Website. Pistachio Health
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Pistachio Power: Unshell the Benefits
Website. Pistachio Health
Monday, February 24, 2025
National Clam Chowder Day
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Food Connects Us: Celebrating National Nutrition Month 2025
Food is more than just sustenance—it is a universal language, a bridge between cultures, communities, and generations. The 2025 theme for National Nutrition Month, "Food Connects Us," highlights the powerful role food plays in fostering relationships, preserving traditions, and promoting health and well-being.
The Cultural Connection
Every culture has its own unique culinary traditions, yet food unites us all in ways that transcend geographical and societal differences. Whether it’s gathering for a family meal, sharing a holiday feast, or learning about new cuisines, food creates opportunities for connection and understanding. Exploring diverse foods broadens our palates and deepens our appreciation for different backgrounds and traditions.
Food as a Social Bond
Food has the ability to bring people together, from intimate dinners to large celebrations. It fosters a sense of community, strengthens relationships, and creates memories. Sitting down to a shared meal encourages conversation and strengthens emotional bonds, whether with family, friends, or even strangers.
Nourishment and Well-being
Beyond emotional and cultural ties, food connects us through its impact on health. Good nutrition fuels our bodies, supports mental health, and helps prevent chronic diseases. By making mindful food choices, we can take charge of our well-being while also encouraging our loved ones to prioritize their health.
Sustainability and Global Impact
Food connects us to the environment and the broader global community. The choices we make about food production and consumption influence the sustainability of our planet. Supporting local farmers, reducing food waste, and making eco-conscious choices all contribute to a healthier world for future generations.
Celebrating National Nutrition Month
This National Nutrition Month, embrace the theme "Food Connects Us" by:
Trying new recipes from different cultures
Cooking and sharing meals with loved ones
Learning about the health benefits of various foods
Supporting sustainable food practices
Let’s use food as a tool to connect, nourish, and celebrate life together. After all, every bite tells a story, and every meal is an opportunity to bring people closer.
Pamper Your Pup with Homemade Treats
Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
Whip up some delightful homemade treats for your dog with just three easy-to-find, pet-safe ingredients. These simple-to-make cookies can be shaped into adorable doggy designs like bones for fun or quickly formed into small, flattened balls if time is tight. Ensure your peanut butter is free from added sugars, oils, and particularly Xylitol, which is harmful to dogs.
Banana Bliss Biscuits for Barkers
Easy 3-Ingredient Dog Treats Yields: 20-24 biscuits. Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (check for no Xylitol!)
- 1 large ripe banana (or 2 mediums), mashed
How to Make Them:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pulse the rolled oats in a blender until they resemble fine flour, or use pre-made oat flour. Set this aside.
- In a big bowl, combine the peanut butter and mashed banana thoroughly. Mix in the oat flour until you achieve a thick, cohesive dough. If it's too dry, mix in 2-4 tablespoons of peanut butter until the dough is sticky yet workable.
- Flatten the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes with a doggie-themed cookie cutter. For a quicker option, shape the dough into small balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and press them down to form simple round cookies.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly golden. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes – if you can wait – before treating your dog.
- Store these tasty treats in a sealed container; they'll keep fresh for up to two weeks.
Treat your four-legged friend to these healthy, homemade snacks and watch their tail wag joyfully!
Homemade Banana Mango Bread
Homemade Banana Mango Bread
3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, set aside. In the bottom of a medium bowl, mash bananas into a chunky paste. Whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the bananas until blended.
4. Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, stirring gently until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
Analysis based on 1 slice
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Heart Healthy Red Foods
A Symphony of Scarlet Delight
Red fruits and vegetables get their color from natural plant pigments called lycopene or anthocyanins. Both are phytonutrients, which have health-promoting benefits, such as:
- Reduces the risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Protects our bodies’ cells from environmental damage (harmful free radicals)
- Lowers blood pressure
- Lowers LDL cholesterol
- Aids in memory
- Maintains the health of the urinary tract system
New York Times, by Nigella Lawson
Ways to increase Red Food Intake:
Add strawberries or raspberries to cereal or low-fat yogurt.
Freeze seedless red grapes for a sweet snack.
Add thin slices of red tomatoes or red apples to a sandwich.
Add red kidney beans to soup, salads or rice dishes.
Dice tomatoes and red apples and add to a salad.
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants and are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. They help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase in fruit and vegetable intake with lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.
Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene, and flavonoids.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Dive into the World of Cherries
Selection
Select firm, red cherries with stems attached. Avoid soft, shriveled, or blemished cherries. Good cherries should be large (one inch or more in diameter), glossy, plump, hard, and dark-colored for their variety. Avoid fruit that is bruised or has cuts on the dark surface.
How to Store
Refrigerate cherries for up to 10 days.
Nutrition Benefits
Fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free, good source of vitamin C and potassium.
Cancer
Sweet cherries have several cancer-preventive components, including fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. The potential role of sweet cherries in cancer prevention lies mostly in the anthocyanin content, especially in cyanidin. Sweet cherries are a good source of cyanidins, which act as antioxidants and may reduce cancer risk.
Sweet cherries have been shown to have significant levels of anthocyanins and other pigments in perhaps smaller concentrations that provide synergistic effects thought to be protective of the heart and related vascular tissue.
