By now everyone has heard the ever trendy word – ‘antioxidants’.  We have also heard all the benefits that antioxidants have.  Mainly antioxidants combat the free radicals that deteriorate our bodies.

Antioxidants are essential to build the immune system which is the main system in our body that fights disease.  You will find antioxidants in the infamous ‘acai berry’ as well as blueberries, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, and the list goes on.

However, Enlyten has developed quite a unique method of inducing the powerful antioxidants that will fit in your pocket.  The product I am speaking about are Enlyten strips.  There are several products, but the one I will be focusing on here is the antioxidant strips.

The main reason this concept is very interesting is because of the delivery of the product.  The Enlyten strips dissolve on your tongue, the ingredients are absorbed through the buccal mucosa (between the cheek and gum) and the GI tract.  The absorption of this product is very rapid mainly because of the mucosa’s involvement.  There are many products on the market today but all are ingested and must be absorbed by the GI tract alone.

I was very curious when I received this product.  My family eats very healthy and nutritious food, but we are always open to interesting yet nutritious products.  As a parent, I was interested in getting the reaction of my children after they tried the strips for the first time.

The antioxidant are berry flavored and actually have a tartness to them.  The best way I can describe them are to a ’sweet tart’ candy, only more nutritious, of course.  The strips contain zero carbohydrates, zero sugar and zero calories.  The strips were very well received in my household which is a plus in our home.  My children like many out there are very picky and of course will not take any type of medication, so ingesting this product was a welcoming treat.

I was very impressed with this product.  No juices to ingest or berries to eat, one to three strips is all that is needed to ingest antioxidants into your system.

The only thing I would have liked to know was the amount of antioxidant we were ingesting with each strip.  I am sure Enlyten will add those values soon and if not they should consider doing so.

Besides that minor element I enjoyed the product and appreciate the opportunity to review.  You can visit the following site to view the other products available.

Until next time,

It is very important to teach our children healthy eating habits early.  All too often parents fall prey to fast food products and mainly because we are busy or too tired to cook healthy meals or worse yet, they think their children won’t like the foods presented to them.

If all your children eat are fatty foods that they love, how many nutrients are they getting from those foods?  The simple answer is next to nothing.

Believe me, if your children refuse to eat fruits and vegetables, they will give in when they get hungry.  If you stop purchasing processed foods and have fruits and veggies available they will eat them.  The children will eat them especially if everyone else is eating them too.

As parents  we must introduce a variety of foods to create healthy habits.  The child will eventually eat the fruit if there are no other choices available and with time they will enjoy them.  It may not be easy at first, especially if they have been exposed to processed or ‘fast food’ products, but in time this will change.  There is no problem giving these types of foods as treats but not as a staple of their diets. You may have to gradually change their eating styles.

Some ways to introduce healthier alternatives are the following:

• bean soups, such as yummy lentil soup and if that doesn’t work make your lentil soup into a “lentil burger”
• try making fresh bean and/or vegetable soups with some cheese sprinkled on it.  Make sure it is tasty, and not too spicy
• homemade pancakes with wheat and only sweeten it with pure raw honey
• fruit shakes are always well received, try adding in a carrot or romaine lettuce for added vitamins
• tasty salads with homemade dressings….and also make faces out of the tomatoes and cucumbers and carrots.
• add fish to the diet, salmon is always a great choice

There are so many possibilities and recipes that you can try.  Do not give up on your child because they have shown a dislike for a vegetable or fruit.  Just eat it around them and watch them ask you for a piece.  Keep offering it to them at dinnertime and ask them to eat a couple of bites.

If children eat plenty of fruits and green leafy vegetables, they are also getting their calcium requirements. You could also include some almond milk or rice milk as an alternative to whole milk if your child is lactose intolerant.

The focus is to keep introducing children to new foods so that they develop a taste for natural foods.  Their taste buds will develop into ones that will love fresh fruits and vegetables and healthier food all around.  Be patient, it won’t all happen in a day but with consistency, you will succeed, in teaching your children healthy eating habits.

Until next time,

Do you think you know all there is to know about nutrition, diet and food safety?  If you answered ‘No’, you are not alone.  The International Food Information Council Foundation (IFICF) recently conducted a survey and not surprisingly the amount of people that had an understanding  of appropriate diet and food safety was very low.

