Make this 1 small permanent change to your diet and reap HUGE benefits:
Switch from fruit juice to fresh fruit.
There really is little reason to drink fruit juice if you can just eat the real thing. Eating the whole fruit provides for more nutrition. Think about it. When you drink orange juice you are not getting the skin and the pulp of the fruit, which has nutritional value. Even if you drink OJ with pulp there is still far less than what’s in the whole fruit. Edible fruit skins such as apples, plums, grapes, and strawberries, to name a few, are where much of the pigment of the fruit is. These pigments, including carotenoids and flavonoids, are powerful antioxidants. The pulp is also a rich source of fiber and phytonutrients (plant nutrients).
If you MUST have something sweet to drink try some of the following suggestions:
1) Dilute your 100% juice with water using a 1:1 ratio or try 1 part juice: 2 parts coconut water…yum.
2) Ramp up your antioxidants and try my favorite SUPER drink!
3 parts iced green tea: 1 part 100% juice. Use dark colored juices that are packed with anti-oxidants such as blueberry, concord grape, blackberry, acai, or cranberry for the most benefit. Though I’m not a huge fan of non-nutritive sweeteners (natural or artificial), if you need this concoction a little sweeter try adding a small amount of stevia (Truvia®) or sucralose (Splenda®).
3) If you need something sweet and bubbly pour sodium free seltzer water or club soda over crushed ice, add just a splash of juice and/or a fresh squeezed lime wedge. Feeling fancy? Add a crushed mint leaf….Super REFRESHING!
As always, check back for more SMALL and EASY changes that will have a BIG impact on your health!
1st image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/ by: adamr
Dina has been featured on CBS Miami and in Bustle, Self, Women’s Health, Livestrong, Thrillest, Simple Most, Business News Daily, and more.
She completed her undergraduate degree in dietetics in 2005 at Ball State University, then her supervised practice in 2006 at California State University, Fresno.
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