The "Unhealthy" Fruit

We all know that a healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables. You may not be aware, however, that choosing just any "fruit" may not be the best way to meet your fruit quota for the day.

Below is a list of foods that you may want to limit or avoid:

1. Fruity, sweet cereals. Fruity, colorful cereals that leave your milk pink, orange or blue are definitely void of nutrition. But what about the cereals that contain dried fruit? Sure, they may taste good, but most are also filled with added sugars and unneeded calories - even if they supposedly have real fruit flavors. Begin weaning yourself from the "fruity" cereals by chopping some real, fresh fruit into a bowl of healthy, non sugar-containing, cereal.
2. Fruity Desserts. Strawberry ice cream. Raspberry cheesecake. Cherry Pie. Yum! We know they have fruit in the name, but it doesn't mean they're healthy for us. Opt for healthy fruit-based desserts such as fruit parfaits and fruit sorbet. If you must have cake, try a slice of angel food cake topped with fresh berries.
3. Fruit Smoothies. Don't worry...not all fruit smoothies are unhealthy. In fact, many are very healthy, giving you a boost of vitamins, minerals and energy. You can, however, go too far with the ingredients meaning you may be consuming more sugar than is found in many desserts. To ensure you're consuming a healthy smoothie, don't add soft-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt, candy, or other items that are obviously high in sugar and unnecessary calories. Rather, keep your smoothie nothing but 100% fruit, ice, juice, low or non-fat yogurt (preferably Greek or plain yogurt), and a nice scoop of protein powder to ensure it is high on the health chart.
4. Fruit Juice. A great option in moderation - as long as you choose 100% fruit juice. It has great flavor, great color, and great amounts of important vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many drinks claim to be fruit juice, while only containing a very low amount of fruit juice. For these low-fruit fruit juices, sugar and water make up the bulk of the contents, robbing you of the important benefits of all-natural fruit juice. Keep fruit juice indulgences to a minimum, as even the fruit-only kind is loaded with simple sugars. 
5. Go Natural. To easily sidestep any unhealthy fruit options, opt for raw, whole fruits. It is also best to avoid packaged fruit in any shape or form as many contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners and preservatives. Doing so will help to keep you on track with your health and wellness goals.

The Benefits of Whole, Raw Fruit

There are a multitude of reasons why all physicians recommend eating a healthy diet including plenty of fresh, whole fruit. The following is a list of the reasons and what you'll be getting the next time you consume one of your favorite fruits!

• Fiber (helps maintain gastrointestinal regularity and reduces the risk of heart disease)
• Folate (helps reduce a pregnant woman's risk for giving birth to a child with defects in the brain or spinal cord)
• Potassium (helps your body maintain a healthy blood pressure)
• Vitamin A (helps your body fight off infections and maintain healthy eyes and skin)
• Vitamin C (helps your teeth stay healthy and assists your body in the healing process when you experience a cut or wound)

In order to get plenty of these important nutrients, you'll need to slide some fruit into your diet every day. The good news is adding fruit to your meals is an easy thing to do. Try the addition of blueberries to your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt for breakfast, eat a banana with a handful of unsalted nuts for a snack, grab a handful of grapes as a dessert after lunch, and opt for fruit salad at dinner!

Blackberry Chicken

This recipe makes a wonderfully healthy family meal and is a great way to include some fruit as well. Serve your chicken on a bed of steamed veggies or on a dark leafy green salad.

Servings: 4  

Ingredients: 

For the Chicken:

• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken tenders
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup plum vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 cup yellow onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 packet Stevia

1. Rinse the chicken tenders and pat dry. Place in a large ziplock bag.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.
3. *optional* Strain the seeds from marinade (If you don't mind the crunch, then leave the seeds in!)
4. Pour the marinade into the bag of chicken, seal and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the marinated chicken in a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, drain off excess marinade, then place under high broil for 4 minutes, watching closely. Remove when golden.

For the Blackberry Sauce:

• 1 TBL coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 packet Stevia
• 1 Tbsp plum vinegar

1. In a skillet over medium low heat, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer, stirring often, until the blackberries become bright and the sauce reaches desired consistency.
3. If you wish to thicken the sauce more, add 1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot powder.
4. *optional* Strain the seeds from the sauce (If you don't mind the crunch, then leave the seeds in!)
5. Serve over the cooked chicken.

Nutritional Analysis: 

One serving equals: 287 calories, 7g fat, 655mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 36g protein