Author Archives: Stephanie Ronco

Pumpkin Ideas for Halloween and Beyond

Posted on by

Cheryl Sullivan is here with a perfect pumpkin update!

Pumpkin FunDid you know that a single 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin provides 4 grams of fiber, no fat or cholesterol, and only 50 calories? Pumpkin also has more beta-carotene per serving than any other common food. Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, and that may protect against heart disease and some cancers.

Let’s Talk About Fresh Pumpkins

Fresh pumpkins are available from late summer to well into the fall. Small sugar (a.k.a pie) pumpkins are the best for eating, though you can eat the large ones, too. Be sure the pumpkins are clean and dry, then store them a cool, dry, and dark place. Pumpkins may last for several months, depending on the storage conditions.

Cooking with Pumpkins

To prepare a pumpkin for cooking, cut off the top. Flip it over and cut a thin slice off of the bottom. That way, the pumpkin will sit flat on your cutting board. Using a large knife, cut slices of the skin off from top to bottom, working your way around the pumpkin, just like you would cut the skin off of an orange. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp, then cut the pumpkin into chunks.

To make pumpkin puree, steam those pumpkin chunks until they’re quite tender. Drain them, then puree in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, mash them as fine as you can with a potato masher. Press the mixture through a fine sieve or coffee filter and voila! Pumpkin puree is yours.

You can also bake unpeeled, seeded pumpkin halves at 325° until tender. This takes about 1 hour. Scoop the flesh out of the shell and puree it. Since this puree will be drier than the puree in the other method, you won’t need to drain it.

All homemade pumpkin puree may be frozen for up to six months.

You can also make pumpkins into a tasty side dish. Cut a peeled, fresh pumpkin into cubes and toss the cubes with 1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons thawed apple juice concentrate, and a dash of nutmeg. Put the whole shebang into a baking pan coated with cooking spray and roast in a 400° oven for 30 minutes or until tender, stirring once.

Make a delicious and speedy pumpkin soup by heating 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin with 1 can of low-sodium broth, 1/2 cup of water or skim milk, and 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder. Heat the whole thing in a saucepan and serve warm.

You can even use pumpkin puree to make your own quick pumpkin ice cream. Soften 1 pint nonfat vanilla ice cream, then fold in 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, 2 tablespoons sugar (or artificial sweetener), and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Refreeze, then scoop into 4 dishes to serve.

What About Canned Pumpkin?

Canned pumpkin puree is easy to use and works very well in recipes. Be sure to purchase plain pumpkin and not the pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is loaded with sugar and other ingredients. Read the label carefully to see which one you are buying.

What are you doing with pumpkins this year?

By Cheryl Sullivan, MA, RD.

Looking for other seasonal resources? Check out the holiday materials in the Nutrition Education Store! My personal favorites include…

Holiday Survival Tips Poster

Holiday Challenge Toolkit

Holiday Exercise Poster

Related Posts

Energy Drinks: Just the Facts

Posted on by

It seems like we’ll eat or drink anything that will increase our lagging energy levels. Put the phrase “boost your energy” on a food or beverage, and we think, “Hey, I need that!”

Marketed to improve energy, promote weight loss, increase stamina, and boost athletic performance/mental concentration, energy drink sales are expected to reach $52 billion by 2016. Energy drinks are most popular with teens and young adults — 30-50% of them frequently consume energy drinks.

What’s in Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks start off with a combination of sugar or sugar substitutes and caffeine. Then herbal extracts like ginseng, guarana, yohimbine, and ginko biloba are added. There also might be amino acids, taurine, L-carnitine, or B vitamins too.

Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits caffeine content in soft drinks, there is no regulation of energy drinks, which are classified as dietary supplements. Many energy drinks contain 70-80 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per 8 ounces, which is three times the amount of caffeine in cola drinks. Since many energy drinks are packaged in containers that hold 12 ounces or more, the amount of caffeine can easily reach 200 mg or greater. 200-300 mg of caffeine per day is considered a safe amount for adults, and the American Academy of Pediatrics states that energy drinks are never appropriate for children and teens.

Manufacturers are not required to list the caffeine content from additives, which means that the actual caffeine content can exceed what is listed on the label – if it’s listed at all.

