Top 3 Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables

Sometimes nothing sounds better than a nice juicy burger. But the truth is, we rarely feel great after eating one. Fortunately, fast food isn’t the only great tasting choice you have, come meal time. We recently stumbled upon a list of the three healthiest fruits and vegetables. There should be a least one option that appeals to you.

Three Healthiest Fruits

First on the list are apricots. These little fruits are packed with Beta-Carotene (also found in carrots). Your body converts Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A, which is great for your skin and eyes. It could potentially prevent certain skin cancers. The Beta-Carotene in apricots can also get rid of free radicals.

Apparently, avocados are the second healthiest fruit. The key element is Oleic Acid. This fatty acid lowers levels of bad cholesterol and increases levels of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is a good form of cholesterol that removes bad cholesterol from your blood. It also decreases the risk for heart disease.

Raspberries are so delicious. Thanks to Ellagic Acid, they also have anti-cancer properties. Raspberries are full of Vitamin C and Fiber. Both of these normalize cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease. This is good news for people who love to eat raspberries; and a good reason to start, for those who don’t.

Three Healthiest Vegetables

The number one healthiest vegetable is an onion. Onions contain a high amount of Quercetin, which is one of the most powerful plant-derived antioxidants. Research has shown that these antioxidants (also known as flavonoids) help prevent cancer. If you are going to eat onions, just remember to carry gum.

Artichokes contain Slymarin, which is an antioxidant that prevents cancer. They also have plenty of fiber, which regulates cholesterol. Artichokes are a different looking vegetable and some people may not find them appealing. In our opinion, nothing is better than steamed artichokes dipped in butter…Low-fat butter of course.

The third healthiest vegetable is ginger. The main substance in ginger is gingerols. Gingerols can help reduce nausea, fight migraines, and prevent arthritis pain. Ginger is low in fat and calories.

Wow! It seems like every one of these fruits and vegetables either prevents cancer or heart disease. Some prevent both. We don’t have to tell you that a fast food diet will significantly increase your health risks. Next time you are craving a burger, just remember that there are other delicious and healthy food options. If nothing else, put lots of onion or avocado on your burger.

The In-N-Out Experience

Now, I know that we’re only suppose to talk about “healthy” food choices on this blog. But “healthy” also means “good” right? And one of the best “good” food choices you can make is deciding to eat at In-N-Out if you’re craving a burger.

That being said, In-N-Out is still a healthier fast food option than lots of its competition. By taking a bite of one of their tasty burgers, even if you get it “Animal style,” you’ll still feel like you’re tasting less grease than you normally do at a Carls Jr. or elsewhere.

Anyways, I want to tell you about my last experience at In-N-Out and why it causes me to want to go back for more – from time to time (not frequently, may I add).

The Lights

First of all, that sign and those lights that illuminate the words “In-N-Out” always attract me for some reason. I’m like a bug attracted to a lamp post when I see that huge “In-N-Out” sign.

I don’t know what it is, but In-N-Out must have hired some smart marketing and advertising gurus when they decided to configure their company’s design and look.

So there you have it, this is the first part of one’s “In-N-Out experience” that they’ll appreciate.

The Service

Another thing that does it for mean when it comes to In-N-Out is the service. You know how it is at most other fast-food restaurants. You’ll get a cashier who could care less about looking you in the face and greeting you, let alone care about the customer service they are providing. All they want to do is take your order and move on to the next customer.

I guess it comes with the pay.

But at In-N-Out, I’ve always received a formal greeting, a nice smile, and somebody who at least seems like they half-enjoy their place of employment. The little outfits they wear with the aprons and the paper hats don’t hurt either.

Either way, I like the service I get at In-N-Out. This is the second part of one’s “In-N-Out” experience that they’ll appreciate.

The Food

People sometimes complain about the menu at In-N-Out. “There aren’t enough choices,” they gripe. Or, “It’s too small,” they’ll often say. But for me, I like the fact that there are just a few sure-fire choices to pick from.

Maybe its because I stink at choosing, and making decisions. Maybe I get overwhelmed when I go to IHOP or Denny’s and see a menu with 100 different choices. But for me, I actually enjoy a smaller menu.

Now, as for the food itself, In-N-Out makes some of the freshest burgers you’ll find. If you don’t believe me, go try it for yourself. Even the lettuce has a nice, crisp, feel and taste to it. The meat is good, and always fresh, and even the cheese doesn’t taste as fake as what you’ll find at other restaurants.

