KTK-Nutrition

As the weather turns hot, it is so important to stay hydrated.   This week my husband and I went on a long bicycle ride.   It was going to be 95 degrees that day, so we rode in the morning, found a shadier bike path to ride on and definitely brought some water with us.   Water and other liquids are great for hydration, but there are also foods that are hydrating.   My daughter said she loves watermelon in the summer.   Watermelon is a great food for hydration.   What foods can you add to your diet to help you stay hydrated?   Students in my class are often surprised to learn there are foods loaded with water that help with hydration. Our bodies need water and water is actually a required nutrient.   We lose some water every day from sweat, urine and even breathing.   In the summer, we sweat more and we lose more water.   It is important to restore “your body’s water supply regularly”.   Most of our daily water does come from th...

Many people start their day full of energy.   But often by midafternoon, you experience the afternoon slump.   What foods can help you boost your energy and rev you up to finish off the day?   My younger sister sent me an article on energy boosting foods and almost the same day, my older sister sent me an article on foods to boost moods and brain energy .   So, what are some foods that can boost your overall energy and boost your mood? Avocados – yes, avocados do have fat, but it is a healthy fat.   Enjoy some avocado toast, or guacamole and whole grain corn chips.   The fat and fiber in avocados will help fill you up and will prevent a sudden spike in blood sugar.   The rise and fall of blood sugar levels is a reason many people feel even more tired after eating candy bars or other high sugar foods. Bananas – these are my go-to fruit for energy.   I eat a banana every day when I get up and before some morning exercise like a walk, yoga or som...

Last week we talked about the fats that are not so good for your health – the saturated fats.   But what are the good fats?   Fats we can enjoy eating and not worry about heart health?   Yes, there are a lot of heart healthy fats.   How do you know how to choose the fats that are good for your heart? What are the heart healthy fats?   1. Unsaturated fats – the “good” fats, the heart healthy fats are unsaturated and usually liquid at room temperature.   These fats don’t clog your arteries.   The “bad” fats for our health are saturated fats and usually solid at room temperature.   The vegetable oils are usually liquid at room temperature while the saturated fats like bacon grease become solid at room temperature.   Unsaturated fats not only help lower blood cholesterol; they also lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. a.        Oils – what oils are considered good for your heart?    ...

Some interesting research and articles in the news.   Do you like guacamole or adding some avocados to your salad?    Good for your overall health and especially good for your eyes.    Have small children around?   Cut up those grapes and cherry tomatoes.   Do you enjoy some KFC?   Healthier KFC is coming soon. Avocados – in the June 2017 edition of Consumer Reports they noted the following question: “Someone told me avocados are good for your eyes.”   True or False? So true.   Consumer Reports notes avocados are rich with two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.   Both are great for healthy eyes.   Dr. Lipman, Consumer Reports’ Chief Medical Advisor stated, “..they are thought to filter the blue UV rays from the sun – which can damage these eye parts – helping to prevent macular degeneration and possible cataracts.”    Other vegetables that are also good for eye health are those that are dark green such as ...

Smoothies are the rage and many people have their favorite smoothie recipe.   Which one is better for you?   A recent article in the New York Times, Are Smoothies Better For You Than Juices? , outline the pros and cons of juice vs. smoothies.          1.          Juice – to be healthy, juice has to be real, 100% juice.   Many people buy Sunny D, Hi-C, or Capri-Sun juice drinks and think they are getting real, 100% juice.   But these are fruit drinks or juice drinks and not 100% real juice.   These fruit drinks may contain some juice as Hi-C drinks contain about   10% real juice.   Simply Fruit Punch Juice Drink contains only 15% juice.   The rest is mostly sugar water.   The added sugar in these drinks is often high fructose corn syrup or cane sugar which provide only “empty calories” without the nutritional benefits of real juice.     Choose "juic...

School has started or will soon be starting across the land.   How can you pack lunches that are not only healthy but contain some super foods?    Kaiser Permanente recently published, 8 Superfoods to Pack in Your Child's Lunch .   Why are these Super Foods?   For one, these foods are loaded with nutrients.   Thus, even a small serving packs a big nutrition boost.    Second, since they are packed with nutrients these foods fuel your child’s body and their brains.   So what are the 8 Super Foods?                      1.  Berries – all berries are super healthy foods.   They are full of vitamins like vitamin C which can help fight off infections and they have a lot of antioxidants.   Serve berries at breakfast by adding them to oatmeal, dry cereal, a smoothie. Pack in a lunch box with some yogurt or in a container for your child to...