Plus, with 220-260 calories per 16-oz serving (that’s equal to 13-16 teaspoons of sugar), energy drinks also contain more sugar and calories than carbonated cola beverages. Sweetened beverages are a primary source of sugar in our diet, and they contribute to obesity and dental caries.

Should I Drink Energy Drinks?

I recommend that you skip energy drinks and instead choose beverages that promote health and hydration. Think water, fat-free milk, and 100% fruit juice. For optimum energy, eat a balanced diet, get plenty of sleep, and participate in regular physical activity.

By Lynn Grieger RDN, CDE, CPT, CWC

References:

  1. The History of Energy Drinks: A Look Back. Wall Street Insanity. Samantha Lile. 5-6-2013. http://wallstreetinsanity.com/the-history-of-energy-drinks-a-look-back/ Accessed 5-21-14.
  2. Caffeine in the Diet. MedLine Plus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002445.htm Updated 4-20-2013. Accessed 5-21-14.
  3. Proposed Actions for the US Food and Drug Administration to Implement to Minimize Adverse Effects Associated With Energy Drink Consumption. Thorlton J, Colby DA, Devine P. Am J Public Health. 2014 May 15.
  4. Sports & Energy Drinks: Answers for Fitness Professionals. Jerry J. Mayo, Ph.D., R.D. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D. http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/sportsdrinksUNM.html
  5. Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. Seifert, Schaechter, Hershorin, Lipshultz. Pediatrics. Mar 2011; 127(3): 511–528.
  6. Clinical Report – Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents: Are They Appropriate? Committee on Nutrition and the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Pediatrics 2011 Jun;127(6):1182-9.
  7. Energy Drinks. The American Association of Poison Control Centers. http://www.aapcc.org/alerts/energy-drinks/ Accessed 5-21-14

Handout:

Here’s a link to the free handout. Download it anytime!

Energy Drinks

More Resources:

The Nutrition Education Store is always evolving. Check out the latest resources for beverages and health!

Sugar Awareness Handout

Don’t Drink Your Calories: PowerPoint and Handout Set

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nutrition Poster

Related Posts

New Activity Idea: What’s the Real Cost?

Posted on by

Interactive Activity Ideas Week continues! If you missed the first installment, check out the posts on the Food and Health blog. Today, we’re going to talk about the real cost of food…

Activity #2: What’s the Real Cost?

Grab a bag or two of apples and potatoes before your presentation. While you’re at the store, pick up a container of apple pop tarts and a big bag of potato chips.

Photocopy the Nutrition Facts labels from your purchases or copy the relevant information from each item onto a blackboard or chalkboard that everyone can see.

Once your participants arrive, divide them into groups and have them calculate the cost per ounce of all the foods you bought.

After everyone has calculated the cost per ounce of each item, have them all return to their seats and share their findings. Which foods were more expensive? Which were cheaper? Was this a surprise, or was it expected? What do the results mean when it comes to shopping healthfully on a budget?

Shopping Cart

Activity Debrief:

Many people don’t realize the cost per ounce of the foods they buy. Whole foods are nutrient powerhouses, full of fiber and other keys to a healthful diet. Proving that they aren’t necessarily going to break the bank can make them more appealing and accessible to your clients.

If you would like to take this activity even further, you can talk about the healthcare costs associated with things like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. How does the food they eat play a role? What is the cost of good nutrition?

The fun isn’t over yet! There are more interactive ideas on the way!

Communicating Food for Health Professional Newsletter

MyPlate Handout Stack

3 Steps for a Healthful Life Banner

Related Posts

Weight Control Marketing Terms that Raise Red Flags

Posted on by

WhichFoodsAreHealthful“Fast, easy weight loss without exercise!”

“Lose weight while you sleep.”

“Enjoy your favorite foods and lose weight. Effortlessly.”

These claims have to be true because I : (a) read it in my local newspaper, (b) saw it online, (c) heard it on my favorite radio station.

Right?

Wrong!

