Try my Carrot of the Week

Welcome to my new feature, Carrot of the Week.  

Every Wednesday, I'll share my favorite nutritional tips, tidbits, factoids or interesting observations to help improve your health and nutritional knowledge, one bite at a time.

Let me know what you think - and be sure to check back each Wednesday for new Carrots and Cupcakes of the week! 

Carrot of the Week:   Peanut Butter

At our house, our whole family loves peanut butter.  It's a good source of protein, iron and fiber - and, it's generally low in sugar, sodium and cholesterol.  And if you are mindful of how much you're spreading on your sandwich (or banana in my case), it can be easy to control your calorie and fat intake.

But not all peanut butter is created equal.  Does your favorite pass the test?

Check the ingredient list. If your brand contains molasses, palm oil, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, corn syrup solids or mono- and diglycerides, then dump it.  All of those ingredients are unnecessary fillers - and add way too much sugar, calories and unhealthy fats, like trans fats.  

And check out the percentage of peanuts in the product - many brands (like Jif) have only 60% peanuts.  Why pay good money for that?

Look for peanut butters with just one ingredient: peanuts.  You can get peanuts and salt, but honestly, the salt doesn't add any extra flavor - just excess sodium.  With just one ingredient, you'll be getting 100% peanuts.  And trust me; the taste is so much better and way more "peanutty" without all the junky ingredients.  You'll be cutting back on the added sugar, salt and calories, and still be getting all of the healthy fiber, protein and iron.

Smuckers, Laura Scudder, Central Market brand and Sprouts brand are examples of simple peanut butters with just one or two ingredients.  Yes, you will have to stir in the oil on top, but that is a small inconvenience for a healthier - and tastier - peanut butter.

And lastly, don't be fooled by Reduced Fat or "natural" labels.  Reduced fat typically adds more salt, sugar or other fillers to bump up the taste and texture, while "natural" isn't always what you think it is.

Read the label and check the ingredient list to be sure you're getting the real deal.

Saying Goodbye to Summer

Summer is just about gone - the first official day of autumn is Wednesday, September 22nd.

I always feel a little sad this time of year as I bid a bittersweet goodbye to the season.  Is it the heat I'll miss?  Well, no, not really.  Especially not this year.  The lazy days at the pool?  Nope - I'm not that big into lazy days or water.  

Summer is my all-time favorite season because of one word: fruit.

I love fresh, summer, seasonal fruits - peaches, berries, apricots, cantaloupe and watermelon, in particular.  I savor their taste and aroma.  You know what I mean if you've ever been stopped dead in your tracks by the heady fragrance of a perfectly ripe peach, or have been led by your nose to buy a sugary-sweet cantaloupe.  There's really nothing quite like it.

And I know you can find all of these fruits pretty much any time of year now, thanks to worldwide distribution.  But I like buying seasonal for the freshest taste - for me, blueberries from Chile in December just don't taste quite the same as Texas-ripe blueberries at the peak of their season in June.

So as summer fades away, allow me to pay tribute to a few of my favorite fruits - which also happen to be nutrient superstars, as you'll see.  And let me know what your favorites are - or what you may be looking forward to in the fall (juicy, ripe pears anyone?).

Strawberries

My kids adore strawberries. And that's great, because one tiny cup contains over 100% of our daily vitamin C needs - essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums, as well as healing cuts and scrapes.

Raspberries

Just one cup of raspberries contains as much fiber as three slices of whole wheat bread - meeting 1/3 of your daily fiber needs.  Raspberries are also a good source of vitamin K, essential for bone health.

Blueberries

Their beautiful blue color comes from an antioxidant called anthocyanin - believed to help keep your immune system working in peak form, reducing your risk for several diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Apricots

Their season is short - just a few weeks in early summer.  But don't miss it.  By eating just three apricots, you'll be getting 75% of your daily requirement for vitamin A, a key nutrient for healthy vision. 

Peaches

Lucky for us, Texas had a bumper crop this year.  And they were awesomely good.  Not only is a perfectly ripe peach sublime, but it is a good source of fiber, vitamin C and beta carotene - the antioxidant that gives the peach its golden glow and keeps your vision healthy.  Plus, peaches have a high water content, helping with weight control by keeping you feeling fuller, longer.

Tomatoes

Yes, a tomato is technically a fruit.  And the rich red color comes from the antioxidant lycopene, which aides in reducing heart disease and cancer risks.  Eat them raw with a little healthy fat like olive oil or cooked up in a sauce to fully take advantage of lycopene's benefits.

Watermelon

On a hot day, watermelon can't be beat.  And these babies are 92% water, so they are super low in calories, yet fill you up.  And just like tomatoes, the red color is the result of lycopene - and lots of it.  One cup of watermelon contains twice the lycopene as a fresh tomato (and only 40 calories to boot).

Cantaloupe

Kids love super-sweet cantaloupe (or "lopey" as my son calls it).  Eating just a quarter of a melon (about a cup) gives kids all the vitamins A and C they need in a day.  And it provides as much potassium as one banana, a key nutrient for healthy blood pressure.