I had always been under the impression that clear urine signified good health, but apparently – the normal color is actually a pale yellow. In exploring this fleeting curiosity, I learned that the human body can produce a rainbow of colors.

Many times, the color of your urine is an indicator of your health, while other shades are linked to things you have drank or eaten.

Below you will learn what the different colors of your urine could mean:

Clear Urine

Clear urine is an indication that you’ve been drinking an excess of water or other diuretic-like drinks, like coffee and beer. It will have little to no color, and is nothing to worry about when it happens on occasion.

Reddish Urine

Usually, red-colored urine is one of the most feared colors. There are a handful of reasons why you have red urine. Medical reasons center on a small amount of blood in the urine giving it a red tint. A bladder infection, kidney stones or bladder stones can cause urine to turn red. Also…

• Suffering a slight injury to the bladder or kidney can result in blood in the urine.
• Professional boxers may pass blood in their urine after a fight.
• Menstruating women will see reddish-colored blood before, during and after their period.
• There are foods that can turn your blood a reddish color, such as beets (reddish-purple), blackberries (red), rhubarb (reddish), and candy or pills that are made with a dye.
• Poisons that you have ingested (such as lead or mercury) can turn urine a reddish color.

Orange Urine

If you love carrots (especially carrot juice) or have too much vitamin C in your system, you may see the color orange in your urine.

Yellow Urine

A deeper shade of yellow urine means you need to drink more liquids and can happen when you’ve been sweating excessively.

Dark Yellow Urine

When you are consistently producing a dark yellow urine, it could be an indication of liver problems or jaundice, but some people might not be drinking enough fluids. Increase your intake of water to see what happens before panicking.

Blue Urine

Yes, your urine can have a bluish tint to it…if you have a psuedomonas bacterial infection. It can also be an indication that you have high levels of calcium in your body.

Greenish Urine

A urinary tract infection, bile problems and certain medications can turn your urine to a greenish color. When the urine is a brighter green color, it means you have an excess of B vitamins in your system.

Brown Urine

Serious conditions are usually associated with brown urine, and can involve ailments, such as liver disease, hepatitis, melanoma cancer, or copper poisoning. However, recently eating fava beans or taking a laxative can also turn your urine brown.

There’s a lot going on when you peer into a bowl of Kashi GoLean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble. You see granola, flecks of red and blue, and lots of interesting pieces that Kashi describes as a “naturally sweetened multigrain cluster cereal.”

Dotted with cranberries and wild blueberries, the combination of flavors, texture and healthy benefits makes this cereal an excellent option.

Highlights of the Cereal

Lower Calorie: The majority of granola cereals are typically more than 200 calories per serving, but this Kashi GoLean Crisp is only 180 calories per serving.

High Fiber and Protein: This is an incredibly high-fiber cereal (love it!) with twice as much fiber as a one-cup serving of blueberries and just as much protein as having one egg. There are also 18 grams of whole grains, which will satisfy one of the three servings recommended on a daily basis.

Easy on the Teeth: I took one look at the multigrain clusters and thought for sure they’d feel like I was chewing rocks, but the Kashi GoLean Crisp is just what it says – crispy. The light crunch is easy on the teeth.

Perfect for Breakfast and Snacking: Not only does the cereal jumpstart your morning, but it also provides a tasty snack for lunchboxes, hiking, camping, long car trips, and on-the-go energy. At times, I swear I detect a honey graham flavor.

By the Numbers

One ¾ cup serving equals 180 calories (35 calories from fat).

• 8 grams of fiber (a whopping 30% of your RDV)
• 9 grams of protein (14% RDV)
• Phosphorus – 15% RDV
• Magnesium – 10% RDV
• Iron – 8% RDV
• Potassium – 7% RDV

Instead of heading towards snacking disaster, I’ve been relying on healthy, filling alternatives to tide me over until dinner. My new favorite go-to snack (which doubles as a nice side dish) is a Cucumber Salsa Salad that I’d like to think my mother and I created together. She was making a cucumber and tomato side salad with Italian salad dressing. I wanted the same, BUT didn’t want the calories of the oily dressing.

Mom suggested that I substitute the dressing with a couple of tablespoons of this Grandessa salsa that she bought at Aldi’s. We used Artichoke Garlic Mild Salsa, which is only 10 calories per 2-tablespoon serving. I also added 1/8 cup of crumbled blue cheese to enhance the overall taste. You can certainly experiment with different salsa flavors – I’m going to try Sweet Onion next. With the blue cheese crumbles, the recipe below is a little over 100 calories and can feed two people as a side or make a really filling snack.

Cucumber Salsa Salad

• 1 cucumber (sliced – I like to cut my slices in half)
• Fresh salsa (4 to 6 tablespoons)
• Blue cheese or feta cheese crumbles (~1/8 cup) [optional]

Mix all ingredients and enjoy.

Disclosure: This post was written in participation for Kathleen’s My Favorite Things Thursday.

Thanks to Hip 2 Save for posting the money-saving tip that got me a more than free Brita water pitcher. I purchased the slim Brita model at Walmart using a coupon for $4. The original price was $8.97. There is also a mail-in rebate for $10, which means that you actually make money with this deal. Scanning the comments of the original post, it may take a long time (they say 6 to 8 weeks), but the rebate check is $10 no matter what.

