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While chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, can be part of a healthy diet in moderation, the fats and sugars (not to mention caramel and nougat) add unneeded calories to what is otherwise a powerhouse of antioxidants with potential cardiovascular benefits. Cocoa powder and cacao nibs provide chocolate’s health benefits without the drawbacks of the fats and sugars in chocolate candy.

While you can eat unsweetened baking chocolate out of hand like a candy bar, it doesn’t have the flavor or mouthfeel most people have come to expect from bar chocolate, and packs quite a bit of fat, though the types of fats in cocoa butter (the solid fat in pure chocolate) may not be all bad. Half of the fat is a monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil. The remainder is two saturated fats, stearic acid and palmitic acid; stearic acid doesn’t appear to have any effect on cholesterol, though palmitic acid, comprising a third of the fat calories in cocoa butter, does have some negative effects on the “good” LDL cholesterol. These five serving ideas provide an alternative to munching on baking chocolate regularly to get the benefits of chocolate without sugar. (continue reading…)

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Recipe provided by Cindy Thomas

This is a wonderful easy recipe to start the day with.  Choosing a good source super food powder is vital. Since I personally use BOKU, I highly recommend it. Your body will thank you, too!

1 cup raw milk or organic orange juice

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 Tablespoon organic coconut oil

2 fresh bananas

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 Tablespoons raw honey

1 Tablespoon bee pollen

1 scoop Super Food powder (I like BOKU)

Blend until smooth. Enjoy! (continue reading…)

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I’m committed to drinking more water, but don’t want to drink phthalates or bisphenol-a while I keep hydrated. What should I look for when choosing a reusable water bottle?

Proper hydration is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain overall wellness, and individual disposable bottles of water waste both natural resources and money compared to a reusable bottle. At home, glass is the safest choice, since as an inert substance glass doesn’t leach any plasticizers into the liquid. Around small children who may not be ready for heavier and breakable dishes, polypropylene is a safe material. (continue reading…)

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When shopping for juice boxes for my child’s lunch, I notice most of the juices contain 100% of the RDA of Vitamin C, but aren’t fortified with other vitamins. What’s with all the Vitamin C in juices I buy from the store?

Aside from fruit sugars, the main nutrient in many commercially available juices is Vitamin C, which is generally added to juice on top of whatever natural Vitamin C survives the processing. Humans are among the few animals who don’t make our own Vitamin C. Bats, guinea pigs, songbirds and the rest of the haplorrhini suborder of primates (which includes humans) don’t synthesize Vitamin C and must get it from dietary sources. Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy, which is fatal if untreated but is rarely seen in modern times, since adequate Vitamin C intake is fairly easy with a moderate intake of fruits and vegetables. (continue reading…)

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Start the New Year off on a healthy note with the Green Smoothie Challenge. Suzanne from The Enchanted Chameleon is hosting a New Year’s Green Smoothie Challenge at her blog. You can also join the Green Smoothie Challenge on Facebook. The challenge is simple: drink a green smoothie once a day for a week, starting January 2. A week is enough time to start feeling some of the benefits of drinking green smoothies, like reduced sugar cravings and more energy. If you’ve made a resolution to eat more wholesome, nutritious foods or to lose weight, the Green Smoothie Challenge is a great way to kick off your efforts.

Green smoothies are just like regular fruit smoothies, but with the addition of leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale or collards. The greens give them a nutritional boost that all-fruit smoothies just can’t provide. With a heavy mix of fruits, the greens flavor is almost imperceptible. If you really like the flavor of greens with fruit, like in a spinach and strawberry salad, you can add more greens to make the fresh leafy flavor come through. For some ideas for the flavor varieties you can get with green smoothies, check out Green Diva Mom’s 12 Great-Tasting Green Smoothie Recipes. (continue reading…)

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From Sustainable Table

Despite opposition from scientists, farmers and consumers, the US currently allows dairy cows to be injected with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST). Developed and manufactured by the Monsanto Corporation, this genetically engineered hormone forces cows to artificially increase milk production by 10 to 15 percent. In August 2008, Monsanto sold their Posilac division to Eli Lilly and Company for $300 million and ‘contigent consideration.’ (Eli Lilly exclusively sold Posilac outside the US for 10 years before the acquisition)(1). Today, controversy still surrounds whether or not rBGH is safe for cows and humans.

What Is rBGH & rBST?

Somatotropin is a naturally-occurring protein hormone produced in the pituitary gland of animals; Bovine Somatotropin (BST or bST) triggers nutrients to increase growth in young cattle and lactation (milk production) in dairy cows. Artificial BST is produced using recombinant DNA technology (biotechnology), and called rBST for short. rBST is commonly known as Bovine Growth Hormone or rBGH (2). When injected into cows, rBGH increases milk production 10-15 percent and in some cases up to 40 percent. Approximately 17% of all cows in the US are given the artificial growth hormone (4). (continue reading…)

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Courtesy of Vita-Mix, here are two healthy smoothies especially for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Beet, Strawberry and Cranberry Smoothie

Yield: 1 2/3 cups (400 ml)
Speed: Variable to High
Time: 1 minute

Ingredients
3/4 cup (180 ml) 100% cranberry juice, chilled
1/4 cup (24 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 small beet, steamed
1/4 cup (40 g) fresh or 1/3 cup frozen strawberries
2 teaspoons honey or other sweetener, to taste
2/3 cup (160 ml) ice cubes

Directions
1. Place all ingredients into the Vita-Mix container in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately. (continue reading…)