The veggie juice I make most often is a cleansing and energy enhancing cucumber, beet, carrot, celery, lemon juice.  It’s delicious!

Cucumber Juice

Cucumber is the base of most of my veggie juices.  It’s mostly water, so it adds volume, but it also supplies electrolytes to restore hydration.  Cucumber juice contains soluble fiber for digestive health, strengthens your hair and nails, and reduces inflammation.

Beet Juice

Beetroot juice from red beets is well known as a potent detoxifier and liver cleanser.  The dark red color tells you it’s chock full of antioxidants.  But beet juice does so much more!  Beet juice improves blood flow, giving you more energy.  Studies have also shown it to be a great addition to your workout, as it helps balance oxygen use and increases stamina.  Got high blood pressure?  Drinking beet juice has shown clear reductions in blood pressure.   When juicing beets, start with ¼ of a beet, and work your way up to a whole beet.

Carrot Juice

Known for its beta-carotene that the body converts to vitamin A, carrot juice is a great addition to any vegetable juice.  Vitamin A cleanses the liver by reducing bile and fat.  It’s also a wonderful antioxidant, scrubbing those cancer-causing free radicals away.  And as a bonus, carrot juice is sweet!

Celery Juice

This often forgotten vegetable is stellar when juiced.  It increases hot weather tolerance, and is a natural source of electrolytes.  A case-control study in China concluded that celery, along with other green vegetables, had a “strong protective effect against colorectal cancer.”  Celery juice can also be an effective cure for migraines.  (If you are using a centrifugal juicer, put the celery in last.)

Lemon Juice

Juicing a lemon, skin and all, enables you to derive the full benefits of this citrus fruit.  Lemons have antiviral, antimicrobial and immunity-boosting powers, and it adds a fresh citrus note to your juice.

This juice is the perfect workout companion, giving you needed fluids, electrolytes and stamina.  It also cleanses your liver, boosts your immunity and fights free radicals.

Do you juice?  Share your favorite juice combo below!

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The answer is an easy “yes.”

Although a whole mango has about 30 grams of natural sugar, it’s low on the glycemic index and provides lots of potassium, vitamin A and beta-carotene as well as vitamins C & K, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.  And because of its high water content, mangoes are a “high-volume” food, giving you quite a bit to savor for only 135 calories.

So mangoes are a naturally delicious, whole-food sweet treat that I can feel good about sharing with my family.  And they’re in peak season right now, so I am finding them for 88 cents to around a $1 each.  Feels like a steal!

Here are my favorite ways to enjoy mangoes:

Frozen Pineapple-Mango Ice Pops  – Puree diced mango with an equal amount of diced fresh pineapple, then pour into freezer ice pop molds.  Add sliced fresh strawberries or raspberries to the puree before freezing if desired.

Mango Frozen Yogurt  – Puree some mango with a banana and low-sugar Greek yogurt (I use Kroger brand Lowfat Greek Yogurt sweetened with Stevia) until smooth.  Pour into a lidded glass dish and place in the freezer until frozen.  Use an ice cream scoop to dish it up and enjoy the creamy tropical goodness.

Fresh Diced Mango – Add diced fresh mango to fresh salsas for fish tacos and chicken, and to kale salads for some sweetness.  I also toss it into banana green smoothies for some tropical flavor.

Spicy Sliced Mango – Sometimes I will slice open a mango and it is not quite as sweet and ripe as I would like.  So I just squeeze on some lime and sprinkle it with a tiny bit of cayenne for a spicy sweet snack.

Looking for something beyond smoothies, freezer pops and salsas?   Here are some delicious recipes from around the web to help you get cookin’ with mangoes.

Healthy Mango Recipes

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Prosciutto and Creamy Mango Dressing

Jamaican Curried Shrimp and Mango Soup

Indian Mango Dal

Alton Brown’s Mango Chutney

Bobby Flay’s Grilled Red Chile Buttermilk Chicken with Spicy Mango Honey Glaze

Fresh Mango Pie

Crab Mango and Cashew Dip

How to Prepare a Mango Video

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Once thought to be a better alternative to saturated fat, trans fats began to be used widely by food companies.  It was cheap and it helped foods last longer on the shelf, and if it was better for you than butter, then it was a win for everyone, right?

