By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

You may have seen an interesting new ingredient on your healthy food products lately and have been wondering exactly what it is. Monk fruit, or lo han guo, is a small green melon from China with a very sweet taste—but zero calories as a sweetener and zero carbs. It also does not raise blood sugar levels. This sweet little secret has been around for decades, but is just now making its way into mainstream foods as a healthy, zero calorie, natural alternative sweetener.

We’ve had a variety of choices for low calorie sweeteners over the years. However, most of them have previously met with negative reviews due to potentially serious health issues.

Consider for example, these low-calorie artificial sweeteners that have been on the market (all approved by the FDA):

• saccharin/SweetN’Low
• aspartame/NutraSweet
• sucralose/Splenda
• neotame/Newtame
• acesulfame potassium/Ace-K, Sunett, Sweet One

All of these have been found to have adverse health effects, negatively affect the gut microbiome, have links to some types of cancers, increase appetite and actually cause weight gain.

Saccharin or benzoic sulfinide, was discovered by a scientist studying coal tar derivatives. This coal tar derivative was considered a cancer risk and has been a controversial sweetener ever since.

Aspartame, or NutraSweet as it is called, has been found to be neurotoxic and the excitatory amino acids in it can cause long term damage to the brain neurons. One of aspartame’s primary ingredients, phenylalanine, blocks the production of serotonin in our gut, which not only negatively affects moods, causing anxiety and depression, but low serotonin also brings on food cravings—especially for sweet, starchy foods. Result is often weight gain.

While sucralose was marketed as a safer artificial sweetener called Splenda, it is a chemically created compound modified by adding chlorine atoms to sugar. This is like ingesting small amounts of chlorinated pesticides. Oh, and by the way, sucralose was discovered in the 1970’s by scientists who were working on creating a new pesticide.

Many people are actually allergic or sensitive to artificial sweeteners and can have reactions ranging from an itching, oozing rash, hives, eczema to nausea, diarrhea, and wheezing.

Artificial sweeteners have been found to disrupt our microbiome in our gut as well, causing a big drop in serotonin production. This can lead to a variety of digestive problems, brain dysfunction and mood disorders including:

• Seizures
• Migraines/headaches
• Gut dysbiosis
• Diarrhea
• Asthma
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s
• Brain tumors
• Sperm damage
• ADHD
• Cancer
• Kidney dysfunction

Artificial sweeteners also trigger insulin release and increase appetite, defeating the purpose for which they are used in the first place—causing cravings, excessive eating and weight gain.

Stevia, a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant, has been used for years as a safe and natural alternative to artificial sweeteners. Stevia, however, when used in its more natural form, can have an unpleasant aftertaste that is bitter or metallic tasting. And, some people actually have allergic reactions to stevia. Many of the commercially marketed stevia products are mixed with dextrose, erythritol, and lactose, making them nutritionally much different and iffy as far as being a healthy sweetener.

Enter monk fruit. Monk fruit has traditionally been used in herbal medicine and has a naturally sweet taste. Monk fruit contains something called mogrosides, which are intensely sweet.

Monk fruit sweetener has several health benefits as a natural sweetener. It has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and no harmful side effects–like the FDA-approved artificial sweeteners listed above.

Monk fruit also contains antioxidants and does not raise blood sugar, making it safe for diabetics or weight loss. According to this 2011 study, monk fruit has been safely used in traditional Chinese medicine for many, many years. One of its uses is to relieve sore throats and minimize phlegm in colds and flu.

And since monk fruit has been used for centuries, it is a safe and healthful sweetener. The Food and Drug Administration has determined that monk fruit is “generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” for everyone, including pregnant women and children.

However, outside of traditional Chinese medicine, monk fruit mass is just now beginning to be mass marketed, so more scientific studies will have to be done to determine its overall effects.

The downside of monk fruit includes the fact that monk fruit is difficult to grow and harvest–and it spoils easily–so it is still a fairly expensive product. While it is gaining in popularity, it is still tricky to find monk fruit sweetener at your local grocery or health food store.

Monk fruit does have a little bit of a bitter or strange aftertaste, depending on the food or drink it is included in. Monk fruit sweeteners can be used in coffee, tea, salad dressings, sauces, baked goods, and even as a sweetener in collagen and protein powders.

