Clementines, a small citrus fruit, are a seedless variety of the mandarin orange. Clementines are loaded with fiber, vitamin C and many other vitamins and minerals. This seedless, sweet fruit can be easily added to many of your weight loss power food meals to provide extra flavor and variety, without adding many calories. Clementines are fat-free, cholesterol-free and contain only 35 calories per fruit.

Not only is the clementine easy to peel and packed with juice, but this delicious fruit also contains folate, potassium, thiamin and calcium. Calcium is necessary for bone growth and muscle contraction. The large amount of potassium in clementines can help regulate heart function, can help lower blood pressure and can help the nerve and muscle activity. Because of the high content of citric acid, clementines can help eliminate bacteria that causes acne and also helps reduce fine lines as it stimulates the skin cell production of collagen.

You may be wondering…what is the difference between a clementine, a tangerine and a orange? The clementine is the sweetest of the three, the easiest to peel and contains no seeds. The orange has a more bitter/citrus flavor than the tangerine. The orange and the tangerine contain seeds.

Although clementines may be available in your grocery store year round, they are most popular during the winter months, and sometimes referred to as “Christmas oranges”. Look for the fruit that is blemish and wrinkle free, with a deep orange color. You can keep clementines at room temperature for 2-3 days; or you can keep them in your refrigerator if you would like them to stay fresh a few days longer.

Because clementines are so easy to peel and seperate into sections, they are a wonderful addition to garden and fruit salads. Just simply cut into smaller chunks or leave as the strip and toss on top for beautiful color, variety and fabulous flavor.

Clementines are a perfect fruit to add to a smoothie. Pick out some of your favorite fruits, place in your blender with a peeled clementine, a small amount of almond milk and ice. This is a refreshing way to start your day with a burst of nutrition and flavor.

Have you ever tried couscous? This wonderful power food is delicious when mixed with chickpeas, olives and clementines. Simply cook your couscous and set aside. Chop up one or two clementines, and about 12 olives. Cook your chickpeas, then mix the above ingredients together, along with a very small amount of olive oil. Serve as a side dish with lean beef, poultry or seafood.

Try an easy to prepare low calorie clementine sauce to spread over your meal. Place a cup of clementine juice, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a very small amount of light butter in a pan. Gently melt on low heat. In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup clementine juice with 4 teaspoons of tapioca (a substitute for cornstarch). Whisk all together until sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and serve over your favorite vegetables or meat.

Have fun adding clementines to your list of new and exciting power foods.

The Power Blast!

Calories: one fruit, 35 calories
Protein: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 7 g
Vitamin C: 36.1 mg
Calcium: 22.2 mg
Cholesterol: 0
Potassium: 131 mg
Sodium: 1 mg
Saturated Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 9 g

Have fun losing weight while you are eating your new power food!

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