Friday Favorites!

These are a few of my favorite things: Fruit Edition

I'll admit to you right now, I couldn't for the life of me think of where the heck that song lyric came from. I didn't want to end up talking about the wrong thing so I looked it up and found out it was from The Sound of Music.

I truly don't like that musical at all. Or movie? Is it even a musical? Oh lord.

I was forced to watch it in my theatre class in 8th grade and as much as I love theatre, I don't think I ever hated theatre as much as I did that day!

Anyway, I wanted to show y'all a few of my favorite things. Mostly things I love to eat and I couldn't live without. Maybe this will give you some kind of view into what I mean when I say EAT HEALTHIER!!!

 

Bananas. Honestly, I sing Gwen Stefani's song everytime to make sure I'm spelling it right. Don't you? Bananas are something I throw with my oatmeal for breakfast or just eat when I feel like eating something sweet. They're also great for shakes! Bananas are sweet to me, even the ones that aren't very ripe yet so I always make sure not to over eat!

Health Benefits:

• Bananas are packed with Vitamin B6 fiber, Vitamin C, magnesium & potassium.
• 105 calories per medium size whole banana

Blueberries remind me of the movie "Just Friends" with Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris. Just watch it if you have no idea what I'm talking about! I really love berries and although I find it hard to eat fresh blackberries, I still love them. My favorite berries to eat that are fresh are Blueberries, Strawberries, & Raspberries. Frozen berries are great as well but I prefer my strawberries fresh. The darker the berry, the sweeter its' juice and the better it is for you! I either eat these fruits by it self or in waffles, parfaits or whatever!

 

Health Benefits: 

• Blueberries contain vision protecting Vitamin C plus appetite quelling fiber. There's been studies that led scientists to believe that blueberries battle urinary tract infections too! 
• 83 calories per cup
• Blackberries are loaded with anthocyanins, powerful antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.
• 62 calories per cup
• Raspberries are a great source of ellagic acid, a potent killer of cancer cells in lab tests (though that power has not been proven in clinical trials) Raspberries also have more fiber than any berry and most fruits, for that matter.
• 64 calories per cup
• Strawberries pack up to three times more vitamin C than other berries, and fewer calories, too. Snack on them for folic acid, a B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects, heart disease, and some cancers. 
• 46 calories per cup

Grapefruits are SO good to eat before and after a meal. I'll be honest and say sometimes I do eat it before and then if I have leftovers, I'll eat it after. You can even eat half a grapefruit for breakfast and the other half for lunch or snack. Use them in chunks for a salad, grill them as slices or throw on a packet of Splenda sweetener to eliminate the tartness. Their skin sucks and are super thick which makes it pretty hard to peel, unlike an orange. If you want to buy them in packages, buy the ones in natural juice.

Health Benefits

• Grapefruits are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and soluble fiber, which help reduce heart disease. 
• 55 calories per grapefruit

Watermelons remind me of summer. Anyone who knows me know my love for watermelon. It's been a favorite of mine ever since I was a little girl running around pretending sharks were chasing me. Don't judge me. These are great by themselves or you can cut them up into chunks and throw them into a fruit salad. They make great fruit purees that you can freeze, break down iced puree and then eat!

Health Benefits

• Reddish-orange foods like tomato and watermelon, which are rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, increase your protection against harmful UV rays from the inside out. Both vitamins settle into skin's outer layer, where their antioxidant action helps repair cells damaged by sunlight. They also make you feel full because of all the water which makes you not eat. This is great to eat before you go swimming in the summer to reduce salt intake of junk foods!
• 45 calories in one cup

Oranges are so citrus-y. I love the smell of orange and I even have a orange scented lotion from bath and body works. My mom hates it though. Sweeter than grapefruits, oranges can be eaten in wedge form by it self. Although light orange juice is absolutely okay, the next time you want some OJ, put the cup down and opt for a fresh orange instead! It'll save you calories (for those who are calorie conscious) and taste far better & more fresh than funky juice. Obviously. 

Health Benefits:

• Oranges, like other red and orange fruits/vegetables are high in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is not only good for eye health, it can also delay cognitive ageing and protect skin from sun damage. Vitamin A and C are also found in oranges.
• approx. 55 calories per orange

So those are the main fruits I eat on a daily basis. I love fruits and you should too! I always incorporate them or eat them by it self for every meal. You can do so many things with these fruits along with many others. I love every kind of fruit but since this post is about my favorite ones, I thought I'd share.

Maybe you can come up with some of your favorite fruits and start eating them more. As good as fruit is for you, remember to eat in moderation! Their natural sugars are still sugar so you need to watch out for that!

Love, Angel xo