Thursday, August 23, 2012

Make It Important



What do you have to do to make exercising important to you?

Remove the excuses.


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

What Fruits Are You Eating?


This is an interesting photo I found via Pinterest. It linked to this blog post on Living a Changed Life.

Fruit's are so good for you! They have lots of natural vitamins which your body needs, and if you know what you need most then you can find the best fruit to add to your regular diet.

Here is a short list of some fruits and their top contributing vitamins and the calories for a recommended amount. If you click on the reference link you will be able to read a lot  more information on each fruit listed, and see where I got my information here from.

~Apples have a lot of Fiber and Vitamin C. One small apple is about 54 calories. (Reference/Read more!)

~Apricots have a good amount of Vitamin A. Other vitamins include: Vitamin C, Tryptophan, Fiber, and Potassium. One apricot is about 16 calories.

~Avocadoes have so many good vitamins in them! Fiber, Vitamin K, Floate, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Potassium, Vitamin B6. To eat one avocado would equal about 233 calories. (Reference.)

~Bananas have a lot of Vitamin B6. They also have good amounts of Vitamin C, Manganese, Fiber, and Potassium. One banana is about 105 calories. The potassium in this fruit is a huge bonus to people who participate in sports. (Reference.)

~Blueberries are highest in Vitamin K, but they also have Manganese, Vitamin C, and Fiber. To eat one cup of blueberries would equal about 84 calories. (Reference.)
Cherries

~Cranberries have a fairly small amount of the following vitamins: Vitamin C, Fiber, Manganese, Vitamin K, and Vitamin E. For a serving of one half a cup that would equal about 23 calories. (Reference.)

~Grapefruit's are packed full of Vitamin C! They also have a large portion of Vitamin A. Other vitamins include Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin B1. Half a grapefruit equals about 40 calories. (Reference.)

~Grapes have a large amount of Manganese. Vitamin K is also high in this fruit. Other vitamins include Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Potassium, and Vitamin B6. 1 cup is the recommended serving and that would equal about 61 calories. Grapes are really good for the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, inflammatory system, blood sugar regulating system, and nervous system. (Reference.)

~Kiwis have huge amounts of Vitamin C with Fiber and Potassium showing in much smaller amounts. 1 kiwi equals about 45 calories. (Reference.)

~Lemons/Limes have a ton of Vitamin C. For 1/4 a cup you would consume about 15 calories. Because of the large amounts of Vitamin C lemons/limes can be helpful in preventing the development and progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. (Reference.)

~Oranges are well known for their large amounts of Vitamin C, but they also provide Fiber, Folate, Vitamin B1, Potassium, Vitamin A, and Calcium. 1 orange equals about 61 calories. (Reference.)

~Papaya's have an extremely large amount of Vitamin C. Vitamin A is second largest while Folate, Potassium, and Fiber are much lower. Vitamin's E and K are also present. One serving (about 304 grams) equals about 118 calories. (Reference.)

~Pears have Fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K. One pear is about 103 calories. (Reference.)

~Pineapples have large amounts of Vitamin C and Manganese. These vitamins and minerals are also included: Fiber, Vitamin B6, Copper, Vitamin B1, and Folate. 1 cup is equals 82 calories. (Reference.)

~Plums have small amounts of several vitamins, but the prominent vitamin is C. The other vitamins are Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Fiber, Tryptophan, and Potassium. One plum equals 30 calories. (Reference.)

~Strawberries have a huge amount of Vitamin C. They also have: Mangnaese, Fiber, Folate, Iodine, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin K, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. One cup is about a serving and that would be about 46 calories. This fruit has a large combination of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients which can help in cardiovascular support and prevention of cardiovascular diseases; improved regulation of blood sugar which can decrease risk of type 2 diabetes, and preventions of cancers including breast, cervical, colon, and esophageal. (Reference.)

~Watermelons have a lot of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, and Magnesium. For a one cup serving that would be about 45 calories. This fruit can help the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. (Reference.)


My top five fruits:
Apples ~I can't eat them raw, so I enjoy baking with them and drinking Apple juice.
Bananas ~I like to include 1/2 a banana with breakfast.
Blueberries ~Great for freezing and eating a few when I get a craving for sweets.
Lemons/Limes ~I just love cooking with their flavors!
Strawberries ~I love to use these frozen in smoothies.