You probably know the story.  Eventually studies showed just how damaging this experiment in food really is, and so health authorities recommended that trans fats be reduced to trace amounts, no more than 1% of your daily caloric intake, or 2 grams based on a diet of 1800 calories.

A recent study warns that while food companies have reduced the amount of trans fats in some of their products, the use of this harmful fat is still alive and well, and many of us are still consuming way more deadly trans fats that we realize.

Why are trans fats so bad again?  Let’s review.

Heart Disease

Trans fats lower beneficial HDL cholesterol and increase levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, dramatically increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.   By 2006, upwards of 100,000 cardiac deaths annually in the U.S.  were attributed to the consumption of trans fats.

Alzeimer’s Disease

In a rat study, trans fats impaired memory and learning.  Trans fats reduced the proteins needed for healthy brain function and caused inflammation around the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.  This may help explain why a previous study on over 800 people published in JAMA Neurology concluded that “high intake of unsaturated, unhydrogenated fats may be protective against Alzheimer disease, whereas intake of saturated or trans-unsaturated (hydrogenated) fats may increase risk.”

Obesity

Research shows that trans fats might cause weight gain and abdominal fat even when we are not overeating.  In a 6-year study, monkeys that ate a trans fat diet gained 7.2% of their body weight compared to only 1.8% in moneys on a mono-unsaturated diet.

Infertility

In one recent study, for every 2% increase in the intake of trans fats as opposed to carbohydrates, there was a 73% greater risk of infertility in women.

Depression and Behavior Problems

Trans fats may suppress DHA levels in the brain.  When Spanish researchers analyzed the food intake of over 12,000 people over a period of 6 years, they found that the ones who ate the most trans fats had a 48% higher risk of depression than those that did not eat trans fats.   And in an observational analysis of a study, trans fats were linked with aggression and irritability.

I find this evidence reason to completely eliminate trans fats from my diet, and likely you feel the same.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as checking the Nutrition Facts label on the package for Trans Fats.  The FDA allows food companies to list Trans Fats as “0” if the trans fat in the product is less than .5 grams per serving.  And as we all know, those serving sizes are rarely realistic.  (Ever eat just one cookie?)  Eat the bag of chips or cookies with 3 servings, and you have probably maxed out your 2 grams per day recommended upper limit.

While food companies have responded by reducing their use of partially hydrogenated oils, they have not done nearly enough.

In an analysis of 270 food products that included major brands from General Mills, Kellogg Company, ConAgra, Safeway and Walmart,  66% of them had reduced their trans fat content between 2007 and 2011.  The majority (82%) listed 0 grams of fat (per FDA guidelines) but only half had completely removed these partially hydrogenated oils from their foods.  And if you view all 270 products, including those that did not reformulate their products to significantly reduce trans fat, the overall reduction of trans fat fell only 49% from 1.9 grams per serving to 0.9 grams per serving.

“Given the very strong association between trans fat and adverse health effects, any reduction in prevailing exposure is a good thing,” said David Katz, MD. “But on the other hand … with all of the attention to harmful effects of trans fat, and the availability of alternatives, how is it that manufacturers can still sell, and the public will still buy, products ‘contaminated’ with this substance?”

Yes, he calls these products “contaminated.”  They really are that bad.  (There is even a Trans Fat Wall of Shame Pinterest Board!)

How to Eliminate Trans Fats

The only way to know if a product is truly trans fat free is to check the ingredient list.  Look for anything that says “partially hydrogenated,” and if you see it, put it back on the shelf or toss it into the garbage.

If you see “0 Grams Trans Fat per Serving!” emblazoned on the package, consider this a red flag and check the ingredient list.  It likely has trans fats lurking just under the .5 grams per serving FDA rule.

