80/20 Health Nut: Top Tip #2: Eat blueberries

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Top Tip #2: Eat blueberries

Always topping the list of the most nutritional foods around, blueberries are an antioxidant powerhouse! High in polyphenol antioxidants that reduce inflammation, blueberries are also important for brain health. In addition, they contain many phytonutrients that boost your immune system and like all berries, help protect your body from many diseases, including cancer. A few ideas to help get a healthy portion of blueberries each day:

1. Make a smoothie of blueberries, yogurt, and whey protein powder. You can also freeze small portions of a smoothie to put in kids' lunch totes. They'll help keep lunches cool and soften in time to provide a healthy sweet treat.

2. Top your morning cereal with a handful of blueberries and a handful of chopped almonds.

3. Make whole grain waffles with fresh or frozen blueberries thrown in the batter just prior to cooking.

4. Google healthier versions of blueberry muffin recipes, using some whole grain flour or substituting applesauce for the oil in the recipe.

No comments:

Post a Comment

healthy tips

1. Instead of buying expensive vitamin waters, make your own. Fill your favorite 32 oz. cup with ice, an inch or so of pure 100% cranberry juice, a handful of the frozen fruit of your choice, and top with water. Delish and nutrish!

2. Never skip breakfast! Your body has been fasting all night. Skipping breakfast will destroy your metabolism. Best thing to eat for digestive purposes: fresh, in season fruit.

3. If you are trying to change a habit, say you'd like to stop drinking soda, post a memo on your fridge and update it every day. It could say "Days since I have had soda...7" or some such statement. Updating it daily, in full view of others, and seeing your progress is very motivational!

4. When baking, instead of using the called-for amount of oil, replace with applesauce in the same amount. I've also successfully replaced oil with sweet potato puree, canned pumpkin, and butternut squash puree. It doesn't affect the baking, but adds a bit of nutrition.

5. Chew thoroughly! The more you chew, the slower you will eat, the more digestive enzymes your body will secrete, the less stress on your digestive organs, the more nutrients you will absorb from your food, the more easily you eliminate.

6. "Before you walk into a restaurant, a grocery store, or even your own kitchen, PAUSE, take a deep breath, and connect with the intention to select only foods that serve you." Terry Walters, author of Clean Food.