And if you like onions, In-N-Out grills them….making them very tasty!

As for the fries, they aren’t the best. But you could do worse. At least they are small enough that you can stuff a handful into your mouth at once. That’s always a plus. Just dip them in some ketchup or throw some salt on them and you’ll be fine.

All that said, the food is the third part of one’s “In-N-Out experience” that they’ll appreciate.

The Satisfaction

Lastly, when you leave In-N-Out, you’ll have this satisfaction and warm feeling that comes over you. It’s like that feeling when you know that you’ve made a wise decision, or made the right choice.

You’ll get it every time you walk out of an In-N-Out and to your car. If you think I’m crazy, go test it out for yourself. You’ll know what I mean, soon enough, if you decide to try out the fourth part of one’s “In-N-Out experience” that they’ll come to appreciate.

The End

Okay, that’s long enough for a semi-unhealthy post. Just do me a favor if there is an In-N-Out near you, and you’ve never been there before to try there food.

Give it a shot before the month of October is over, okay? You can thank me later.

The Best and Worst of Fast Food

We all know that fast food isn’t the best for our health, in fact, its not good for our diets at all. But, fast food is so convenient and tasty, that even the healthiest of us can’t resist going through a drive-thru on occasion.

That said, you can still eat “somewhat” healthy at fast food restaurants if you pick the right choices off the menu. To help you out, we’ve created the
“healthiest” and “unhealthiest” fast food menus available today by combining foods from different chains.

Basically, please choose items from the “healthy” menu next time you want a burger or fries, and stay away from the “unhealthy” menu at all costs unless you enjoy clogged arteries and would enjoy a heart attack or stroke in the future.

The Healthiest Menu

Burger – The healthiest burger of the bunch is Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger….I know right, of course the smaller the healthier. This burger has 0 trans fats per serving, and only 8 grams of total fat as well as 500 miligrams of sodium. Although you won’t be very full after eating one of these, at least you’ll know that you made a healthy food choice — well, sorta.

Fries -The healthiest-portion-of-fries award goes to Sonic, which include 0 grams of trans fat and only have 11 total grams of fat. But stay away from those chili cheese fries…they include 9 whooping grams of saturated fat.

Chicken (Nuggets, Strips, etc.) – If you are a chicken-lover, Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets are your best bet. These little critters only contain 230 calories per 5 pieces, and include 0 grams of trans fat. There is less saturated fat and sodium as well in these chicken nuggets compared to most other chicken choices at other fast food chains.

Onion Rings – I for one hate onion rings, but if you like them, then go with A&W or Sonic’s versions. Sonic’s only include 0.5 grams of trans fat and 300 grams of sodium, while A&W’s has the lowest calorie, total fat, and saturated fat counts. Still, any onion ring is going to be really unhealthy for you, so only sample them here and there if you can.

The Unhealthiest Menu

Burgers – The worst burger is Carl’s Jr.’s Double Six Dollar Burger. This thing contains…get this, 1,520 calories, 111 grams of total fat, and 2,760 mg of sodium! This basically death-in-a-bun if you indulge in its tastiness too often.

Fries – The worst fries on the planet, health wise, are Dairy Queens. A side of regular fries has 730 calories and 1,530 milligrams of sodium. Wow! At least there are only 5 grams of trans fat in Dairy Queen’s fries compared to 11 grams of trans fat found in White Castle’s fries.

Chicken Stuff – Okay, again if you like chicken, try to stay away from Dairy Queen’s Chicken Strip Basket. Man, we are really railing on Dairy Queen today aren’t we? Well, this 6 chicken strip-containing meal manages to include 1,270 total calories, 12 grams of trans fat, and 2,910 mg of sodium in what amounts to an extremely, extremely, unhealthy meal.

Onion Rings – Hey Dairy Queen, you have a new best “most unhealthy” friend in White Castle. That’s because White Castle’s tops off the “worst foods chart” with 30 grams of trans fat in their onion rings. 30 grams! Case closed

Final Word

Just remember, when it comes to all of these counts and whatnot, that lower is better. If you stick to that rule of thumb you’ll always be eating healthier, even if you’re not eating healthy at all…if that makes any sense.

What Goes Up…

I’m talking about things like cholesterol, fat and toxins in our diets. I realize it’s been a while since I’ve talked about eating out, but here’s a weird thing I noticed about it.

