KTK-Nutrition

Who doesn’t like cheese?   Cheese pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese and crackers.   Many studies have been done on cheese and its health benefits.   So what is the latest – is cheese healthy or bad for our hearts and bodies? The recent issue of the Wellness Letter from the University of California reported on the latest cheese research (Say Cheese?, September 2015).  They noted the French consume a lot of cheese as I can verify having visited France last year.   Cheese and bread at breakfast, cheese and bread at lunch.   The French love their cheese.   Yet, the French have relatively low heart disease rates.   Why?   Heart Health – many people say cheese is not good for your heart because cheese has some bad fat in it, saturated fat.   A study in 2013 found no link between eating a lot of cheese and heart disease.   Another 2012 study found followed Swedish women for 12 years.   Surprisingly, the women who ate the most cheese had the lowest rate of heart attacks.   Oth

How often do we hear people say, “I am watching my carbs?”   So many people think cutting back on carbs is the best way to lose some weight.   But is this true?   Should you cut back on fat calories or carb calories?   A recent study posted by WebMD looks at carbs vs fats.   Which diet burns more fat and which diet would lead to lasting weight loss? The title of the WebMD article gives away the study findings:   Low-Carb Diets Don't Work the Way We Thought . Low carb diets – do they really “melt away the fat”?   Melt away your belly fat?    One theory behind low carb diets is that eating less carbs lowers your insulin levels in your blood.   Since insulin promotes fat storage, less insulin less fat storage.   Is this true?   The newest study says “NO” Study – NIH studied 19 overweight adults.    For 11 days, they lived in a special room and everything they ate was monitored.   They even captured the air they breathed to measure exactly how many calories they burned and if

School is starting soon and has started in some cities.   What should you pack for your kids’ lunch?   What are some of the more healthier options?   In Japan, they have these cool lunch packaging containers with compartments for essentially each food group.   When packing a kids’ lunch keep MyPlate in mind.    2 fruits/veggies – yes, 2 servings – one of each is good or 2 fruits, 2 veggies – carrot and celery sticks, a juice box and an apple     Grains – whole grains are best but it is often not easy to get a child to like whole grains.   They do have whole grain white bread or whole grain crackers.   They even have whole grain Goldfish.   Dairy – if it can be kept cold, yogurt is a great option as long as it is not the child’s versions loaded with added sugar and artificial flavorings.   Or have your child buy milk at school. Protein – lean meats, peanut butter, 2% cheeses. MSN, Healthy Foods That are Perfect for School Lunch , had some great suggestions for healthier kid l

How would you like to have dinner with a longevity expert?   What questions would you ask about how to live a longer life?    Well, a New York Times reporter did have dinner with the longevity expert, Dan Buettner.   So what advice does a longevity expert offer?          1.    Coffee – according to Buettner, coffee is “one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the American diet”,   He notes Greeks living on the Greek island, Icaria, drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day.   These are people who often live to 100.            2.   Focus on veggies and herbs – to prepare an evening meal, Buettner purchase fennel, broccoli, celery, carrots, chickpeas          3.    Add Honey – local honey, and Tofu, coconut milk, frozen berries         4.   Walk – exercise is important to a long life and walking is one of Buettner’s approved ways to exercise as those living in the “Blue Zones” walk a lot.          5.    Is butter back?   Although some are saying butter is fine, Buettner notes

What is summer or a backyard cookout without some watermelon?    How healthy is watermelon, what nutrition benefits does it offer?   As noted below, watermelon packs a lot of nutrition for few calories.     National Geographic’s   Reasons to Eat Watermelon   and Medical News Today:   Watermelon:   Healthy Benefits and Nutritional Information :           1.     Soothes sore muscles – what does eating watermelon have to do with your muscles?   A research study found that “drinking watermelon juice before a hard work out” helped reduce muscle soreness the next day.   Watermelon also shortens recovery time.   Watermelon has the amino acid, L-citrulline which our bodies change to L-arginine, an amino acid that improves blood circulation and relaxes your blood vessels.          2.   Heart Health – These same amino acids improve your heart health by helping to lower blood pressure.           3.   Watermelon is rich in vitamins and minerals – Although watermelon is 90% water, it al