Taste the flavors of fall in this unique spiced orange cranberry smoothie! The spices are aromatic and perfectly complement the tartness of cranberries, sweetness of pear, and acidity of fresh oranges. Although this smoothie only contains fruit, it packs a serious nutritional punch. It offers lots of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Because of the impressive nutrient content, this is a great smoothie to enjoy post-holiday meal. It really helps kickstart the digestive process after the big holiday feast!

If you have frozen cranberries, you can use them instead of fresh cranberries. That said, fresh cranberries have a limited window of availability in grocery stores, so we encourage you to get your hands on them while they are in stores. Save some other cranberries for a homemade cranberry sauce (click here for recipe). What we don’t want you to do, however, is use frozen orange juice from concentrate. You need freshly squeezed orange juice, but you also need to peel an orange, separate the segments, and freeze overnight. This will enhance that orange flavor in your smoothie.

Since there are some tart flavors in this smoothie, feel free to add some raw agave nectar or maple syrup for sweetness. If you use a ripe pear, though, the natural sugars will help balance the tart cranberries and oranges. Please enjoy this refreshing and unique smoothie that represents autumn to a T!

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You won’t believe how much better this homemade cranberry juice is than the store bought varieties until you try it for yourself. You can adjust the sweetness to make this the beverage the perfect combination of sweet and tart. Plus, you get to utilize fresh cranberries, which most people avoid when they are in season. That is a sad reality because cranberries have a very limited season, usually from mid-September to late-November or early-December. The point is that you have about two months to use these flavor and nutrient bombs, so get them while the gettin’s good.

There are different types of bottle cranberry juice. The best variety to purchase is the 100% pure cranberry juice, which does not contain added sugars or preservatives. That juice only contains cranberries and the natural sugars in them. Cranberry juice cocktail, for example, can contain nearly 30 grams of sugar in an eight-ounce serving. That doesn’t include the other preservatives and chemicals that that juice cocktail contains.

Fortunately for you, you can avoid all of that if you just make your own cranberry juice. Unlike a traditional juice recipe, this juice comes together with the aid of your blender. First, you will blend the cranberries and water until smooth. Once you do that, pour the blended cranberry mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve and strain it into a bowl. Make sure to squeeze all the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible. Once you do that, add that strained liquid back to the blender withe the remaining ingredients, blend, and then serve over ice when ready.

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Finding ripe mangos in the supermarket is such a lovely treat. You can enjoy them raw as a healthy snack, blend them into smoothies, add them as a topping to chia pudding, or incorporate them into healthy desserts. Mangos are incredibly versatile and go great with a variety of flavors. They provide a tropical sweetness that can refresh you on a hot day, making them a great fruit for summer.

Summertime is the best time to make homemade popsicles. Just make sure that you enjoy them quickly before all of that deliciously frozen mango starts melting onto your hands. Unlike traditional popsicles that you buy in the store, these mango popsicles don’t freeze in the same way. That is because of the sugar! Natural sugars don’t necessarily freeze the same way as high fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars, which are typically in store bought popsicles. This recipe calls for maple syrup, but you can use raw agave nectar as a direct swap if you have it on hand.

For this recipes, you will need six cups of mango chunks. If fresh mangos are not readily available for you, you can use frozen mangos, provided they do not have added sugars or preservatives. That is a great cleansing hack for smoothies or other recipes that require frozen fruit! Lastly, if you have silicone popsicle molds, use them because the popsicles come out much more easily than they do from plastic molds.

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For many people, the New Year marks the start of something new and exciting. There are so many workout, weight loss, and diet resolutions, and only a select percentage of people see them through. There are those who don’t abide by the “New Year, new me” mentality, and perhaps they consider the spring season a fresh start. The warm weather and longer days inspire people to not only spring clean their homes, but also their health.

Sticking to new habits is difficult, no matter what the start date is. In general, it’s better to take baby steps and slowly build a habit. Jumping into the deep end, while it may work for some, is not the best plan of attack to accomplish goals. Don’t enter a state of exhaustion because you overwhelm yourself from the start. Many nutritionists state that wellness doesn’t happen overnight. It’s impossible to completely change your health by snapping your fingers. 

It is possible to change your health, and spring is an excellent time to adopt healthier habits. Consistency is key, but it’s easier to attain better health when you create a successful environment for yourself. Convince your brain that the process will not be miserable and you’ll be lightyears ahead on your way to better health. Dive into the following springtime habits to spruce up your wellness. 

Opt For Natural Sugars

The body is ready to detox as it emerges from the darker winter months. Many health experts recommend swapping conventional sugar for fresh fruit to increase your intake of micronutrients. The natural sugars in fruit do wonders for the body, so long as you don’t overload on them. A juicy, sweet fruit on a warm day is more satisfying than you can imagine. Shop seasonally and locally for the freshest fruit varieties!