To Get this Deal, Use the:

• $4 off coupon for Brita pour-through pitcher – from your Sunday newspaper [Smart Source]
• $10 mail-in rebate form for buying a Brita water pitcher or faucet mount system

The coconut-caramel cookies with the chocolate drizzle known as Samoas in Girl Scout cookie world are one of my favorites, so naturally I jumped at the chance to try Edy’s Slow Churned Samoas Cookie ice cream. Caramel flavors (including ice cream) usually do not float my boat. I’m like *this close* to saying the Samoas Cookie is my current favorite Edy’s ice cream flavor, and as luck would have it – it’s a Limited Edition.

Generous pieces of Samoas Girl Scout cookies are scattered throughout the light vanilla and caramel flavored ice creams. There is no caramel (the ooey gooey stick kind) in this ice cream. It’s a delightful mixture of ingredients and flavors.

Edy’s Girl Scouts Samoas® Cookie Ice Cream offers rich, creamy flavor that doesn’t taste like it has 50% less fat and 30% fewer calories. You can easily mistake it for premium ice cream texture and flavor. A ½-cup serving is 120 calories (40 from fat) with 3 grams of protein. There is 6% of your daily recommended value of calcium.

This limited edition is only available from January to April.

With a monthly $5 foot-long sub special and tons of sandwich combinations to choose from, Subway is now offering a selection of new turkey subs – two of which fit into healthier diet plans and one for those looking for a spicy, cheesy splurge:

• Turkey B.L.T. – bacon and turkey; 320 calories per 6 inches; 7 grams of fat
• Turkey Melt – melted cheese over turkey; 320 calories per 6 inches; 7 grams of fat
• Turkey Jalapeno Melt – melted cheese, jalapeños, and Chipotle Southwest sauce; 430 calories per 6 inches

Subway also offers a special featured footlong for $5 as part of a monthly promotion. In January, the Chipotle Chicken & Cheese is the highlight of the month – melted cheese topping chicken pieces with a Chipotle Southwest Sauce. Other footlongs that are routinely offered for $5 at Subway include Meatball Marinara, Black Forest Ham, Veggie Delight, B.L.T., Cold Cut Combo, and Spicy Italian.

My favorite is Black Forest Ham with tomatoes, lettuce, Provolone cheese, jalapenos and light mayo on 9-Grain bread. What’s yours?

Up for grabs is one $10 gift card to Subway & two (2) Nutella Breadsticks-to-Go packs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you shop at Target, then you are probably already familiar with Archer Farms products. This brand is only offered at Target (and sometimes Amazon.com)– from shortbread cookies to cereal. Under the Archer Farms umbrella, they make a “Simply Balanced” line that provides balanced, healthy foods at affordable prices.

The combination of flavors of the Archer Farms Apple Pear Drink Mix caught my eye. I love apple and pear blends, and this drink did not disappoint. As I sip it in the wintertime, I am reminded that warmer weather is always just around the corner. The flavor is fun and satisfying – like a pear-flavored apple juice. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this blend.

The Health Factor

One packet of the drink mix makes 16.9 fluid ounces and is only 10 calories. Infused with vitamins and electrolytes, the drink mix offers vitamin A (4%), vitamin C (25%), vitamin E (10%), and calcium (10%). There is also a bit of fiber tossed in for good measure – 2 grams or 8% of your recommended daily value.

One box contains 8 packets and costs between $2 and $3 at Target.

When you’re looking for something healthy to drink, who wouldn’t want to incorporate chocolate into the plan? Mayesa offers a way to ‘indulge your health’ as well as your taste buds. The richly flavored Mayesa drinks use all-natural ingredients packed with a lot of healthy benefits (increase clarity, suppress hunger, energize, and replenish the body), as cacao is a superfood. The beverage also satisfies a variety of health requirements or restrictions – they are dairy free, soy free, and gluten free.

Mayesa drinks come in an 8-ounce Tetra pak with a straw that extends in length. I had the pleasure of sampling the Cacao Original and Cacao Mint:

Mayesa Cacao Original

One of the things I like about Mayesa healthy chocolate is that you can drink it hot or cold. As a chilled beverage, Cacao Original is smooth, slightly thick, and addicting. It literally tastes like dessert – chocolate with a little something extra. When heated, the drink is equally satisfying and a delicious way to cap off a hard day of work. The heated cacao reminds me of sipping chocolate. This flavor is my favorite.

Cacao Original is made with organic cacao and hemp protein. You can definitely taste the difference in premium dark chocolate versus your typical chocolate milk. Cacao Original is 170 calories and provides a good source of potassium, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, and magnesium –  3 grams of fiber (12% RDV), 5 grams of protein, and 50% RDV vitamin D.

Mayesa Cacao Mint

Made with all-natural premium cacao, the Cacao Mint flavor is a good choice for mint chocolate lovers. I immediately heated the drink and think it tastes best this way. I’d serve this flavor at holiday and dinner parties, or for a dessert drink in the wintertime. It’s a very relaxing blend. Best of all – it’s healthy! Cacao Mint is 130 calories and provides a good source of potassium, magnesium and calcium –  5 grams of fiber (20% RDV), 5 grams of protein, and 50% RDV vitamin D.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

GIVEAWAY

Up for grabs is a 6-pack of 3 drinks of each flavor.

Mandatory Entry – complete 1 of the first 3 entries before completing the extra entries.

[use the Rafflecopter form below – you may have to REFRESH or RELOAD to see the form]

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Splenda is now offering a line of sweetener products with healthy additives, and you can request a free sample.

Simply fill out a quick form and choose from Splenda with B-vitamins or Splenda with antioxidants.

I just requested my own and chose the B-vitamins option.

Sign up here to get two free samples of Pine Brothers throat drops in natural honey and wild cherry flavors.

1 set of samples are allowed per address.

US Residents only.