Be especially vigilant in the deli and bakery section of the grocery store.  Food is often fried in partially hydrogenated oils, and the baked goods often contain it as well, since they help foods last longer on the shelf.  Ask the employees behind the counter what oil they cooked the food in, and check the adhesive tag on baked goods.

Refrigerated cookie dough, frozen pies and pie crusts, frozen dinners, and biscuits in a can are all major offenders.

The food companies are focused on selling you as much processed food as possible.  They are not concerned about your health.  Prevent trans fats from sneaking into your diet by becoming an ingredient list reader and teach your family to do the same.  There are so many better choices available.  We can protect our health if we just take a look.

Pantry Check:  Check your pantry for products containing trans fats, and share what you found by commenting below.

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Fattoush is an Arabic bread salad that makes good use of common fresh vegetables and stale or toasted flatbread.  The main ingredients usually include lettuce, cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, onion, mint and toasted pita bread tossed with a tart lemon and fragrant olive oil dressing.  You can also add black or green olives, red or green bell pepper, parsley, carrots and feta cheese.

In this version, I replaced the lettuce with lacinato kale, massaged with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and a small amount of salt.  Then I tossed in the veggies, feta and some red kidney beans for extra protein.

Give it a try!  It’s a lovely summer no-cook meal that comes together in a flash.  And you’ll never wonder what to do with limp kale or hard pita bread again.

Kale Fattoush with Feta and Kidney Beans

Ingredients

2-3 cups kale, sliced into half-inch ribbons
1 to 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of salt
½ cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 small tomato, cut into chunks
1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
a few mint leaves, torn (optional)
½ cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (substitute with chickpeas or any bean)
1 whole wheat pita pocket, toasted and torn into bite size pieces

Directions

Place the kale in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze on the lemon and sprinkle with a small amount of salt.  With very clean hands, massage the kale to break it down a bit.

Add the remaining ingredients and toss with the kale.  Serves 1.

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Gradually we responded.  We started trading out our white bread for 100% whole wheat bread, and our white flour pasta for whole wheat (grumble) pasta.

Food companies responded by proudly emblazoning “WHOLE GRAIN!” on their product packaging, knowing we will reach for it.

And we should, right?

Not necessarily.

“Whole Grain” vs. The Whole Grain

Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, recently spoke at a nutrition conference about the myth of “whole grain.”  He said that most people don’t realize there is a major difference between a WHOLE grain, such as a wheat berry or rolled oat, and a PULVERIZED grain, such as wheat or oat flour.

As it turns out, that slice of 100% whole wheat bread you just ate probably spiked your blood sugar nearly as much as a piece of white bread would have.  Why?

According to Dr. Weil, “it takes a long time for your body to process a whole or cracked grain.  When you pulverize it into flour, regardless if it is 100% whole wheat, it turns into a high-glycemic food because of its massive surface area.  From the point of your digestive enzymes, they are the same.”

So not all whole grain products are created equal, especially if your goal is to regulate your blood sugar and prevent roller coaster insulin and energy spikes and drops.

Whole Grain Bread – The Right Way

So if you want a sandwich, which bread should you choose?  Dr. Weil recommends dense pumpernickel or rye with cracked grains.  If you can squash it down to the size of a marble (otherwise known in my family as “gut wad,”) then that is NOT what you want to be eating.

If you or your family are used to the smooth texture of highly milled flours, then it may take some time to graduate to denser bread.  Just start trading up.  Eventually your taste buds will adjust.

Breakfast Cereals & Breakfast/Meal Bars

Cereal bars and boxed breakfast cereals (proudly touting their “whole grains”) that are made from PULVERIZED grain are also quickly digested and spike your blood sugar.  If it’s a flake or square or some other shape not recognizable in nature, it is highly processed and not worth your money.

When it comes to breakfast and snacking, choose muesli, granola, oatmeal or other cereal where you can actually SEE the grain.  For a real snack or meal replacement bar that will help you manage your weight, and give you steady energy for hours, opt for a raw food bar made from whole grains and seeds and actual whole fruit.

