5 Things YOU Should Know About Grapefruit

With roughly 73% of your daily suggested serving of Vitamin C in just half a grapefruit, there's good reason that this fruit, though often overlooked, has extreme benefits to helping you reach your nutrition goals.

5 Things YOU Should Know about Grapefruit

1. Grapefruit just may help you kick your metabolism into gear and start burning stubborn fat cells. How you ask? Grapefruit contains flavonoids that help stabilize your blood sugar levels which help you to keep levels intact over greater periods of time and your body functioning at optimum capacity. (Need more to read on metabolism? Check this out!)
2. Pink and Red Grapefruit has high levels of lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient. What's that you ask? Essentially, it fights cell damaging free radicals - a substance very important in preventing/shrinking tumors!
3. Pectin, a soluble fiber source, found in Grapefruit can help lower cholesterol! Specifically, research has shown that Blonde and Pink Grapefruits lower LDLs (this it the cholesterol you don't want) while Red Grapefruit lowers triglycerides.
4. Grapefruit can help your skin to look radiant! We have all seen the grapefruit soaps and lotions at the makeup counters and drug store aisles, but have you ever wondered why it works? Because of the lycopene and other nutrients and enzymes found in Grapefruit, you expose your skin to a wealth of damage-fighting power! This means that applied directly to the skin (or eaten regularly), you will see a radiance that you may not have noticed as the Grapefruit helps to repair your damaged skin, including pesky lines and wrinkles!
5. Ask your doctor before adding grapefruit to your diet! Enzymes found Grapefruit can inhibit the proper absorption of some prescription medications. Do your research! 

TWO ingredients and TEN minutes is all this Simple Baked Cinnamon Grapefruit takes! It's the perfect healthy snack that you will love!

Clean Eat Education :: Benefits of Coconut Water

Wondering about coconut water? Is it all just hype or is there something out there about this often touted, "amazing" recovery drink? We've compiled some research for you and the results, though short, are pretty astounding!

Clean Eat Education :: Benefits of Coconut Water

• Coconut water is naturally high in potassium, essential for normal cell function and proper recovery. Potassium is a key element in reducing leg cramps. In a similar serving size, coconut water can contain as much as 5x the amount of potassium as Gatorade or Powerade (without those processed sugars and dyes).
• Coconut water also contains minerals that are essential for refueling your body after a moderate workout. (Just be careful - if you are a marathon runner or engage in extreme sports, your body may require more sodium to refuel than the traditional cup of coconut water provides.)
• Coconut water contains cytokinins, a plant hormone that stimulates cell growth. Ingestion of cytokinins has been show to have to have anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic (reduces carcinogens), and anti-thrombotic (reduces risk of blod clotting) properties.

What's the nutritional content?

Most coconut waters are around 50 calories per 8oz serving and contain anywhere from 10g to 15g of sugars (albeit, natural sugar). 

There are so many brands out there! What is your favorite?  Here are a few of our favorites!

Calorie Saving Clean Eating Food Swaps

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Try these Calorie Saving Clean Eating swaps in your favorite recipe to "clean it up" or choose these options to simply save some calories and jumpstart your New Years Resolutions. 

Note: With the oil for applesauce combination, you will use equal amounts of whatever a recipe calls for. This swap is best used when baking cakes, muffins, brownies and breads. 

What is your favorite swap?

P.S. If you are looking for Cocoa Nibs, the most cost-effective place we have found them is our old stand by, Amazon. The Alive and Aware Organic brand seems to be the best pricing per pound ($9.95 currently).