- I slice them, put them in a small Tupperware container, tote them with me to the office and munch on them all day long. But if this doesn't float your boat, here are some other ways to enjoy them:

• Add them to your morning cereal
  
• Throw a handful in a protein smoothie
• Stir some into a bowl of plain yogurt, and add just a little bit of honey for sweetness -- and some granola too if you like.
  
• Throw some in your salad
• Slice and serve with some fine cheeses
• Entertaining? Top slices of angel food cake with them -- and maybe a bit of whipped cream if you're feeling indulgent

Got any ideas you'd like to share?