Children'sEssentials Summer 2014 | Page 20

FOOD + NUTRITION The Benefits Of berries... Do you ever wonder why you don't feel as good as you used to? It could be what you've been putting into your body. Many people do not realize that by simply changing their eating habits, they could completely change how they feel. Berries happen to be one food family that people don't realize just how beneficial they are for their body. There are also many studies that have shown how berries help one control, and sometimes, lose weight. You might even be surprised by how tasty you can make a meal with berries. Berries are loaded with antioxidants, which are like little bodyguards protecting cells from damage that leads to premature aging and disease. Studies have proven that people who eat more berries tend to weigh less than people who don't, even if they eat an equal amount of calories. Phytochemical index (PI) is the relationship of the amount of plant-based food to your daily intake. You will have a high PI if you eat lots of vegetables and fruits compared to amount of other type of food you can eat. The highest one can score is 100; unfortunately, a typical American diet lies below the score of 20. It is proven that a person with normal weight typically has a PI of 10.3 higher than a person who is overweight. RECIPE Lemon Berry Smoothie • 1/2 Cup Strawberries • 1/2 Cup Blueberries • 1/2 Cup Raspberries • 1/2 Cup Strawberry Sherbet • Juice of half of a lemon • 1 Cup Ice or as much as you like Directions: Rinse fruit. Put all of your ingredients into the blender together and blend for about 20 seconds. 20 | children’sessentials www.newchildrensessentials.com