March 2012 is National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month!  Take this month to make small achievable goals towards better health.

Today's tip is to account for liquid calories.  High calorie beverages can undo even the best of intentions and weight loss efforts.  A cup of coffee or tea has no calories, however you must keep in mind the milk, cream, sugars, and syrups you may add.

Whole milk and fruit juices do contain healthy nutrients, however they are very calorie dense.  Rather than fruit juice - a piece of fruit is less calories and has more fiber.  If you are really hooked on juice, try a "splash" of juice in a glass of seltzer or water.  Choose 1% or Skim milk over Whole Milk.  There are plenty of great tasting skim milks (such as SkimPlus and Over The Moon) on the market today.    Soda, is laden with sugar and not much else - alcoholic beverages contain more calories than you might even think.

Save your calories for the food.  Calories from beverages do not tend to keep you satisfied.   Choose no-cal beverages such as water (which you can flavor with a lemon, lime, cucumber, or orange slice), naturally flavored seltzers, unsweetened iced tea (which you can use flavored tea bags), and unsweetened coffee.

National Nutrition Month 2011 -- How Can I Add More Fruits / Veggies to my Diet?

It is recommended that we eat anywhere between 5 and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, however, less than half of our population achieves that.  According to a 2010 Gallup Poll, nationwide, less than half of Americans (46.6%) report eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables on five or more days per week, but 32.7% do so two to four days per week and 19.4% do so one or fewer days per week.

However many servings YOU may be currently eating - my goal is to help you add at least one more serving to your daily routine! Here are 23 suggestions as to how to add some more "color" (fruits / veggies) to your diet.

1.  Add some fruits to your regular garden salad.  Try adding fresh berries, orange or grapefruit sections, or grapes.  Salads are not just for veggies.

2.  Add new kinds of lettuces/greens to your regular garden salad.  Try a new blend.  Skip the iceberg and look at romaine, spinach, butter lettuce, radicchio, argula, mache, or one of the other many varieties!  The deeper the color, the higher nutrient benefits it has.

3.  Add new kinds of lettuces/greens to your sandwich.  Again, skip the iceberg (not high in nutrient value).  Try adding spinach leaves or one of the other varieties listed in #2.

4.  Add fruit slices to your sandwich:  add thinly sliced apple or pears onto your sandwich.  In addition to adding beneficial vitamins, minerals, etc., it will add texture and sweet to your already savory sandwich!

5.  Making mashed potatoes?  Add turnips or parsnips to the mixture.  In addition to adding texture, these veggies add nutrition and flavor!

6.   Eating pizza or making your own?  Top it with broccoli, spinach, peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini...

7.  Use fruit as a marinade and accompaniment with poultry and fish!  Puree berries, apples, peaches, or pears.  Use orange/grapefruit/pineapple juices as marinade.  Garnish the top with pieces of the fruit!

8.  Fruit Smoothie using skim milk or non-fat yogurt -- use frozen fruits and a banana.

9.  Dessert or snack ideas:   Drizzle warm chocolate sauce on a banana.  Smear a little peanut butter on a banana or on apple slices.

10.  Have leftover rice?  Reheat it with chopped apple, walnuts, and cinnamon as a dessert.

11.  Dessert Snack Idea:  Slice a pear, sprinkle with cinnamon and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes

12.  Lunch Idea:  Veggie Wrap or Whole Wheat Pita.  Fill with roasted vegetables and low fat cheese.

13.  Swap mayo on your sandwich for a ripe avocado.  Not only will it taste better - but much better for you.

14.  Try munching on crunch veggies instead of chips -- dip in low fat salad dressing tzatziki, or hummus

15.  Grill colorful veggie kabobs -- tomatoes, green/red peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, pineapple chunks.

16.  Enjoy omelets or egg whites?  Add chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms...!

17.  Top your baked potato with broccoli and other veggies with 0% greek yogurt.

18.  Looking for a quick dinner -- try a stir fry!  Cut into small thin pieces peppers, onions, mushrooms, snowpeas, babycorn....use just a little olive oil.  Add the protein of your choice.