We know better, but wouldn’t it be great if there really was a product that produced these types of results?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, published “Gut Check: A Reference Guide for Media on Spotting False Weight-Loss Claims” in January 2014. This guide lists seven weight loss claims that experts agree are false and misleading, and which should prompt a “gut check.”

What’s a gut check? It’s a second look to make sure that publishers are not running advertisements with claims that are known to be false.

The FTC uses these guidelines to enlist the help of media professionals, asking them to prevent false claims from ever appearing. Even though the truth in advertising laws prohibit false or misleading advertising claims, obviously these claims still exist. Under the law, advertisers have two choices:  either the results in the ad must be typical of what other consumers can expect to achieve or the ad must clearly and conspicuously disclose the typical results.

The FTC created a teaser website http://www.wemarket4u.net/fatfoe/index.html that promotes FatFoe™, a revolutionary (and fake) product that produces amazing weight loss results. They built this website to demonstrate false advertising claims to consumers. Click on the ‘order now’ button and you are transferred to a site that explains how you’ve been duped and how to spot false weight loss claims.

So. How can you best put this information to use for your clients? Have them use the seven gut-check claims and examples of the fictitious yet all-too-believable FatFoe™ advertisements to avoid falling prey to wild and unrealistic claims. Here are a few examples — the more familiar your clients are with these compelling (yet false!) claims, the less likely they are to be duped by a sneaky product…

Don'tBeFooledClaim #1: Causes weight loss of two pounds or more a week for a month or more without dieting or exercise.

Many consumers believe that rapid weight loss is the norm, and are unhappy with losing the 1-2 pounds per week that experts believe is both safe and sustainable.

“Finally there’s FatFoe™, an all-natural weight loss compound so powerful, so effective, so relentless in its awesome attack on bulging fatty deposits that it eliminates the need to diet.” (Note the consumer endorsement: “I lost 36 pounds in 5 short weeks”).

Remember, don’t be fooled.

Claim #2: Causes substantial weight loss no matter what or how much the consumer eats.

Changing food choices and eating habits, especially eating smaller portions, is one of the keys to lasting weight loss. Unfortunately, it’s also a behavior change that many people find extremely difficult.

Watch out for claims like, “This revolutionary product lets you enjoy all your favorites – hamburgers, fries, pasta, sausage, and even gooey desserts – and still lose weight. One FatFoe™ tablet before meals does the work for you and you’ll lose all the weight you want.”

Claim #3: Causes permanent weight loss even after the consumer stops using the product.

Maintaining weight loss requires continuing the same behavior changes in food choices and physical activity that produced the initial weight loss.

How does this false claim get used? “Thousands of people have used FatFoe™ and kept the weight off for good” is just one example.

GetInBalanceClaim #4: Blocks the absorption of fat or calories to enable consumers to lose substantial weight.

Even legitimate medications that block fat absorption need to be used within an overall lower-calorie, healthful diet.

“The safe, all-natural active ingredient in FatFoe™, auberginium, binds with food to block the absorption of fat, carbs, AND calories. Lose up to 10 pounds per week – with no sweat, no starvation!”

Don’t fall for it!

Claim #5: Safely enables consumers to lose more than three pounds per week for more than four weeks.

Losing weight rapidly over a longer period of time can lead to gallstones and possibly other health complications. Weight loss should be closely managed by a physician.

So, when you see something like “Even if you have 40, 50, 60 or more pounds to lose, doctors recommend Fat Foe™ as the no-risk way to blast off the weight and inches in a few short months. Just in time for bikini season or that class reunion,” then you know to run for the hills.

Claim #6: Causes substantial weight loss for all users.

Individual rates of weight loss are all different, and there is no one established method that leads to weight loss for every person.

“FatFoe™ is guaranteed to work for you. Melt away the pounds regardless of your body type or size.”

Claim #7: Causes substantial weight loss by wearing a product on the body or rubbing it into the skin.

There is no research that shows any product worn on the skin or applied externally leads to weight loss.

Throw that “Bonus offer! Order now and get a free 60-day trial of FatFoe™ UltraThin Gel. Target the stubborn fat on your hips and thighs with this proven flab fighter.” into the trash!

So. There you have it. The 7 gut-check claims and some examples of how sneakily they can be used. Help your clients steer clear of this nonsense by sharing this post or sending them a copy of this free weight control handout.

