Baby, it is scorching outside! I am here today to assist grapefruit in making its big comeback. Also to begin a new trend "Mocktails all day." However, let's get back to the sassy citrus, grapefruit. Red, pink and white, it is all good. I have been trying to get my eighty-eight-year-old dad to eat some every morning, but so far he will only sip the juice, he has been quite vocal about preferring the red grapefruit also, noted pop. Although eating the fruit and pulp itself has more health benefits than the juice there is still much to be gained from this tangy citrus beverage. What happens when we extract just the juice from fruits and veggies? Loss of some vitamins and minerals, but mostly that fabulous fiber will be missing if you just drink the liquid. Sure it may be easier to grab a bottle of juice and take that route. Being healthy does take some effort and energy, but it is worth it. That extra dose of fiber in the morning can add spring in your step and a little zip in your doo-da.

So, the million dollar question is, how can you rack up more vitamins and nutrients every day, still enjoy what you are eating and not get bored? It is challenging, and brings up the number one, two and three, issues my clients struggle with most, which is timing, planning and prepping meals. It can be a monster hurdle and it's ok to ask for and need the guidance.

First, I lay out the facts. People like to see the information with their own eyes.

Grapefruit Health Benefits:

Low glycemic
healthy fiber
rich in antioxidants
helps lower risk of some diseases
sparks metabolism
burns calories
keeps you full longer, therefore aiding in portion control
contains oodles of micronutrients like vitamin c and calcium

Second, I share about all the delicious and easy variations there are cooking with grapefruit.

sliced
in salads
salad dressing
marinade for grilling
blended in smoothies
mixed with other citrus to make ceviche
juiced

Third, I share simple recipes you can make at home for yourself and the family.

Read on to get the spill on my yummy mocktail recipe.

Please note: grapefruit has been reported to interfere with some prescribed medications so as always, be responsible, read your medication labels and if ever in question consult your doctor.

Pink Grapefruit & Ginger Ale Mocktail

Who needs Rose"? Well, not this girl. If you follow The Food Athlete, you probably know that I am a sober woman. I will add as a nutritionist day drinking can get sketchy, so perhaps if you must do your Rose', try partial day and take some hydration intervals with some water and a non-alcoholic cool-down treat.

Not only did I create this divine mocktail refreshment. I made designer ice cubes to garnish and chill to wet your whistle on a delightful pool or beach day.

Grapefruit, ginger-ale, thyme ice cubes.

Assembling the mocktail:

Grapefruit Thyme Ice Cubes

Filtered water

Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice + few pulp segments

Splash of Ginger Ale for bubbly effects

Fresh spring of Thyme

I would hope I do not need to go into lots of detail on how to make ice cubes. However, just in case. Fill trays 1/4-1/2 with water. Add a squeeze of fresh grapefruit juice, no seeds but add some pulp for added flavor. Add a splash of ginger ale or your fave soda water. Pluck a few thyme leaves off the stem and add to mixture. Boom! Beautiful, citrus ice for a hot summer day.

ICE CUBE TRAY- Tavolo

Happy Summer Food Athletes! Cheers to you and your health!

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (your Food Athlete Coach) xo

It resembles the final day before cleaning the fish tank. So what is all the hype about this dingy looking yet "healthy" detox water that has everyone rushing to his or her local juice bar to stalk up?

Charcoal. The black cubes you light on fire to BBQ your summer goods? No, no, no! Wait! Do not start crushing up briquettes and adding them to your drinking water that is not the kind of consumption.

Activated charcoal the medicinal form is what you might find in an emergency room to treat patients who have ingested something poisonous. If you munched on a "charcoal briquette" I guarantee you would be one of those patients. NOTE: Do not take an at home remedy of activated charcoal to treat an overdose, always consult doctor or hospital. So, now that as a responsible nutritionist I got that piece of slightly pertinent piece of information out of the way let's get to why this murky drink is so popular today.

