Friday, August 9, 2013

Nectarines: The Delicious Substitute for Citrus Fruits

When I was first put on the Headache Diet in October 2012, one of my first frowns was toward the "no citrus" portion. Orange was my favorite flavor of...well...ANYTHING! To give it up was like giving up my favorite shirt. 

Then I found a new love: nectarines. They have a sweet taste like a peach, but still has that harsh tart sensation you get from a citrus fruit. I'd eat them for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack to keep the blood sugar from dropping. 

The nectarine and peach are from the same species, but they are different. Nectarines have an orange center and faint fuzz, while a peach has a white center and very fuzzy skin. Nectarines have a glycemic index value of 43. This places them in the low GI category. The nectarine is acceptable in many diets such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, diabetic, low carb, and many others. Great ways to eat nectarines: raw, cooked on the grill, sliced with vanilla ice cream, in cereal, and in your morning smoothie. 

When picking out a nectarine, look for a smooth skin with no blemishes. Also, be sure the fruit itself is firm to the touch, an indicator that it is ripe and ready to go. They can sit on the counter for 2-3 days or in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the fridge for 5 days. Handle them very carefully because their skin bruises easier than a peach.When possible, buy organic because they will have higher pesticide levels. 

Want to go green and use your creative side? Save the pits for craft projects. (Be sure to wash them of course). Spray paint each pit a different color and store them in a glass container with some string lights for a simple table decoration. 

Calories: 62
Calories from Fat: 4
Total Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 15g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4g
Sugars: 11.2g
Protein: 1.5g
Vitamin A: 9%
Vitamin C: 13%
Calcium: 1%
Iron: 2%




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