Fruits & Sugar — Canteen Kitchens

FRUITS AND SUGAR

One of the reasons fruit gets a bad rap is the amount of sugar in it.

But here’s the thing: the sugar in fruit is not the same as table sugar. Whole foods, including fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy all contain some naturally occurring sugar. These foods also contain fiber, essential vitamin and minerals and antioxidants.

Because your body digests fruits (and other foods with natural sugars) slowly, they provide your body with a steady supply of energy. The antioxidants in these foods also help to combat the impact of the sugar and including foods high in antioxidants, like fruit, has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Aim for 2-3 servings of fruit a day to reap the benefits.

Here’s how some of the vitamins and minerals in fruits and veggies keep you healthy:

Vitamin C strengthens the immune system, keeps your skin healthy and reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol.
Vitamin A helps strengthen the immune system and keeps skin healthy. It also helps keep eyes healthy and can help strengthen poor night vision.
Lutein and zeaxanthin help protect your eyes against cataracts and macular degeneration.
Folate helps reduce the risk of birth defects and helps the body produce red blood cells.
Potassium helps negate the effects of a high sodium diet, helps lower blood pressure and prevents hypertension.
Fiber feeds the healthy gut bacteria, helps “flush” you out (reducing the risk of colon cancer), reduce “bad” cholesterol, and keeps blood sugars balanced.
The carbohydrates in fruits and veggies can help boost your mood by promoting the production of serotonin in the brain, aka the “feel good” chemical.

Adding More Fruits and Veggies:

     Like This? 
     Trying adding this: 
  
    Cereal (hot or cold)
    Fresh, dried or frozen fruits-try bananas, berries, apples, raisins, dried apricots, or dates.
  
    Go for omelets or eggs over cereal?
    Load your omelet up with veggies, top your eggs with salsa and avocado and enjoy your side of hash browns with added nutrients by adding shredded veggies to them- use prepackaged coleslaw mix or grate your own; think zucchini, carrots, beets and/or parsnips.
  
    Deli Sandwiches
    Add extra veggies to your sandwich- try sliced cucumbers, sprouts, spinach, sliced zucchini or even sliced apples for a sweet and crunchy kick.
Puree white or black beans with garlic and basil and use as sandwich spread or spread hummus on your sandwiches in place of mayo. Then, for bonus points, wrap your sandwich in lettuce instead of bread.
  
    Tuna/Chicken salad
    Add grapes, celery, raisins and/or chopped apple to your chicken or tuna salad.
  
    Side Salad
    Turn your side salad into the main event and load it with dark greens like arugula, spinach, romaine and/or kale and then pack in the veggies and add some protein (try beans or edamame to keep that veggie theme going!).
  
    Pasta/ Pasta Salad
    Whirl a bunch of kale or a few cups of steamed broccoli into a store bought pesto and use that to dress your pasta. Then, continue to load it with veggies- asparagus, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, etc. 
Try using spaghetti squash in place of spaghetti for fewer carbs and more vitamins and minerals- cut a squash in half, scoop out the seeds and bake cut side down at 400F 30-45 minutes or until tender, then use a fork to pull the flesh into pasta-like strands. Serve as you would spaghetti.
  
    Snacks
    Bring a healthy dip (hummus or ranch made with cottage cheese) and plenty of fresh veggies to snack on. Bake thinly sliced zucchini, apples, kale or sweet potatoes for healthy, crispy chips without the guilt. Snack on frozen grapes or fresh whole fruit.
  
    Meatloaf, burgers, meatballs
    Puree frozen or canned veggies and add to meatloaf, burgers or meatballs to up the veggie content, cut the saturated fat, and add around 2g of fiber for every half cup you add. BONUS: this helps keep the meat moist as well!
  
    Tacos/Burritos
    Make your tacos using lettuce wraps instead of taco shells and save between 60 and 150 calories. Use darker lettuces for more antioxidants and vitamins A and K. 
Use half ground beef, half mushrooms- you keep the savory “umami” flavor with a fraction of the calories, half the saturated fat, plus added vitamin D and cancer fighting antioxidants.
  
