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See Clearer with Green Foods!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Basil
Photo: USDA Flickr

March brings us closer to spring colors, such as fresh green foods! Some of those green foods contain lutein which helps keep our eyes healthier and could reduce the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lutein is a xanthophyll found in foods such as basil, parsley, kale, spinach, broccoli, peas and lettuce.

Some risk factors for AMD are out of our control such as advancing age, being female, having light skin and/or blue eyes, and having a close relative with the disease. Other factors include smoking, being sedentary, not consuming enough fruits and vegetables, and too much sun exposure.

But, eating eye-healthy foods can reduce the chances of getting AMD. So how can you incorporate these green foods into your diet? Add bright green vegetables to a party tray. Add a green salad as a side dish to lunch or dinner. Make the color pop in broccoli and green peas by blanching them briefly in boiling water, then put them into ice water to stop the cooking process. This enhances the green color to make those vegetables more appetizing.

Source: www.ag.ndsu.edu/mercercountyextension/news/around-the-home/get-the-benefits-of-green-on-st-patricks-day and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705341/

 

Kansas Nutrition Council Conference

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

The annual Kansas Nutrition Council Conference will be held April 23, 2020 at the K-State Alumni Center, Manhattan, KS.

Topics included in the conference include What’s Your Carb IQ?; Digestive Health; Intermittent Fasting: Trending Fad or Future Goals and many more.

Early bird registration is $130 by February 29. After that, the cost goes up to $150. Learn more about the day and how to register at https://www.facebook.com/events/2276398999323624/.

The Kansas Nutrition Council strives to provide structure and leadership for linking Kansas professionals in nutrition and related fields.

Stock Your Pantry the MED Way

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: USDA Flickr

The Mediterranean way of eating emphasizes a lot of fruits and vegetables. There are a variety of options to achieve this goal.

Fresh fruits and vegetables choices change throughout the year based on growing season. But, many of these same foods are available in frozen, canned, or dried forms year around. Look for plain frozen fruits and vegetables without added flavors or sauces. Choose canned products without added salt for vegetables or canned in their own juice for fruit. Dried fruits can be eaten as is or can be rehydrated.

Fresh or frozen fish options are few in some locations. But canned tuna or salmon, packed in water or olive oil, are good choices.

Don’t have fresh herbs? There are many dried herbs available to use instead. A general substitution is 1/4 teaspoon dried ground = 1 teaspoon dried whole/crumbled = 1 tablespoon fresh chopped.

If certain foods are not available in your local grocery store, ask the manager to order the item. You may not be the only person looking for it and it could become a regular item on the shelf.

Learn more at https://medinsteadofmeds.com/tips-and-tools/med-way-kitchen-staples/.

 

Bitter Taste Could Be in Your Genes

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: USDA Flickr

While we encourage consumers to eat healthy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, to some, the bitterness will turn up their nose.

Turns out, this could be genetic. Researchers at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine discovered that we all inherit two copies of the TAS2R38 taste gene. There are two variants of this gene, the AVI and PAV variants. If you have two copies of the AVI variant, you are not as sensitive to bitter flavors those foods. If you have one of each variant, you perceive bitter flavors in the same foods. If you have two PAV variants, you are a “super-taster” and those foods will be very bitter and inedible.

Source: Food Technology, January 2020

 

Tea May Help Brain Health

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: USDA/ARS

There have been many reports on the benefits of drinking tea. It can be refreshing, soothing, calming and also provide health benefits.

In a recent study from the National University of Singapore, they looked at how tea effects brain function. Specifically, they targeted the connection between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This was designed to see if tea would reduce the aging affects on the brain and the connections regarding cognition and organization.

By using neuropsychological tests and magnetic resonance imaging, the study found that consumers who drank black, green, or oolong tea four times a week had better brain connectivity and better functionality.

While more research is needed, this is a positive step to better brain health. Read more at https://news.nus.edu.sg/research/drinking-tea-improves-brain-health.