Gut Check Handout

By Lynn Grieger RDN, CDE, CPT, CWC

References:

  1. Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection. Gut Check: A Reference Guide for Media on Spotting False Weight-Loss Claims. http://www.business.ftc.gov/documents/0492-gut-check-reference-guide-media-spotting-false-weight-loss-claims#claims January 2014. Accessed 9-8-2014.
  2. Federal Trade Commission. With FatFoe™ Eggplant Extract You Can Kiss Your Dieting Days Good-bye. http://www.wemarket4u.net/fatfoe/index.html Accessed 9-8-2014

You guessed it! There’s more in the store! Check out these healthful weight management resources…

Weight Control Poster Set

Weight Management Brochure Set

12 Lessons of Wellness and Weight Loss Program

Related Posts

Breakfast Puzzle

Posted on by

Celebrate breakfast with this fun, free puzzle. There’s even a handout that you can share as you see fit!

Breakfast Puzzle

Across:

1. This low-calorie breakfast bread is a great option when you’re grabbing a meal on the go. Hint: Think muffins.
2. A ___ ____ food is a food that includes the entire grain kernel. It has more fiber and nutrients than a refined grain food.
3. This MyPlate food group includes oranges, grapefruits, bananas, and berries.
4. This is the title of your first meal of the day.
7. The name of this warm, heart-healthy, cooked grain cereal begins with the letter “o.”
8. Choose whole grain versions of this grain food for breakfast.

Down:

1. This is the fat-free part of the egg.
4. This thick-skinned, yellow fruit is great to eat on the go. It even comes with its own wrapper.
5. Fat-free milk is also known as ___ ____.
6. This dairy food is great for a quick breakfast on the go.

Stumped? The answers are at the bottom of this post!

Don’t miss these other great nutrition education materials!

Erasable Breakfast Menu Poster

Health Fair Wellness Kit

Salad Secrets Cookbook

Puzzle Answers:

Across:

1. EnglishMuffin
2. WholeGrain
3. Fruit
4. Breakfast
7. Oatmeal
8. Cereal

Down:

1. EggWhite
4. Banana
5.  Yogurt
6. SkimMilk

Related Posts

Heart Attack Prevention: Are Statins or Eating Habits More Important?

Posted on by

Medication or Diet?If elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were the only source of cholesterol deposited in the artery wall, then high doses of potent statins should be reversing (rather than reducing) the build-up of atherosclerotic plaques, largely eliminating deaths from coronary heart disease (CAD). Sadly, the number one cause of death in Americans taking statins to lower their elevated LDL-C to prevent heart attacks is still heart attacks?

Yes, statin drugs are very effective for reducing high LDL-C levels, and they do slow the progression of cholesterol-filled plaques. However, they rarely reverse the build-up of cholesterol in the artery wall. More importantly, statin drugs alone do not come close to eliminating the risk of heart attacks and most strokes despite impressive reductions in LDL-C levels. Research now shows that other lipoproteins besides LDL particles can and do carry cholesterol from the blood into the artery wall, promoting the growth of cholesterol-filled plaques and CAD. These lipoproteins are neither LDL-C or high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), but rather consist of the cholesterol-rich remnants of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins produced by the liver (VLDL) and the small intestine (chylomicrons)(1). Both genetic factors and dietary factors influence the amount of these triglyceride-rich lipoproteins produced and also the amount of cholesterol-rich remnant particles derived from each of them in the blood. Fat and cholesterol-rich meals can dramatically increase the production of chylomicrons and lead to greater amounts of cholesterol-rich chlyomicron remnants in the blood for several hours after each fat-rich meal (2).