While monk fruit has zero calories and carbohydrates, be careful because most baked goods, smoothies and other drinks still have plenty of calories on their own, and can fool you into thinking you are not eating any calories.

Monk fruit is a member of the Curcurbitaceae family, which includes pumpkin, cucumbers, squash, and melons. If you are allergic to any of these foods, you may be allergic to monk fruit.

While monk fruit may need further research to study all of its health impacts, it seems to be a great, natural alternative to other artificial sweeteners—and great for anyone who wants to limit sugar in their diet. Especially those with diabetes or following a weight loss diet. While there are a few claims about monk fruit’s ability to prevent cancer or other health problems, more research is needed.

Try this luscious, healthy, frosted monk fruit brownie recipe from our friends at Healthline and thesmartcookieblog.com. You are sure to enjoy every bite!

Speaking of diabetes…If you think that Type 2 Diabetes is irreversible like many misinformed doctors will tell you, then you need to read some of the proof below on how to naturally reverse Type 2 Diabetes…

Although eating “paleo” or even low-carb is a good first step, you’ll also see below other techniques on just how simple it can be to “fix” your diabetes, control your blood sugars, and lose all of that excess fat sitting on your stomach.

> 1 Simple trick to REVERSE your Diabetes, naturally (while getting off drugs ASAP)

References
https://www.truthinadvertising.org/extra-ingredients-natural-stevia-product/
https://chriskresser.com/how-artificial-sweeteners-wreak-havoc-on-your-gut/
https://usrtk.org/sweeteners/aspartame_health_risks/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322769#stevia

The post Monkfruit–The Curiously Sweet, Low Calorie Natural Sweetener appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, BSN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Kale used to show up on people’s plates as a barely edible garnish, but in the last several years, it suddenly skyrocketed to fame as health fanatics everywhere discovered its many nutritious attributes.

Kale now takes center stage as a salad ingredient, a smoothie standby, chips, food additive, or main dish ingredient. Unfortunately however, kale has fallen from grace as the superstar superfood, to one of the “Dirty Dozen”, as one of the most herbicide/pesticide-contaminated vegetables in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Working Group (EWG) that rates produce for their herbicide/pesticide content.

This year, kale ranks third, just behind strawberries and spinach. According to the EWG, the average kale sample contains over five different types of herbicides or pesticides, in spite of being thoroughly washed. One of the more contaminated samples actually contained up to 18 different pesticide residues.

Do these pesticides outweigh the value of the nutrients in kale? Well, studies have shown pesticides to be linked to cancer, diabetes, autism, ADD/ADHD, and other serious health issues.

One of the primary pesticides showing up in kale is an herbicide called DCPA, or Dacthal. Dacthal has been used as a weed-killer for strawberries, many other vegetables, beans and cotton. But in 2005, Dacthal use was curtailed because of concerns that it was leaching into groundwater and was toxic. While the European Union prohibited all uses of this herbicide, the United States still uses Dacthal on sweet potatoes, eggplant, turnips and, of course, kale.

The problem with Dacthal, however, is that even the EPA has found evidence that Dacthal can cause cancer. The organization has listed the herbicide as a possible carcinogen based on a two-year study that linked DCPA to thyroid and liver tumors in rats, and while the effects on humans haven’t been tested, it’s a safe bet to believe it’s not healthy for us, either.

The EWG analysis also found that 30% of the kale samples contained bifenthrin and cypermethrin, two other pesticides that have been classified by the EPA as possible human carcinogens based on studies in mice. Exposure to these chemicals could cause nausea, headaches, and neurological issues, such as tingling and numbness.

The biggest problem with kale and these toxic pesticides is that kale is a leaf, so it will absorb these toxic sprays. There is no peel you can remove to help reduce the exposure and washing the kale does not help. These pesticides permeate the kale through and through.

Kale and Your Thyroid

For some people, the thought process goes like this–if a little bit is healthy, then a lot should be REALLY healthy. Unfortunately, for many things, including kale, this is not true. Kale in larger quantities, especially in the form of juicing, can actually be harmful to healthy thyroid function.

