KTK-Nutrition

Who doesn’t enjoy some fresh watermelon?   So juicy and naturally sweet.   We have some sliced watermelon in our fridge as my husband went to the farmer’s market this week. Many people enjoy watermelon and don’t realize how healthy it is.   Cleveland Clinic says, “watermelon should be part of your diet”.   Why?   Watermelon is “packed with vitamins and minerals and can be enjoyed all year ‘round”.   We hear a lot about superfoods like blueberries but we don’t hear much about other fruits like watermelon.    Watermelon packs a big nutritious punch. One reason why watermelon is so good for your health is that it is loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.            Vitamins : watermelon is a good source of vitamins A, C and many B vitamins.   One cup of watermelon balls provides 12.5 mg of vitamin C, almost 25% of daily needs.   One cup also provides 876 IU of vitamin A, ...

Who doesn’t like some fresh fruit?   This week my husband stopped at the farmer’s market and brought home fresh raspberries, fresh yellow plums, peaches, and fresh corn in the husk.   He also brought home a fresh watermelon. The fruit and especially the watermelon were summer sweet.   Our neighbor just rang our doorbell and gave us some home-grown tomatoes.   All kinds of fruit will be coming your way during the summer months:   strawberries ripened on the vine, cherries from Washington, blueberries from Michigan.   Not only is fruit delicious, it is super healthy, low in fat and low in calories.   A few years back, Consumer Reports had an excellent article on 100 calorie summer fruits (June 2018) and 100 calorie picnic foods .    If you are going on summer picnics or barbeques this summer, read what a 100-calorie serving of barbeque foods look like.   Enjoy some 100-calorie fruit :   What about the “sugar” in fruit? Most frui...

So many options for buying organic food.   Everyone knows you pay more for organic food.   Why?   Is buying organic really better for your health?   Consumer Reports has some interesting information in their article, Organic Food on a Budget . With food prices increasing many people who bought organic food before are now cutting back.   How can you enjoy organic food on a budget?    What does organic mean?   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency that regulates organic food.   To be labeled “organic” food must be grown and processed according to federal guidelines.   Or, animals must be raised according to federal guidelines.   These guidelines cover soil quality, pest and weed control, and how additives are used. Produce – organic produce is grown free of synthetic fertilizers, free of pesticide use. In grocery stores, the organic produce is kept separate from regular produce.   I had a student ...

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...

Who doesn’t enjoy some fresh watermelon?   So juicy and naturally sweet.   We have some sliced watermelon in our fridge as my husband went to the farmer’s market this week. Many people enjoy watermelon and don’t realize how healthy it is.   A dietitian, Julie Upton, provides some great news about watermelon in her article, One Major Side Effect of Eating Watermelon, Says Dietitian .   We do hear a lot about superfoods like blueberries but we don’t hear much about other fruits like watermelon.   Watermelon packs a big nutritious punch. One reason why watermelon is so good for your health is that it is loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.   Vitamins : watermelon is a good source of vitamins A, C and many B vitamins.   One cup of watermelon balls provides 12.5 mg of vitamin C, almost 25% of daily needs.   One cup also provides 876 IU of vitamin A, almost 20% of daily needs.   Minerals :   think potassium.  ...

Going to the beach this summer?   Or to a summer cabin or lodge?   What foods and snacks can withstand the sun, sand and taste good from the cooler?   Remember to keep cold foods cold .   Foods that need refrigeration shouldn’t be left out for more than an hour in the heat of summer.   Use ice packs in the cooler or freeze some water bottles and use these to keep the food cold.   Once at your destination, cover the cooler with a blanket or towel or keep in the shade under that beach umbrella.     Hard boiled eggs – peel them before you go.   A great high-quality protein snack and low in calories.   If you get some sand on them, just rinse with water and eat. Wraps – may work better than sandwiches made out of bread.   You can protect the wrap with aluminum foil and peel it back as you eat the wrap. Buy a rotisserie chicken – use as a main course then as sandwiches. Bars – easy to pack and store.   Add some healthy ingr...