Color Your Plate

A well-rounded diet is important in every aspect of health.  A key part of this well-rounded diet is color! A rainbow of fruits and vegetables can provide nutrients and phytonutrients.

What Colors Are On Your Plate?

White or Wheat?

You walk up to order a sandwich and the first question you're asked: White or Wheat?
You think about it for a second and you know you should choose wheat, but do you really know why?

Whole Grains

A whole grain contains the entire grain including bran, germ and endosperm.

As opposed to a refined grain where the bran and germ are removed.

Where can you find whole grains?

• Whole-wheat flour
• Brown rice
• Oatmeal

Just to name a few.

Why Whole Grains?

So many reasons!  Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber in your diet. Fiber can help you feel full with fewer calories than other options. Dietary fiber keeps your heart healthy! Whole grains are packed with vitamins and minerals. 

How much should I have in a day?

That question depends on your age, gender and calorie needs.  The American Heart Association recommends 6-8 servings of grains per day for a person consuming 2000 calories/day with at least half of those servings as whole grains.

What does a serving look like?

1 slice of whole-grain bread

about 1 cup of cereal

1/2 cup cooked brown rice or whole-wheat pasta

5 whole-grain crackers

3 cups popped popcorn

So when the question is White or Wheat?  Spring for the wheat, it will keep you full longer and your heart will thank you later.

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Resource: The American Heart Association

The Vitamin Alphabet

Vitamins work as regulators in the body.  Additionally they partner with proteins in the body to cause reactions to take place. Sure, but what does that mean?  Where can I find them? Let's work through it...

Vitamin A- Necessary for healthy eyes, skin and digestive tract and nose linings.
                   Food sources: orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, egg yolks, fortified milk, citrus fruits
   
B Vitamins - There are several B Vitamins each with different functions and sources.  They are necessary for healthy skin, growth, hormone production, production of red and white blood cells.
                      Food sources: dairy products, beans, enriched grains, vegetables, meats

Vitamin C - Necessary for healthy bones, teeth, and cartilage and enhancement of immune system
                    Food sources: citrus fruits, broccoli, green and red peppers, Brussels sprouts, potatoes

Vitamin D - Needed for calcium and phorphorus breakdown and use and for healthy bones
                    Food sources: fortified milk, sardines, sunlight

Vitamin E - Necessary for nourishing and strengthening cells.
                    Food sources: whole grains, nuts, vegetable oils

Vitamin K - Necessary for blood clotting
                    Food sources: spinach, broccoli, kale

These vitamins are broken up into two categories: Fat-soluble and Water-soluble.

• Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and are carried into the blood stream.  This is why moderate amounts of dietary fat is important.  Include Vitamins A, D, E, & K.
• Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are carried into the blood stream.  These are not stored in the body like fat-soluble vitamins, but instead the body uses what it needs then excretes the extra.  Daily intake of these vitamins are espcially important. Include B Vitamins and Vitamin C.

In other words....Eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet to keep up with the Vitamin Alphabet.

Vitamins & Minerals....what's the point?

It's easy to say "I want to eat healthy," but what does that really mean beyond carbohydrates, protein and fat?  It also means, don't forget about your vitamins and minerals!

Vitamins- complex chemical substances that work as regulators. They often act as coenzymes, or partners, with enzymes, the proteins that cause reactions to take place in your body

• Water Soluble - Vitamin C & B Vitamins
• Fat Soluble - Vitamins A, D, E, & K

Minerals- substances that are part of many cells. They are involved in fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve impulses.

Vitamins & Minerals assist in ....

• Helping carbohydrates, fats, and proteins produce energy
• Assisting with protein synthesis
• Helping you see in the dark
• Helping to keep the body functioning normally

Follow the blog's future posts for specifics on what each vitamin and mineral does for you body and where you find them in food!  Specific vitamin/mineral questions? Send me an email niunutritionquestions@gmail.com!

Hot Topic Tuesdays - Energy Drinks/Vitamin Waters

I'm sure there will be some late nights in the near future if there haven't been already this semester.  Cramming for an exam, finishing up a project or just something more exciting than sleep.  A lot of you may reach for an energy drink to keep you going. 

How healthy are drinks that claim they have extra nutrients or give you extra energy?

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) points out the following:

• Many drinks with added vitamins/minerals are not providing the nutrients that are frequently lacking in American diets (Calcium, potassium, folate and vitamin D)
• Some drinks are packed with calories often higher than soda.
• Caffeine is frequently thought to be the major issue with energy drinks, but most drinks ranged between 0 to 141.1 mg/serving.  An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains 133 mg of caffeine.
• Although some energy drinks/vitamin waters may be providing hydration, they are not addressing any major health concerns of today.

Overall, energy drinks/vitamin waters are likely not the "magic bullet" most people are looking for, but they can still fit within a healthy diet.  To ensure they fit, READ the label!  And if you just drinking them for extra vitamins/minerals....try a daily multivitamin instead.

So when you are trying to pull an all-nighter and are reaching for something to keep you going....sleep might really be the best bet.




Information for this article was adapted from the American Dietetic Association's Hot Topic: Functional Beverages by Sharon Palmer, Feb 2008.