If somebody handed you a tall refreshing glass of gray water and said, "drink up, it tastes like lemonade," why would you be so quick to chug it down? Well, that is what is happening in most juice bars. However, this is where some of my journey into nutrition got tricky because this is a "let food be your medicine" moment that involves science. Throwing together a jug of black water and drinking it every day to cleanse just to write a blog post is not that simple. The Food Athlete Cliffs Notes version can hopefully clear up some confusion if you are not a science nerd. "Activated" means it is a medical grade charcoal so the icky particles we want to rid our body of, will stick to the charcoal be absorbed and voila, bye bye toxins.

You can find activated charcoal in many forms, the capsules (I use below in my lemonade,) sticks that can be used to purify water and even the air you breathe. Beauty bars and masks are all the rage and charcoal is making a big splash in the face cleanse department.

Besides flushing out the bad juju that could plague our system, charcoal helps brighten out smile aka our teeth bones, so some toothpaste has added it to their product.

DIY Charcoal Lemonade

1 Activated Charcoal Capsule

1 Whole Lemon

10-12 oz Water

1/4 Cup Coconut Water

Maple Syrup to sweeten if you are into sweet.

Squeeze a whole lemon into a glass of water and coconut water. Take the capsule and carefully separate. Do this over the glass of water/coconut glass, (as you can see from the photos this can be messy if you are not careful). I keep mine in a mason jar, of course, haha! However, I do this because I do not drink it all in one sitting and I also add water to cut the charcoal. The water will turn very black or a lighter gray. You can always add less charcoal. Add a teaspoon of maple syrup if you want a sweeter lemonade.

It is easy to be swept away by the optimism of new information especially when it comes with the promise of making us feel better. My goal as your health teacher is to help you avoid a hasty decision and use your reading material wisely to come to your conclusions. I can give you this slice of advice, too much of a good thing is not always a good thing. I have poured gallons of toxic stuff into my body over decades, and by some miracle, I am still here. We did not have any activated charcoal beverages or shots of grass or fresh pressed roots of ginger to calm what ailed us after nights of partying. A burger and Coke-a-cola usually did the trick. I cannot speak to what works for you and what used to work for me. This is why I have taken it upon myself to acquire the knowledge and certifications so that I can accurately qualify my opinions and facts.

Here is something to consider when making "medicinal food" such as a detox drink. Multiple medications do not always reinforce a cure. For example, drinking charcoal lemonade with two aspirin will not lessen your hangover. Alternatively drinking a green juice that has added the black dust means you are not going to reap the benefits of all the yummy vitamins and minerals that come with the fruit and veggies. Remember when I was talking science at the beginning of this chat? Well, the binding and purification process can counter act if you introduce too many potential helpers, doing the exact opposite of what you are probably drinking it for in the first place. So why do lots of these detox solutions promote this supplement in conjunction with other healthy products? I can not speak to that honestly. I even went so far as to ask the girl at one of my favorite juice cleanse shops ( which I will leave anonymous) why they mixed the A.C. with the pressed juice and she did not have an answer. The deal with charcoal like lots of nutrition supplements nowadays is that the jury is still out on the actual benefits. Some of the stuff is harmless but if you are unsure yet interested in embarking down the dark water stream (or any health movement that is foreign to you) always consult a nutritionist (hint hint) or your medical doctor for guidance.

Trends are always going to ebb and flow that's why they are called a trend. They are not guarantees. Our body isn't a trend. Although the human system does go through changes, so the importance of awareness is significant, now more than ever. It's my pleasure to bring to light or even reinforce topics and studies that surround wellness. I learn and grow along with all of you when I write, research, and experiment in this magical world I call nutrition.

Let me ask you this Food athlete, are you partaking in a food trend that is currently the talk of the town? What do you think about Activated Charcoal? Would you try it? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please share with me in comments.

#letfoodbeyourmedicine

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete Coach) xo