Day 16: Wanna Date?

I was wrong again. 

Dates made the list of 150 of the Healthiest Foods on Earth, but not because of their nutritional value or amazing health benefits, but because they are “natures candy.” 

Yikes. I thought they were a little more healthy & nutritious than that. 

Dr. Bowden said “if you’re trying to lose weight and control sugar, you might want to pass on this one,” which definitely makes me second guess my date eating extravaganza. 

I bought a pint of dates at The Fresh Market this weekend and I’ve eaten almost half of the container! I just found out that each date has 66 calories is filled with sugar. It is very hard to eat only one date, in fact this morning I think I already had 10 as my mid-morning snack. Does that mean I just had 660 calories? Oh my gosh! I had no idea that dates were filled with that many calories. I guess that dates are good if you have them as a treat, but not as I’ve been doing, which is tricking myself into thinking they were a “free” healthy food.

However, dates pack a nutritional punch with calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A. They also have 1.5 grams of fiber each, but dates do not fill me up like other high fiber foods. 

While dates may not be the best choice for those watching their weight, they are an excellent choice for incorporating more fruit into a picky eater’s diet. Dates are excellent chopped up in a trail mix, mixed into cereal or just plain. Try to avoid the pre-chopped version at the grocery store though, they add even more sugar to the dates when processing. 

Try out this excellent recipe for making your very own Date & Cherry Lara Bar: 

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. dates,
• 1/4 c. dried cherries
• 1/3 c. whole pecans, almonds, or walnuts,
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

Lay two pieces of plastic wrap on counter. Place fruit in food processor and pulse until it has a paste-like texture. Transfer to a medium bowl.  Add nuts to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add nuts to bowl with the fruit. Add all other ingredients. Use fingers to knead into a paste.

Divide mixture in half. Place each half on plastic wrap. Wrap plastic around mixture and form into a bar shape.  Wrap tightly in plastic and store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 bars.

Got a great date recipe? Please share!

Day 15 – She’s My Cherry Pie

Ah, the early ‘90s. When hair bands were cool, rock-n-roll reigned and song lyrics held deep meaning like “She’s my cherry pie. Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise”, “pour some sugar on me, and my favcrite “cotton candy sweet to go let me see that tootsie roll.” OK, it’s time for me to stop reminiscing of my junior high days and move forward to today’s healthiest food challenge, cherries. Yeah, I know, eating cherries is not much of a challenge. In fact, I was surprised to find them on the list because I had been misinformed that cherries were one of the “fattening fruits” that didn’t hold much nutritional value.

 Boy was I wrong. 

The benefits of cherries “warrant” adding them to your diet. In fact, a Newsweek article actually stated “The day when doctors say ‘take 10 cherries and call me in the morning’ may not be far off.”  Cherries are loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging and anticancer compounds. Cherries also contain a tri-factor of cancer-fighting agents, including ellagic acid, perillyl alcohol and a flavonoid called quercetin. Quercetin is a potent anticancer agent and is a fabulous supplement for anti-inflammatory activity, benefitting those with allergies and asthma. Ellagic acid has also been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors caused by certain carcinogens. In fact, an article from the American Cancer Society stated that ellagic acid stands out as a cancer fighting agent because it causes the death of cancer cells without affecting the healthy, normal cells. The perillyl alcohol in cherries also inhibit tumor growth. 

The only downside to cherries – they made the list of the top twelve foods most contaminated by pesticides. The solution: buy organic or use the fruit and vegetable wash that I blogged about last week. 

I love to eat fresh cherries and dried cherries in my oatmeal and trail mix. I also love to make a cherry breakfast parfait that is super easy. 

Cherry Parfait

 Ingredients

• ¼ cup frozen cherries
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup granola or GoLean cereal 

Instructions

Layer the yogurt, cherries and granola in a tall glass. The frozen cherries will partially freeze the yogurt, giving a delicious texture and flavor! 

Do you have a favorite recipe with cherries? Please share!