Kale is considered a goitrogenic food, meaning that it contains substances called goitrogens that can block proper thyroid function. Cruciferous vegetables, like kale, are considered goitrogenic. Other goitrogenic vegetables include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, mustard greens, turnips, and watercress.

These veggies contain a substance called thiocyanate, which in larger amounts, can interfere with our bodies’ ability to utilize iodine, a key nutrient for production of thyroid hormones. Exposure to high amounts of thiocyanate can interfere with the normal thyroid function and cause hypothyroidism, or low thyroid. This creates symptoms like weight gain, depression, slow hair growth, lowered immune status, and more.

The health benefits of eating kale and other cruciferous veggies generally outweighs any issues with thyroid function, but eating larger amounts of cruciferous vegetables like kale, can definitely interfere. The biggest problem with kale and thyroid function is when it is juiced. Juicing requires large amounts of the vegetable to create a small amount of juice. But juicing creates a very concentrated product with larger than normal amounts of thyroid-interfering goitrogens, among other things.

The risks of lowered thyroid function may be exacerbated in those who are already iodine deficient, especially vegetarians and vegans—often just the folks who are juicing and drinking large volumes of veggie juices with kale.

Other Toxins in Kale

Several years ago, research conducted in California by a molecular biologist by the name of Ernie Hubbard connected complaints of fatigue, brain fogginess, nausea and other symptoms in patients at a health clinic to high kale consumption.

Hubbard found higher than normal levels of the toxic mineral thallium in locally grown kale, as well as in the patients’ urine. Hubbard also found traces of other heavy metals including cesium, cadmium, aluminum and arsenic in other cruciferous vegetables. And it seems that the organically grown kale accumulates more of this heavy metal than conventionally grown kale.

While the source of the thallium was not determined from the soil or the vegetable, it was determined that the complaints from patients, combined with their reported kale consumption, urine test results, and the thallium levels found in the kale and soil suggested low-level thallium poisoning.

Other studies have found similar results. A study by Czech Republic agricultural researchers in 2006 investigated kale’s uptake of thallium from soils with a naturally high amount of the element, and concluded it could seriously endanger the food chain. This Chilean study published in 2009 examines the presence of thallium in potatoes grown in the northern region of the country, and finds an “important risk.” And this Canadian review in 2004 by researchers at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, noted thallium “can be transferred from soils to crops readily and accrues in fuel crops.”

Unfortunately, when it comes to thallium, even low-level exposures can cause symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, hair loss, and peripheral neuropathy. This means that people who eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables, including kale, may be exposing themselves to high levels of thallium.

How Much Kale Can You Safely Eat?

If you are an occasional kale eater, you shouldn’t worry too much about interfering with your thyroid function, or thallium. The most important though, is to choose organic kale.

Kale is jam-packed with nutrients. A single cup of raw chopped kale gives you more than 200% of your daily allowance of vitamin A and almost 700% of vitamin K. It’s also full of vitamins like B6, calcium, vitamin C, and potassium.

Plenty of research also suggests that cruciferous vegetables like kale can protect against certain types of cancer. Kale is also high in antioxidants including beta carotene and vitamin C, along with various flavanoids, and polyphenols.

Kale also contains the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are found in relatively large amounts in kale. These substances in kale have been studied thoroughly and have powerful heart-protective, blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-depressant and anti-cancer effects, to name a few.

Bottom Line

Kale is a very healthy superfood. Just don’t overdo and eat tons of kale on a daily basis, or you may be ingesting large amounts of pesticides, herbicides, thallium, and goitrogens that will have a negative effect on your health and your thyroid gland. Be especially careful of drinking kale juice. It takes a large quantity of kale to make juice, and you end up drinking concentrated amounts of the above toxins. Instead, enjoy a wide variety of superfoods on a daily basis.

References
https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/news-update-can-kale-cause-hypothyroidism
https://www.sciencealert.com/kale-is-now-one-of-the-most-pesticide-contaminated-vegetables-and-the-dangers-go-beyond-eating-salad?fbclid=IwAR2rA8S0nP76V0fAFPE6Gvp0Qyvh_T_5qkT35oDawZAPSLupY30gv_rQNco
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale#section9
https://craftsmanship.net/sidebar/information-research-thallium-gathered-hubbard-dr-rosenblum-click-tap/

The post The Dark Side of Kale appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, 

Your kids’ favorite oat cereals, oatmeal, granola and snack bars come with a heavy dose of the weed-killing poison glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s well-known weed-killer, “Roundup”.

