KTK-Nutrition

Seems like everyone is going on vacation this summer.   But how can you enjoy your vacation and not return 5 or more pounds heavier?   We all want to have fun on vacation by eating out in new restaurants, trying new foods, and not worrying about gaining weight.   For those who want to return from vacation at the same weight they left, what are some things you can do?   WebMD has some good advice in their article, Avoid Vacation Weight Gain: 5 Simple Rules   .   Tip 1:     Plan Ahead to Include Some Physical Fitness Every vacation my husband and I go on, includes hiking on trails, renting bikes to enjoy some bike trails, or walking a lot.   Yes, we still enjoy site seeing, eating at restaurants, but we also enjoy being active on our vacations.   On a recent trip to Yellowstone, we hiked a lot, walked a lot and also rented bikes and enjoyed biking by a number of geysers.   The WebMD article notes , “Keep in mind that physical acti...

Americans love to snack.   Who doesn’t enjoy some snacks?   Most afternoons I enjoy some popcorn as a snack.   Not a bad choice since popcorn is whole grain and actually good for you.   We can fit snacks into our diet, even some not-so-healthy snacks.   But, some of us have no idea how much is too much.   We start to eat a seemingly small portion of a snack and before we know it, we’ve eaten most of the bag or box.   Eat This, Not That! Has some good recommendations on what the correct portion size is for snacks.   Why watch the portion size?   Many snacks that we enjoy fall into the junk food or empty-calorie food category, meaning the snack food is loaded with calories but not loaded with nutrients.   What are some of those snack foods we tend to eat an over-size amount of? Potato Chips – one of my relatives who loved Pringles said they had to give them up cold turkey.   Why?   Because they would always eat the entire ...

The USA is well known for its safe food supply.   But there are foods and ingredients in the USA that are banned in other countries.   Each country and the European Union have their own food standards so what can be sold in one country may be banned for sale in another country.    Go on a trip to another country and you will see American food everywhere.   In France, you can easily stop at a McDonald’s for their coffee or food.   Our fast food restaurants seem to populate the globe.   But some foods you can easily buy in the USA are not sold in some other countries.   Or, there are some ingredients you can find on food labels in the USA but not in some countries.   What are some of these ingredients and what countries ban them?      1.     Artificial Food Dyes :     Many candies and other foods are colorful because of artificial food dyes.   M&M’s – one of my favorite snacks, especi...

What are some easy ways to add some whole grains to your day especially in March as March is National Nutrition Month?   When I told my husband that March was National Nutrition Month, he said, “I plan to celebrate by having an extra banana and carrot.”    Very funny.   But he did suggest healthy choices.   You can also celebrate National Nutrition Month by adding some whole grains to your diet.   What are some health benefits of whole grains?   Do you have to give up chips to have healthier snacks?    I like chips and snacks and it isn’t hard to make some healthier choices.     1. Why are whole grains so good for our health? The Mayo Clinic writes , “Why whole grains are the healthier choice”.   They state if you want to eat healthier, you need to add some whole grains to your day.   A dietitian at the Mayo Clinic notes, “The healthiest bread option is something made with whole grains.   It needs to say who...

So many things are added to the foods we eat.   An interesting article appeared in the paper about food additives and our health, especially children’s health.   It is actually hard to find and eat foods that are additive free.   Especially if you buy a lot of ready made food or eat at Fast Food restaurants.   This article is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)new policy statement which encourages families to try to reduce exposure to the synthetic chemicals in our foods.   Three types of synthetic chemicals are focused on, the chemicals in: food colorings, preservatives and the chemicals found in food packaging. What harm are these food additives causing? According to the AAP, some food additives can interfere with children’s hormones, their growth and development.   Some additives are linked to an increased risk of childhood obesity.    How many food additives are there? You may be surprised to learn that over 10,000...

On road trips, who doesn’t have to stop at a gas station?   Are there some healthier grab and go foods you can buy at gas stations?   How can you stop those hunger pains but not fill up on junk food?   Healthier Beverage Options 1.   Water – always a good choice to stay hydrated.   Choose a no-calorie sparkling water.   Or treat yourself to some Perrier mineral water. 2.    Juice – most gas stations have 100% juice.   Just make sure you are not reaching for Sunny D, Hi-C or some other highly sugared beverage.    Just heard on TV that half the added sugar in our diets comes from sugar sweetened beverages.   Not sure if this is a true fact but Americans eat a lot of added sugar.   Some people might say juice is high in sugar. 100% juice has no added sugar, just the natural sugar from fructose.   Look for some Naked Juice which is a blend of many juices and always no sugar added. 3. Milk – yes, milk ...

New Food Labels Now Appearing on Food Packages:   new food labels were proposed by the Food and Drug Administration with an implementation date of July 2018.   While this date has been postponed to allow manufacturers more time to comply, many manufacturers are already changing their food labels.   Look at the packages of food you eat for these new labels.   Some companies are early adopters including Nabisco, PepsiCo, and KIND.   So, you will see the new food labels on Wheat Thins, KIND bars, Lay’s Chips, Fritos and Cheetos.   What are some of the things to look for on these new food labels? Added Sugars –One of the most important changes is the addition of “added sugar” to the label.   Food labels already include “sugars” but this is of little value as the label didn’t tell you if the “sugars” were added or naturally present in the food.   For example, milk naturally has the sugar, lactose, in it.   So, “sugars” are listed on the...