Dr. Borge Nordestgaard’s recent study followed nearly 12,000 people with established CAD in Denmark and found that each 1 mmol (38.7 mg/dl) increase in non-fasting remnant cholesterol caused 2.8 times greater risk of a CAD event that was independent of HDL-C levels. The increased causal risk of CAD from elevated cholesterol remnant particles appeared much stronger than for changes in either LDL-C or HDL-C levels (3). Most doctors (MDs) now check only fasting blood lipids and focus largely on LDL-C and HDL-C to assess their patient’s future CAD risk. This was based on the simplistic notion that it was only the LDL-C particles delivering cholesterol to the artery wall, making it the “bad” cholesterol, while the HDL-C particles were removing the cholesterol from the artery wall and bringing it back to the liver, making their cholesterol content “good”. Of course, we now know HDL-C particles can actually become proinflammatory and proatherogenic “bad” HDL particles, perhaps partly in response to biochemical changes in the HDL particles triggered in part by chylomicrons and other remnant cholesterol particles in the blood.

Chylomicrons and their cholesterol-rich remnants remain in the blood for several hours after each fat-rich meal and likely play a major role in promoting inflammation (by increasing IL-6 & CRP), thrombosis (by activating clotting factor VII), and atherosclerosis (by delivering more cholesterol-rich remnant particles to the artery wall). The fact that damage to the endothelium (inside “skin” of the artery wall) as evidenced by reduced flow mediated dilation (FMD) occurs to a much greater extent after a single fat-rich meal than after a meal high in carbohydrate points to the fact that pathological changes must be occurring in the artery wall in response to fat and cholesterol-rich particles coming from the intestines (4). Indeed, this reduced FMD is likely the main reason why many people with angina tend to experience far more chest pain after a large, fat-rich meal than they do after a meal high in carbohydrate-rich plant foods. The only legitimate debate is not whether LDL-C or other cholesterol-rich remnant particles promote atherosclerosis and increase the risk of CAD, but rather which is more atherogenic. Clearly both LDL-C and other remnant lipoprotein particles deliver cholesterol to the artery wall and promote foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Unlike LDL-C particles (which must first be oxidized), remnant cholesterol particles are readily taken up by scavenger receptors of macrophages in the cell wall to form foam cells (5,6). Increasing evidence suggests that damage to the artery wall from cholesterol-rich remnant particles appears to be at least as important as either fasting LDL-C or HDL-C levels for predicting future CAD events.

It should be noted that diets high in refined carbohydrates (particularly large amounts of refined sugars) combined with inactivity can contribute to a marked increase in the liver’s production of VLDL particles because the liver converts some of the excess carbohydrate (especially fructose) into triglyceride. This leads to more triglyceride-rich VLDL particles being released into the blood, which then degrade into cholesterol-rich remnant particles and eventually also LDL particles. This is particularly true in people who are genetically prone to develop insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and who experience significant increases in fasting triglyceride levels as visceral fat stores accumulate.

Bottom Line: Reducing LDL-C levels with statin drugs alone is insufficient for stopping and reversing CAD and preventing most heart attacks and strokes. A diet low in fat, salt, cholesterol, and refined carbohydrates coupled with increased activity and loss of excess weight may also be necessary to stop and reverse CAD in part by reducing remnant cholesterol levels in the blood.

By James J. Kenney, PhD, FACN

Sources:

  1. Mark Nordestgradd BG, Freiberg JJ. Clinical relevance of nonfasting and postprandial hypertriglyceride and remnant cholesterol. Curr Vasc Pharm. 2011;9:281-6
  2. Mark Cesar TB, et al. High cholesterol intake modifies chylomicron metabolism in normolipidemic young men. J Nutr 2006;136:971-6
  3. Mark Varbo A, et al. Remnant cholesterol as a causal risk factor for ischemic heart disease. J Am Col Cardiol. 2013;61:427-36
  4. Mark Tomaino RM, Decker EA. High-fat meals and endothelial function. Nutr Rev. 1998;56:182-5
  5. Mark Zilversmit DB. A proposal linking atherogenesis to the interaction of endothelial lipoprotein and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Circ Res.1973;33:633-8
  6. Mark Nakajima K, Nakano T, Tnaka A. The oxidative modification hypotheis of atherosclerosis: the comparison of atherogenic effects of oxidized LDL and remnant lipoproteins in plasma. Clin Chim Acta. 2006;367:534-42

Looking for fun ways to improve your clients’ understanding of cholesterol and its health risks? Check out this free handout: Cholesterol Puzzle.

