6 Foods That Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

 

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1. Apples–Simply chewing on an apple scrubs your teeth. Plus, the high concentration of malic acid also increases saliva, which also helps to clean teeth.

2. Pineapple–Pineapple is the only food that contains bromelain. Bromelain is also effective stain-removing ingredient!

3. Broccoli–Raw broccoli, like an apple, will scrub your teeth. Plus, all the iron in broccoli provides a wall of protection again acid created by bacteria, thus preventing stains.

4. Raisins –The fact that raisins call be good for your teeth may be surprising, since they are also sticky! Chewing raisins help stimulate saliva production that guards teeth against stains and cavities.

5. Strawberries–Like apples, strawberries contain malic acid (increases saliva), but they also offer the benefits antioxidants that reduce staining bacteria as well as inflammation. Plus, vitamin C that protects against gum inflammation and periodontal disease.

6. Water–Drinking water throughout the day is another way to increase saliva production that helps protect your teeth. Plus, water after meals helps to rinse away debris to keep teeth healthier.

 

Source Hello Beautiful Face

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Watermellon Pizza

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Ripe Watermelon – Cut as shown below
2-3 Kiwis- peeled and sliced (number of kiwis needed will vary)
aprrox. 20 Blueberries- rinsed
1/4 cup Coconut shavings
The idea with these particular ingredients is to have the kiwis look like pepperoni and the blueberries like black olives. The coconut sprinkles mimic the cheese and if your toppings slide around, add a touch of raw honey under fruit to help  hold it in place. It won’t have to stay in place long though. These get gobbled up quickly! I’m also going to use feta cheese instead of coconut. Basil might be an interesting touch, Experiment.

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Healthy Waldorf Salad

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This is my go-to healthy recipe for Waldorf Salad. I cut the calories and fat almost in half by using non-fat greek yogurt as opposed to mayonnaise. This is a great trick that you can carry over into other recipes! My recommendation is to triple this recipe so you have it on hand for several meals. It will hold up great in the refrigerator. Serve over romaine or butter lettuce and you’ve got a super yummy salad that will keep you full for hours!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt (or your favorite fat-free Greek-style yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon orange juice or lemon juice
1 chicken breast
1/2 tart green apple, peeled, cored, and sliced small
1 stalk celery, cut into small pieces (optional)
1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
10 toasted raw almonds

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and orange/lemon juice. Set aside. Then in a skillet, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Do not let the chicken boil or it will get tough. Cool the chicken and cut into 1 inch chunks. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through and is not pink in the center. Combine with the apple, celery, grapes, dried cranberries/raisins, and almonds. Give yogurt mixture another stir, then pour over chicken. Toss all of the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour.

Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 220 calories, 19 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g total fat, 2 g dietary fiber, 94 mg sodium.

Don’t forget to let me know how much you enjoyed this recipe by leaving a comment!

~ Chalene Johnson

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Green Bean Salad

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1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 teaspoons walnut oil or olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil, add green beans and steam for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a small bowl to cool. Add the parsley and onion to the walnuts and stir to combine. In another small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Toss the dressing with the green beans, top with the walnut mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4 (1/2 cup) servings

2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved www.foodnetwork.com

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Hummus

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Hummus

2 cans garbanzo beans
1/4 c. raw sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp. cumin
sea salt to taste

Drain and rinse garbanzo beans, reserving 1/4 c. liquid. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Add more water or olive oil until desired consistency is reached.

(Garbanzo beans are a great source of dietary protein)

(Adapted from DrAxe.com)

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