Monsanto made big news recently, as a result of losing a $289-million-dollar lawsuit brought by a school groundskeeper who claims that glyphosate caused his deadly lymphoma cancer.

Bayer said the number of outstanding lawsuits against has risen from 5,200 to 8,000. The German firm’s shares have lost 11% of their value since it lost the $289m case in a California court to groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, who claimed Monsanto herbicides containing glyphosate had caused his Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer shares fell another 1.7% on Thursday.

In a new class action lawsuit filed against the cereal/food giant General Mills less than a week after the Johnson vs Monsanto verdict, plaintiff Mounira Doss states that General Mills had a duty to disclose the presence of glyphosate in their Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios cereal but failed to do so. Cheerios levels of glyphosate at 470-530 parts per billion (ppb) are some of the highest levels present in any of the tested foods. Doss states that “General Mills failed to disclose or actively concealed information reasonable consumers need to know before purchasing [Cheerios], and knew or should have known that Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios contained glyphosate, but withheld this information from consumers and the general public.”

This means that General Mills may be in violation of several state consumer protection laws. Says Steve Gardner, legal consultant at Gardner Consulting, and former head of the food law practice at the Stanley Law Group, “In the wake of the $289m Monsanto damages award, we expect to see plaintiffs’ attorneys target products containing glyphosate, even in trace amounts…”

Independent laboratory testing ordered by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), shows heavy doses of glyphosate in almost all of 45 samples of cereal and snack products made with conventionally-grown oats (non-organic). What’s even scarier is that 75% of those samples had higher levels of glyphosate that what is considered acceptable and safe. And, if you think you are safe from glyphosate because you are only buying organic, consider that 30% of cereals and snacks tested from organically-grown grains also had glyphosate.

Another lab, Anresco, a U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) registered lab, using one of the most reliable tests for glyphosate residues, tested thirty foods commonly found in grocery stores. Their findings were also consistent with EWG’s findings.

Some of the highest glyphosate residue was found in General Mills Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Stacy’s Pita crackers, Ritz crackers, Lucy’s oatmeal cookies, Kashi dark chocolate soft baked cookies, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Oreos, and dozens of other so-called ‘healthy’ cereals and snacks. See the full report here.

“Frankly, such a high level of glyphosate contamination found in Cheerios, Doritos, Oreos…is alarming and should be a wake-up call for any parent trying to feed their children safe, healthy and non-toxic food,” Dave Murphy, executive director of Food Democracy Now!,” said.

The EPA sets a “maximum residue limit” (MRL), also known as a tolerance, for pesticide residues on food like corn and soybeans. MRLs for glyphosate vary depending upon the commodity.

Farmers often have trouble getting their grain crops like corn, wheat and barley to dry out quickly for harvest, especially in wetter climates. So, the Big Ag chemical companies came up with the idea to douse the crops with glyphosate one to two weeks before harvest to kill the plants and accelerate the grain dry-out. This pre-harvest use of glyphosate allows farmers to harvest crops as much as two weeks earlier than they normally would.

Crop desiccation with glyphosate is a very common practice, and farmers use massive amounts of glyphosate on non-GMO crops such as wheat, oats, soybeans, corn and other crops right before harvest.

Along with wheat and oats, glyphosate is used to desiccate a variety of other crops including peanuts, lentils, peas, soybeans, flax, rye, triticale, buckwheat, millet, canola, sugar beets and potatoes. These food products are essentially drenched with glyphosate just a couple weeks prior to harvest, meaning even higher levels of glyphosate once these crops are harvested.

According to the EPA, glyphosate in used in the U.S. on at least 70 different food crops, including grains, spinach, avocados, almonds, walnuts, figs, plums, grapes, kiwi, lemons, grapefruit, pistachios, and pomegranates. Check out the full list here. The widespread usage of glyphosate makes it nearly impossible to avoid, and sample testing shows 93% of us test positive for glyphosate in our bodies.

