Nutrition Information Overload!

Written by Sarah Vacher
Part of National Nutrition Month 2013

Healthy Eating Tips:

• Don’t eat any salt.                                                                               
• Cut out saturated fats. 
• Eat more Omega 3 fats.                                                  
• Cut carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates should be your main energy source.
• Don’t eat sugar.
• Don’t use artificial sweeteners.

Confused? Unfortunately, we are bombarded with confusing and sometimes incorrect messages like these everyday! Whether you watched a health segment on Good Morning America or saw a viral email claiming the horrors of aspartame, you have been influenced by media to form opinions about food that may or may not be accurate. With all of these rules, how can we eat things that taste good?

Moderation! Use a little bit of salt! Use some sugar! Don’t listen to sources that tell you to ban a certain food from your diet entirely unless it is medical (an allergy to gluten or reducing salt due to hypertension). To a person of normal health status, there are no bad foods. Eat the foods you like in the amounts recommended by USDA. If you’re not sure what those recommendations are, you can go myPlate.com for more information.

Keep it balanced. Don’t listen to sources that tell you to ban a certain food from your diet entirely. All foods have some nutritional value, and no food in excess is beneficial!

Colorful plates! The color of your food is indicative of the different nutrients that are in it. The more variety in color you have on your plate, the wider the variety of nutrients and phytochemicals you are providing your body!

Research! If you read a claim, make an informed decision about it by looking into reputable sources like the government and university publications or research articles!

With your busy lifestyle, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with trending theories and research in nutrition. Just remember to keep your diet balanced, varied, and consume everything in moderation.  And don’t get swept away by the “latest findings” without a little research yourself! Happy Eating! 

References

US Department of Agriculture. (2011). ChooseMyPlate.gov. Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html

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Taste the Rainbow

Written by Shelbi Ratliff
Part of National Nutrition Month 2012

Variety is key! Fruits and veggies are extremely valuable to our health because they are natural whole foods. In order to consume all of the vital nutrients needed for our body we must eat all of the colorful fruits and vegetables provided for us. We all know that no single food contains all of the nutrients that are needed in sufficient amounts. Each vegetable and fruit contains various vitamins, minerals, and sources of fiber.  For example, the red family like tomatoes and watermelons contain lycopene, which aids in preventing cancer. The yellow-orange family has a significant amount of Vitamin C levels, which help strengthen our immune systems. Many people focus on having a good amount of green on their plate, but as you can see here adding a wide variety of color to your meal is crucial. A good rule of thumb when trying to balance your plate with a variety of foods is the more color the better. The more color that is seen on the plate is a good indicator that you will be eating an assortment of all the different food groups.

Suggestions:

Red: Red peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries

Yellow/Orange: Cantaloupe, carrots, yellow peppers, pineapples

Green: Avocados, broccoli, cucumbers, spinach

Blue/Purple: Blueberries, grapes, plums, raisins

References

Paige. (2011August 22). Eating colorful foods [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://healthyhitsthespot.com/2011/08/22/guest-post-eating-colorful-foods/

Tan, E. (2010, July 2). Colorful food is important for our health. Retrieved from http://healthmad.com/nutrition/colorful-food-is-important-for-our-health/

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