Those restaurants where you sit down and your every whim is catered to you are ironically the most healthy. On the other hand, you’re the one doing most of the “working out” at a fast food joint.

So if you’re trying to eat healthy, and want to eat out, take the time to chose a sit-down restaurant. Though this may be a little pricier, it definitely beats the medical bills you’ll be facing down the road.

And nicer establishment often include the calorie-count on the menu. This can help you stay on you diet even though it feels like you’re splurging.

And always get desert. This may seem counter-intuitive, but enjoying desert when it’s in a controlled setting is not a bad thing. In fact, it will help you to avoid splurging later.

So stay away form fast food, and you won’t need that fitness center!

Stay Healthy Stay Happy

While the late, lamented Mr. John Lennon warbled about happiness being a warm gun, for the most of the rest of us happiness may be a full tum. Especially as so many of the people who populate planet earth are underfed and undernourished. Here in the West the norm is to be well fed, yet malnourishment can still take it’s toll when we are mightily troubled with obesity and it’s consequent twin evils of diabetes and heart disease. And those twins have innumerable cousins.

It ain’t Ronald’s fault that we are suffering as a nation. The invention of the “Chicken McNugget” did not presage the downfall of Western Civilization. The “Whopper” did not precipitate the destruction of all that was good and holy in the glorious days of yesteryear.  What Southern sharecropper or wandering Okie would not have given his or her false teeth for a burger, fries and shake to distribute to an ill-nourished child who might have done better if a glass of milk an’ cornbread, an’ poke salet had been on hand.

We have grown fat upon the land because we have become wealthy without wisdom. Humble gratitude for what we are blessed with is better than rapacious greed to gain more. Making relevant choices as adults and parents is essential to our own health and that of future generations. Government mandates will not produce happy or healthy people. Being free to make a choice between fatty, artery clogging food and well balanced nourishment is our right. Choosing the right is a more difficult path. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Then we will make the best choices for ourselves and the children we raise. Out of love and respect for ourselves and others we will choose the good from the bad. I can still remember when I first started in earnest to grow my own food. After hauling in rich composted material to my allotment one bag at a time, after I collected it where the county workers had for some years been dumping leaves cleared off the roads, I grew the tastiest vegetables. Cabbages, Brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes, fennel, parsnips all had exquisite nuances of flavor. I had reduced my intake of meat and eschewed salt and pepper, and was rewarded with a thousand-fold increase in enjoyment of nature’s bounty.

Instead of our public schools churning out (or leaking out through dropping out) hordes of minds ill and under nourished and thus unable to make wise choices, teachers need to take the initiative to throw out the books about global warming, having two mummies, and Che Guevara’s sainthood. Then they can concentrate on telling it like it really is; like it really, really is. And then those kids can turn out to be better prepared than their own parents were in nurturing the best in the human spirit. Teach them that chicken soup is good for the soul. Nanny states never nourish or nurture. Never forget the Soviet bakers’ shops with the interminable lines of people with gaunt faces;  harassed and haggard people without hope waiting in vain as the last lousy loaf was sold.

Healthy Food Choices

I want to mention the “Eat This Not That” phenomena as I am determined to try something that I would not usually endorse. I am planning to visit my local Carl’s Junior fast food dispensary to eat a turkey burger. Claimed to be the first turkey burger to be offered by a hamburger chain Carl’s Junior’s new burgers are recommended by Mens’ Health Magazine and the Eat This Not That campaign. Besides the original turkey burger, Carl’s Jr. customers can order the Teriyaki Turkey Burger and Guacamole Turkey Burger, while Hardee’s customers can try the Mushroom Swiss Turkey Burger or the BBQ Ranch Turkey Burger. They all weigh in at under 500 calories. Just skip the fries and the Coke. Now a bit more about Eat This Not That.

Eat This, Not That

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD. 
WebMD Expert Review

Eat This, Not That: What It Is

Most diet books tout a secret formula, or mystifying scientific-sounding plan to melt away pounds but not Eat This, Not That, the latest diet book from Mens’ Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Mens’ Health food and nutrition editor Matt Goulding. The diet is not a diet in the traditional sense, but a calorie counter’s dream. Many people are clueless when it comes to the calories in the foods they eat and even when they guess, they usually underestimate the numbers.

