Berry, Berries, No Banana.

Volume 1.1 November 17, 2014.

Daniela Roesberry

How to get

potassium

Potassium is very beneficial. According to vitamins-nutrition.org, potassium

helps regulate fluid levels, blood pressure and heart function; it also assists the
body in recuperating and eases pain. Potassium lessens the havoc Top Ramen
wreaks on the body. Top Ramen, while budget friendly, is not body friendly, its
full of sodium; potassium helps lower sodium and as a result, maintains blood
pressure.2 Potassium, while good for the average college student, is also good for
reducing the risk of kidney stones and (possibly) bone loss in the elderly.2

This is an avacodo, eat one. ( http://clueyblog.com/avocado-face-masks)

I am often low on potassium, this is due, in part, to the lack of banana in
my diet. I have experienced many of the symptoms described by the
Mayo clinic weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps and constipation. 1. I
POTASSIUM POWER
need more potassium in my diet. Potassium is something we all need.
I know this, I dont have to be sold on the idea. But I will not add
Avocado, 1 fruit: 975mg 1
banana to my diet.
Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked:

FOODS

896 mg
Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg
So how can I, and others like me, get enough potassium, if we do
not eat what is probably the most potassium rich food? Web MD rec- Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg
White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg
ommends 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day (the average person
consumes half of this)3 and lists the following foods as being good
Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg
sources of potassium.
Halibut, 3 oz. 490 mg
( I have complied lists for ease of reading)
100% orange juice, 8 oz.: 496 mg
Broccoli, 1 cup : 457 mg
All of these foods are foods that I enjoy eating, and most of them
are very cost effective. Bananas, I should note, have 422 mg of potas- Cantaloupe,1 cup: 431 mg
sium. While this is a good amount, they do not, regardless of what
Pork tenderloin, 3 oz.: 382 mg
we may think, have the monopoly on potassium. Getting enough
Lentils, half cup: 366 mg
potassium, without eating bananas, may take a bit of forethought,
Milk, 1% low fat, 8 oz: 366 mg
but it is quite possible. Here is a smoothie recipe adapted from
Salmon, 3 oz.: 326 mg
moneysavingmom.com that is high in potassium:
Pistachios,1 oz: 295 mg

1 cup frozen oranges ( 326 mg of potassium)

cup 1% low fat milk ( 183 mg of potassium)
Kiwi, 1 fruit: 284mg1

cup fat free yogurt ( 289 mg of potassium)
Raisins, quarter cup: 250 mg

2 1/2 teaspoons raw sugar
Orange, 131 g : 237mg1
Mix ingredients in a blender.
Chicken breast, 3 oz.: 218 mg
This recipe contains 798 mgs of potassium, about one sixth of the
Tuna, 3 oz: 201 mg3
daily recommended amount. This recipe takes minutes to make, I
know, I make it quite often.

1.(http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-potassium-fruits.php)
3. (http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/potassium-sources-and-benefits?page=2)

Benefits of Berries-

I know that bananas are berries; but well just forget about them) I
should note the difference between what is scientifically classified
Many of the recipes found on this website will contain some sort of as a berry and what we classify as a berry in daily conversation.
berry. I am convinced that berries are a gift from God. I can picture The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from
Adam walking up to God in the Garden of Eden, saying Hey God, a single flower and containing one ovary. 1.For my article(s), I will
I bet you cant make a food that is both delicious and healthy. And focus on what we traditionally refer to as berries and will leave the
God calmly replied, Challenge accepted. And now we have berries, technical terms to the botanists.
which provide a plethora of flavors and health benefits. (Yes,
This week I will focus on:

Strawberries
I believe in being smart about calories, that calories are an investment. Strawberries are a good investment, strawberries give you
bang for your buck

. A whole cup of strawberries, for only 50 calories, contains: 160% is

the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, 23.24 mg of calcium,
44.82 mg of potassium, and 44.82 IU of Vitamin A. 2

Strawberries fight cancer. ( Did you notice Hazels pink smoothie in The Fault in Our Stars?)

