Choosing Healthy Foods

Getting outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather is one of the perks of this time of year. If picnics are part of your plans, take caution with time and temperature to make sure nothing spoils your fun. Eating outdoors can be a great way to get some fresh air during your lunch break. Unfortunately, many of us tend to forget some of the basics of food safety when it comes to eating outdoors. To make sure that foodborne illness doesn’t spoil your outdoor eating, follow these simple rules. Wash your hands This effective step isn’t always so easy when you are outside. Consider washing your hands right before you head out or bring some hand wipes with you. Maintain food temperature Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. The bacteria that can make us sick enjoy the warm weather as much as we do. To keep your food safe from unwanted bacteria, keep food below 40°F or above 140°F. Consider ice packs or hot food containers if you don’t plan to eat your food right away. If you can’t do this, reme...

If news that the FDA recently asked KIND to stop referring to their bars as “healthy” has you confused, you are not alone. With ingredients like nuts and fruit that nutrition experts consistently encourage, it may seem odd that they wouldn’t be healthy. So, what is the FDA saying? Why is the FDA involved? The FDA, or Food and Drug Administration, is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring that foods (except for meat from livestock, poultry and some egg products which are regulated by the USDA) are safe, wholesome, sanitary and properly labeled. Under its role to ensure that foods are properly labeled, FDA regulates the use of health claims on foods, including the term “healthy.” What does “healthy” mean to the FDA? Most nutrition experts will tell you that being healthy is about eating a variety of good foods. Defining one food as healthy or not within the context of an overall diet can be complicated. To make sure that the term is applied to foods consistently, th...

Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated to reflect the latest in nutrition research. With the 2015 guidelines expected later this year, will we see any big changes? What are the Dietary Guidelines? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) include advice about nutrition and physical activity for Americans ages 2 years and over. Recommendations from the DGAs are based on a review of the current science and provide the basis for federal food and nutrition policy and education initiatives. The DGAs are updated every five years by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Will we see anything new? The expert committee selected to review the latest research and make recommendations for this year’s guidelines recently submitted their report. Many of the committee’s recommendations are ones we have heard before – eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, seafood, legumes and nuts; eat les...

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, so it seems logical to  ask – Is coffee good for us? Some studies show benefit and others don’t. So what is  the bottom line with coffee? Coffee Benefits: Studies have found evidence that coffee can help protect us from a variety of illnesses. Aside  from the obvious caffeine boost, which we like for the pick-me-up, coffee contains other  beneficial compounds. A recent study found that people who drank four or more cups of  coffee per day may lower their risk of melanoma as much as 20%, possibly due to protection  from sun damage. Other studies have found that coffee drinkers have lower risk for other  cancers, heart disease and even live longer overall. Coffee Risks: While the overall research suggests that coffee has benefits, not everyone responds to coffee  or the caffeine it contains in the same way. People with high blood pressure and pregnant  women should consider limiting the...

It is almost that time of year again. Educate Your Palate , our end-of-the-year culinary extravaganza, is now less than one week away! On Thursday, April 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, International Village Dining will be transformed into a completely redesigned dining space for a culinary adventure circling the globe! We can't divulge too many details – we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise after all – but we hope that you'll be able to take some time on your reading day to join us for a dinner that you won't soon forget. If you weren't able to come to last year's Educate Your Palate, dubbed A Spoonful of Spring (or just want to relive the event again), take a look at our photos from the event and check out the menu that was served, including locally harvested oysters, freshly pan-fried kimchi and tofu dumplings, and a carving station with grilled leg of lamb. We hope to see you there!

We all know that getting more exercise is good for us, but that may not be enough. While moving more is good, being sedentary less often is also important. Some health experts are even calling sitting the new smoking. So, if you went to the gym this morning, don't use that as an excuse to sit around the rest of the day. What's wrong with sitting? New evidence suggests that too much sitting, such as working at a desk, watching television and  other low energy activities, is a risk factor by itself for poor health. While the research is still in the early phases and the exact reasons why sitting isn't good for us aren't fully known yet, there is almost no downside to moving more. So for now, even if the only benefit you get from sitting less is feeling less stiffness at the end of the day, it is worth giving it a try. How much do we need to move? Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. Spe...

If you've heard the recommendation that we should eat less salt, then you've also probably heard the counter-argument that salt is not a problem. With conflicting reports, it may be hard to decide what you should do with the salt shaker. Salt or Sodium Salt and sodium are often used interchangeably, but they do in fact mean different things. When it comes to health, sodium is what we are concerned with. What we typically refer to as salt, is actually a mix of sodium and chloride. Sodium is found in a variety of the foods we eat, and even in some drinks both as part of the food’s natural make up or from salt that is added during preparation or processing. How much is too much? Despite the appearance of a controversy about sodium intake and health, there is strong evidence, with widespread agreement, that most of us are taking in too much sodium. The average American takes in about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. The recommended limit for healthy adults is 2,300 mg per day. There is ...