Susannah Chen
Editor, Food
Food News

Taste Test: Jamba Juice's Fruit & Veggie Smoothies

Jamba Juice sure has a lot going on.

Jamba Juice sure has a lot going on. It just rolled out probiotic smoothies and has been testing custom-blendable frozen yogurt, a new menu item that the company plans to expand over the course of the year. And beginning today, stores across the country will offer smoothies blended from both fruit and vegetables.

For now, the company's new Fruit & Veggie Smoothies come in three flavors: BerryUpBeet, Apple 'n Greens, and Orange Carrot Karma. All contain three servings of fruits and vegetables in every drink serving and are free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and high-fructose corn syrup. To find out what's in each flavor — and what the Sugar verdict was on each of the drinks — keep reading.

healthy living

Chocolate Has More Antioxidants Than Fruit

Yet another reason to savor chocolate this

Yet another reason to savor chocolate this Valentine's Day: it does a body good — maybe even better than fruit. Or so says a new study. According to scientists, the findings show chocolate has antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavanols equal to (and in some cases greater than) fruit.

The study, conducted by the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition and published in Chemistry Central Journal, compared cocoa powders to acaí, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate powders.

Do you find the results hard to believe? Does this sound too good to be true?

celebrities

Sheryl Crow Has an Organic Cookbook, Due Out in March

Add rock-country musician Sheryl Crow to the growing list of celebrities-turned-cookbook-authors.

Add rock-country musician Sheryl Crow to the growing list of celebrities-turned-cookbook-authors. Her first compendium of recipes is due out this March.

The tome, cheekily titled If It Makes You Healthy: More Than 100 Delicious Recipes Inspired by the Seasons, is cowritten by Chuck White, her personal chef who's been cooking for her ever since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It will contain about 125 recipes, designed for Sheryl's hectic schedule, that are grouped by the seasons. Although it won't drop until March 29, it's already available for preorder on Amazon at the price of $29.99.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," she explained in a video about the book. "I'm not that comfortable in the kitchen . . . so it's great to have recipes that even I can cook." She adds that, in addition to taste, the recipes are about "wellness, and fortifying my immune system."

The recipes — which will include the likes of mojito-braised pork and basil and apple marinated chicken — don't sound run-of-the-mill, and I'm glad that they're being cowritten by an actual chef. Will you buy this book?

Source

recipes

Happy Hour: Fresh Grape Crush

Since

Healthy Grape CocktailSince resolving to eat healthier in 2011, I've decided not to shun items I love — like caffeine, sugar, and alcohol — altogether, but rather find ways to enjoy them in moderation in a slightly more nutritious way. Who says happy hour can't be good for you? On Saturday afternoon, I poured myself a fizzy, spiked grape soda, and savored every sip of it. But unlike conventional pop, which is loaded with artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, and food coloring, this one's made from actual muddled red grapes and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. It clocks in at under 200 calories and provides a nice boost of vitamin C to your diet. Want a refreshment that'll make you feel great, too? Then be sure to keep reading.