fruit juice-related stories
Pomegranate - How Many Calories?
Pomegranate juice has been a health food hit for awhile now, but how often do you toss a raw pomegranate in your grocery cart? The Pomegranate Council -- yes, there's a council -- shares all sorts of cool facts about this ancient fruit. Now's a good time to try a pomegranate, the California's Wonderful variety is in season now through January.
The fun part lies in figuring out how to actually eat those raw aril seeds bursting with pomegranate juice. Whether using the traditional or fanning no-mess methods, you can scoop out the seeds without turning your fingertips into a red-stained mess.
Once you have a pile, how many calories are actually in a half cup of pomegranate seeds?
How Many Calories ... in a Booster Juice smoothie?
How Many Calories?, Nutrition & Supplements
Smoothies are all the rage these days. Forget meals -- you can get all your nutrition in liquid form, served in a handy to-go cup. Not that there's anything wrong with giving in to the smoothie craze -- I myself have forgone the traditional meal in favour of a quick energy fix from the nearest smoothie vendor.
And there are smoothies to fit all needs -- whether you're looking to bulk up on protein, trim fat, get as many antioxidants as possible or fulfill all your daily fruit and veggie requirements in one drink. All that and they're usually absolutely delicious.
But conventional wisdom tells me that when something tastes good, it probably has lots of calories. Still, how many calories can there be in fruit juice and yogurt? What do you think?
Sweetened juice linked to diabetes
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Are you drinking fruit juice because you think it's a healthy alternative to soda? Think again. A recent study has linked the consumption of sweetened fruit juice to type 2 diabetes. Women in the study who drank two or more servings of sweetened fruit juice per day had a 31% increased risk of developing diabetes than those who drank less than one per month.Researchers who are trying to zero in on type 2 diabetes say that "calories trump everything," and that drinking or eating heavily sweetened foods are an easy way to overdo it on the calories. My dentist has always given me and my kids the rule "4 oz. per day and after that, it's liquid candy."
Orange juice and grapefruit juice are exempt from this study, both because they are naturally sweetened and because they are more likely to be eaten with a meal, which means they'd likely have a reduced effect on blood sugar. Stick to water to stay hydrated in a healthy way between meals, flavoring it naturally if necessary.
Watermelon water
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
My son and I both love watermelon, but size is an issue. If we buy the tiny ones we go through them in no time. If we buy the medium-sized melons, we invariably end up throwing some of it out. That's why I love this idea for watermelon water. What a delicious and healthy way to use up some of the excess watermelon! All you need to do is puree two cups of watermelon cubes (seedless, of course) with two cups of water. Pour the puree into a pitcher and stir in another cup of water. The recipe says you can add sugar if it isn't sweet enough, but I can't imagine why you would want to. I think the mildly flavored water would be pleasant, and why would you add sugar to an otherwise healthy refreshment?
You could also freeze melon balls to use as ice cubes for added flavor and fun. Enjoy!
5 top juices for a healthy start to your day
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.
Fruit and veggie juice better than just fruit juice
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Are you a fruit juice fan? It's an easy way to get a dose of fresh fruit every day without juicing your own fruits. However, the brand and type of fruit juice you choose makes a world of difference on the health benefits you'll see.Pasteurized juices and ones made from mostly refined sugar can be nutritionally worthless, even when they taste good. Finding juices that are gently or non-pasteurized (which is very difficult to do) are your best bet outside of juicing your own organic fruits.
How about those fruit and vegetable juices that combine those all-important veggies with fruits that can mask the taste? Kagome is a great choice if you've haven't tried it (the purple blend is delicious). There are other choices as well, from the V8 brand (owned by Campbell's Soup) and others. Choose one that is great for you with a great taste.
The Daily Turn On! Get Juiced!
Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Everyday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will awaken your mind, your body and your life!Did you know: One of the best ways to finght disease and enhance your health and longevity is to include plenty of nutrient-rich fresh vegetables and fruits. Many of us in this fast-paced, convenience-oriented world find our diets devoid of these healthy foods. Juicing is the extraction of juice from raw fruits and vegetables. The juices are full of disease-fighting antioxidants that are known to clean out any "free-radicals" in your body. If left unchecked, these free radicals could cause the growth of cancer.
What is in juice? Fresh juice, made from raw vegetables and/or fruits is basically water loaded with what researchers have dubbed as "anutrients," also known as pigments, flavors and enzymes. These anutrients include carotenoids, allyl sulfides, tannins, indoles, and plant steriods to name a few. In addition, there are plenty of vitamins and minerals that your body needs in order to maintain optimal health.
Who needs it? Almost everyone could benefit from two to four ounces of fresh carrot juice per day, unless you have a specific sensitivity or allergy to carrots. The juice is loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which helps fight disease, boosts your immune system and improves your night and color vision! If you want to improve your energy, maybe a fresh vegetable cocktail would do just the trick because of the high concentration of the energy nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals. If you have a difficult time digesting high fiber fruits and veggies, try drinking the juice!
