We’ve all heard it before: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” But what about oranges? They are one of the most commonly eaten fruits in the world. Why? Because they make an excellent snack, they’re great as a monomeal at breakfast (you can eat 2 or 3 for breakfast and remain full for hours) and they’re pretty versatile in their use in a wide variety of recipes.

Oranges are highly nutritious and are well-known for their vitamin C content. Vitamin C is best known for its ability to strengthen the immune system. But it also has many other important roles that play an important part of our health and well-being.

• Helps in the detoxification of our bodies
• Promotes cellular healing
• Supports the good bacteria in our digestive tract
• Destroys harmful bacteria and viruses
• Neutralizes harmful free radicals
• Removes heavy metals that we ingest through the foods we eat
• Protects us from environmental pollution

So, how much Vitamin C do we need on a daily basis in order to experience the health and healing benefits listed above? Technically, this depends on many variables such as diet, age, stress level, amount of exposure to pollutants, amount of medications we take and overall health. But the usual amount recommended daily is 1000-4000mg for the healthy individual. People with serious illnesses will need much, much more.

It’s important to note that most of the Vitamin C in foods will be destroyed with cutting, cooking, storing and other forms of processing, so it’s best to consume oranges in their purest, freshest form.

Although oranges are a great source of Vitamin C, they really do have much more substance and nutritional benefits beyond that. They are true powerhouses of nutrition. Here are a few more nutritional benefits of eating oranges on a regular basis: 

Limonoids:

Limonoids are phytochemicals that are found in many citrus fruits, including oranges. They are known to help fight cancers of the mouth, lung, breast, skin, stomach and colon.

Herperidin:

Herperidin is a flavonone found in oranges and has been shown to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, as well. An important thing to note about herperidin is that it’s primarily found in the peel and inner white pith of the orange. So, to gain the benefits of herperidin, you should leave some of the pith on the orange when you eat it. 

Cryptoxanthin

Cryptoxanthin is a carotenoid that has been proven to significantly decrease the risk of lung cancer. Oranges are an excellent source of cryptoxanthin.

By now you’re most likely excited about providing your body with the stellar nutrients found in the simplicity of an orange. So, here are 3 simple ways you can maximize the nutritional benefits oranges in your diet:

1. Make the commitment to eat breakfast every day. We’re all super-busy on a daily basis, but having an orange (or two) for breakfast, along with whole grain cereal or oatmeal, is easy, quick and definitely doable.
2. Add oranges (mandarin, “cutie” clementines) to your Stir-Fry. Toss a few slices of orange in your asian stir-fry meal to balance the savory with the touch of sweetness of this delicious and versatile fruit.
3. Set yourself up for success! Keep a bag of oranges on hand in the refrigerator at all times. Because oranges are available all year round, it’s easy to have them on hand as your “go-to” fruit snack each day. Keep one in your purse, your gym bag, your work bag, your car.  When you’re hungry for a quick snack between meals, have an orange with a handful of almonds to tide you over so you won’t choose something else less healthy.

Here’s a delicious recipe to BOOST the nutritional benefits of oranges in your diet!

Fish Tacos with Tomato and Orange Salsa

Orange, lime, jalapeño and cilantro add a quartet of bright, fresh tastes to this low-fat dish. Pacific cod, halibut or flounder would be excellent stand-ins for the salmon.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. salmon fillet, skin removed 
• Kosher salt, to taste, plus 1/4 tsp.
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste 
• 1/2 cup diced peeled English cucumber 
• 2 Tbs. thinly sliced green onion 
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced jalapeño chili, or to taste  
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest 
• 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

For the tomato and orange salsa: 

• 1 large navel orange 
• 1 large tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice 
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilantro  
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced jalapeño chili, or to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest 
• 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice 
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
• 4 large or 8 small soft white or yellow corn tortillas 
• 1 cup loosely packed chiffonade-cut romaine lettuce, outer leaves only  

Directions:

Preheat a broiler, or preheat an oven to 425°F. Season the salmon lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.

By broiler: Place the salmon on a broiler pan and slip it in the broiler about 3 inches from the heat source. Broil, turning once, until the salmon is slightly translucent in the very center at the thickest part, about 4 minutes per side.

By oven: Place the salmon in a baking pan in the oven and bake until slightly translucent in the very center at the thickest part, allowing slightly less than 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Transfer the salmon to a plate and let cool to room temperature. (The fish will continue to cook away from the heat until opaque.) Flake into a large bowl, discarding any errant bones.

Add the cucumber, green onion, jalapeño, orange zest and the 1/4 tsp. salt to the fish. Sprinkle with the lime juice and toss lightly to combine.

To make the salsa, cut a thick slice off the top and bottom of the orange to reveal the flesh. Stand the orange upright on a cutting board. Following the contour of the fruit and rotating it with each cut, slice downward to remove the peel, pith and membrane. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut along each side of the membrane between the sections, letting each freed section drop into the bowl. Cut the sections into bite-size pieces and return them to the bowl.

Add the tomato, cilantro, jalapeño, orange zest, lime juice and salt to the bowl holding the orange pieces. Stir gently to combine.

To assemble the tacos, set the tortillas on a work surface. Place some of the lettuce on each tortilla, dividing it evenly. Add some of the salmon mixture to each, then top with some of the salsa, again dividing evenly. Fold or roll the tortillas, arrange on a platter and serve. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).

