Who doesn't like a cold class of juice to start off your day? It's delicious, and it's made of fruits, so it must be healthy, right? Wrong. Many juices that come from the store have been overly processed; they possess none of the natural fibers and nutrients that the fruits would ordinarily provide. On top of that, they often are loaded with unnecessary sugar and preservatives, which adds to the calorie content and causes greater spikes in blood sugar throughout the day. These juices are not healthy choices.
This is not to say, however, that all juices are bad. When it is homemade, and consumed in appropriate amounts (4-6 oz), they can become a healthy and satisfying component of your daily diet. Homemade, you say? "I have no time!", you protest! But if you have the time to drive to the store and buy your juice, you certainly have the time to throw some fruits into a juicer machines) and store it in your fridge. If you make it yourself, you can reap all the health benefits of the juice, you can customize the fruits you use in based on what is in season and your personal tastes. Go online and google sites that have juice formulas and use theirs or create you own, and you can make it in bulk for the whole week! That sounds like a bargain to me.
Invest in a good juicer; you can find one at Sir la Table, William Sonoma, even Costco (Google Consumer Reports:http://www.consumerreports.org for the best quailty Juicer) . If you enjoy juice, it will be well worth the money and the health benefits. So drink up--the right way!
Meals of the Week:
Need some new meals to spice up your life? Next week, I will be posting some of NEXT LEVEL clients' favorite meals and recipes; if you would like to contribute, let me know! Until then, here are some healthy options, courtesy of Prevention Magazine.
"Fast Italian Fish"
Dinner in under 20 minutes!
Ingredients:
Small zucchini
Sliced prosciutto
skinless halibut or cod fillets
Fresh pesto
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Trim ends off 2 or 3 small zucchini and cut lengthwise into quarters. Put on nonstick baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap 1 slice prosciutto around each of 4 halibut or cod fillets (4 to 5 ounces each). Remove pan from oven, flip zucchini and push to one side, and put fish on pan. Roast until fish is just opaque and zucchini are tender, about 8 minutes. Top each fillet with a little pesto. Serves 4.
And for Dessert in 10 minutes...
Simple Strawberry Sorbet
Ingredients:
1 lb frozen strawberries, peaches, mango, or other fruit.
1/2 cup plain yogurt, creme fraiche, or silken tofu
1/3 cup sugar
Put strawberries, yogurt, and sugar in food processor. Puree until creamy, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. If fruit doesn't break down completely, gradually add water as needed through feed tube, a tablespoon or two at a time, being careful not to over-process sorbet into liquid. Serve immediately or freeze. To serve later, allow 10 to 15 minutes for sorbet to soften at room temperature. Serves 4.
Nutrition (per serving): 123 cal, 2g pro, 29g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g fat, .5g sat fat, 16mg sodium.
Carbs: Not the Enemy!
Ever since the emergence of the Atkins diet, high-protein diets have been considered the "ideal" way to eat. There are many benefits to protein in your diet, of course; muscle repair and growth, for example, as well as making your hair and nails healthy. Protein also takes longer to digest, so you stay fuller longer, and it also takes more calories to digest it, which means that you get more bang for your buck calorically, as compared to carbohydrates. This does not mean, however, that we should shun carbs from our diet. Carbohydrates are important not only because they provide quick-release energy to fuel our workouts, but also because they are crucial for healthy brain functioning. Your brain is fueled solely by carbohydrates; specifically, the glucose in it. When you only eat proteins, your body has to work extra hard to convert the proteins into glucose in order to fuel your brain; as a result, your brain does not receive the fuel it needs right off the bat (because of the conversion process), nor does it receive an adequate amount of fuel (the proteins don't provide as much usable glucose, even when converted). This is why you get light-headed and unfocused when you don't eat any carbs. If you want your brain to function, you need to eat them. The key is just doing so in a healthy, balanced way. Read nutrition labels, practice portion control, and make space for carbohydrates in your diet. Your brain will thank you.
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Dr. Abu
(written with assistance from Aurora. Thanks!)
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