You’ve probably heard that blueberries help your memory, tomatoes help fight prostate cancer, soy aids in the fight against heart disease or many of the other claims about the health benefits of plants but is the benefit a function of part of the plant or just the fact that you are eating plant foods?  Last week, at the Institute of Food Technologists Wellness 2012 meeting, a session on “Phyto-nutrients from Plant-based Foods” looked at the state of current research and what the science means in terms of the food we consume. The scientific evidence continues to show that eating more plant …

March is National Nutrition Month and this year the theme is – "Get Your Plate in Shape." The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been out for more than a year and MyPlate is just under a year old. Checking to see if your meal plate is balanced is more than overdue. MyPlate focuses on more plant foods, leaner or low-fat animal food choices and of course appropriate portions. If you’ve thought about making changes in your eating habits but haven’t taken the steps yet, make National Nutrition Month the time to “Get your Plate in Shape.” Make half your plate fruits and vegetables and …

For the last several years reports have connected beverage intake—specifically sugar sweetened beverages—to weight gain, but studies have not conclusively demonstrated that there is a true cause and effect from beverages related to weight gain. A new study has recently looked at beverages from all liquid sources and the study outcomes indicated that beverage intake in associated with increased calories contributing to a change in weight. The study was reported at a food conference that I’m attending in Prague, Czech Republic. The study looked at subjects perception of fullness when they …

Each day the National School Lunch program feeds more than thirty million children in grades K-12 and while the composition of the meal is guided by very specific nutrition guidelines school lunch has been the target of much criticism. Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new regulations to update the meal pattern. Starting with the 2012-13 school year the new standards will be phased into schools over a three year period. The new guidelines are the result of the growing concerns about childhood obesity and an increasing number of families who struggle to get access to …

January usually brings a resolution to lose weight, eat healthier or work out more, and often by this stage of the month the resolution has fallen by the wayside. If your goal was to eat healthier, there are some simple tips to make this happen. Make changes slowly. Taking one step at a time is how a baby learns to walk, and making behavior changes is no different. It is a one step process. Shift your grain foods to whole grain (wheat, oats, corn are a few). Add more plant protein choices (beans, nuts, seeds) and choose only lean meat, fish or poultry. Combining beans with meat in chili …

With the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the new MyPlate visual, the focus on sodium intake has increased. Most people know that sodium is important to blood pressure control and that too much sodium can be a contributor to fluid retention but you may not realize that sodium also appears to be connected to cognitive function. A recent study in the journal Neurobiology of Aging found that a lower intake of sodium can help maintain your cognitive or mental function. While this is just one study it is a good reminder that we need to be aware of how much sodium is …

Happy New Year! For many people, the start of a New Year means the start of yet another attempt to lose weight. If you enjoyed the holidays more than you planned or you just picked up too may extra pounds over the last year, make a new resolution this year: Avoid fad diets and work to achieve a healthy weight. Body weight is composed of muscle, blood and other fluids, bones, skin, organs and of course body fat, so when you get on the scale you are really weighing how much all of this weighs, which is not an accurate assessment of whether you are a healthy weight or not. The key to healthy …

Happy New Year! For many people, the start of a New Year means the start of yet another attempt to lose weight. If you enjoyed the holidays more than you planned or you just picked up too may extra pounds over the last year, make a new resolution this year: Avoid fad diets and work to achieve a healthy weight. Body weight is composed of muscle, blood and other fluids, bones, skin, organs and of course body fat, so when you get on the scale you are really weighing how much all of this weighs, which is not an accurate assessment of whether you are a healthy weight or not. The key to healthy …

As the holiday season goes into full gear, you’re probably making decisions about food choices and activities based on “Do I have the time or does it really matter?” Fortunately, you can pull a little bit of healthy into your holiday routine with the following tips. Have a plan so you know which foods you want to eat and which can you do without. Don't go to parties hungry, because hunger leads to overeating. When you get to the party, get a drink and socialize, then scope out the food. Decide on a few items you really want to try, and don’t sample for the duration of the party. Drink …

Sugar, whether it is naturally occurring or added to foods, is important to overall health. But for most Americans, the amount we are consuming goes way beyond what we need for health. Sugars, and other carbohydrate foods, are the beginning of the fuel the body needs to function. Carbohydrates all end up after digestion as glucose, and it is glucose that keeps the body working. So while we need sugars it seems lately that Americans have adopted the “If some is good, more must be better,” attitude regarding sugar.  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that added sugars, those …

Sugar, whether it is naturally occurring or added to foods, is important to overall health. But for most Americans, the amount we are consuming goes way beyond what we need for health. Sugars, and other carbohydrate foods, are the beginning of the fuel the body needs to function. Carbohydrates all end up after digestion as glucose, and it is glucose that keeps the body working. So while we need sugars it seems lately that Americans have adopted the “If some is good, more must be better,” attitude regarding sugar.  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that added sugars, those …

The two basics of healthy eating are knowing which foods are the better choices and then knowing portion sizes. With the variety of portions served in restaurants, in your home and in packaged foods, it can be very confusing to know what is the right portion size. Let’s make the portion size a bit clearer. First, a portion is the reference amount for a food within each of the five food groups in the dietary guidelines or on MyPlate. Second, portions sizes will not vary, but the number of servings (portions) you should consume will depend on your body size and physical activity. The following …

The two basics of healthy eating are knowing which foods are the better choices and then knowing portion sizes. With the variety of portions served in restaurants, in your home and in packaged foods, it can be very confusing to know what is the right portion size. Let’s make the portion size a bit clearer. First, a portion is the reference amount for a food within each of the five food groups in the dietary guidelines or on MyPlate. Second, portions sizes will not vary, but the number of servings (portions) you should consume will depend on your body size and physical activity. The following …

Choosing beans, nuts or seeds for you entrée or side dish probably sounds a bit out of the ordinary, but new guidelines suggest this should become the norm. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend substituting plant protein for animal protein a few times a week to help reduce your intake of saturated fats. Figuring out how to do this may feel a bit overwhelming, but have no fear, some simple adjustments can make it easy. Plant proteins are found in greatest quantity in beans, nuts and seeds but are also found in grain foods and vegetables. Adequate protein intake is important for …

Did you know that kids typically get about 30 to 50 percent of their calories while at school? While parents likely know what children are having at breakfast and dinner, children have a substantial amount of freedom to make their own food decisions at school. These choices are important because the food choices students make today can have a big influence in shaping their future.  This year, parents will be happy to know that there are nutritious changes taking place in the lunch line. Here are some easy tips parents can teach their children to help them remember to make the best school …

Did you know that kids typically get about 30 to 50 percent of their calories while at school? While parents likely know what children are having at breakfast and dinner, children have a substantial amount of freedom to make their own food decisions at school. These choices are important because the food choices students make today can have a big influence in shaping their future.  This year, parents will be happy to know that there are nutritious changes taking place in the lunch line. Here are some easy tips parents can teach their children to help them remember to make the best school …