Get Outside

There are people who can’t get enough of the outdoors, no matter what season it is. The colder winter weather, however, tends to bog some people down. Not to mention, the darker days tend to cause seasonal affective disorder. The best way to counteract that and revive yourself is by going outside in the spring. Open the windows, go out into the world, and replenish your body with vitamin D and energy! A 2021 study found that being in an outdoor green environment relaxed people and made them feel better. 

Shop Locally

Spring may have some of the best seasonal produce, and it’s a season that exemplifies freshness. Head to your local farmer’s market weekly and make a commitment to buy a new produce item each week. Converse with the growers about the flavor profile of the produce item and how you should handle it. By incorporating new produce items into your diet, you increase your recipe arsenal and your intake of different nutrients. 

Move In Ways That You Enjoy

Gyms are not for everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. Movement is an essential component to optimal health, though. Get active in a way that excites you! Because the weather is warmer and the days are longer, you have more options for activities. You can take an evening neighborhood stroll without experiencing the frigid cold of winter. It’s also possible to head to the beach or lake for a day of swimming. A mere 30 minutes of movement every day is a big step in a healthier direction. 

Spend Time With People Who Motivate You

The people you hang out with can have a massive impact on your health and well-being. Spring is a time for personal growth, so try to surround yourself with people who motivate you. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver and gallbladder are the organs related to spring. The gallbladder relates to your ability to finalize decisions, while the liver relates to an ability to plan ahead. Work on your relationships and surround yourself with motivational and supportive people to encourage positivity within your being. In doing so, you can help protect the liver and gallbladder!

Release Your Tension

Many people can’t wait for the transition from winter to spring, but spring is a transitionary season in and of itself. It’s a time to evaluate what changes you need to make as you move forward. Since stress tends to be the starting point for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, addiction, obesity, etc., it’s wise to practice relaxation techniques. Be it breathing exercises, massage, or acupuncture, release your tension and you’ll free yourself from internal blockages that get in the way of optimal energy flow.

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Are you ready to indulge in a creamy, green tea-infused homemade matcha ice cream? Made with creamy, ripe bananas, matcha, and coconut milk, this vegan ice cream will level up your dessert game. The bananas offer natural sweetness and the touch of coconut milk contributes to a luxuriously creamy texture. It tastes a lot richer than it is, so much so that you may not even believe this decadent treat to be dairy-free.

After enjoying the first couple bites, you may feel as though you are at peace in a tranquil Japanese garden. The subtle bitterness of matcha powder is perfectly balanced by the natural sugars in the bananas. Just make sure that the bananas are relatively ripe. You don’t want green bananas giving your ice cream a bitter taste. The coconut milk adds a luxurious, creamy element, reminiscent of the tropics.

One thing that we want you to do is savor each bite. Notice how the flavors blend together harmoniously. The matcha exhibits bright, grassy notes that mingle with the subtle sweetness of the bananas, while the coconut milk provides a silky smoothness. The result is a unique and addictive dessert that may become a new favorite obsession.

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How can you make fresh fruit more delicious? Put some chili powder on it and experience flavor like never before. Trust us when we tell you that the spice complements the sweetness of each fruit in this fruit salad. If you live in a place where fruit carts are on various streets and street corners, you know how special the spicy sweet fruit assembly is. If you don’t have access to such a fruit cart, get ready for this fruit salad to blow your taste buds away.

The beautiful thing about this spicy fruit salad is that it requires less than 10 ingredients and just 15 minutes of your time. Once you cut up the fruit, which can take a while or no time at all (depending on your knife skills), you combine them with the other ingredients. The chili powder gives just a subtle kick, so as not to overpower the natural fruit flavor. Plus, you get a little extra sweetness from the raw agave nectar. The fresh lime juice helps to wake up the natural sugars in the fruit, giving you a great balance of tart, spicy, and sweet.

This fruit salad is meant for warmer days, making the spring and summer months the best times to enjoy this recipe. Additionally, you can customize the ingredients and use what is available based on the season. For example, you can use melons or stone fruit in the summer when they are in season. Whenever possible, shop seasonally for optimum flavor and freshness. We hope you enjoy the recipe!

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Do you ever go to the grocery store and find inspiration for a recipe based on ingredients you notice? Perhaps inspiration strikes when you visit a farmer’s market, which only has certain produce items available. You may think of something, but the result scares you a bit. We understand not wanting to waste food, but sometimes beautiful recipes happen when you experiment.

