Popular fruits pack nutrition
My son started soccer practice last night and we were both so happy. There's a lull over the summer months where my son doesn't have any organized sports in season, and we both miss it terribly. But last night, I remembered what a time crunch it is planning for meals when there are practices to consider.My son and I usually eat dinner at 7 p.m. -- smack in the middle of his soccer practice. It's too early for us to eat dinner before practice, so I like to make sure my son has a healthy snack before to keep him energized and curb his hunger during practice. We don't get too creative with the snacks, either. A piece of fruit -- usually an apple or a banana -- is my son's pre-practice snack of choice.
According to Healthcastle, the plain-Jane popular fruits pack a powerful nutritional punch. Check out the gallery to see the details.
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A new study
In our house, we tend to keep food in our fridge for longer than most people. It's part laziness, part iron stomachs and part frugality, but whatever the cause, I'm often left scratching my head wondering if I should use a certain ingredient in my next meal. But I recently came across
Did you just eat a Big Mac? If so, what should you do next? According to new research, the answer to that question is to grab yourself something else to eat right away -- only this time, make sure that it's healthy!
Martha mentioned recently
That's right -- eat all those grapes, please! A new study suggested that grape consumption may prevent colon cancer. Specifically, a diet that contains a
I volunteered to bring cut-up fruits and veggies for my first-grader's Fall celebration on October 31. I don't want to be the mom bringing sugar cookies, a bag of fun-sized candy, or ultra-sweet juice. I want to be the mom who entices kids with nutritious options. Can I do it? Joey's teacher isn't so sure. She told me today she wants to offer healthy choices for her students -- but she doesn't think many will opt for what I bring. That's OK. I'm willing to a step into uncharted territory anyway. I tend to think some of the kids may be tempted by my apple slices and grapes, my baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Call me an optimist.
Halloween is upon us. And I'm scared. Not because of ghosts, goblins, witches, and warlocks, though. It's the candy that does it for me -- the sheer excess of sugar that will fill my kids' treat buckets on the night of trick-or-treat. My boys, who will quickly become beggars, will know no limits and will haunt me for weeks with their sweet requests. I haven't yet decided how I'll manage to trash a good portion of the goo my guys will score on this spooky night. But I do know I'd love it if nutritious treats could somehow find a place in the Halloween tradition. Maybe I need to nix the whole door-to-door thing and host my own little healthy hang-out -- complete with these Halloween treats.
My sister visited her daughter's preschool class just recently for her little one's third birthday celebration. It's customary at this school for parents to bring in a birthday snack for classmates to share. My sister was all too happy to participate in this ritual, and she went armed with her camera, a bunch of Halloween-inspired sugar cookies, and a healthy helping of grapes.
Six-year-old Joey is having a friend over after school today. So I asked him this morning, "What would you like to have for a snack this afternoon?" I thought I might provide a special treat -- a healthy one -- for him to share with his new buddy. He tried for cookies. "Nope," I told him. "Why?" he asked. "Is it because I'll just keep eating and eating them?"
Next time you're running a marathon, get your fill of grapes beforehand. Why? Well, you may already know that Grapes are being touted as the new superfood because of a thing called Resveratrol, a nutrient that helps slow down the aging process. And resveratrol, it's now being said, is good for endurance too. Apparently, it increases the production of SIRT1, and this is linked to increased energy expenditure. So for increased energy and metabolism, why not grab a handful of grapes, or even some wine? It's still just preliminary findings, but apparently mice given Resveratrol have exhibited a number of benefits, including improved endurance and decreased amounts of fat.
Good news for health-conscious types who have been interested in getting some of the health benefits of red wine that have been all over the news recently, but aren't so interested in drinking alcohol on a regular basis. According to a new study, many of the heart and artery benefits attributed to drinking red wine can also be had by drinking Concord grape juice.









