Fruit of the month is Persimmons so why not give Apple and Persimmon salad a try?

Fruit of the Month: Persimmons

Persimmons origins go back to ancient China. Fate intervened in the 1880’s when a United States Commander brought back a native Japanese persimmon variety to Washington, D.C. Now, persimmons are grown in California where hundreds of different varieties flourish. This brightly colored, glossy orange red skinned fruit is an excellent source of vitamin A, a good source of vitamin C, and rich in fiber.



Although there are countless different varieties of persimmons, only two are commercially available. There are distinguishable by their shape.



Hachiya: This type of persimmon makes up approximately 90 percent of the available fruit. It is identifiable by its acorn like shape. This persimmon is tart until it becomes soft ripe.



Fuyu: This persimmon is gaining popularity here as it is in Japan. Similar in color, but looking like a squashed tomato, this variety is smaller, sweeter, and is edible while still firm.



Persimmons

Serving Size 1 med. persimmon (168g)

Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 120

Calories from Fat 5

Total Fat 0g 0%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 0mg 0%

Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%

Dietary Fiber 6g 21%

Sugars 21g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 50%

Vitamin C 20%

Calcium 2%

Iron 2%



* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.







Availability, Selection, Storage, Preparation



Persimmons are widely available September through December, with a peak during November.



Choose persimmons with deep red undertones. Look for persimmons that are round, plump, and have glossy and smooth skin. Avoid fruits with blemishes, bruises or cracked skin and missing the green leaves at the top. Select ripe persimmons only if you plan to eat them immediately. Otherwise, buy firmer fruits and allow them to ripen.



Ripen persimmons at room temperature in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Store them in the refrigerator when ripe. Be sure to eat the fruit as soon as possible because overripe persimmons quickly turn to a mushy texture.



Ripe Fuyu persimmons, which look kind of like flattened tomatoes, will be crisp, while the acorn-shaped Hachiyas will be very soft and juicy.



Unripe Hachiya persimmons taste very bitter and will suck all the moisture from your mouth — not very pleasant. The tartness will go away as the fruit ripens.





Recipes

Persimmon and Apple Salad

Makes 6 servings

Each serving equals 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetables



Ingredients



1 Tbsp walnut pieces, toasted

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 sweet variety apples, rinsed, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise

3 firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons, rinsed, stemmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise



In a bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Add apples, persimmons, and toasted walnuts and mix to coat.



Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 90, Protein 0g, Fat 3g, Calories From Fat 29%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 16g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 15mg.


Forwarded by, Natalie Pyles

Source: FruitandVeggiesMatter.gov

Tips for Trick or Treat Night from Fitness Elements Express!!

Halloween Tips for Trick or Treat Night




When you arrive home from work on Trick or Treat night, it seems like the bewitching hour already has hit you house at full tilt. The kids are so excited for the evening’s events that they have magically changed into their costumes and are levitating to the door, drifting past any plans you have made for dinner.



Your mind is quickly assaulted by the following questions:


“Should I make my children eat dinner or is it not worth the battle?”

“How many houses equate to an adequate candy supply?”

“What about the increase in childhood obesity?”

The holidays are endless from now until Valentine’s Day, and each one has its own sweet fest! You certainly do not need all of this candy around the house. Can you throw half of it out when your children are not looking? Do your dentist’s kids go trick or treating?

One night of trick or treating does not make a fat child or a bad parent! Here are a few simple suggestions to help you get through Halloween night and the other 364 days that follow.



Have a plan

Make a plan after asking for your children’s input. Feed your children a nutritious dinner. A group of hungry, dehydrated, sugar-intoxicated goblins is a frightening picture for any parent! Plan dinner ahead of time with your children’s help. Let them know that you will eat early on Halloween night, so that they will have all the energy they will need to for a successful Trick or Treat night. Make sure they drink enough fluid. Children can get overheated in Halloween costumes, especially when it is combined with running from house to house throughout your neighborhood.


Set limits in advance

Ask your children to help you decide on the route you will take, how many doors you will knock on, and what hour they will turn back into “pumpkins.” Having an end goal will help you avoid the “just one more” or “but we have not gone to…” meltdown that persists all the way home.


Agree on a candy consumption limit

Agree on how much candy your children are allowed to eat on Trick or Treat night and each day thereafter. You may want to make a similar confidential agreement with yourself. Note: “Unlimited access” or “until the chocolate is gone” is not a good plan.



Provide healthy snacks

Keep healthy between-meal snacks in view and accessible. A bowl full of juicy red apples, bananas, or seasonal fruit is a better center piece than Skittles®, M&M’s®, and Tootsie Rolls®. Keep the candy out of sight. Assign a kids’ shelf in your refrigerator and fill it with low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese cut in interesting shapes, and fresh cut vegetables.



Teach and model moderation

Do not give candy more status than it deserves. In some instances, the more something is forbidden or overly restricted the more desirable it becomes. Teach and model moderation. All foods can fit, if we are reasonable about the amount and frequency.



Do not attach emotions to candy

Try not to use candy to reward, bribe, punish, or convey love. By attaching emotions to certain foods, you may inadvertently set the stage for disordered eating in the future, including undereating, anorexia, and overeating, obesity.



