That's Fit

My son has a penchant for sugary cereals. I adopted him at age 10, so he had 10 years of forming his tastes and eating habits before he moved home with me. Luckily, he does enjoy a number of healthy foods. (I just recently succeeded in getting him to try (and enjoy) salmon.) Breakfast foods, however, are more of a challenge.

More often than not we have oatmeal, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, or eggs. But I do like to have a box of cereal in the pantry for those busy days. Getting him to change his preferences has been a slow process. In fact, just recently when we were at the grocery store he said "Fruit Loops are healthy. Right, Mom? They're made of fruit." Uh.... no.

HealthCastle has a great article discussing the truth about reduced-sugar products -- from cereal to instant oatmeal to granola bars to juice -- that are popping up on store shelves. The products are often aimed at kids, yet the claim of "reduced sugar" is supposed to appeal to health-conscious parents. Often, artificial sweeteners are used in place of the sugar -- calorie content remains about the same.

We all know fruits and veggies that are bold and bright in color keep us healthy. But what colors are best? Red, for one. Health.com says we can't go wrong with these three red foods.

Red cabbage
It has has deep-red (almost purple) pigments containing 36 plant chemicals. Researchers say these may be useful for guarding against cancer, boosting brain function, and promoting heart health.

Beet juice
It has a chemical your body may convert into a compound capable of expanding blood vessels and lowering blood pressure, say British scientists. If this doesn't sound appetizing on its own, try mixing it into a smoothie.

Tomatoes
They have lycopene and beta-carotene -- antioxidants that can keep your heart young by lowering your cholesterol.

Of course, red isn't the only color you'll need to eat to stay healthy. It's important to incorporate other colors into your diet too.

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.

I'm not a juice girl. Never have been. Don't plan to become one. It comes down to sugar for me. Natural or not, I don't like how much comes packed into juice drinks.

Despite my own personal aversion to juice, it can be a nutritious beverage. Here, Real Simple magazine takes a look at eight different juices and reveals how they stack up healthwise.

• Apple Juice

• Cranberry Juice

• Grape Juice (red)

• Grapefruit Juice

• Orange Juice

• Pineapple Juice

• Pomegranate Juice

• Tomato Juice

This past week, we wrapped up our America Takes It Off coverage by revealing that you, our readers, have lost an astounding 231 lbs! But just because we're not checking in with you anymore doesn't mean you should give up on losing -- let's keep up the good work! And, in honour of our continued efforts to look great for summer, I'm going to talk to you about one food that is notorious for helping you slim down: grapefruit.

You've probably heard about the Grapefruit Diet. Now, we would never advocate a fad diet like this one, but you know what? It does have some merit -- adding grapefruit to your diet has been proven to help you lose weight. Why, you ask? Well, in addition to being high in fibre and water to help flush out your system, it's thought that grapefruits can help lower insulin levels, which can lead to weight loss.

Trying to take off the pounds? I have a trick that's worked well for me and several of my friends: Drink up. I'm not talking about calorie-laden drinks like soda, cocktails or juices. Rather, you should fill up on healthy, low-calorie liquids. We're talking water, tea, vegetable juice, soup, even diet soda and juice from time to time.

You see, sometimes when we think we're hungry, we're mostly just thirsty, and having a tall glass of water can curb your hunger and keep you from binging on junk food. So try this: Next time you feel hungry and find yourself craving something unhealthy, either chug a low-calorie drink or have a small bowl of soup. Wait 20 minutes, and if you're still hungry, have something nutritious to eat.

Most alcohol gets burned off during the cooking process. But if you have some recipes that require a cooking wine or liqueur and don't want to risk it on children or less-than-healthy guests, give these simple substitutions a try.

Replace one tablespoon of bourbon or sherry with:

• one tablespoon of apple or orange juice

Replace one tablespoon of coffee liqueur or chocolate liqueur with:

• 1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract or
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee in 2.5 teaspoons of water

Who isn't at least a little short on energy sometimes? Besides your toddler or small dog, I'd bet nobody really.

Lack of energy on a regular basis and/or sudden energy slumps in the middle of the day are two of the biggest reasons why people skip workouts and find excuses not to exercise. It's hard to motivate yourself to do something when you're really just not in the mood.

Energy levels are affected by a lot of different things, but one of the biggest players is of course your diet. Eating right on a regular basis will go a long way towards increasing and evening out your energy levels, but there are also specific foods that you can incorporate into your day whenever you need an additional boost. And no, a Starbucks triple shot latte is not one of them (darnit!).

There's more talk than ever these days about performance-enhancing substances, chief among them being HGH and steroids (aka "juice"). Veteran pitcher Roger Clemens just returned from a trip to the hill of a different kind to testify before a Congressional committee, and it seems as though the case against slugger Barry Bonds may again be opened. But, aside from aging sports figures, fading Hollywood stars, and every single contestant in the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest, who else uses these drugs?

