KTK-Nutrition

Summer is here and hydration becomes even more important in hot weather.   Each summer I blog on hydration and this topic is one of my most popular posts.   From the list below, can you guess what beverage or food is best for hydration?     Water?   Juice?  Cow’s milk?  Eating some watermelon? Did you answer “water”?   Most people will answer “water” as being the best for hydration.   And most people would say drinking the 8 glasses of water a day is all one needs to do to stay hydrated.   But is water really the best beverage for hydration?   Are there other ways to stay hydrated like eating a slice of watermelon?   What about those electrolyte drinks?   Are these needed to stay hydrated?   What about kids?   Some kids are not the best about drinking water throughout the day.   What else can parents do to help keep their kids hydrated in hot weather? What is the first sign that you need more fluids/water?   Believe it or not the first sign that your body needs more water

Food trends come and go.   Trends from long ago like the bogus vinegar diet keeps coming back again.   What are the food trends of the Gen Z?   My daughter, not a Gen Z, sent me an interesting article, Tracking the Latest Gen Z Food Trends in 2024 .   How do their food trends differ from previous generations? What age group is Gen Z? As of 2024, Gen Z are those born from 1997-2012.   Thus, they range in age from 12 and 27 years of age.   So, some have reached adulthood.      What are their main concerns re food? Gen Zers are interested in foods that are: “healthy, sustainable, and affordable, and readily available on demand”.    Doesn’t sound like they would be growing gardens as they want food right away.   How do Gen Zers differ from millennials? Not a huge difference but Gen Z are more interested in vegan and vegetarian foods but on and off.   So more like the Flexitarian diet.   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 to learn more about the Flexitarian Diet.)

Summer is here and so is hot weather.   We are all looking forward to a nice cool beverage on hot days.   Will your favorite beverage may be missing from the shelf?   The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recalling 28 different beverages including sodas, juices and even some bottled water.   Why?   Because of some harmful ingredients and even some cancer-causing chemicals.   Is your beverage on the list? Why is the FDA recalling some beverages? The FDA is recalling 28 beverages because of harmful ingredients.   One tea was recalled because it contained some anti-inflammatory medication, not listed as an ingredient.   An apple juice was recalled because it contained high levels of arsenic.   Arsenic actually “occurs naturally in the environment.” FDA has guidance on how much arsenic can be in foods as high levels are associated with “increased risk of bladder and skin cancers”.     Sodas were recalled because of sugar content.   What bottled water was recalled? The FDA re

Are you being fooled by foods promoted as “healthy” that turn out to be not so good for your health?   Some foods marketed as “healthy” can still be high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.   To make informed choices one has to read labels and understand the nutritional content of foods.   What are some examples of misleading “healthy” foods?      Plant-Based Meat:   These have been the rage but now seem to have lost their popularity.   Good thing as many of the plant-based meat products are not so good for your health.   I had a student that was so proud of switching from eating a regular hamburger to a plant-based hamburger and really thought that this was so much better for her health.   Was it?   McDonald’s tested the McPlant burger based on Beyond Meat but it ended in 2022 and never went nationwide.   Burger King offered Impossible Burgers in 2019 as the Impossible Whopper.     The Burger King website says the Impossible Whopper patty is made from “soy and potato protein, co