19.  Making meatloaf:  Add spinach and other grated vegetables into the mixture (carrots, onions, zucchini).

20.  Add fruits to your morning hot/cold cereal or your yogurt.

21.  Eating soup?  Chop EXTRA veggies and add to your soup.  or....  Make your own....buy some chicken/beef/veggie broth - add your favorite veggies chopped to the broth and similar until at your desired texture.  Then add either a pasta, quinoa, or brown rice to the soup. 

22.  Add veggies to your pasta by making your own "primavera":  stewed tomatoes, sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli rabe....

23.  Add veggies to your lasagna:  spinach, squash, mushrooms -- sneak them into the layers.


I hope that these suggestions have inspired you to try something new -- or at least try one of mine.  As you can see, it is easy to add veggies or fruits to what you are already to eating.

Have a suggestion?   Let's hear it!

"Eat Right With Color" --March is National Nutrition Month!

The theme of this year's  American Dietetic Association's National Nutrition Month  is to "Eat Right With Color" which encouraging healthy eating habits.  My goal is to inspire you to add some color (and flavor) to your plate on a daily basis. 


Besides being delicious, fruits and vegetables are  full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, as well as other phytochemicals and antioxidants.  The health benefits that they provide us are so valuable and many of us don't take advantage of what they offer. 

Why are the colors important? Besides for aesthetic value, each of the colors contains a class of nutrients chock full of health benefits.  So instead of eating Skittles when you want to "taste the rainbow".... reach for a few of the fruits/vegetables mentioned below instead!  See the reasons why below:

Red fruits and vegetables have been linked with heart health, memory function, decreased risk of some cancers, urinary tract health.  Red is equated to such health-promoting compounds as lycopene and anthocyanins. The darker and richer the color,  the higher the phytonutrients content.•Red: cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes, watermelon, beets, red onions, red peppers, radishes, blood oranges, rhubarb and tomatoes

Green fruits and vegetables have been linked with vision health, decreased risk of some cancers, strong bones & teeth.  Green means chlorophyll, and green vegetables are rich in folate and such phytonutrients as carotenoids, lutein, and indoles.  The darker the greens, the better.•Green: avocados, apples, grapes, honeydew, melons, kiwi, limes, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, broccoli rabe, green beans, brussell sprouts, celery root, green peppers, bok choy, snow peas, and leafy greens such as spinach

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables have been linked with heart health, vision health, decreased risk of some cancers, healthy immune system.  These vegetables/fruits are great sources of antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta carotene (vitamin A).•Orange and deep yellow: apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruits, mangos, papayas, tangelos, pears, peaches, pineapples, carrots, yellow peppers, clementines, squash, yellow corn and sweet potatoes

Purple/blue fruits and vegetables have been linked with healthy aging, decreased risk of some cancers, improves memory function, urinary tract health.  Dark-colored fruits and vegetables are good sources of anthocyanins, a phytonutrient that brought alot of attention to blueberries and now they are touted as a superfood. Other blue and purple foods offer similar benefits.•Purple and blue: blackberries, blueberries, plums, raisins, eggplant, purple cabbage, and purple-fleshed potatoes

White fruits/vegetables have been linked with heart health, lowers cholesterol, decreased risk of some cancers and some contain a phytonutrient called allicin.
•White, tan and brown: bananas, brown pears, dates, white peaches, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white-fleshed potatoes and white corn.

For more information on National Nutrition Month - check out the American Dietetic Association's website: http://www.eatright.org/.

National Nutrition Month

March was National Nutrition Month. This year's theme was "Building Nutrition from the Ground Up".

What does this theme mean to me? This mean to build a healthy and sturdy foundation and build other healthy habits upon that base.

Taking small steps that stick - and building upon them. It is better to make one small healthful change and making it part of your daily life than make one/several large ones that you stop doing a week later.

Every little bit helps and you have to start somewhere. Whether it is adding one extra serving of veggies a day, switching from switching from white bread to whole wheat or multi-grain, or swapping from 2% milk to 1% or skim, each change you make will have a positive impact.

So let's start building that foundation today! Visit the American Dietetic Association's website to learn more at www.eatright.org/nnm