Begin some new family rituals

Do not make the holiday all about the candy. Make it a time to begin new family rituals, such as stuffing a scarecrow full of leaves for the front porch. Carve pumpkins and roast the seeds. Hold an annual scavenger hunt for fall items, such as acorns, pinecones, wooly caterpillars, animal tracks, and colorful leaves. Begin a new photo album that holds pictures of Halloween celebrations, past and present.



Get moving

The weather starts to grow cold, and you naturally want to slow down, conserve heat, and eat hearty meals. Make sure you choose after-school activities that make both you and your child move. Rake leaves into piles and jump for fall! Try a new sport, visit one new park each week, or return to the zoo now that the weather is cooler and the animals are more active. Keep sedentary activities, such as TV, computer, and handheld games, to a minimum.



Best of all Keep it safe!!

Above all, have a safe and fun Halloween. Your children are only small for a short while!
Contributed by Sheryl Lozicki, RD, MBA

Forwarded by, Natalie Pyles

Source RD.411

Did you know that Halloween doesn’t have to Daunt your Dieting and Exercise progress?

Get on the Healthy Halloween Train this year with Fitness Elements Express!

Halloween does not have to totally Blow out your Health and Fitness efforts

Try out these creative Halloween Party ideas...






• Veggies and Dip in Skull Shape


• Dead Body Food Display ( Turkey Burgers, Chicken or Turkey Franks with Whole Wheat buns, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and so much more...


• Puking Pumpkin head dip Platter

P.S. If your in need of Healthy holiday ideas from Your Health, Fitness, and In-home Nutrition Expert Natalie Pyles call me at
480-544-5502 today or email fitnesselementsexpress@yahoo.com!

Have a healthy and happy day!!

Are you Exercising Regularly? Why or Why Not? Find out why You should if your not from Fitness Elements Express!

There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical activity!

Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.

Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can also strengthen your body and improve your fitness level.

The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Have a healthy and happy day!!

Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate Slideshow on MedicineNet.com from Fitness Elements Express!

Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate Slideshow on MedicineNet.com

Have a Healthy and Happy Day my Health and Fitness Friends!!

Gluten-Free Diet Slideshow on MedicineNet.com from Fitness Elements Express! Enjoy my Health and Fitness Friends!

Gluten-Free Diet Slideshow on MedicineNet.com

News Alert! Juice and Cider: Make Sure They're Safe from Fitness Elements Express!

By Martin J. Stutsman, Consumer Safety Officer, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

When fall arrives, many of us look forward to enjoying fresh apple cider and juices. While most people think of juices as healthy foods, since they provide many essential nutrients, certain types of juice could pose a health risk to your family.


Why Juice Is Pasteurized or Treated

Most of the juice sold in the United States is pasteurized (heat-treated) to kill harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella. Juice may also be treated by non-heat processes to kill bacteria.

When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed to produce juice, any bacteria that are present on the inside or the outside of the produce can become part of the finished product. Unless the juice is further processed to destroy harmful bacteria, it could be dangerous for those most at risk for foodborne illness.

Who’s at Risk?


Infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, such as AIDS and cancer patients, diabetics, recipients of organ transplants, and others with chronic diseases are at greatest risk for foodborne illness.

While most people’s immune systems can usually fight off foodborne illnesses, people in these “at-risk groups” are susceptible to serious illness from drinking juice that has not been processed to kill bacteria. FDA recommends that these groups should drink unpasteurized juice only if they bring it to a boil first to kill any harmful bacteria.

Check the Label


Some grocery stores, health food stores, cider mills, and farm markets sell packaged juice that was made on site that has not been pasteurized or processed to ensure its safety. These untreated products should be kept refrigerated and are required to carry the following warning label:

WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

The FDA does not require this warning label for juice or cider that is fresh-squeezed and sold by the glass at orchards, farm markets, roadside stands, or in some restaurants or juice bars. So, if you stop at a roadside stand or farm market where samples of cider or apple juice are available, be sure to ask whether the juice has been treated.

Two Simple Steps to Prevent Illness

1. Always Read the Label


Look for the warning label to avoid juice that has not been pasteurized or otherwise processed. In particular, look for the warning label on any packaged juice product that may have been made on site, such as at grocery and health food stores, cider mills, or farm markets.

2. When in Doubt, Ask!


Always ask if you are unsure if a juice product is pasteurized or not. Pasteurized juice is normally found in your grocers’ frozen food cases, refrigerated section, or on the shelf in containers such as juice boxes, bottles, or cans. Do not hesitate to ask questions if the label is unclear or if the juice or cider is sold by the glass.

Questions and Answers
Updated September 22, 2010


Q. Are juices made at home with a juicing machine safe? Are there special precautions to take when making juice at home, other than washing fruit and vegetables?

A. While it's important to wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them, any bacteria on the outside or inside of produce could contaminate the juice. Unless you process the juice to destroy the bacteria, it could still be dangerous for people who are at risk for foodborne illness.

Source: FoodSafety.Gov

Have a healthy and happy day!!