Cholesterol Puzzle Handout

And, as you well know, there are tons of other heart health education materials available in the Nutrition Education Store. Pay special attention to the posters, which have been flying off the shelves lately!

LDL Cholesterol Poster

Premium Heart Health Education Kit

Heart Health Brochure: Lower Your Heart Attack Risk

Blood Pressure Poster

Related Posts

Diet and Exercise: How Does It Work?

Posted on by

Balancing ActIf I exercise every day, does that mean I can eat whatever I want?

Short Answer: No. Food choices and physical activity are both necessary for promoting overall good health.

Long Answer: The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans report begins with, “Eating and physical activity patterns that are focused on consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices, and being physically active can help people attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce their risk of chronic disease, and promote overall health.” According to the National Weight Control Registry, people who successfully lost weight and then maintained that new weight for at least 5 years reported that they did 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per day. Additional healthful habits included eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, eating breakfast, weighing themselves regularly, and maintaining a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends. A combination of daily physical activity and healthful eating can lead to long-term weight management success.

Why bother with maintaining a healthful diet and being physically active?

The scientifically-supported data indicates that if you do these things, you will have a lower risk of…

  • Early death
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Certain cancers
  • Depression

Key Message: Some physical activity is better than no physical activity. Accumulate a minimum of 20 minutes of moderately intense exercise every day for overall good health.

By Lynn Grieger RDN, CDE, CPT, CWC

Sources:

  1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp Accessed 4-22-14.
  2. Long-term weight loss maintenance. Rena R Wing and Suzanne Phelan. Am J Clin Nutr July 2005 vol. 82 no. 1 222S-225S.
  3. Physical Activity Guidelines. US Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/guidelines/ Accessed 4-22-14.

This post is excerpted from the Communicating Food for Health Newsletter. For more details or to read the unabridged post, sign up for a membership today!

Communicating Food for Health Member Newsletter

But wait, there’s more! Check out these amazing new arrivals…

2015 Food and Health Calendar Poster

Healthier Choices 1-2-3 Banner and Stand

Exercise to Lose and Control Weight Poster

Related Posts

A Better Way to Plan

Posted on by

By now, almost everyone is settling in to the back-to-school groove. But what if there were a new way to optimize performance?

Study CalMeet Study Cal.

My son Nicholas has created this well-reviewed and top-selling app for iPhones and iPads that will help students optimize their academic performance. Study Cal is a student planner and teaching tool that helps students manage their classes, organize and prioritize assignments, and even track their grades! It also has full-screen daily and weekly calendars and offers goal-setting calculations.

So. Why am I sharing the news about the app on this website?

Well, for one thing, Study Cal is my son’s project and I’m super proud of him. And, for another thing, I think this app can be hugely useful, so I want to tell you about it.

I believe that Study Cal could help all teachers and students. It’s intuitive and a great teaching tool. Plus, it helps students focus on getting better grades while managing their workload effectively.

Let’s look at an example from the app’s homepage. When you’re viewing an upcoming assignment, you’ll be told exactly what grade you need in order to either achieve the next letter grade in the class, or to maintain your current grade. So  if you have a 88% in a class, Study Cal might say something like “You need a 93% on this assignment to achieve an A in the class.” How cool is that?

The fun doesn’t stop there. When you view a grade in Study Cal, you can see how much it counts toward your final grade in the class too. Meanwhile, the full-screen weekly and daily calendars offer an intuitive view into when upcoming events happen in relation to each other. You can also see how much time you have for each one.

What do you think? Feel free to get more information or even buy the app today. After all, it’s only $1.99!

There are other performance-optimizing resources in the Nutrition Education Store. Check out some of the most popular options below…

Actual MyPlate Plates

Salad Secrets Cookbook

Portion and Calorie Bingo

Related Posts

Free from Chronic Disease

Posted on by

Improve your health and reduce your risk of chronic disease with fresh fruits and vegetables!

Fruits and vegetables for victory!According to MyPlate, the USDA’s guide to healthful and balanced eating, “Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers. Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.”

So stock up on healthful fruits and vegetables — they’re super good for you!

