KTK-Nutrition

Feeling down, anxious, under stress?   Many people turn to food to boost their mood but then choose junk food, foods high in sugar and fat.   Junk foods won’t really help improve your mood.   What are some foods that not only are mood boosters but also good for your health? Good fats and your mood: The Harvard Health Blog notes the healthy omega-3 fats actually travel to our brains and interact “with mood-related molecules in the brain.   These healthy fats are also anti-inflammatory which helps “relieve depression”.   And omega-3 fats may help stabilize any mood swings.   (See:   What are omega 3 fats and why are they good for you? )   Some ways to add omega-3 fats to your day: Fish:   A good source of omega-3 fats are fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines.   Oils:   flaxseed oil and canola oil. Seeds:   Flaxseeds, chia seeds Nuts:   walnuts are high in omega-3 fats Green, leafy vegetables lik...

 Have you ever heard someone say that when they are stressed, they like to eat?   When you are stressed are their foods that might help calm you? Help fight that stress?   If you research foods and stress, you will come across any number of headlines:   9 Foods and Beverages That May Promote Calm , What are some foods that east anxiety? , 13 foods that fight stress .   So, what foods might you keep on hand or seek out when you want some calm in your life?   Fruit – satisfy your sweet tooth with some fruit, especially berries .   All those healthy antioxidants in berries can “help protect your cells from stress and may help ease feelings of depression.”     Oranges are another fruit good for fighting stress.   It is the vitamin C that helps fight anxiety.   Studies have shown that diets rich in C “may help calm you and put you in a better frame of mind“.      (See:   Are you getting your daily vitamin C? )...

Are you in the habit of taking a morning walk?   If not, should you start?   Scientists have found there are many health benefits to starting your day with an early morning walk.   Eat This, Not That! has a great article , What Going for a Morning Walk Does to Your Body, Says Science .   And it doesn’t have to be a long walk, even 10 minutes can benefit your health. A brain boost – Your brain relies on sugar (glucose) for energy and this glucose is in your blood.   Walking increases the amount of blood going to your brain and thus increases the amount of fuel going to your brain.   Researchers from New Mexico Highlands University found that a steady walk significantly improved blood flow to the brain.   Want some tips on improving your walk, then Harvard has some for you, The Secret Trick for Walking for Exercise .   What is the “secret”?   To start, just walk at a steady pace for 5-20 minutes a day a few days a week.   Get your bo...

Does what you eat affect how you sleep?   My daughter sent me an interesting article discussing how the food you eat and the beverages you drink affect how well you sleep.   The author said she tried a new diet and found that she slept better.   She based her “diet” on information she learned from The Sleep Doctor who was on the TODAY show offering advice.   The Sleep Doctor not only has a website offering sleep advice, he also runs an online course, “ How to Sleep Better Course” .   Along with the Sleep Doctor a clinical psychologist also provided some diet advice that this article reviewed and the author tried.    If you want a better night’s sleep, what are some things you might want to try? 1.  Coffee  a.      Wait 60-90 minutes before your first cup of coffee:   The Sleep Doctor recommends you forgo coffee until 90 minutes after you wake up.   This would be a challenge for many people who grab their ...

Who doesn’t like some left over Halloween candy?   My husband showed me an article about the “best and worst Halloween candies” apparently ranked by dietitians.   The article was interesting and we will give some highlights.   I don’t expect Halloween candy or any candy to be healthy.   But, if it has some chocolate, there is some nutritional value to chocolate.   And nuts – say hello to peanut M&M’s or PayDays.   Candies that contains some chocolate and/or nuts at least provide some nutritional value.   Read about what candies dietitians rated the highest and why. How do two dietitians rank some popular Halloween candy?   Dietitian 1 Ranked the top 3 as: PayDay - one of my favorites.   Ranked number 1 because it contains peanuts.   This candy bar actually provides some protein, up to 7 grams depending on the size you buy.   And surprising for a candy, PayDay provides some fiber, about 2 grams.   One of these candy ...

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 ...

What is this “new sugar” that Nestle has developed? Nestle researchers have been trying to reduce the amount of sugar in chocolate.   The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend we reduce our intake of “added sugars”.   So it would be a good thing if chocolate candy has less “added sugar”.   What Nestle is doing is changing the actual structure of the sugar molecule.   Basically, it will be hollowed-out sugar molecule so you taste the sugar on your tongue but it will be hollow inside, and thus reducing the sugar content by 30%.   In their press release , Nestle introduced their new Milkybar , their first candy with the reduced sugar content.   Not yet available here in the U.S.A., but will be appearing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.   Nestle describes the new sugar as, an aerated, porous sugar that dissolves more quickly in the mouth. This allows someone to perceive the same sweetness as before while consuming less sugar.   Hopefull...