Most of us don’t need to eat “more whole grain.”  We need more vegetables.  Way, way, more vegetables.   And when we do eat a grain, choosing THE WHOLE GRAIN whenever possible will help us build healthy bodies with lots of energy.

So what pulverized “whole grain” product are you going to toss, and what will you replace it with?  Share your comments below.

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Dan has extensively studied the world’s regions with the longest lived people – Ikaria, Greece, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Okinawa, Japan, and Sardinia, Italy.  The people here not only live close to (or past) the century mark, they have full and productive lives and much lower rates of disease.

What I find interesting is that unlike Americans, who spend over 9 billion a year on weight loss, these people are not trying to live to be a hundred.  It just happens to them.  And it isn’t because of their genetics.  It is because their environment sets them up for long, healthy living.

So what can we learn from them and implement in our own lives and homes, so that we can live long and happy lives?

Dan found that these Blue Zone communities, as diverse as they are, shared nine food and lifestyle patterns.  And I was happy to find that these all fit nicely into the five areas that I cover in my health coaching programs.

Food

Although the exact foods differ from one Blue Zone region to another, they all have something in common.  Their diets are primarily plant based, with meat being enjoyed about once a week, or not at all.  Beans and lentils are the cornerstone of these diets.  They also eat less late in the day, and stop eating before they are “full.”

What can you do to increase your consumption of beans and vegetables, and reduce your intake of meat?  Can you use a smaller plate, or eliminate evening snacking?

Exercise

Blue Zone communities get their exercise by moving naturally throughout their day.  They don’t generally “work out” like Americans do.  Of course, our jobs frequently have us sitting for large chunks of the day, so if that is the case, working out helps make up for it.

But is there a way to get more natural movement into your day?  Could you walk to the corner store or a neighbor’s house rather than drive?  Can you park farther from your destination and get some walking in?  Gardening and other activities get us moving, reaching and exercising without even thinking about it.

Spirituality

Almost all of the centenarians in Blue Zones belong to some faith-based community.  At least once a week they take a break from work, and focus on their faith and their friends in their congregation.  This sense of belonging, combined with the stress-relief that comes from down-throttling from a busy week and taking a break from the secular, reduces chronic inflammation and results in an additional 4 – 14 years of life.

What can you do to feed your spiritual need and reduce the stress in your life?  This is the area of healthy living that usually gets put off in our rush to get things done.  Stopping the rush of life to worship, reflect and appreciate all of the good things in our life brings us contentment and happiness.

Career

What we do for work is a big chunk of our lives.  Blue Zone centenarians have a sense of purpose.  They know why they wake up in the morning, and their work is congruent with that purpose.  It turns out that knowing your “why” is worth an extra seven years of life expectancy.

Do you engage in purposeful work that brings real meaning to your life?  This can be challenging, as we don’t always have a job that we enjoy.  Career change can be a difficult journey, but well worth the effort if your job is overly stressful or not aligned with your principles.

Relationships

This is a big one.  Blue Zones all have tight-knit communities that support one another emotionally and contribute to their healthier choices.  Family is important to them, and grandparents often live in the home or nearby.  They invest their time and energy into their spouses, parents and children.  Believe it or not, this actually leads to an extra three years of life on average.

What can you do to improve your relationships and enrich your life and theirs?  Strained relationships take a toll on your health.  It’s worth every effort to put resentment aside, forgive and love one another again.  Or maybe the demands of life have tilted the balance, and you would benefit by putting away the gadgets of life and spending more time with your friends and family.

The recipe for a long and healthy life involves much more than the food we eat.  Our relationships, career, spirituality and exercise all affect our health.  That is why these four areas are a prominent feature of any good health coaching program.  By giving attention to all of the areas of your life that feed you, you have the recipe for a long, healthy and happy life.

What area of your life are you going to work on to improve your health and happiness?  Share your comments below.

