Most men can pound through a steak or some chicken with no problem.
We’ll even throw in some broccoli on the side. Pairs nicely.
But a lot of guys could use a few more pieces of fruit in their diet.
Should you eat a banana with your morning eggs? Pick up an apple on the way out the door?
For some reason, most guys say fruits don’t always “fit” nicely into their meals.
This always struck me as odd, because I think I’ve struck the perfect way to incorporate fruits into my diet.
I’ll get to that in a bit.
First, I want to talk about one fruit in particular:
Cranberries.
I know I’ve been sleeping on cranberries all my life.
I never used to think about them outside of thanksgiving dinner.
Until I read a study recently showing that cranberries could be a secret weapon for heart health.
The study was done on 45 healthy men.
Half were given 100 grams of cranberry powder, while the rest were given a placebo powder for a month.
The cranberry group had a significant improvement in heart and blood vessel function.
Specifically, they showed improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is considered a biomarker for cardiovascular disease risk. [R]
“The increases in polyphenols and metabolites in the bloodstream and the related improvements in flow-mediated dilation after cranberry consumption emphasise the important role cranberries may play in cardiovascular disease prevention. The fact that these improvements in cardiovascular health were seen with an amount of cranberries that can be reasonably consumed daily makes cranberry an important fruit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease for the general public.”
– Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition at the Department of Nutritional Sciences
Cranberries are low in calories and sugar while being high in phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber…
Making them the perfect addition to your healthy diet.
Here’s what I do as a major part of my daily fruit intake:
I throw in a scoop of protein powder with Greek yoghurt and mix in some fruit. Usually a combination of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and of course, cranberries.
If I have time, I’ll throw it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes for that delicious ice cream texture without any of the unnecessary sugar.
I normally do this for breakfast, but for those of you who can’t stand sweetness in the morning, try it for dessert after dinner.
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