The Skinny on Fruit

 I've started a "Well-Being Feed" newsletter at my place of employment in which I address common nutrition concerns and provide some simple, healthy recipes. I thought it was worth sharing on The Skinny Buff as well......

Question: I’ve heard that I shouldn’t eat certain fruits because they are high in sugar. Is this true?
Answer: Fruit contains natural sugars called fructose. The difference between fruit and many processed foods that are high in sugar is that processed foods have had sugar added to them and usually have very little dietary fiber or nutrients.

We should limit the amount of added sugars in our diets, and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar a day for women and no more than about 38 grams for men. However, there is no dietary limit on the amount of natural sugars that you consume so you don’t need to concern yourself with fruits having too much sugar. It is true that if you consume more calories than your body uses, that you will gain weight, so keep in mind that one can overeat on any food, even healthy foods. Additionally, if you are diabetic, you may need to watch the total amount of carbohydrates consumed at any one given meal or snack.

Choose fruit that is fresh or frozen, canned, or dried without any added sugar. Remember moderation is key, but I’ve never heard of anyone having a weight issue as a result of eating too much fruit! Having fruit on hand can help you avoid the temptation of snacking on highly processed, empty calorie foods. A banana is always a healthier choice than a pint of ice-cream or a bag of chips!
Visit the link below for a list of fruits and their nutrition facts:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuidanceRegulatoryInformation/InformationforRestaurantsRetailEstablishments/ucm063482.htm

*Bonus: try these simple, tasty recipes to boost your fruit intake*

Berry Cocoa Smoothie:80 grams of frozen raspberries
80 grams of frozen strawberries
1 TBSP of unsweetened cocoa
1 TBSP of ground flax or chia seeds
6 oz. of almond, soy, or cow’s milk
1-2 packets of no-calorie sweetener
Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Enjoy as a healthy high fiber breakfast or snack!
(Serves 1)
High Protein Peanut Butter Fruit Dip½ cup plain Greek Yogurt such as Fage 0
1-2  TBSPS of natural peanut butter
1-2 packets of no-calorie sweetener
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a fork or spoon until well blended. Makes a great dip for apple slices.
(Serves 1-2)

Skinny Buff Cheesecake Delight

I’m no fairy godmother. I cannot turn pumpkins into horse drawn carriages or anything, but I can turn a plain serving of cottage cheese into a cheesecake –like delight and that seems pretty magical to me.

Earlier this year I recruited the assistance of Erik with Lean Bodies Consulting for some of my physique goals. Under his guidance my last snack of the day consisted of peanut butter and cottage cheese. Peanut butter is an easy favorite, but even though cottage cheese is an excellent source of casein protein that will digest slowly, delivering a steady stream of protein as I drift off into dreamland, I couldn’t get excited about it. So if you want to reap the benefits of cottage cheese as a great bed-time or anytime snack, here is a way I guarantee you’ll look forward to it:

What you’ll need:

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (I love Friendship 1%)

Reduced fat or fat free cream cheese (I use 1 pre-portioned Laughing Cow Cream Cheese Wedge)

Vanilla Extract to taste

Sweetener of choice such as Truvia to taste

How to make the magic happen:

Well basically you put all the ingredients in a blender and…. tadahh! But I would recommend a ½ cup of cottage cheese to 1 serving of cream cheese. You’ll probably also have to add a little bit of water or milk to the blender so you can achieve a smooth, creamy consistency once you’re done blending. If you can control the speed of your blender, start on low and gradually work up to a medium speed and blend until the mixture is as velvety smooth as cheesecake filling and ENJOY!

My cheesecake weighs in at 135 calories and packs 18 grams of protein and only 5 grams of fat!

Using a basic cheesecake recipe such as Kraft's "It's a snap", you'll consume 360 calories and 5X the fat and 19 grams of sugar.

The chocie is yours! xoxo ~S.B.

Pumpkinpalooza

Trick or Treat?!? Halloween is only a week away. How many pumpkin concoctions have you tried already this fall? Moderation is key when it comes to treating yourself over the next few months. But don’t trick yourself into thinking that too many dips into the candy dish at work or the regular trip to the coffee shop for a loaded pumpkin latte and pumpkin bread won’t leave you looking feeling rather roundish like a pumpkin!

A good rule is to treat yourself to one of these such indulgences about once a week. The rest of the time....try some of these Pumpkinpalooza recipes, and I promise you won’t feel deprived. Yes you can have your pumpkin and eat it too!

Read on to explore some of the most deliciously awesome pumpkin recipes that will help you avoid falling in to holiday weight gain. 

Pumpkin Custard

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Low Carb Pumpkin Protein Loaf

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Pumpkin-Oatmeal Peanut-butter Chip Cookies

the 10 best [and healthy] ways to enjoy pumpkin courtesy of Fruits and Veggie More Matters

*Product Alert*

Pumpkin Spice K Cups by Green Mountain Coffee

Weighing in at 0 calories why not swap  your  Starbucks pumpkin latte  and save yourself 310 calories and  49 grams of sugar?! Make it a skinnybuff approved latte by whipping it up with a bit of vanilla almond milk and vanilla protein powder. Pumpkin Perfection!