Glyphosate’s Connection to Serious Health Issues

Recent studies show glyphosate is not only a dangerous chemical that has invaded our entire food system, but it has been linked to autism, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, serious food allergies (including celiac disease), Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, obesity, reproductive issues, and liver problems. And children bodies are even more susceptible to the damage from glyphosate.

Scientists around the world have been reviewing negative research concerning glyphosate, and it has been under even more serious scrutiny since the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the herbicide as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015.

In addition, the IARC also stated, “Glyphosate also causes DNA and chromosomal
damage in human cells.” Seventeen leading global cancer experts from the IARC classified glyphosate as a class 2A “probable human carcinogen”.

Glyphosate Damages Gut Bacteria and Blocks Vital Nutrients

Gut Bacteria—This recent study shows glyphosate’s connection to the disruption of key gut bacteria, impairing enzymes that are key to detoxifying the body and causing deficiencies in vitamins A and D3, and impairing the body’s ability to produce bile, a key substance in digestion of fats. And, glyphosate is now known to cause extreme disruptions in important beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, allowing overgrowth of harmful pathogens.

Vitamin, Mineral and Amino acid Deficiencies–Glyphosate also binds with iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper and other vital minerals in the body, creating serious deficiencies. Additionally, glyphosate interferes with the activation of vitamin D in the liver by inhibiting the cytochrome P450 enzymes, creating a host of other problems related to vitamin D deficiency.

Increase in Food Allergies–Scientists say that gluten binds to glyphosate in the digestive system, creating a highly allergenic substance that people react to. This same thing applies to corn, soy, nuts, and peanuts sprayed with glyphosate. The very action of spraying crops with glyphosate creates a highly allergenic substance, one of the big reasons that kids have become so allergic to many foods including peanuts.

Link to Anxiety and Depression–Glyphosate disrupts a critical pathway in plants as well, destroying three of their essential amino acids which help our bodies create serotonin. Serotonin deficiencies lead to anxiety, depression, violent behavior, and other mental illnesses. And, glyphosate is now known to cause extreme disruptions in important beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, allowing overgrowth of harmful pathogens

Thyroid Problems–Glyphosate also depletes the body of tyrosine, an essential nutrient needed proper thyroid hormone. As a consequence, thyroid issues are increasing as well—often manifesting as hypothyroid problems, or autoimmune Hashimoto thyroid conditions.

How to Avoid Glyphosate

No matter how healthy and ‘clean’ your family’s diet may be, this pervasive chemical is extremely difficult to avoid! It is used on most all conventional crops, and its residues are in water run-off, streams, lakes, and rain. It is also carried through the air, so that even 100% organic foods now show traces of glyphosate.

Things you can do to avoid or minimize yours and your children’s glyphosate exposure:

• If you choose to eat grains and legumes at all (which many people avoid if they follow a Paleo style diet), make sure to choose organic grains and legumes. Eating an organic diet for 1 week reduces pesticide exposure in the diet by 90%.
• Avoid eating conventional grains and processed foods.
• Eat meat, poultry, eggs, butter and dairy products only from 100% grass fed or organically fed animals.
• Eat sulfur rich foods like eggs, organic cheese, onions and garlic. Glyphosate exposure in the body depletes sulfur and also effects sulfate pathways.
• Eat fermented foods and probiotics. Especially important are fermented foods with a live culture of acetobacter. This includes organic apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, cheeses and yogurt.
• Supplement with glutathione and manganese—two nutrients glyphosate depletes.
• Get plenty of sun so your body can make vitamin D, or supplement with D3 if you’re not getting adequate sunshine on your skin.

It may be almost impossible to avoid eating foods that have been exposed to glyphosate, but there is this one “Healthy Veggie” that you can easily avoid. Check your cubbards and cabinets to see if you are storing this deadly food in your home.