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Because pineapple is a whole food and full of good stuff for your body, you can enjoy this guilt-free sweet.   A cup of cubed pineapple delivers almost a full day’s Daily Value of manganese.  This essential trace mineral is essential for healthy skin and bones, cartilage formation and glucose tolerance.  Manganese helps activate one of the most powerful antioxidant enzymes ever studied, superoxide dismutase (SOD.)  This helps protect your body from cellular damage caused by free-radicals.

Although the same cup of pineapple has about 17 grams of sugar, its glycemic load is actually relatively low.  And it contains anywhere from 25 to 93 mg of vitamin C along with other vitamins and minerals such as folate.

So are you ready to cut open a pineapple and enjoy some delicious goodness?

Here’s a round-up of some terrific looking healthy pineapple recipes from around the web:

Healthy Vegan/Vegetarian/Meatless Pineapple Recipes

Pineapple-Tofu Stir Fry

Pineapple Fried Quinoa in a Pineapple Boat

Mexican Veggie Burgers with Grilled Pineapple, Avocado and Jalapeno Ketchup

Hawaiian Style Sweet and Sour Roasted Pineapple and Bell Peppers

Desserts & Smoothies

Chile-Lime Pineapple with Cardamom-Lime Ice Cream

Broiled Pineapple Sundaes

Tropical Tofu Smoothie

Kale Smoothie with Pineapple and Banana

Meat/Fish/Poultry

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple-Mango Salsa

Pork, Pineapple and Anaheim Chile Salad with Avocado

Tacos Al Pastor with Pineapple Salsa

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple Pepper Relish

Ham and Pineapple Pita Pizzas

Which recipe will you make this week?  Share your comments below.

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It’s discouraging.  You might even want to give up.

If any of this sounds familiar, know that you are not alone.  And don’t give up.

When I first started cooking healthier meals – less meat and more legumes and vegetables – the response was no overly encouraging.  I heard things like “I don’t like black beans” and “It’s not Monday, where’s the meat?”  and “I really don’t like brown rice.”

But I couldn’t give up.  I was the one doing the grocery shopping and cooking.  If my family was going to eat better so they could live happy and healthy lives, it was up to me.

Dinner was trial and error as I learned to prepare new foods with unfamiliar textures and flavors.  But every time I served something new, our palates were expanded.  Slowly, slowly, they started enjoying the new dishes.  Eventually they scarfed down dinner with smiles like they had before, and asked for more.

If you are trying to transition your family’s eating habits to something healthier, here are my top tips for smoothing the transition:

Add New Foods

Rather than try and overhaul family meals overnight, start by simply adding an additional vegetable or grain.

Cut the amount of meat on the plate by 1/3 to ½, and add the new side dish.  Or serve a vegetable appetizer while you finish up cooking dinner.

Your family still gets to enjoy the foods they are used to, but are able to sample something new.  They might surprise themselves and actually like it!

Use Smart Substitutes

Cut the ground meat in your dish by half and substitute beans.  Taco filling can be half ground beef and half pinto or black beans.  Cannellini beans are great in place of ground turkey or chicken.

Kids demanding soda?  Offer them an all natural brand sweetened with natural Stevia, like Zevia.

Overcome Texture Complaints

If your family dislikes brown rice, use a par-boiled brown rice which has a texture closer to that of white to transition them to regular brown rice.

If they are used to white bread, bring home a loaf of 100% white whole wheat.  White whole wheat has a lighter flavor.

If they don’t like a particular vegetable, try preparing it in a different way.  Parsnips roasted to golden brown deliciousness may be preferred to mashed.

The key is to keep trying.  Keeping introducing healthier foods in different ways until they grow accustomed to eating better.  It takes time.  So don’t give up!  You know your family is worth it.

Have you overcome obstacles to help your family eat better?  Share your success secrets in the comments below.

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In addition to being tasty, with a slight licorice note, it has some interesting properties.  Fennel seed oil emulsion eliminated colic in 65 percent of infants in one study (this would have been useful to know 10 years ago!)  In combination with some other herbs, it has also been found to suppress the growth of certain tumors.