One of the TOP reasons I hear from a lot of people for not eating healthy is that they can’t afford it. What many people don’t understand is that it costs MORE to eat pre-packaged, convenience foods than it does to eat whole foods. The problem is that because of our over-scheduled, busy lifestyles, time gets away from us leaving very little time for actual food preparation, leaving a lot of good food to waste away in the produce bins of the refrigerator.

If you have the desire to eat more healthfully, yet you find that you’re throwing food (and money) out in the trash faster than you can cook, I have a few tips for you. This is the perfect time of the year to start anew not only with making changes in your diet, but also in your bank account. Let’s face it: If your bank account is lean, you’re less likely to eat your greens! And the best way to get more “bang for your buck” in your grocery budget is to reduce your food waste.

Before I give you some of my simplest tips for trimming your food waste, let me get a little technical with you by sharing a startling statistic. In the U.S, food waste is estimated at approximately 40% (or more). A lot of that food loss occurs before it gets to your home, but a significant amount does occur once it arrives in your household. One study found that families discard 14% of their food, which translated into 470 lbs. and an annual cost of $600 per year.  What could you do with an extra $600?

When you find that life is getting in the way of you taking better care of your nutritional health, take a moment to assess the damage and create a plan for change. Below are several ways that you can create a plan to respect food, money, and your waistline:

• Plan meals ahead for the week. Spend 10-20 minutes on Sunday to determine what you’ll eat for the week ahead.  Be sure to assess what’s already in the fridge and pantry so you can use what you already have on hand to create meals.  And use the internet to your advantage to find healthy, new recipes so you’re not getting bored with your old-time favorites.
• Shop like a European. Have you ever been overseas and noticed how many outdoor markets there are on major streets?  That’s because Europeans visit the market every few days and purchase small quantities of fresh food at a time.  This ensures that what they buy will be used and not gone to waste.
• Don’t worry about aesthetics. If you’d like to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet, but you’re not sure where to start, smoothies, soups, and casseroles are a great starting place.  When fruits are going into smoothies, and veggies are going into soups & casseroles, it’s not necessary that they be cosmetically perfect.  Therefore, you can buy off the “quick sale” produce rack for certain items to save money, and eat healthy at the same time!
• Bulk it up, the smart way. Buying everything in bulk can break your bank, for sure.  But making sure that you’re buying only the amount you need from bulk BINS makes more sense than storing excessive boxes of pasta, rice, flour, etc.  Shop smart and buy only what you need in bulk.  This also keeps your portion sizes in check, too!
• Eat smart when eating out.  Many restaurants will allow you to order a half-order of certain meals.  Not only is this smart for your waistline, it’s a good way to save a few bucks, especially if you’re more likely to take home leftovers and toss them in the trash after having them sit in the fridge for more than 3 days. 

Remember, it’s more of a challenge to eat healthy if you’re throwing food dollars in the trash. Use the tips above to begin saving a few food dollars as you incorporate more whole foods into your diet and shrink your waistline by doing so.  Your body, and your bank account, will thank you for it! 

Your assignment:  Set aside 15-20 minutes this Sunday to plan your meals ahead for the week. Be sure to take stock of what you already have to create meals from, and use the internet to search for healthy, 30-minute (or less) meals! 

Many thanks to all of you who participated in last month’s survey. Your feedback has been invaluable. Hands down, most people are more interested in making a Compassionate Transformation with a life detox, and the second class of 2012 for this program begins in 2 short weeks! Learn more about this amazing program that will surely transform your life, in more ways than one! 

Did you know that raw cacao is chocolate in it’s raw, unprocessed state?  The cacao bean is rich in magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, and potassium.  But it’s most popular benefit is it’s high level of antioxidants and natural source of caffeine.   As a matter of fact, cacao beans have more antioxidant flavinoids than blueberries, red wine, and green tea!  Wow! What isn’t there to love about that?

I often recommend cacao to those who are trying to wean themselves from the coffee bean.  Although you do receive a few antioxidant benefits from drinking coffee, the overall nutritional benefits of cacao are non-comparable.  The coffee bean is not a great source of  magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper or potassium.  And unfiltered coffee has the potential to raise cholesterol levels due to components called diterpenes, and can temporarily raise blood pressure, which is certainly not a health benefit.

You can purchase cacao as “nibs” or in it’s powder form.  I will admit that it can be a little pricey ($10/8oz bag), but a little bit goes a LONG way, so the bag should last you a good while.  The flavor is rich, buttery, and slightly bitter because raw cacao is unsweetened, unlike chocolate.

So, I encourage you to give cacao a try, especially if you’re trying to kick the java bean.  There’s so many nutritional benefits that outweigh coffee.  I guarantee that you’ll get the same caffeine “kick” with an additional energy boost from the good nutrition added, as well!

Keep in mind, although there are many “Superfoods” out there, there isn’t just one particular food that will give you everything you need nutritionally.  But the more you focus on those which are unprocessed, preferably uncooked (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts, etc), I guarantee that you will receive the most nutritional benefit overall.  And when you eat like this, the sky is the limit in the variety of meals you can create for yourself!  Cacao is a great start!

Hot Cacao

1 tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder

1/4 teaspoon DoMatcha Green Tea Powder

1 to 1 1/2 cup Almond Milk 

1 teaspoon raw honey

dash of cayenne pepper

In a blender mix all ingredients until well combined.  Adjust the Matcha Green Tea Powder as needed to keep yourself caffeinated.  For most ¼ teaspoon combined with raw cacao is plenty. This beverage will give you the pick me up of coffee without taxing your system.  Once you no longer physically crave the caffeine you can cut the green tea powder.