That is exactly how we feel about the powerful pear smoothie. It combines the sweet, earthy flavor of pear with creamy homemade almond milk and spicy cinnamon. The raw almond butter also adds a nutty element to this flavor, in addition to providing healthy fats and protein. We encourage you to add a sprinkle of sea salt, an optional ingredient, to play off the almond butter flavor. Think of this like sea salt and caramel or sea salt and chocolate. These pairings just go well together!

Don’t worry about this smoothie not being sweet, though. You have the natural sugars from the pear, banana, and maple syrup. You can always try the smoothie before adding the maple syrup to the blender to see if that extra sweetness is necessary. It’s possible that you’ll enjoy the flavor combinations of the other ingredients. Just remember to save the almond pulp after you make the almond milk because you can use it in a couple different raw vegan recipes. It works great as a binder in raw vegan desserts or energy bites!

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We don’t know who needs to hear this, but sugar isn’t doing your body any favors, especially when it comes to excess sugar intake. Added sugars are the real danger because natural sugars, which exist in whole, unprocessed foods, supply the body with natural energy in appropriate amounts. Plus, natural sugars come with other nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and antioxidants. 

Added sugars rapidly cause a spike in blood sugar, creating a cascade of metabolically damaging reactions. When you regularly consume large amounts of added sugars, you increase the risk of fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, systemic inflammation, and insulin resistance. All of those health conditions are linked to overweight and obesity. 

Although the U.S. dietary guidelines suggest that people limit added sugar intake to less than 10% of their daily calories, three out of four people typically exceed that percentage. You may think that you are safe if you don’t add sugar to food, but several foods, which aren’t even sweet, account for 90% of added sugar intake. Here are the most common foods that are sugar bombs. 

Canned Soup

Canned soup is not only a source of excess sodium, but also lots of sugar. Tomato soups tend to contain the highest levels of added sugars, with certain condensed varieties containing 20 grams (g) of sugar per one-cup serving. The reason that manufacturers add so much sugar to tomato soups is to balance the taste and reduce acidity. Always check soup labels carefully before you buy them. 

Tomato Sauce

Sticking in the same lane as tomato soups, store bought tomato sauces in jars are sneaky sources of sugar. These sauces are convenient, but they contain high amounts of both sodium and sugar. Once again, the sugar cuts the acidic taste of tomatoes and helps extend the shelf life. Certain jarred sauces contain four grams of sugar in a half-cup, per the USDA. It is very easy to make your own tomato sauce without the need for excess sodium and sugar!

Granola And Snack Bars

When you enjoy granola for breakfast, are you actually eating glorified sugar? When you fuel up with a snack bar, are you overloading your body with sugar? Both granola and snack bars sound much healthier than they actually are. Some bars contain upwards of 10 grams of sugar, along with other processed ingredients that aren’t conducive to your health. If you see names for sugar at the top of the ingredient list, avoid those products. Watch out for brown sugar syrup, corn syrup, fructose, and other names for sugars. Instead, opt for a handful of raw nuts or unsweetened dried fruit.

Dried Fruit

Seemingly healthy, dried fruit can contain a lot of sugar, if you purchase certain varieties. A single handful of dried cranberries, for example, can contain 29 g of added sugars. That’s in addition to the naturally occurring sugars that already exist in cranberries. Just remember that added sugar levels tend to be higher in fruits that are naturally tart. If you buy dried fruit, look for options that only list the fruit as the ingredient. You want to avoid added sugars and preservatives like sulfur dioxide. 

Salad Dressing

Salad dressing is another store bought item that contains unhealthy fats, high levels of sodium, and lots of added sugars. The sad reality is that dressings seem healthy because they go on salads. Some dressings contain six grams of sugar per serving (about 2 tablespoons). Fat-free dressings tend to have the most added sugars and sodium because removing fat reduces flavor. Your best bet is to make your own dressings with olive oil, balsamic/apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and seasonings. 

Flavored Yogurt

Shouldn’t yogurt be on your list of healthy foods to enjoy for breakfast? This all depends on the type of yogurt you purchase. Plain Greek yogurt, for example, is a great source of probiotics and an excellent breakfast food option. If you buy flavored yogurts, or varieties that contain fruit jam on the top or bottom, the sugar content will be very high. Read the ingredients because you need to steer clear if you see sugar in the top three ingredients on the list. Enjoying plain yogurt with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, or unsweetened dried fruit provide great flavors and nutrients.

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When the weather is hot and you want something refreshing to cool you off, what do you reach for? Are you the type of person to drink iced cold water all day? There is nothing wrong with that, but you need to deliver electrolytes to the body when it’s hot outside. Electrolytes, which you lose via sweat, help to hydrate the body and maintain the function of multiple systems within the body. This pineapple mango agua fresca is not only a tasty creation for your next backyard barbecue, but it’s also great to have in the house during hot summer weather.

