This week marked the beginning of, I imagine, thousands of detox diets across North America. It's only natural, really, that after weeks of indulging in more sugar, fat, alcohol and laziness than we do all year that we're looking for ways to cleanse our bodies of our holiday sins and start 2009 off right. But before you rush to the drug store to pick up a detox kit to the tune of $30 or more, keep in mind that leading scientists have declared many so-called detoxes to be a waste of money.

You can save your hard-earned cash with a do-it-yourself detox. It won't be easy -- most experts believe that detoxing requires you to cut out sugar, salt, refined carbs, wheat, dairy, alcohol and caffeine, not to mention drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fruits and veggies -- but doing it yourself is healthier and more economical.

Click here for some more DIY-detoxing tips.

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Fortified foods are all the rage these days. But, there were foods rich in antioxidants and other healthy nutrients well before food and beverage companies began adding them. This is certainly the case with fruits and vegetables. So, the next time you're at the grocery store and are looking for some healthy eats, why not grab a bag of bloody oranges? Literally.

Blood oranges, the reddish variety that are in season from January to April, contain anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that may help defend against heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Finding these oranges isn't always easy, though. More or less, they look like regular oranges from the outside (although they sometimes get a reddish hue on their skin, as well), so you have to keep an eye out for them.

If you're not the type that likes to tear into a piece of fruit and eat it as-is, then take a look at this page for a list of recipes for foods, drinks, and desserts that make use of the tasty blood orange.

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Oats were featured in a You Are What You Eat SuperFood post on Christmas Day. It seemed fitting for those living in cold-weather climates to spotlight a healthy, warm-yourself-up sort of food. And since January finds more people warming up to steaming bowls of oatmeal than any other month -- that's why January is designated National Oatmeal Month -- it seems a great time to spice up this SuperFood with both flavor and nutritional value. These few ideas do just that.

• Mix some dried organic blueberries into your piping-hot bowl of oats and add a few walnuts too. Enjoy the boost of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids these add-ins provide.
  
  

• Stir in some sliced banana and a spoonful of organic peanut butter to transform your oatmeal into a nutty, potassium-rich extravaganza.
  
  

• Try some low-fat granola, flaxseed, wheat germ, and sesame seeds next time you serve up your oats.
  
  

For a few more oatmeal toppers and some recipes too, visit the Quaker Oatmeal website here.

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