Food Facts - Green tea
If you aren’t drinking green tea, this could be one of the best things you are missing out on.  Best things for your body!  I personally, do not drink it because I think it tastes like dirt.  I am going to start experimenting with it and try to drink it daily.  This is why:

• Green tea has the powerful antioxidant  epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in it.  EGCG has been widely studied and shown to be quite protective against free radical damage inside our bodies. Free radicals hasten a number of undesirable changes in our bodies from aging us to causing diseases.  Green tea is really good at protecting against these.
• Green tea improves brain function and not just because it has some caffeine in it (about a third to half as much as coffee).  It contains the amino acid L- theanine which has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve mental clarity.
• May aid in fat burning. Studies are mixed on this but some definitely show an improvement in weight loss.  With all the other health benefits, it’s worth a shot.  Even if you don’t lose weight, you are getting in a boatload of antioxidants.

So, as you can see, green tea is good stuff.  Seriously consider adding it to your daily or almost daily routine in one shape or another soon!  ​

Your Recipe
Cooking with beans is easy because they are so versatile!  If you haven’t eaten beans in a while or regularly, go slow to give your body a chance to get acclimated to all this yummy fiber. Here is a SIMPLE and easy recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/63113/best-black-beans/
Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine beans, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Season with cilantro, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

Other Ideas
If you don’t want to eat a bowl of beans then try adding or disguising in casseroles, taco meat, soups, salads and yes, even smoothies!

Food Facts - Oranges

Might it be more appropriate to say “An orange a day keeps the doctor away?” One may call this a theory, but let’s look at why a daily orange may be more beneficial than an apple a day :

• Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C which is a very important anti- oxidant and needed in plentiful amounts for optimal immunity.
• We humans cannot make our own vitamin C, like many animals can, so if we don’t eat it, we simply don’t get it.
• Potassium rich oranges can help lower blood pressure and thus, decrease risk of stroke and also lowers the risk of kidney stones.
• Oranges have been linked to lower risk of some cancers thanks to their vitamin C and their fiber content.
• Oranges contain numerous flavonoids that play a role in preventing inflammation.
• An orange is a good source of folic acid which helps prevent neural tube defects in babies and plays a roll in gene health.
• Oranges promote healthy skin given their high antioxidant content. Vitamin C is important in forming collagen and helping skin look young by reducing wrinkles and fighting sun and pollution damage.

One caveat? It is better to eat the whole orange rather than just drink the fruit juice. To get the fiber
and some of the white part left over in the outside of the orange when peeled, skip the juice. This white part, or the pith, has many beneficial compounds like the inside of the fruit.

So get in a “health zone” and eat an orange (or two) today!

Your Recipe: It's not just an Orange Theory -

Just grab it, peel it and eat it!
​See, good health is simpler than you think!