Fresh versus processed: What's the difference? Juices packaged in bottles or cans or stored in your freezer have typically been heated in order to prevent bacterial growth, In addition, many have on their list of ingredients artificial additives that may be harmful to your health. And do you know how long the processed juice has been residing in its container?
Use clean fruits and veggies: If you don't use organic produce that has not be sprayed with chemicals during the growing process or afterwards, you should give your raw buddies a bath! Use a vegetable brush and a biodegradable soap. This should remove most of the toxic residue that you don't need for optimal health!
In the beginning, go easy on the juice. One to two ounces per day is enough. Work yourself up to four to six ounces twice per day. Drink more vegetables than fruit. Too much fruit juice can throw your blood sugar off balance.
What is in juice? Fresh juice, made from raw vegetables and/or fruits is basically water loaded with what researchers have dubbed as "anutrients," also known as pigments, flavors and enzymes. These anutrients include carotenoids, allyl sulfides, tannins, indoles, and plant steriods to name a few. In addition, there are plenty of vitamins and minerals that your body needs in order to maintain optimal health.
Who needs it? Almost everyone could benefit from two to four ounces of fresh carrot juice per day, unless you have a specific sensitivity or allergy to carrots. The juice is loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which helps fight disease, boosts your immune system and improves your night and color vision! If you want to improve your energy, maybe a fresh vegetable cocktail would do just the trick because of the high concentration of the energy nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals. If you have a difficult time digesting high fiber fruits and veggies, try drinking the juice!
Fresh versus processed: What's the difference? Juices packaged in bottles or cans or stored in your freezer have typically been heated in order to prevent bacterial growth, In addition, many have on their list of ingredients artificial additives that may be harmful to your health. And do you know how long the processed juice has been residing in its container?
Use clean fruits and veggies: If you don't use organic produce that has not be sprayed with chemicals during the growing process or afterwards, you should give your raw buddies a bath! Use a vegetable brush and a biodegradable soap. This should remove most of the toxic residue that you don't need for optimal health!
In the beginning, go easy on the juice. One to two ounces per day is enough. Work yourself up to four to six ounces twice per day. Drink more vegetables than fruit. Too much fruit juice can throw your blood sugar off balance.
Odwalla vs. Naked Juice: which is better?
If you're a fan of pure fruit juice, you've probably heard of Naked Juice and Odwalla brands. Both are basically pureed fruit in a plastic bottle, and both taste very good while providing whole pieces of fruit in a package that is easier to consumer and much less messy.Which is your favorite? I'm interested to hear from readers who have had both brands and like one over the other. There are many fruity variations of both, and some veggie and protein varieties as well.
I'm not sure I have a favorite at this time, as both seem just as tasty to me. Anything with pureed strawberries, pomegranates and blueberries works for me. How about you?
The juice that's worth the squeeze
Pucker up! A recent study published in the Journal of Food Science states that pink grapefruit juice is the most nutritious. Orange juice ran a close second, with white grapefruit, pineapple, prune, grape, and apple juices lagging behind. Pink grapefruit juice (the 100%, no-sugar variety) packs a bigger nutrition punch per calorie than any other 100% fruit juice. One tart and tangy glass of pink grapefruit juice provides 100% of a day's vitamin C. It also provides nutrients such as potassium, folate, lycopene, thiamin, and magnesium. Sugar-added juices, juice cocktails, and other blends were not included in the study.
When pouring yourself a glass of juice, be sure to check the serving size and calories per serving. Even no-sugar-added juices can be high in calories, and the serving size may be smaller than you think.
Pure fruit juice no threat to kids' weight gain
Healthy Kids, Nutrition & Supplements
Bethany noted new fruit juice research this morning, and I had to get it off my brain as well. New research shows that consuming 100% fruit juice does not make young children overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. In what I consider a "duh" moment in research, I'm glad this research showed what many in the health community already knew -- moderate fruit juice intake (100% fruit) does way more good than any harm.The worry is "fruit-flavored" drinks that are nothing more than high-fructose corn syrup, water, artificial color and a tiny amount of juice. 100% pure fruit juice is really the only kind that is healthy, and even though it is more expensive, it's worth every penny.
My favorite for the time being (since it can be found almost anywhere)? Naked Juice -- it's great -- although only 8 ounces at a time is good for most I believe.
Sugar matchup -- Coca Cola versus Fruit Juice
Is it better to drink pure fruit juice or soft drinks? Both have loads of sugar and there are arguments that sugar content is pretty evenly matched based on the quantity and brand of soft drink or fruit juice you consumer.But there is more to the picture than that. Natural sugars in all-natural fruit juices are not combined with high-fructose corn syrup (a cheap sweetener) or caffeine and other ingredients that are harmful when taken in large quantities.
Solution? I make whole-fruit smoothies on occasion but day-to-day, I like Naked Juice all-fruit smoothies. No mess to clean up!