Here are some examples of fruits and vegetables that are nutrient powerhouses…

The pigments in blueberries, called anthocyanins, have been shown to slow and even reverse age-related declines in brain function, as well as cognitive and motor performance. Other compounds in blueberries may delay the effects of vascular dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects your cells from free radical damage. Vitamin C boosts your immune system, reduces inflammation, and protects blood vessels.

Yams and sweet potatoes top the charts in terms of beta carotene content. Beta carotene is also known as vitamin A and it plays a key role in heart health and heart disease prevention. Butternut squash and pumpkins are rich in beta carotene too.

Bananas have tons of potassium, which is key to controlling blood pressure and helping your heart work normally. They also contain compounds that protect your stomach from ulcer damage.

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale rock the vitamin count, with excellent supplies of vitamins A, C, and K. These vitamins protect your bones, decrease inflammation, support cell growth and development, protect vision, support your circulatory system, and improve immune function. The Agricultural Research Service asserts that “Because of their high content of antioxidants, green leafy vegetables may be one of the best cancer-preventing foods. Studies have shown that eating 2 to 3 servings of green leafy vegetables per week may lower the risk of stomach, breast and skin cancer.”

Like what you see? Here’s the handout!

Yay! Free handout!

There are tons of other ways to promote fruits and vegetables! Check out some of the bestselling resources today!

Vegetable Bulletin Board Kit

Color Your World with Food Wellness Fair Banner

Fruit Tooth Dessert Cookbook

Related Posts

Fruit Juice: As Bad as Sugary Drinks?

Posted on by

The lowdown on juiceYour clients have probably already been warned about the health impact of sugary sodas and energy drinks. But have they considered fruit juice?

Fruit juice certainly seems healthful, especially when you get a brand that has no added sugars and lots of health claims on the label. But is it actually good for you?

Research published in The Lancet indicates that fruit juice may be as bad as sugary drinks in terms of calorie content, sugar content, and even, to a lesser extent, nutrient profile. Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and one of the lead authors in the study, asserts, “Fruit juice has a similar energy density and sugar content to other sugary drinks, for example: 250 ml of apple juice typically contains 110 kcal and 26 g of sugar; and 250 ml of cola typically contains 105 kcal and 26.5 g of sugar.”

Of course, fruit does still contain sugar, but generally a piece of fruit has less sugar than a glass of juice. Whole fruit also contains fiber, which is mostly lost in the juicing process. According to Sattar, “One glass of fruit juice contains substantially more sugar than one piece of fruit; in addition, much of the goodness in fruit – [fiber], for example – is not found in fruit juice, or is there in far smaller amounts.”

Choose whole fruit instead!The Grape Juice Trial, referenced both by this study as well as in Medical News Today, provides a good illustration of this point. In the trial, participants drank a little over 2 cups of grape juice per day for 3 months. At the end of the trial, overweight participants had larger waists and higher levels of insulin resistance.

The trouble is that most people don’t realize that fruit juice isn’t the health powerhouse that it’s marketed to be. The article in The Lancet laments, “Thus, contrary to the general perception of the public, and of many [healthcare] professionals, that drinking fruit juice is a positive health [behavior], their consumption might not be substantially different in health terms from consumption of [sugar-sweetened beverages].”

After coming to that conclusion, the study authors assert, “We [hypothesized] that public perception of the healthiness of fruit juices might be based on poor awareness of their sugar content.” In order to test this hypothesis, they surveyed over 2,000 people about their knowledge of a variety of beverages.

What did they find?

The people surveyed often significantly underestimated the sugar content of fruit juice and smoothies while slightly overestimating the sugar content of sugar-sweetened beverages.

So what can we conclude? Well, it seems that people don’t really know how sugar-dense, calorie-dense, and nutrient-light many fruit juices are. Fruit juices lack many of the nutrients and much of the fiber that you can get in whole fruit. Plus, whole fruit has less sugar than a glass of juice.

We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more research on the subject!

References:

Of course, there are tons of great educational resources about nutrition and drinks in the Nutrition Education Store. Here are some options that might be useful…

Are You Drinking Candy? Sugar Awareness Poster

Don’t Drink Your Calories PowerPoint and Handout Set

Healthier Choices Bulletin Board Kit

Related Posts