As for HGH, an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S. have visited so-called "anti-aging" clinics to be administered HGH. The associated health risks are incredibly high, yet vanity appears to win out over better judgment in many of these cases. Steroids, which have been linked to a number of health risks of their own, are used by far more people, most of which are neither old nor seemingly in possession of poor judgment.

Based on the results of a new study, the vast majority of steroid users are educated men in their 30s with an average annual income of close to six figures. Without an athletic career on the line, a movie legacy to cling to, or a bodybuilding title to defend, thousands upon thousands of people put their health at risk in order to broaden their shoulders. And, because steroids are a psychologically addictive drug, many users have great difficulty stopping once they have witnessed results.

I'd venture to guess that nobody actually likes counting calories. Well, maybe people who work for the IRS, accountants, and 10th grade math teachers, but that's probably it. The rest of us would prefer to enjoy our lives, and our food, without having to constantly be weighing, measuring, and calculating everything morsel we eat.

But, inasmuch as we sometimes abhor number-crunching, it unfortunately remains somewhat necessary when it comes to losing weight. This is especially true for what we drink, as it is common for these extra calories to inadvertently be left out of our arithmetic.

Here is just a quick look at how many calories some popular drinks contain. You may be quite surprised to learn just how many calories you've been drinking in a mere twelve ounce serving.

• Soda = 124-189 calories
• Bottled Sweet Tea = 129-143 calories
• Orange Juice = 157-158 calories
• Apple Juice = 169-175 calories
• Cranberry Juice Cocktail = 205 calories
• 2% Low-Fat Milk = 183 calories
• Soy Milk = 147-191 calories

If you're interested in lowering blood pressure, you may want to consider trying to enjoy beetroot juice from now on. Researchers out of London have some compelling evidence which suggests a healthy dose of the reddish extract could help beat high blood pressure.

Half a liter was shown to reduce pressure within an hour! Test subjects were asked to drink water, or beetroot juice -- and all volunteers were healthy to begin with. The results point to nitrate being the cause of this drastic lowering of blood pressure, but spinach and lettuce also contain this compound.

Chemical reactions between nitrate and mouth bacteria caused the blood vessels to dilate. This had the effect of increasing blood flow, which in turn decreased pressure. Looks like it is time to pick up another healthy habit, but I wonder if nitrate supplements would have the same results?

Some say fill half your plate instead of the whole thing and you'll consume less food, less calories, less fat, less everything. Just don't go back for seconds and this idea works well. Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., says something different.

"Just fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables," says Pivonka. This leaves little room for the fattening stuff. Now don't go back for seconds with this plan either.

Stock your kitchen with plenty of fruits and veggies -- fresh, frozen, canned, and dried produce fit the bill -- and grab some 100 percent fruit juice too. According to Pivonka: "When you have all these different forms of fruits and vegetables in your pantry, you're more likely to include lots of them in your diet."

Makes sense to me.

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

Oprah loves pomegranate martinis. They're full of good enzymes, she told her audience on Friday. Hey, guess what? Enzymes aren't everything when it comes to the power of the pomegranate, a fruit that grows on a shrub in southern European and Asian countries and can also be grown in California.

The size of an orange, consisting of seeds surrounded by pulp, and separated by a membrane, the pomegranate is is chock full of health benefits.

What's the deal with the mangosteen fruit? Considered by many (especially people who work on commission at health food stores) to be a "super fruit," the juice of this mysterious fruit has somehow found its way into my refrigerator.

There is actually a story, which is most likely apocryphal, about Queen Victoria offering a cash reward to anyone who could deliver her this fabled fruit. Known mostly for being a powerful antioxidant and for its alleged ability to help reduce the effects of arthritis, the mangosteen fruit has long been a thing of legend (referred to as the "Queen of Fruits" in Asia and the "Food of the Gods" in the French Caribbean).

But, is this all just a bunch of B.S.? According to the folks at the Mayo clinic, there have not been any studies, performed on humans, that would substantiate any claims involving the efficacy of the mangosteen fruit in fighting inflammation or possessing antioxidant properties. That being said, however, animal tests using the mangosteen fruit have revealed its value for these, and other, medical purposes.

So it would seem, then, that the only benefit I know for sure that I am getting from that bottle of mangosteen juice in my fridge is the taste.

If your mom was one to push the orange juice when you were sniffling and sneezing, she may have had good reason.

A review of more than 30 studies shows that taking one 1,000-mg vitamin C supplement per day may help shorten the duration and severity of cold symptoms, especially when you're under stress. You don't need to take a supplement 365 days a year, though, because vitamin C doesn't prevent colds from coming on. It just might help once that cold arrives, though.

There's a lot of speculation about the merits of vitamin C. Some believe in it; some think it's pretty useless. Whatever your view, the current recommended dose of this vitamin is 60 mg daily. One eight-ounce glass of orange juice contains 97 mg.