Strawberries are in the top 10 foods with high levels of antioxidants, these inhibit tumor growth and decrease inflammation in the body. We
also have reason to believe that freeze-dried strawberry powder can reduce the risk for oesophageal cancer.3 (oesophageal cancer is cancer
that affects the gullet or food pipe.)4

Strawberries are good for the heart. ( maybe thats why theyre in as many RomComs as

Drew Barrymore, or should I say Berrymore?) Strawberries reduce the risk of a heart attack by 32% in young and middle-aged women.
They prevents platelet build up and reduces blood pressure. Strawberries help lower homocysteine levels, which damage the lining of arteries. They even, through the flavonoids http://pngimg.com/upload/strawberry_PNG2630.png (these affect the color and flavor) ,lower the
risk of heart disease

Strawberry: Queen of Fruits

The high water content helps keep the body hydrated. High levels of fiber helps the digestive system.. Strawberries help regulate blood sugar, and have a lower glycemic index than many fruits. They can also help with depression, mood, sleep and appetite. They also: help burn
stored fat, improve short term memory. Promote bone health. Have anti-aging properties. Are good for weight loss. Promote eye health...I
personally like strawberries because I can snack on them and use them in smoothies. Strawberries dont have a long shelf life, so I separate
the ones for smoothies from the ones for snacking. I would recommend cutting strawberries before freezing them. (Ill show how to do
this in a video).

.1.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/foodbeast/just-in-strawberries-are_b_3962931.html
2.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271285.php)
3. Image from:
3.http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-super-health-benefits-of-strawberries.html
4.http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/oesophageal-cancer/

ties. Locally grown honey can even help the body build immunity
against allergens.

Healthier than

Sugar

Maple Syrup

America and Canada share the worlds longest friendly border. Who
wouldnt want to get friendly with the #1 producer of Maple Syrup.
OK, all jokes aside, maple syrup is a great alternative to sugar and is
probably already in your cupboard. It does have a distinct taste, so
you may need to use it only in baking.

In the article How to get in your potassium I included a recipe

that called for 2 tsps. of sugar. In that tiny amount of sugar is
40 calories. While this wasnt a terrible amount of sugar and wont
Fruit juice
ruin too many diets, I feel like I owe it to you to provide healthier
Tap into the power of natures candy. Fruit is a great source of
recipes and ideas. While I am not one to count calories, or sacrifice natural sugar. And a good way to get to this sugar is through juice.
flavor, I do believe we should choose our calories wisely. In this Add a juice that complements your recipe, which is quite easy when
article I will discuss alternatives to sugar. Hopefully we will be able
it comes to making smoothies. (Orange juice, for example, would
to make the recipe (and others) healthier, without compromising on be great for the Orange Crme Smoothie). I would recommend that
flavor. While there are artificial sweeteners that are low in calories,
you choose a juice that doesnt contain extra sugar.
I wont recommend them. I try to limit the amount of man-made
chemicals I put in my body; the benefits of eating natural foods
outweighs limiting calories. While there are many sugar alternatives,
Molasses
I will discuss only six: stevia, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, When tabletop sugar is produced, many of the nutritional benefits
fruit juice and molasses. ( the following information is adapted
from theecologist.org.)

Stevia

Stevia is the superman of sweeteners. Its 300 times sweeter

than sucrose (the most common dietary sugar). Whats more, its
been used for hundreds of years all over the world. From south
America to Japan, indigenous peoples have been using this herb
as a natural sweetener for centuries. Its also good for you. The
food and drug administration even labels it a dietary supplement rather than a sweetener at all. But dont let its healthiness
sway you from sweetening with it. Add it to your orange cream
smoothie, or any smoothie, to smoothly sneak healthiness into
your sweet tooth satisfier.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut Sugar is slightly richer than brown sugar and has a low
score on the glycemic index. Plus, its delicious, environmentally
friendly and with the current health food trends.

Honey

Theres a reason why we call people who are sweet honey.

Honey does have more calories than sugar, but its sweeter, so
less is needed. Honey has vitamins, and antimicrobial proper-