1. Apples – Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer. Apples peak in the fall, and the flavor can’t be beat. They are full of fiber, around 5 grams per fruit, and are comparatively low in calories.

2. Pears – High in both Vitamin C and fiber, pears are a low calorie and delicious fruit choice that add dimension to a chicken salad and make an excellent snack when paired with a low fat string cheese and a handful of walnuts.

3. Winter Squash – An awesome source of vitamin A and fiber, and lower in calories than you might think – one cup baked squash has only 80 calories with more than six grams of fiber. Add chunks of winter squash to your soups or stews or bake a halved squash and drizzle with a bit of maple syrup.

4. Sweet Potatoes – Among all of the root vegetables, the sweet potato is lowest on the glycemic index and chock full of fiber, so the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar which helps you to feel satisfied longer. Baked, they are delicious plain or with a smattering of cinnamon.

5. Kale and dark leafy greens – Kale is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and other nutrients shown to help prevent cancer. In fact, most of the dark, leafy greens are also a good source of calcium, folate, and vitamin B-6.

Make a goal to add at least three of these fruits and vegetables to your daily diet and reap the benefits of eating seasonally!

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Five Healthiest Foods for Fall

In a study, those subjects (older men and women) who took a vitamin K supplement for three years had lower blood levels of insulin. They also experienced an improvement with insulin resistance as compared to another group who did not take the supplement.

Here comes the catch…

It doesn’t necessarily work the same if you are overweight. So, don’t look at it as a magic bullet. Men in the study seemed to benefit more from the K supplement, presumably because more of the women were overweight. Since being overweight contributes to insulin resistance, it diminishes the benefits of vitamin K.

Why not try to get vitamin K naturally? You can do so by making your salad greens darker and avoiding the iceberg. Think green, leafy vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, and broccoli. Other sources packed with vitamin K include kale, swiss chard, Brussel sprouts, and collard greens.

(via: Real Age)

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Vitamin K Helps Fight Diabetes

How do you serve kale?

• Before cooking kale, be sure to remove and discard the plant’s tough stalk center. Even without the stalks, kale will be chewy. Cooking it thoroughly is necessary to keep the kale from being too chewy.

• To boil kale, wash the leaves and then rip them into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a saucepan with a half cup of water and a quarter-cup of vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until the kale has turned a bright green. Remove from heat, drain off the liquid, and serve. For extra bite, sprinkle with crushed red pepper.
• Toss chopped kale with pine nuts, feta cheese, whole grain pasta and a light drizzle of olive oil.

• Sauté kale with fresh garlic, then add lemon juice and olive oil before serving.

• Braise chopped kale with apples. Then toss with balsamic vinegar and chopped walnuts.

• Make homemade pizzas healthier with steamed kale.

• Unlike other greens, it’s hardy and therefore freezes well. In fact, you might find that freezing, even if just for overnight, will make it sweeter and tastier.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Have Your Kale and Eat it, too!