Apples -- Weight Loss Made Easier

 

There is just nothing like the month of October for Apples!  Some of our grandchildren have started the month a little early and visited the u-pick orchards already.  It’s just that time of year when apples in all their many varieties can be had and enjoyed.

Big help with weight loss

Chances are that you have only tasted a few of the many varieties of apples, because the supermarkets offer a comparatively small selection that typically includes Gala, Cortland, Granny Smith McIntosh, and the ever popular, Red Delicious.  Regardless of the type, apples are a perfect addition to your weight-loss plan for a number of reasons.

Apples are low in calories and fat, low in sodium, and contain vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.  These can all help you to lose weight in different ways.  The fiber helps you feel full longer because it expands in your stomach, so it takes less food to satisfy your hunger.  The low-sodium content prevents excess water weight, or retention.  And the vitamins benefit you by increasing health and vitality.  Being more active helps burn extra calories to speed up weight loss. In addition to all of this, the enzymes found in apples help you to digest food more efficiently.

Eating an apple or two before a meal is a good way to curb your appetite, and at the same time get plenty of nourishment. Apples also make good mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks.  One of my favorite ways to enjoy an apple is to slice it and then smear it with raw almond butter. (Admittedly, this practice cuts into the possible weight loss benefits of eating apples, but it’s a mighty tasty treat!) 

There are claims that eating three apples a day can account for about a 1/2 pound weight loss each week, up to 8 weeks or so.

Always wash and scrub your apples, especially if they are not organic.  Supermarket apples are often waxed, which seals in pesticide residues that may be on the skins.  Peeling apples will remove the film, but also a lot of the fiber. All apples will brown when cut, though the degree of browning varies among varieties.  Sprinkling a little lemon juice on cut surfaces will curb the browning somewhat.

If you’re interested in some very good raw  recipes which keep all the great apple nutrients in place, take a look at access it by going to my website
  www.janesmith-healthcoaching.com .
While you’re there, you might also want to sign up on the right sidebar to receive my monthly newsletter.

I’ll be watching for you!  Enjoy this beautiful autumn month, and have lots and lots of apples!.

Cherries in Wisconsin

Cherries are Wisconsin

When we were in Door County, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, I was ready to see bags of cheese curds in every store and at every roadside stand, and  I was not surprised that restaurants served them almost universally.  It’s what they have in Wisconsin.  But, I had forgotten in the 5 years since we’ve been there that there are just as many avenues for procuring and enjoying ruby sweet cherries as there are cheese curds.  And for this raw foodist, the cherries trump the cheese bits any day.

Seriously, the cherries were everywhere. In restaurants we visited many of our friends enjoyed a slice or three of cherry pie, there were dried cherries in salads, and cherry juice options either all by itself or mixed with other fruit juices.  When we reluctantly drove out of town after a week of very pleasant biking and relaxing, we stopped at an outdoor market and loaded up on cherry jams, jellies, preserves, and salsas, all locally grown, prepared, and packaged.

Plump, sweet, and ruby red

I, of course, just enjoyed them whole and raw.  So delicious and spectacularly colored.  I knew they were probably a wonderful thing to be eating, so guess what?  Here comes the good news.

Cherries have been shown to combat cancer, improve sleep, balance pressure and ease gout.  Compounds found within cherries also relieve pain as well as aspirin.  They have anti-infammatory properties, and can help to ward off disease. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, and anti-oxidants, and should be enjoyed often.

There’s more good news.  Cherries are a circulatory stimulant that dispel stagnation in the bloodstream and impart a rosy glow to the complexion.  They are detoxifiers, helping the body eliminate uric acid and cleanse the kidneys. They have been used traditionally to remedy anemia, arthritis, asthma, constipation, cramps, fatigue, gallstones and kidney stones, gout, and many other ills.  What’s not to like? 

Avoid contamination - buy organic

The bad news is that cherries are one of the most contaminated fruits, so it’s best to buy organic ones whenever possible.  Although they get cooked and put into jars, mentioned above, they can be enjoyed plain or in fruit salads, puddings, smoothies, and  juices.  They can also be dried for year-round consumption.

Their growing season is almost over for another year, but cherries are still in the stores.  Here’s a recipe you may want to try before they are gone until next year.  I will certainly be ready for them then!  Enjoy!

 

Cherry Soup – A Seasonal Delight

(Yield: 4 servings) 

¼ cup dates, soaked for 20 minutes

2 cups cherries, pitted

2 ½ cups water

2 Tbs lemon juice or lime juice 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and liquefy.

From Rawsome, by Brigitte Mars