KTK-Nutrition

Snacks – should kids have snacks?   Do snacks ruin a kid’s appetite?   Are snacks healthy?   So often I hear that kids shouldn’t have snacks.   A friend recently stated her kids are always hungry after school, but they don’t know if they should get snacks or what snacks to give them.   All kids not only should have snacks but actually need snacks.  Kids, especially younger kids, have very small stomachs.  They can’t eat large amounts of food at meals so they get hungry between meals.  USDA sets a meal pattern for child care centers and this meal plan has a morning snack and an afternoon snack.  School-age kids should have an after-school or afternoon snack every day.  After-school snacks are a great opportunity to provide kids with nourishing options that keep their energy levels up.   But this snack shouldn’t be gorging on junk food.  What are some guidelines for healthy snacks and what are some snacks kids can make for th...

When the scale isn’t moving, it can be frustrating.   Many people shut down on their weight loss journey when they don’t see immediate progress.   But important changes are happening.   A relative called me.   They were dieting, adding exercise and did lose a few pounds.   But then they reached a plateau and were very frustrated.   How do you know your diet and new exercise habits are working when the scale doesn’t move?   Environmental Nutrition outlines six ways to know you are still making progress in the April 2024 article, “Look Beyond the Scale”.    Weight loss is a great indicator you are improving your health when you are dieting and trying to get in shape. But you don’t need to rely just on the scale in your weight loss journey.   There are also other wins for your health. 1.   Better health :   When one loses weight and adds more exercise to their routine, their body benefits in many ways even if they hit a plate...

We have all seen frail, elderly people who have seemed to have lost a lot of muscle.   But did you know that you start losing muscle long before you become elderly?   Studies have found that after the age of 30, yes 30, you begin to lose about 3-8% of your muscle mass per decade.   This loss accelerates after the age of 60.   Environmental Nutrition (April 2024) has a great article, “Preserving Muscle is a Key Part of Healthy Aging”.   But this information isn’t just for the elderly but for anyone who wants to preserve muscle mass.    What is sarcopenia? Sarcopenia is a fancy name for losing muscle and muscle strength as we age.   Building muscle requires your body to make muscle protein.   Unfortunately, our body’s ability to make muscle protein declines as we age.   Sarcopenia is more common in people over 60 and it affects both men and women.   Studies estimate about 5-13% of people over 60 have sarcopenia and up to “50% o...

Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...

Many people hear that meat, especially red meat is bad for you.   Others avoid dairy for many reasons.   But the latest research has found that meat and dairy may actually help your immune system fight cancer.   Who knew?   What have scientists found out about meat and dairy? What is it about the composition of meat and dairy that may have some good health benefits? What is this newly discovered nutrient in meat and dairy that helps fight cancer? Researchers at the University of Chicago studied a nutrient found in beef, lamb and dairy products that helps our immune system fight cancer.   What is this nutrient?   I had not heard of it and you probably haven’t either.   It is actually found in the fat in meat and dairy and is called trans-vaccenic acid or TVA.   Research on nutrients like TVA highlights the link between diet and human health demonstrating how compounds from food can influence our immune responses and overall well-being. ...