    Boxed meals- like Mac n’ Cheese or Hamburger Helper
    Bring the noodles to a boil per the package directions. One minute before the noodles are done, add a large handful of fresh or frozen veggies (try broccoli, stir fry mix, green beans, carrots or other frozen veggie medley). Drain the veggies and noodles when time is up. Prepare as directed. 
For added veggie points, toss in some tomatoes and spinach and sub half the ground beef for black beans in Hamburger Helper or the like (add fiber & cut the saturated fat in half)

Like This?	Trying adding this:
Cereal (hot or cold)	Fresh, dried or frozen fruits-try bananas, berries, apples, raisins, dried apricots, or dates.
Go for omelets or eggs over cereal?	Load your omelet up with veggies, top your eggs with salsa and avocado and enjoy your side of hash browns with added nutrients by adding shredded veggies to them- use prepackaged coleslaw mix or grate your own; think zucchini, carrots, beets and/or parsnips.
Deli Sandwiches	Add extra veggies to your sandwich- try sliced cucumbers, sprouts, spinach, sliced zucchini or even sliced apples for a sweet and crunchy kick. Puree white or black beans with garlic and basil and use as sandwich spread or spread hummus on your sandwiches in place of mayo. Then, for bonus points, wrap your sandwich in lettuce instead of bread.
Tuna/Chicken salad	Add grapes, celery, raisins and/or chopped apple to your chicken or tuna salad.
Side Salad	Turn your side salad into the main event and load it with dark greens like arugula, spinach, romaine and/or kale and then pack in the veggies and add some protein (try beans or edamame to keep that veggie theme going!).
Pasta/ Pasta Salad	Whirl a bunch of kale or a few cups of steamed broccoli into a store bought pesto and use that to dress your pasta. Then, continue to load it with veggies- asparagus, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, etc. Try using spaghetti squash in place of spaghetti for fewer carbs and more vitamins and minerals- cut a squash in half, scoop out the seeds and bake cut side down at 400F 30-45 minutes or until tender, then use a fork to pull the flesh into pasta-like strands. Serve as you would spaghetti.
Snacks	Bring a healthy dip (hummus or ranch made with cottage cheese) and plenty of fresh veggies to snack on. Bake thinly sliced zucchini, apples, kale or sweet potatoes for healthy, crispy chips without the guilt. Snack on frozen grapes or fresh whole fruit.
Meatloaf, burgers, meatballs	Puree frozen or canned veggies and add to meatloaf, burgers or meatballs to up the veggie content, cut the saturated fat, and add around 2g of fiber for every half cup you add. BONUS: this helps keep the meat moist as well!
Tacos/Burritos	Make your tacos using lettuce wraps instead of taco shells and save between 60 and 150 calories. Use darker lettuces for more antioxidants and vitamins A and K. Use half ground beef, half mushrooms- you keep the savory “umami” flavor with a fraction of the calories, half the saturated fat, plus added vitamin D and cancer fighting antioxidants.
Boxed meals- like Mac n’ Cheese or Hamburger Helper	Bring the noodles to a boil per the package directions. One minute before the noodles are done, add a large handful of fresh or frozen veggies (try broccoli, stir fry mix, green beans, carrots or other frozen veggie medley). Drain the veggies and noodles when time is up. Prepare as directed. For added veggie points, toss in some tomatoes and spinach and sub half the ground beef for black beans in Hamburger Helper or the like (add fiber & cut the saturated fat in half)

Sure, we all know about the veggies in the salad- but
what if we snuck a few into the dressing? Here’s how:

Zucchini Dressing:

1 large zucchini, chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or flax oil

1 tbsp mustard (optional)

3 pitted dates

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp ground flax seed

¼ cup water

1 TBSP fresh cilantro

______

Blend all dressing ingredients on high till smooth and creamy. Mix salad ingredients and top with the dressing as desired.

Tomato Dressing:

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 2 cups cherry tomatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 TBSP honey

1 small clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon curry powder or paprika

______

Blend all ingredients on high.