It’s national nutrition month! You don’t have to overhaul your diet completely to eat healthier and feel your best. Today I share three easy nutrition tips and recipes that you can make at home.
Tip 1: My first nutrition tip is to snack smarter.
Snacks a great way to bridge the gap between meals. Instead of potato chips, try nuts which are what I call a snack with staying power because one serving provides plant-based protein and fiber plus better-for-you mono and polyunsaturated type, so you get a protein-fiber-fat trio that may help keep you fuller longer.
Tip 2: Rethink your beverages.
My next nutrition tip is to rethink your beverages. Replace sugar-sweetened beverages with nutrient-dense options like Florida Orange Juice which contributes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants including folate, potassium and vitamin C. A common misconception about orange juice is that it’s jam-packed with added sugars which provide mostly “empty calories,” without adding nutritional benefits. In truth, 100% orange juice contains NO added sugars, and the sweetness you taste is from naturally occurring sugars that develop as the oranges grow, making it a nutritious replacement for sugar-sweetened beverages. Add it to homemade salad dressings, baked goods or smoothies for a boost of nutrition and to help reach your daily fruit intake recommendation. For an easy dressing, whisk together 1/3 cup of 100% orange juice, ½ tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Smoothies are another nutritious beverage and an easy way to help meet your recommend 5 servings of fruits and veggies for the day. To a high speed blender, add 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple, ½ cup or frozen mango, 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup of 100% orange juice, and 1 tsp Icelandic Wild Fish Oil which adds omega-3 fats, a nutrient many of us don’t get enough of in our diets and is important for brain and heart health plus Astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant found in seafood important for brain, eyes, skin & immune health. If you aren’t a seafood fan, this is a good alternative that allows you to reap the benefits of omega-3 fats in a clean tasting liquified solution. Find it on Amazon. A handful of spinach is also a nutritious mild-tasting addition to smoothies. As long as you have enough fruit, you can’t taste it and it adds iron, calcium, fiber and more.
Tip 3: Satisfy sweet cravings with desserts with benefits.
My 5 ingredient sweet potato brownies are high in fiber, low in sugar and easy to make. Add 1 small cooked sweet potato to a food processor with ¼ cup of cacao powder, 1/3 cup of nut butter, 3 tbsp of maple syrup and 1 scoop of Sparkle Wellness Skin Boost Plus unflavored collagen powder but also comes in other flavors including orange and mixed berry. Blend until combined and bake in a lined bread pan for 20 minutes at 350 F. Allow them to cool completely before slicing. Sweet potatoes allow you to lower the fat and calories in this recipe while retaining moisture and increasing the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. The Sparkle Wellness Skin Boost Plus collagen powder adds highly studied verisol collagen. Some research suggests that taking collagen daily may improve skin appearance and elasticity while minimizing unwanted signs of aging.
