Let’s face it: We’re addicted to sugar – and it’s wreaking havoc on our health.

Check the back of your favorite snack and you’ll probably see some form of sugar on the ingredient list. Whether they call it sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, sorbitol, maltodextrin, mannitol, or malitol, consuming too much of it can pose serious health risks.

Long known to cause weight gain and high cholesterol, diets high in sugar have been strongly linked to diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity, and tooth decay. Some studies even suggest that excess sugar intake can cause depression and mood swings. …read more of 5-Step Guide to Kicking Your Sugar Habit (without sacrificing your sweet tooth) here

Our diets are loaded with sugar. We may think we are only consuming the slightest bit, even on our best days, but our coffee, breads, fast foods, snacks, and even certain fruits are laden with sugars.

The worst of it is most of the synthetic sugars are difficult for the body to process and eliminate, so they often get stored as fat.

There are also some serious side effects related to high sugar intake including: obesity, blood sugar imbalances, heart disease, arthritis, immuno-suppression, and vitamin and mineral depletion. The best thing to do if you aren’t ready to curb your sugar intake is to at least choose the best quality sweeteners to enhance your diet. …read more of Natural Sweeteners: Healthy Sugar Alternatives here

From the Farmer’s Market to the Super Market- 7 Savvy Tips to set on track to a green diet that is better for you, the planet, and your wallet.

Living green is becoming mainstream, yet it’s still difficult for people to make a switch over to Organic, mostly because of the cost. Organic produce can cost up to twice as much as conventional produce because there aren’t subsidies for Organics, like there are for conventionally grown food. We think that organic food is expensive, but really conventional food is incredibly cheap.

In the United States, a very small percentage of income goes toward purchasing food: less than 10 percent in 2004, compared with 23 percent in 1929. The federal and state governments heavily participate in and financially support U.S. agricultural production.

The prices for our food are unrealistically low and consistent because of big government involvement in the form or subsidies, grants, tax incentives, etc. We pay twice for our food, once to the IRS, and once more at the supermarket. …read more of Go Organic, not Broke here

Who says you have to eat watermelon off the rind? This sassy summer salad is great for lunch on the go, barbecues, post workout snack, and kids enjoy it too.

It’s easy to make and tastes great. Watermelon is a powerful food, rich in Vitamin A, B Vitamins, vitamin C, lycopene, magnesium, and potassium.

Not only is it s thirst quencher, but helpful in reducing inflammation caused by asthma, diabetes, colon cancer, arthritis, and swelling caused by pregnancy and a recent study shows that watermelon juice prevents erectile dysfunction.
…read more of Inspiring Fresh Recipes here