It’s Eat What You Want Day!

Seriously! If you look it up, May 11, 2009 is Eat What You Want Day.

This brings me to what I think is the perfect food. When I was pregnant, all those years ago, I tried to convince my obstetrician that I had the perfect snack for a pregnant woman: A banana split.

Seriously!

Look at it this way. You have your banana. Bananas are high in potassium*, which we need to help regulate blood pressure, replace potassium that was lost due to exercise or sweating (low potassium can cause muscle cramping and heart irregularities), and it helps balance the sodium in your body. A banana that’s about 9 inches can have up to 602 mg of potassium, only 140 calories, 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Pretty amazing for one piece of fruit!

Ok, after your banana, you have your ice cream. Ice cream is a great dairy source and there are now low-fat ice creams that are available if you’re watching your fat intake.

Then you have your fruit. A typical banana split has some strawberries, cherries, and pineapple. According to a press release issued last week by the Cherry Marketing Institute , ” studies have shown that the anthocyanins in tart cherries and other red foods may have anti-inflammatory benefits,” thus helping manage arthritis pain.

Cherries also contain flavonoids called anthocyanins– naturally occurring pigment compounds that provides fruit, vegetables, and plants with their color. Flavonoids, which contain antioxidants, help remove toxins from the body.

Strawberries are a popular fruit. They are rich in vitamin C and fiber, folate, potassium and antioxidants. They’re also low in calories.

Pineapple is a fun fruit that isn’t quite as popular as some others. It’s a very health fruit though. It’s considered an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese,  vitamin C and a good source of vitamin B1, copper, dietary fiber and vitamin B6.

After the fruit, you may have some peanuts. Peanuts are healthy, although they can be a bit heavy on the calories. They’re high in protein and a good source for the vitamins our body needs.

And then you have the whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Well, the whipped cream can be added dairy and, well, if you’re pregnant, what’s a few extra calories from the chocolate? Plus, if you switch to dark chocolate, you’re talking a whole different thing.

*certain people may be warned against eating bananas because their body can’t handle all the potassium. Check with your doctor if you have a heart condition that may make this the case for you.

Sadly, my doctor wasn’t convinced and neither have any others I’ve tried this theory on. But my idea still stands.

So, what are you going to eat today?

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Images: Stock.xchng