Time to Slim Down Your Summer
By Sandy Schroeder
There's a little bit of summer left. Just enough time for you and your family to start eating healthier to build energy and shed pounds before fall. By now, most of us have had a lot of barbecue, too much ice cream, and way too many fast food and takeout runs, but all is not lost. Nutritionists suggest superstar foods with tempting recipes can turn your meals around, See what you think of these choices from Harvard Health.
Broccoli - Steam until tender and bright green. Finish with lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Get Vitamins C and K, folate and carotenoids.
Sweet potatoes - Potassium, fiber and Vitamin A benefits for eye health make these a top choice. Cut potatoes into wedges and toss with olive oil. Roast and sprinkle with cinnamon or chili powder.
Mangoes - Slice mangoes for breakfast or dice them for a salad. Vitamin C and A, potassium and fiber come with this sweet choice.
Watermelon - Two cups of watermelon for only 90 calories work for snacks or as good choices for lunch or dinner. You get Vitamin C, A, potassium and lycopene health boosts.
Plain Greek Yogurt - Top fat-free unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries, honey, or sliced bananas for breakfast or snacks. You get 15 grams of protein in 5 ounces of yogurt.
Oatmeal - Old fashioned oatmeal delivers a hearty whole-grained breakfast to lower cholesterol and keep you satisfied all morning. Top bowls with raspberries, strawberries, honey or dark chocolate cocoa and watch them disappear.
Wild Salmon - Rich in Omega-3 fats, salmon competes with steak or pork chops for flavor. Grill or saute in olive oil with fresh spinach.
Garbanzo beans - These superstar beans deliver protein, fiber, copper, iron, folate, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Mix them into soups or salads, or turn them into a healthy hummus dip with a recipe from Epicurious.com.
Leafy greens - Choose spinach, kale or Swiss chard to get Vitamins A, C, and K, plus potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and fiber. Saute in olive oil with garlic and black pepper and add tuna or breast of chicken for lunch.
Avocado - Slice avocados into salads, mash them and serve them on toast or create your own spicy version of guacamole. You get Vitamins C, E, K and B-6, plus magnesium and potassium and omega-3 fatty acids in a healthy fat choice that keeps you satisfied and helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
Try a few of these superstar foods and keep right on going to fit them into your fall menus.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Colorado Springs, Colo.