Going Green

Green smoothies have been all the rage for a while now, but I'd never tried one until just recently and I haven't been able to get enough since. So, before I go on about the yummy taste, palatable texture and the large list of health benefits, let me just debunk a few myths that had kept me from "going green" in the past.

MYTH 1: You need an expensive blender.

I have a $40 version from Walmart that's about 7 years old and it works just great, so don't freak out about forking upwards of three hundred dollars for a blender(though a Vitamix or Blendtec would be fabulous!) If your blender can handle ice (I use crushed from my freezer), chances are it will be able to blend up apple slices just fine and dandy. 

MYTH 2: It's torture to drink.

I love my baby spinach, but thinking of drinking down two-cups of it in one sitting just didn't sound so amazing to me. Thing is: the fruit completely evens out the taste. I have never prepared a green smoothie that tasted like grass, or anything unfavorable, for that matter.

MYTH 3: Produce is too expensive.

I'll still agree that yes, produce is expensive, but eating healthy really relies on a large amount of raw foods because they are so good for you! It's well worth it. I've discovered that I actually save money now that I am spending it on fresh produce instead of canned or processed food, candy and other fattening snack foods.

The beauty of a green smoothie is that you can prepare it any way you like. You can experiment and try new flavors and find a taste and texture that suits you best. But lets jot down a few things that you definitely need to keep in mind before you whip out the fruits and veggies. You will need:

- Liquid (Water or almond milk)

- Dark leafy greens (I prefer spinach and kale)

- Fruits 

- Ice (optional, but I prefer it with ice)

In any order, pile the ingredients into the blender, making sure to add at least a couple big handfuls of dark leafy greens. Pour in about a half-cup of liquid and blend! People may say that there is no wrong way, but what you do not want is a liquidy and frothy smoothie where all the pulp sinks to the bottom. To avoid this, make you sure add some soluble-fiber fruits such as banana or mango to thicken up the texture and eliminate froth. This will create a more palatable, creamy texture and a milder, yummier taste as well. 

Health benefits of drinking green smoothies are:

- Easy to digest. When blended well, most of the cells in the fruit and greens rupture, making it easy for the body to absorb valuable nutrients.

- Green smoothies have fiber, unlike fruit juice. Consuming fiber is essential to our elimination system.

- When consuming your greens in the form of a smoothie, you are greatly reducing oils and salt in your diet.

- Green smoothies provide a ton of nutrients, including protein and amino acids.

- They are filling and promote weight loss. The high water and fiber content make you feel full, they provide a lot of sustenance and depending on the ingredients, can be a very low calorie snack/meal.

So what are you waiting for? Whip out that blender and give it a try! Have a favorite recipe? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear it. 

The Scoop on Sugar

Anyone who really knows me knows that I have a thing for sweets. My cravings are almost constant and I can put away sugar like it's going out of style. This is, most likely, due to the fact that I've always eaten whatever I want and through a lifetime of sugar-ignorance have actually trained my palate to not only want sugar - but to expect it. While working as a dental assistant not too long ago, I would actually have candy in my scrub pockets at all times so I could sneak a piece beneath my mask between glove-changes, and considering how wonderful sugar is for your teeth...lol...talk about ironic. 

But since I've had this epiphany on fitness and healthy-living, I've done my research on my biggest weakness and have come away pretty horrified about the insane amounts that I have ingested in the past. A few facts for you:

- On average, Americans consume around 110 grams of sugar a day. 

- The USDA recommends 20 grams per day for women.

Twenty! Do you know just how tiny that number is when it comes to daily eating habits? Just to give you a few numbers: 

- 39 g in one can of coke

- 26+ g in 8 oz of fruit juice

- 27 g in 1 strawberry yoplait

- 35+ g in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

See what I mean? One careless meal, snack or beverage and you've exceeded your recommended intake of sugar. So, why does sugar matter? How does it effect your body? The body metabolizes table-sugar in essentially five steps:

1. Sugar mixes with saliva in the mouth, partially breaking down. 

2. Sugar travels to the stomach. After about 15 minutes it moves to the small intestine at intervals and there it's processed with enzymes and divided into glucose and fructose.

3. The pancreas pumps insulin to manage the glucose and it enters the bloodstream about 30 minutes after you've ingested it. Fructose heads to the liver.

4. Insulin moves glucose into the cells throughout the body, giving a "sugar rush".
5. After about two hours, insulin and glucose levels dip, leaving you tired and hungry. Extra glucose is stored as fat.

Knowledge of how my body responds to sugar was enough to make me want to change, and there is hope for the sugar-addict-hopeless like myself because when you get right down to it, I am in charge of what I ingest. I have the final say, and with a little willpower and health-minded attitude, I can completely train my palate to crave less sugar. It's so possible, and easier than you may believe. Already, I crave less sweets - shoot! I crave less food in general because I've banished sugar-binging.  

And you know what? It's a good feeling.

More reading:
Healthy Answers - Sugar
Cut Out Sugar, Increase Weight Loss
Sugar and Weight Loss

Sick Day

Nothing to make your motivation to exercise and diet go down the toilet like being sick. I guess on the upside, I had very little appetite. Lol. What am I saying? I have been so sick that it in no way made up for loss of appetite. Anyway, I'm on the mend again and ready to maybe stretch out my post-bronchitis lungs with a bit of light cardio tomorrow. I've hovered around the same weight as before, give or take, with ten more pounds to go until I reach my goal.

While I was sick, though, I really enjoyed my hot cups of honey-lemon to soothe my throat and acquired blues-singer bass voice. I'm a lucky girl, too, because my awesome grandpa harvests organic clover honey and keeps me in stock. Anyway, I digress... I knew that drinking honey-lemon was not only yummy and made my aching throat feel better, but I had no clue that honey could be used as an energy-booster, as an immune-builder, or as a treatment for sleeplessness, among other things.

Benefits of Honey
Katrina's Kitchen

I resolve to use more honey!

HONEY-LEMON "TEA":
For those of you who haven't tried honey-lemon tea as a cold remedy, I'd insist you do. It's natural and really helps soothe sore throats and coughs. I have no magic recipe, I just get some water singing in my teapot, then pour a mug half-full of hot water. I drip in about 1T lemon juice, give or take, and a spoonful of honey, taste, and adjust the sweetness-to-tart ratio to my personal liking.