eatmoreof:Benefits of fruit: Good source of non-grain carbs, simple sugars (for post-workout food)
eatmoreof: Benefits of fruit: Good source of non-grain carbs, simple sugars (for post-workout food), fiber (keeps you fuller for longer), and vitamins. Low in calories and sweet — great replacement for sugary desserts and snacks *If you’re trying to lean out or lose body fat, be careful not to eat too much fruit. (Limit your fruit intake to 2-3 times day.) It’s best to eat fresh, whole fruit (organic if possible). Be careful of some fruit products or pre-made fruit meals. Products like canned fruit, fruit cocktail, dried fruit, smoothies, jams, fruit yogurts, etc. often have a lot of sugar and preservatives added to them. Tips for buying/storing fruit: Buy fruit in season; they’ll be cheaper If there’s a particular fruit you like, buy it when it’s in season and freeze it. Similarly, if there’s a great sale on fruit, you can buy a lot of it and then freeze it. How to freeze fruits. Getting more fruit in your diet: Replace typical grain-carbs (bread, rice, pasta, etc.) with fruit in your meals instead. Make a smoothie! Blend almond/soy/skim milk, fresh fruit, and ice to create a clean and great tasting smoothie. No need to add more sugar. Add other ingredients such as non-fat greek yogurt (thickener and protein source), cinnamon, or vanilla to add flavor and texture (Try NY Time’s Banana Almond Smoothie—one of my favorites). Replace snacks and juices with a piece of whole fruit instead. Fruit acts as a great substitute for sugary ingredients: - Instead of eating fruit-flavored yogurts, add pureed fruit to non-fat greek yogurt.- Replace syrup with sliced fruit on your pancakes/waffles. (Google some recipes for clean-eating recipes for pancakes. There’s tons!) Mix fruit into your meals/recipes. You can put fruit in sandwiches, salads, oatmeal, cereal, etc. Examples:- Make a peanut butter (natural PB) and fruit sandwich on whole wheat bread.- Add bananas to your cold cereal.- Add sliced grapes to a chicken sandwich for extra dimension and great taste (if it sounds strange, don’t knock it till you try it!)- Add fruit to your protein shake (try MC Barao’s Banana Boat Protein Shake!) Check out Eatmoreof for more tips on getting healthy foods into your diet! More healthy tips coming soon! Please leave suggestions for posts in my ask box :) -- source link