KTK-Nutrition

Almost everyone thinks sodas are not good for your health.    Sweetened sodas are loaded with added sugar and low-calorie sodas use artificial sweeteners which many people try to avoid.    But there are new sodas on the market being advertised as good for your gut.    What are these sodas and why are people drinking them for a healthier gut? What are the new sodas promoting gut health? Two types of sodas are being marketed.   Prebiotic Sodas:    Prebiotics  are mainly fiber that feed our healthy gut bacteria.    Two brands of prebiotic sodas are Poppi and  Olipop .    On the Olipop can it states, “Supports Digestive Health”.    The prebiotic fibers in  Olipop  include cassava root, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, guar fiber, and Nopal cactus.    Olipop also contains Calendula Flower for its lutein, beta-carotene and flavonoids.       Probiotic Sodas:  ...

So easy to grab a protein bar and think you are “eating healthy”.   But are protein bars really good for your health?   Are some protein bars better than others?   What should you look for when choosing a protein bar?   Many of my relatives eat protein bars and my sister sent me a great article, Are protein bars good for you?   Dietitians reveal the healthiest options .   This article notes proteins bars “can be a filling snack, or a “glorified candy bar.”   Which one are you eating? Do you need a protein bar? Most Americans are already getting more protein than they need.   When I had students track their diet and calculate their protein intake all were eating many more grams of protein a day than they needed.   There are great ways to add protein to your diet without eating protein bars.   Do you know which 2 foods have higher quality protein than a steak?   Eggs are the gold standard for protein quality and next is cow’s milk...

Who doesn’t enjoy some sour dough bread?   In California we had some great sour dough bread.   This past June, we were on a Viking cruise and many countries had some delicious sour dough bread.   Healthy bread is usually whole grain.   There are some whole grain sour dough breads but mostly sour dough is made from white flour.   Whether made from white flour or whole wheat flour, are there any health benefits to enjoying some delicious sour dough bread? Why is it called sour dough bread? Instead of relying on baker’s yeast to raise the dough, sour dough bread uses a “ starter ” of a living microbes plus flour and water.     This is called “wild” yeast which contains some lactic acid that gives sourdough its tangy taste.     Sour dough doesn’t use the commercial baker’s yeast used to make regular bread. This is certainly not a new technique for bread making as it dates back to 1500 BC in ancient Egypt .   What nutrients are...