The authors promise you will lose weight if you make smarter food choices, but don’t be fooled into thinking that ordering a Big Mac instead of a Whopper with cheese will lead to weight loss as depicted on the book’s cover.

Part expose, part nutritional guide, and part picture book of mouth-watering food images, Eat This, Not That comes in a handy size to take along to the grocery store, restaurant, or mall. It is loaded with calorie, fat, sugar, carbohydrate, and sodium counts designed to help you make smarter food choices.

“We chose calories as the most important criteria for the foods we chose because it is the top cause of weight gain and the gauntlet of health problems so when it comes to prudent eating, nothing matters more than calories,” Zinczenko says.

The authors do an excellent job exposing the obscene number of calories in certain foods, such as Outback’s Aussie cheese fries that weigh in at 2,900 calories, Chili’s Awesome Blossom at 2,710 calories, and Lonestar’s 20-ounce T-bone — an astonishing 1,540-calorie steak. And as a result, several restaurants have removed calorie-laded items from their menus.

 

Healthy Restaurants

Well I have to confess that on a recent trip through Las Vegas on the way to the Land of Disney I had a “must stop” at the Paris Hotel where shortly after it had opened about 12 years ago I had the opportunity to have brunch at The Village Buffet. Now buffets are not always (maybe never) a good L’endroit pour manger. But the food was good and the choices included some very nutritious offerings. So I had great expectations but what once was the best of times became the worst of times as it was a disappointing tale of two visits. Food that should have been hot was cold, the drink service was slow and not accurate, and I still prefer real butter because I know what I will be eating. And no there was no real butter. So a big let down. And my wife and I have noticed that what is a good restaurant at the opening becomes a bad and disappointing restaurant over even a short time in some instances.

It is easy to avoid poor choices at Disneyland as the prices and value for money in the park are a great disincentive to eat their fare, and of course you can take in your own food. A suite at a suitable hotel will allow the visitors to store food in a refrigerator and even cook if that is your inclination. So there you have a great deal of control over what you eat.

Having got that off my chest let me tell you about a great website, where you can look for restaurants that offer healthy eating. Healthydiningfinder.com has about 70,000 restaurant locations countrywide for you to search for a suitable place to eat healthily. There is even nutritional information about calories, fat content, and other important facts. So next time I take off on my travels I will be using the “Healthy Dining finder.”

Healthy Fast Food and Family Dining

Men’s Health Magazine is one great resource when checking out what is best and what is worst when you eat out either on the run or when you choose a more leisurely repast.

For a FF burger they say go to Wendy’s and especially they note that the Jr. Burgers can weigh in at under 400 of them there so important calories. Want a sandwich? Cheesecake Factory will get you one at 1,400 calories and their pasta items average 1,835 C. So Mens’ Health considers Cheesecake Factory the worst in family dining due in great part because of it’s large portion meals.  The King? Not quite Burger King. But Subway reigns as monarch of the healthy choice sandwiches. The sub chain gets the thumbs up for offering the leanest sandwiches in America.  Ten six-inch subs under 400 calories.

Now the mens’ mag castigated the Home of the Blizzard when they said Dairy Queen ranked as The Worst Burger Joint. The judgment was that “the fast-food chain specializes in both burgers and ice cream injected with egregious amounts of sodium and trans fats.”

The verdict on California Pizza Kitchen’s 10-inch pizza entrees is that they are “awkward” because they make it almost impossible to eat a healthy portion.” Men’s Health said “A 10-inch isn’t enough for two people but eating it for yourself means consuming a 1,000 calorie-meal.” Best pizza- Domino’s  Philly Cheese Steak Pizza” was way up there. Ranked as a solid lean pie. You get to choose more vegetable toppings at Domino’s than at the competition pizza place.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Quiznos. Quiznos. Quiznos.  Mens’ Health regarded the big Q as the worst   sandwich shop, and candidly said: “This menu is bloated with mayonnaise-spiked salads, oily dressings and briny bacon.”

And now it’s time to say “Hello Ruby Tuesday” not “Goodbye Ruby Tuesday” I feel ready right now to head out to Ruby Tuesday. I may never see “The Lips” licking up the gravy but the accolade for Best Healthy Family Dining Restaurant was awarded to Ruby Tuesday. I’ll be checking out the selection of healthy options on the Fit & Trim menu.

Eat well and wisely. Bon appetit.