But of more immediate interest to me, as I cook it up for dinner, is that it is the perfect accompaniment to beans.  Turns out it relieves gas, therefore aiding digestion.  So even if you don’t have a colicky infant in the house, it may be something that helps you get more plant-based protein into your diet.

Recipe

Modified from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

2 bulbs fennel, sliced very thin
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
2 (15oz) cans Great Northern or Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fresh baby greens (kale, spinach, chard blend)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450°.

Place the sliced fennel in a large bowl.  Drizzle on 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon black pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt, cayenne, and garlic.  Mix well.

Arrange the fennel in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fennel.  Stir, sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.  Add the beans and cook 2 minutes until heated through.  Add the roasted fennel and baby greens to the pan.  Sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Stir to combine, cooking about 2 minutes until the greens start to wilt.  Serve immediately.

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Despite the lingering cold weather, this time of year I start yearning for fresher, lighter meals – dinners with less meat, and more good stuff that grows above ground.  My body just knows it’s Spring.

So what do I reach for when dinner needs to be freshened up, but the garden is still asleep?

Citrus! 

Grocery stores have mounds of pink and red grapefruits, navel and blood oranges, tangerines and tangelos.   Adding sections of these juicy, sunny fruits to a meal not only brightens it up with a burst of flavor, it adds a host of beneficial compounds way beyond vitamin C.

Oranges

This fruit, primarily known for its vitamin C content (about 63 grams per medium orange,) contains more than 170 cancer-fighting phytochemicals and 60 flavonoids.

Phytochemicals called limonoids are abundant in citrus fruits.  It’s what gives lemon and orange peels the fresh and spicy scent we love.  You may already know that limonoids have antifungal and antibacterial properties, but did you know they may even fight cancers?

In lab studies on animals and with human cells, citrus limonoids have been shown to fight many different kinds of cancer, including breast, lung, skin and colon cancer.

Another polyphenol found in oranges is called hesperidin.  It strengthens the capillaries and has anti-inflammatory properties.  Combined with vitamin C, it helps protect the heart and fight infections, can help lower high-blood pressure and lower LDL cholesterol.

Grapefruit

Remember the grapefruit diet?  While much maligned, there was a study done in 2006 that gives it some support.  Turns out eating ½ a grapefruit before meals each day may actually help you lose weight.

In this study, researchers split 91 obese participants into 4 groups.  One group got grapefruit capsules and apple juice, the second received grapefruit juice and a placebo capsule, the third group was given half a grapefruit 3 times a day before meals with a placebo capsule, and the unsuspecting fourth group got the placebo and apple juice.

Here’s how the weight loss stacked up after 12 weeks:

• Placebo/Apple Juice Group:  0.72 lbs
• Grapefruit Capsule Group:  2.4 lbs
• Grapefruit Juice Group:  2.8 lbs
• Grapefruit Half Group:  3.5 lbs

That’s not too shabby!  Combine grapefruit with a nutrient-dense diet, and you could generate some significant weight loss in just 3 short months.

But there was an exciting bonus:  Every single person in the 3 grapefruit groups experienced an improvement in insulin resistance.   This means their bodies were better able to regulate blood sugar.

If you would like to add grapefruit to your diet, you’re better off eating the whole fruit rather than the juice.  And pick the red ones.  They have more lycopene than white grapefruit, which has been associated with reduced risk of some cancers.   Red grapefruit has also been shown to lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol .

Caution:  If you are on medications for the following conditions, you should not drink grapefruit juice:  allergies (like Allegra,) high blood pressure, epilepsy, and high cholesterol (Zocor, Lipitor, etc.)  Also, if you have trouble with kidney stones, steer clear of grapefruit juice which raises your risk.

Ready to brighten up some meals with citrus?  Click the link to get a recipe.

RECIPE:  Sunny Citrus Quinoa and Chickpea Bowl

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