Unlike traditional agua frescas that you can find at taco stands and Mexican restaurants, this agua fresca does not contain copious amounts of sugar. Besides the 1/4 cup of grade A maple syrup, this agua fresca is naturally sweetened with the natural sugars from the fruit. Because the pineapple, mango, and orange offer both sweet and tart flavors, you get the perfect balance of tart and sweet in this drink. The lemon helps to wake up the rest of the ingredients, while providing a nice balance to the very sweet maple syrup. Should you think that this agua fresca requires more sweetness, feel free to add a little more maple syrup.

If you find that the flavor is very intense, you can always add more water to the mixture. Additionally, if you want to double the recipe and add this to a large dispenser for a party, you have that option available. Just make sure to add is to to chill the agua fresca. It is very similar to freshly made juice and we hope you like it. If you like this summery beverage and want to see more recipes like it, let us know in the comments below.

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The thought of leaving sugar behind is potentially the scariest thing on planet earth. While that may sound very overdramatic, which it is, most people cannot function without sugar. In fact, living life sugar-free may not even be a life worth living, in the eyes of some people. Chronically overdoing it with the sweet stuff can lead to some major health complications, though. 

If you don’t keep track of your sugar intake, you can increase your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. That said, keeping your sugar in check is easier said than done. For optimal metabolic health, you need specific strategies that can help you monitor sugar intake. But before we get to that, it’s important to understand the difference between added sugars and natural sugars. 

Added vs. Natural Sugars

Natural sugars exist, you guessed it, naturally in foods. Fructose in fruit, for example, is a natural sugar, and it is often accompanied by the fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals in fruit. Added sugars, on the other hand, do not exist naturally and food manufacturers add them during food preparation. Sugar packets, honey, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and more are all forms of added sugars. Not only are added sugars devoid of nutritional properties, but they are also calorically dense. 

When you overdo it with added sugars, you increase your risk of cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes. Soft drinks, cocktails, condiments, snacks, and processed foods are common sources of added sugars, and chronic consumption of those foods can complicate your health even more. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help control your sugar intake on a regular basis. 

Enjoy Fruit, But Don’t Make It Your Whole Meal

You don’t need to be afraid of fruit, but you don’t want it to make up an entire meal. An acai bowl, which is seemingly healthy, can contain 95 grams of sugar. Most of those sugars are natural, but 95 grams of any type of sugar in one sitting is quite a lot. Smoothies are another great way to consume a diverse mix of nutrients, but you want a solid mix of fruits and vegetables. Ideally choose low-sugar fruits like berries, a half of a banana, and some greens like spinach or kale. Don’t add sweetened juices or nut milks, either! Opt for water or unsweetened non-dairy milks for your liquids. 

Minimize Or Skip Sugar-Free Foods

People see “sugar-free” on food packaging and think that they are healthier. Sugar-free foods may help you cut back on calories, but chronic consumption of sugar-free foods can interfere with glucose metabolism. Those foods also negatively affect gut microbiome and can increase sugar cravings. Sugar-free foods make you less satisfied and cause you to want more of that food. Just remember that a little bit of the real deal sugar is better than the artificial stuff. 

Always Check Nutrition Labels

Although you don’t have to count every single gram of added sugar you consume, you should have a reference or the max amount you should consume daily. That is why reading nutrition labels can be very helpful in your health journey. If your packet of blueberry yogurt contains 22 grams of added sugar, that provides you with most of your added sugar count for the day. Look out for foods with five to six grams of added sugars per serving. Some days you may consume 20 grams of added sugars, while other days may amount to 27 grams of added sugar. That is completely acceptable, but just try your best to focus on more wholesome foods that are naturally sweet. 

Omit Sugary Condiments 

Condiments like ketchup, salad dressings, and other sauces contain more added sugars than you realize. Pasta sauce is another sneaky source of both sugar and sodium. Tomatoes are naturally sweet, so tomato sauce will have about four to five grams of natural sugars per serving. Tomatoes are also very acidic, so most brands add extra sugar to balance that acidity. Try to choose natural ketchup brands, or varieties that contain zero added sugars to help you control sugar intake. 

Avoid Drinking Your Sugars

Although a cold can of cola is undeniably delicious, it is just as undeniably terrible for you. Sugar-sweetened beverages are some of the leaded sources of added sugars in the American diet. A 17-ounce can of Coke contains about 55 grams of added sugars per bottle, which is more than twice the amount of added sugars that you should consume daily. Juices, sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened coffees and teas all fall under the sugar-sweetened beverage umbrella. If you start your day with a flavored coffee, consider making your own coffee and adding less sugary creamers or sugar. A venti vanilla latte from Starbucks can serve up to 35 grams of sugars!

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