The nutrition doctor, Joel Fuhrman, advocates three to six fruit servings a day. Most of us love fruit desserts, but we can enjoy the fruit without adding sugar, whipped cream, and ice cream.
Fruits have plenty of sugar, but it is locked up in fiber. Some juicers save the sugary juice and separate out the fiber. However, fiber tamps down the sugar rush and also provides for digestion. Fast-acting sweet products give us a quick rush and then a face-plant when insulin provides the sugar blues. That is also a reason why people eat all day. The repetition of small this-won't-hurt snacks keep the digestive systems ready to eat more.
I have certainly experienced craving and answered it with fast-acting, delicious food. Fuhrman suggests high-volume low-calorie food to satisfy the rush to the kitchen. Apple, oranges, pears, and pineapple are perfect for replacing the crave with a healthy, loaded with nutrition, complete fruit.
Pears start out hard and not very tasty. I put the first ones out on the western kitchen window. Day 1 - eating cork. Day 2 - better. Day 3 - juicy, sweet, and fun to eat.
I usually eat several large apples at a time, four a day, or a bowl of oranges. I did not like pineapple straight, so I now trim the triceratops armor off and pop the juicy parts into the vegetable dish. No icks aloud! Some of you love Hawaiian pizza - cheese, pineapple, bread. Each slice is two portions of fat, salt, and white bread - tons of fun.
Fruit can be very good with vegetables. Because fresh blueberries are good for blood pressure but seductive in seeking out muffins, syrup, and pie, I dump them in with the vegetables too, but not at the same time (so far).
Here is a simple rule - the most nutritious foods are also the most filling ones. The food promoted and sold is the most fattening, sweet, and salted and the least nutritious. McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese and bacon. I rest my case.
Giving up the super-fattening combinations is a bit tough at first but not as difficult as surgery, medicine with bad side-effects.
These are my daily requirements as I head down below 190 and perhaps land at 180:
Must - chopped greens, whether kale, spinach, turnip, or collards. Almost zero calories and easily blended with the vegetables.
Must - low salt beans, the best being chickpeas, or garbanzo when they are out. Busch beans are four times saltier than WM organic ones, and so are other enhanced, bacony beans. Chickpeas and garbanzos are loaded with protein, fiber, and nutrition, so they calm the craving for the wrong foods.
Yes! and good for us all - Onions/peppers - they add flavor and are anti-cancer.
Yes! taste good and not fattening - sweet peas.
Yes! blueberries are delicious with vegetables and reduce blood pressure.
Must - walnuts remove dangerous cholesterol. A handful a day has many benefits. Remove the ice cream from under the nuts or just make that dessert every so often. Almonds are a good substitute if walnuts cause allergies.
Learn to love - broccoli is actually a flower but it is also an anti-cancer and wondrous super-food. I like the tinier lumps of this vegetable, the same with cauliflower in the same super-food category.
Some vendors are ricing things like cauliflower and also flavoring them with salt and seasoning, doubling the price. I say "Man up and chew it to a liquid before the teeth are gone!"