References
https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2018/08/21/And-now-the-food-lawsuits-General-Mills-sued-over-glyphosate-residue-post-Monsanto-289m-verdict
https://detoxproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/anresco_reports_food_testing_2016.pdf
https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/how-to-protect-yourself-from-glyphosate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/
https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/
http://www.glyphosate.eu/glyphosate-basics/history-glyphosate
https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2017-10-24-exposure-to-glyphosate-chemical-found-in-weed-killer-increased-over-23-years.aspx#.We9Y-2vV0Ih.facebook
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10854122
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf
https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-monsanto-glyphosate-cancer-2054307830.html
https://www.ecowatch.com/monsanto-glyphosate-cheerios-2093130379.html
https://www.schmidtlaw.com/roundup-lawsuits-centralized-in-mdl-in-northern-california/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/09/monsanto-roundup-herbicide.aspx

The post Does this chemical in your Cheerios or oatmeal cause Cancer? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog, republished from my friend Danette May, is going to give you some great information on one of nature’s perfect foods…

by Danette May, Fitness Expert DanetteMay.com

If you’re not heeding the old adage of an ‘apple a day’, you need to read this.

Many studies point to the beneficial effects of apples. This includes their antioxidant effects, and positive impact on heart health.

As if that wasn’t enough, they regulate blood sugar too!

This is good news, because it is the single biggest factor that helps keep body weight healthy. Interesting!

How exactly do apples help fight obesity?

It is all because of two factors in apples – fiber and phenolic compounds.
Studies show that both fiber and phenolic compounds in apple protect against many diseases.

Especially, the non-digestible fiber part of the apple resists digestion by stomach juices. They dodge the digestive acids and enzymes too, and reach the colon. This is where the gut bacteria thrive.

Gut bacteria feed on these non-digestible fiber and produce short chain fatty acids. Otherwise called SCFA’s, these are the result of the fermentation by gut bacteria.

Short chain fats have many benefits like:

• Sustained energy
• Stable blood sugar
• Improving satiety and keeping you full

BUT…It’s important to choose the right variety

Granny Smith apples are what you should reach for to get the best weight loss effect. Studies show that Granny Smith varieties have more non-digestible compounds than other types.

They found that when obese mice were fed the Granny smith variety their gut flora changed to that of lean mice. A gut flora that is the same as lean mice, helps lower the risk of disorders accompanying obesity.

Choose clean apples

Beware of pesticide residue and wax coating:

The Environmental Working Group reports that apples are high in pesticide residues. Another thing to note is the petroleum-based waxes used as a coating on apples.

So, keep it clean, choose an organic apple over conventional ones.

Here are 4 easy ways to eat more of this variety:

1. Freeze for a quick snack: Wash, cut and slice them up. Freeze them in ziploc snack bags so it is easy to grab and go as a healthy snack.

2. Bake: Granny smith apples are tart and firm. This makes it great for baking recipes like apple cobbler, apple crisp (healthy apple crisp recipe here), and pie.

3. Make apple sauce: Homemade chunky apple sauce makes a great topping for pancakes too!

4. Enjoy with probiotics: Eat cubed granny smith apples with a probiotic like Greek yogurt. You will be able to boost your healthy gut bacteria in few delicious scoops a day.

Not to forget, eating whole fruit is always beneficial and helps to promote weight loss.

Yours in Health,

Danette May
(The original article source is here)

Other notes on apples nutrition:

The average apple contains about 3-5 grams of fiber, and about 20-26 grams of total carbs depending on size.  I like to look at not only glycemic index of certain carb sources, but also ratio of fiber to total carbs as a good indicator of how they will affect your blood sugar.  Apples are a good choice for a healthy carbohydrate source when kept in moderation.

Apples are also a good source of polyphenols that help to prevent heart disease, protect your brain health, and lower blood pressure.  In addition, although type 2 diabetics can do a lot better on a higher fat, lower carbohydrate diet overall, apples are one of the better sources of carbohydrates for diabetics since they have a slow effect on blood sugar instead of abrupt.

Now that you know apples can help fight obesity these powerful fruits are almost in a class of their own. Apples along with grapes (especially when made into red wine) are some of the most healthiest and fat-fighting fruits in the world.

Some red wines are more powerful at fat-burning than others and help boost your metabolism. Take this short quiz to find out.

Quiz: Which Red Wine Boosts Metabolism?

Although hard alcohol like vodka, whisky, gin and tequila can increase belly fat…

Prominent scientists from Greece have found that one of the following red wines actually increases fat-burning when you drink it a certain way.

But which one? Is it…

The post Is there one type of apple that helps you lose more weight than others? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.