It’s the start of a new school year, and that means new teachers, new friends, and new lunchtime struggles. While it’s easy to fill your kids’ lunchboxes with pre-packaged snacks, that doesn’t do much in the way of keeping their growing bodies healthy. Sending kids to school with healthy lunches each day doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. “School lunches may not seem significant in a child’s life, but when you add up that they are eating them five days per week, it’s quite a lot of their calorie consumption,” said Dr. Nimali Fernando, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based pediatrician and founder of The Doctor Yum Project. “Teaching them healthy lunch habits from a young age will give them the tools to build lifelong healthy habits.” Many pediatricians are concerned that children simply do not get the amount of healthy foods they need to begin with. The Centers for Disease Control…
Eating pasta three times a week won’t make you fat, study shows
Spaghetti. Rigatoni. Fettuccini. It’s everyone’s favorite — pasta — and Italian lovers everywhere can rejoice over new research that reveals the popular pantry item won’t make you fat. While the joys of pasta are undeniable (is there anyone out there who doesn’t love diving into a big bowl of bolognese?) its healthfulness has always been in question. In recent years, low-carb options like quinoa have taken a bite out of pasta sales as health-minded adults feared packing on the pounds. But science now tells us, that eating a portion of penne up to three time a week won’t make you fat, and it might even help you slim down. Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto conducted 30 randomized control trials involving nearly 2,500 people who replaced their regular carbohydrates with pasta as part of a healthy low-glycemic index diet. The findings? Pasta doesn’t not cause you to put on extra body fat. “The study found that pasta didn’t contribute to…
Healthy eaters create more food waste. Here’s what you can do
Healthy eaters can be proud of their nutrient-rich diets, but a recent study shows that the healthier you eat the more food you are likely to waste. The average American wastes nearly a pound of food every day, a new University of Vermont study concluded. But a person’s exact amount depends on how healthy their diet is. In the study, published April 18 in the journal PLOS One, researches found that consumers who ate higher-quality diets were also those who were the most prone to planet-harming food waste. Investigators reported that as much as 39 percent of food waste in the United States is made up of fruits, vegetables and dishes made from produce. Dairy was the second biggest culprit, making up 17 percent of the nation’s waste. Meat made up 14 percent. “Eating healthy is important and brings many benefits, but as we pursue these diets, we must think much more…
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Eat On The Go
You just finished your work day but you only have a half hour to make it to your son’s soccer match. Lunch has long worn off, and it will be hours until you get home. You’re going to have to eat this one on the run. You map out quick options along your route — the taco stand, the joint with pizza by the slice, the greasy burger restaurant. It’s just calories to get you through, but what does such careless eating do to your body? Research suggests that eating on the run is less physically satisfying. The study from the University of Surrey examined a group of women, both dieters and non-dieters. They were lead to believe the study was looking at how distraction affects food taste. The study broke the women into three group. The first, watched television while eating a cereal bar. The second had to walk around while eating. The…
Study shows Nutrition labels aren’t used by many young adults
It wasn’t until 1990, when the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) passed that consumers had a consistent nutrition label they could reference. The label quickly became a vital part of our purchasing power — it showed sodium, fat and sugar content along with calories another other important nutritional information. And it helped consumers make smart decisions regarding their diets. But a new study from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Medical School reveals that only about 1 of 3 young adults use the label. Certain segments of the young demographic were more likely to read the Nutrition Facts than others. Among those at the top were women with higher education and income. People who regularly prepare food, and those who are physically active or are classified as being overweight are also at the tip. People who were trying to lose, gain or maintain weight were also more likely to use…
The science behind ‘hangry’
Coworkers know the perils of the end of the day: that terrible time when people are ravenous to get home and gorge. It’s the perfect environment for bouts of ‘hanger’, a mix of hunger and anger, typically with some short-temperedness and grumpiness thrown in just for good measure. ‘Hanger’ has been in the news this week for finally becoming widely used enough to be accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary as an official entry, but where does ‘hanger’ really come from? And why can’t grown adults seem to get a handle on this feeling? After all, you’re probably not worried about when your next calories are coming from. The answer lies in the body processes that happen when your internal systems are low on food. Typically, carbs, proteins and fats are digested into simple sugars, amino acids and free fatty acids. There nutrients are passed into your bloodstream where they arrive…