 

2020 Kansas Nutrition Council Conference

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Come join your friends and colleagues in the nutrition field at the Kansas Nutrition Council conference scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2020, at the K-State Alumni Center, Manhattan, KS.

The conference agenda includes:

7:30-8:00 a.m. | Breakfast & Registration

8:00-9:00 a.m. | Jim Painter, What’s Your Carb IQ?

9:00-10:00 a.m. | Megan Harper, Digestive Health

10:00-10:20 a.m. | BREAK

10:20-11:20 a.m. | Jenna Braddock, Enneagram Type & Eating

11:20 a.m. -12:20 p.m. | Claudia Martin-Ayoade, Intermittent Fasting: Trending Fad or Future Goals?

12:20-1:15 p.m. | LUNCH (Sponsored by KS Beef Council)

1:20-2:20 p.m. | Rebecca Kirk-McConville, Optimizing Nutrition to Avoid Red-S

2:20-3:20 p.m. | Paige Penick, Getting Out of Your Head: Becoming More Effective in Business and Communication

3:20-3:30 p.m. | BREAK

3:30-3:45 p.m. | Brainstorming Session: The Future of KNC

3:45-4:45 p.m. | Andrea Kasper-Doggett, Trauma-Informed Care Across Client Systems

Register now!

 

Sodium and Your Health

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Reading Nutrition Facts label information can help control sodium intake.

While sodium helps make food taste good, for some consumers, sodium imbalance can be a serious health issue. It helps regulate blood pressure, water content in the body, and many other factors.

If sodium levels in the blood are low, this can be the result of diarrhea, vomiting, kidney disease, heart failure, diuretic medications, liver cirrhosis, and other factors. The symptoms the body gives include confusion, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, muscle weakness, and other symptoms.

Consulting a medical professional is a priority. There are many issues that can lead to low sodium. Treatments can include medication, fluids through the vein, or limited liquid intake.

Learn more at https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000394.htm.

 

Alternative Proteins

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Traditionally, when consumers think about consuming protein, they choose animal protein sources such as meat, poultry or fish products. In today’s cuisine, the sources of protein have changed.

Plant protein foods are becoming mainstream to take up space at some dinner tables. Soy foods have been around for years. Other plant sources include peas, wheat and others. New ground products include soy leghemoglobin or beet juice to give them the red color and “bleed” like animal meat. In some products, methylcellulose is used to bind the ingredients together to be made into “meat-like” shapes. There are many ingredients in these products and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

These products give consumers choice. They still need to meet food safety regulations and still must be handled safely by the consumer. Learn more at extension2.missouri.edu/n1316.

 

It’s Not the Turkey!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Turkey gets a bad rap for causing the post Thanksgiving meal nap. Give the poor bird a break!

Tryptophan is an amino acid in turkey and many other foods. The body uses it to make serotonin, which triggers happy and calm feelings, and is a precursor to melatonin, which controls wake/sleep cycles. But there’s not a lot of tryptophan in turkey to impact melatonin.

What is it then? It’s how much food you eat. We tend to overeat at the holidays which includes high carbohydrate foods, then include energy spent interacting with guests, extra time cooking and more. So, the reason to take a nap can be due to many reasons. Give the turkey a break!

Source: Tufts Health & Nutrition, Nov. 2019

Outsmart Your Cravings!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

We all crave certain foods from time to time. The psychology behind cravings show that hormones, memories and other triggers create a sensory signal of craving a food. This intensifies with hunger or dieting.

So how can you outsmart these cravings? Here are some tips.

  • Take a walk! Some sort of physical activity can redirect your craving, thus putting mind over matter.
  • Your nose picks up on food odors, so try smelling a nonfood, such as a scented candle, to redirect your brain.
  • You’ve heard the saying, “my eyes were bigger than my stomach.” So keep healthful snacks in your vision.
  • Do you crave sweets? Grab naturally sweet fruit to curb that craving.
  • Thanksgiving is about comfort food. Enjoy in moderation, smaller portions, or do a healthier makeover to classic recipes.

Source: https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/buzz-brain-wired-create-food-cravings/

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University