According to the survey conducted by the IFICF the 7 Diet Disconnects are:

1. Counting Calories:  Almost 69% of Americans who claim to be trying to improve their diet reported doing so in order to lose weight.  But surprisingly, only 15% of people know the actual amount of calories they should consume each day.
2. Food Safety:  Only 66% of Americans say they cook their food to the required temperature.  But only 29% report using a food thermometer to check whether their poultry or meat are ‘done’.
3. Breakfast:  Of all the people surveyed 92% agreed that breakfast is an important meal when trying to achieve a healthy diet.  However, less than half (46%) actually reported eating breakfast every day.
4. Diet and Physical Activity:  The majority surveyed, 88% to be exact reported being physically active at least once a week.  However, nearly half (44%) of these say they do not ‘balance diet and physical activity’ to manage their weight.
5. Carbohydrates:  Although they claim to be dieting correctly, more than two-thirds of consumers say they are trying to consume more of certain types of carbohydrates such as fiber and whole grains.  But sadly, only half are concerned with the amount of carbohydrates they consume.
6. Dietary Fats:  Consumer concern about the types and amounts of fats they include in their diet remains high and they are more aware of trans fats than ever, 91% to be exact.  Unfortunately, more than 60% of consumers don’t understand unsaturated fats are beneficial to your health.
7. Food and Beverages with Added Health Benefits: Just about 80% of Americans agree that consuming certain food and beverages can provide health and wellness benefits beyond the basic nutrition.  However, 50% or more of Americans say they currently do not consume food or beverages that contain these benefits, although many are interested in them.

After reviewing the results of this survey it is no wonder that most Americans are very unhealthy and that as a nation we are the most unhealthy people.  People must take notice and care of their health and it all begins with the types of foods we eat and the amount.  By simple moderation we can increase our quality of life.

Until next time…

There are many advantages to consuming organic foods. Not only do you reap the health benefits from eating organic fruits and vegetables but you do not have the worry of exposing yourself to potentially harmful chemicals from pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

When purchasing organic produce be sure to add some of the following to your list. According to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, the ones listed below are the ones that more commonly contain pesticide residues.

When shopping for organic produce be sure to purchase the following:

1. Strawberries
2. Nectarines
3. Spinach
4. Pears
5. Cherries
6. Grapes
7. Potatoes
8. Bell peppers
9. Apples
10. Raspberries
11. Celery
12. Peaches

It is always best to shop organic, it is better for you. Support your local farmers and purchase produce from them. Always be sure to wash your produce thoroughly with soap water as well.

Until next time,

Do you read nutrition labels? If you can’t pronounce the name of an ingredient, do you really want your child to eat it? Some words, even if you can pronounce them are intentionally designed to confuse. For instance, any word ending in “ose” is a sugar.

It can be very challenging to get your children to eat the foods needed for healthy bodies and strong bones. To ensure that your child is eating the correct foods at lunchtime, parents often send along a pre-packed lunch. Good intentions, however, can easily go awry if the fat, sodium and sugar content of the foods selected are not closely monitored. Parents should do their homework which begins at the next trip to the grocery store. Study the ingredients lists and nutritional labels and make sure to compare them with the serving sizes.

Researchers have shown that poor eating habits during childhood lead to chemical and anatomical changes which can then lead to heart disease later in life. Scientists agree that no more than half of a food’s calories should come from fat and saturated fats should be completely avoided.

Here are some examples that we as parents have included in our child’s lunch sacks not knowing the true values.

• Jif Creamy Peanut Butter – two tablespoons, 190 calories (130 from fat); 16g fat (3g saturated); 150mg of sodium; and 3 g of sugar.
• Sargento String Cheese – one piece , 70 calories (40 from fat); 4.5 g fat (3g saturated); 200 mg sodium and 0 sugar.
• Dannon Yogurt – strawberry fruit on bottom. 210 calories (15 from fat); 2 g fat (1 g saturated); 140 mg sodium; and 38g sugar
• Dole Fruit Gel Bowls – peaches and strawberry. 80 calories ( 0 fat); 90 mg sodium; and 20 g sugar.
• Little Debbie Swiss Rolls – two cakes, 270 calories (110 from fat); 12g fat (3 g saturated); 140 mg sodium; and 25 g sugar.

For some healthy options, you must focus on natural, whole foods. It is important to avoid the refined sugars and white flours as well as processed items with chemical additives. Explore your health food store or the health food section in your local grocery store and experiment with the extensive array of treats your little ones will enjoy.

Some healthy suggestions:

• Pack bottled water instead of soda
• Choose raw veggies and nuts instead of other sweet snacks
• Whole grain breads make the sandwiches more nutritious
• Apple slices with almond butter is a healthy treat
• Pretzles are great but watch the sodium intake
• Raisins and dried fruits are great alternatives, but be sure to watch the sugar intake (too much sugar weakens the immune system)
• Instead of the usual bread try using pita bread or tortilla wraps for a unique change
• Leftovers make a yummy lunch treat

There are many creative ways to pack a lunch for your little ones. It is important to read lables and monitor their sugar intake.

Make bringing a sack lunch fun again with unique and different ways, yet nutritious for your little ones. Try implementing storage containers for their lunches which will keep the sandwich from getting soggy. Try carrot chips instead of carrot sticks, the ideas are endless.

Make your child’s lunch nutritious and fun, it can be accomplished with little effort and loads of creativity.

Until next time,