Researchers are interested in the role of anthocyanins in reducing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. The lower glycemic response shown in relation to cherry consumption may result from the glucose-lowering effects of cherry phytochemicals in combination with the fiber content of cherries.
Sweet cherries are considered a good source of dietary potassium, with approximately 260 mg of potassium for every cup of fresh cherries consumed. Adequate potassium intake has been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.
Quercetin
Sweet cherries also contain a small amount of quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that may play a beneficial role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer.
Melatonin
Cherries are one plant food source of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a role in promoting healthy sleep patterns.
Ease muscle soreness
Researchers believe tart cherries’ antioxidants protect against exercise-induced free radicals, which can lead to painful inflammation.
Gout
Cherries may help reduce the swelling, inflammation, and tenderness associated with gout. Research reveals eating about 2 cups fresh sweet Bing cherries daily lowered uric acid levels by 15%.
1. Health, Health Benefits of Cherries
2. Better Homes and Gardens, Healthy Cherry Recipes
3. The Greatest Table: 5 Healthy Cherry Recipes from Around the Web
National Nutrition Month® 2024: Beyond the Table
It's an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the intricate web of connections and the hard work in bringing food to our tables, encouraging a deeper respect for our meals and the myriad hands that contribute to their creation. By delving into the stories behind our food, we can foster a more sustainable, informed, and grateful approach to eating and living.
The annual March campaign educates people about making wise food choices and establishing healthy eating and physical activity routines. During this month, the Academy disseminates press releases containing vital information for the media regarding various activities, highlighted messages, and special events, including RDN Day and NDTR Day, to underscore the campaign's significance.
"Beyond the Table" looks into the many factors that affect our food choices. This theme examines a range of influences, such as:
- Cultural Significance: Recognizing how different cultures and traditions influence dietary choices and practices.
- Environmental Impact: Consider the ecological footprint of food production and make environmentally conscious choices.
- Mindful Eating: Focusing on the experience of eating, being present, and attentive to the body's hunger and satiety signals.
- Nutritional Impact on Overall Well-being: Acknowledging how food choices affect physical, mental, and emotional health.
- Access and Education: Highlighting the importance of access to nutritious food for all and educating people about healthy eating.
"Beyond the Table" thus emphasizes a broader view
of nutrition, where food is seen as an integral part of a larger ecosystem,
including its production, cultural context, environmental effects, and role
in holistic well-being.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day is also celebrated during National Nutrition Month®, on the second Wednesday in March. This occasion increases awareness of registered dietitian nutritionists as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services while recognizing both RDNs and nutrition and dietetic technicians registered for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.
National Chili Day - Chili with Gorgonzola Cheese
1 cup Chili with Beans
1 Tablespoon Gorgonzola Cheese
Heat chili. Top with cheese.
Ensure accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis for your recipes and menus utilizing an extensive research database. A great service for the Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, Recipe Websites, and Blogs. Your readers will enjoy and benefit from the Nutrition information.
For more information, visit Dietitians-Online Nutritional Analysis Services
contact:
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, FAND
recipenews@gmail.com
954-294-6300
National Cook a Sweet Potato Day - Celebrate the Sweet Potato
How to Select
Choose firm, small- to medium-sized potatoes with smooth skin. Avoid cracks, soft spots, and blemishes.
How to Store
Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place for use within 3-5 weeks.
Top 9 Ways To Enjoy Sweet Potatoes
1. Bake, Roast, or Steam. Pick a cooking method and enjoy! Use whole, unpeeled sweet potatoes as a side dish to any meal. 2. Mash - Steam peeled sweet-potato chunks for about 10 minutes until tender, and mash with a dash of orange juice.
3. Top Your Salad. Sweet potatoes make sweet salad toppings. Combine diced sweet potatoes, pineapple tidbits, apples, celery, and cashews. Serve over salad greens
4. Sweet Potato Fries. Sweet potato fries make a delicious treat. Quarter sweet potatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-60 minutes. For a spicy twist, add a dash of cayenne pepper.
5. Substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes in your favorite potato salad recipe.
6. Grill - Slice sweet potatoes into thick ½ inch rounds and grill until lightly browned. Drizzle with lime juice.
7. Add a Twist to Your Sandwiches. Cut thin slices of cooked sweet potatoes and add to your favorite sandwich or wrap instead of tomatoes.
8. Drizzle and Eat - Dice cooked, peeled sweet potatoes and drizzle with maple syrup for a side dish.
9. A Healthy Snack. Try munching on sweet potato chips. Thinly slice a large sweet potato and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
3. Sweet Potato Recipes, A Couple Cooks
Potato Lover's Month
Potatoes are one of the vegetables in the nightshade (Solanaceae) family, which includes eggplant, tomatoes, and bell peppers. It is a starchy, tuberous crop. Potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat, and rice.
1 Honey Gold
2 Enchanted Rose
2 Purple Splendor
Dash Curry Powder
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Italian Dressing, fat-free
1. Roast potatoes and dice.
2. In a bowl, combine curry, mustard, and Italian dressing. Mix.
3. Add potatoes to the marinade and coat well.
Monday, February 17, 2025
From Cherries to Chowder, explore the Presidential Palate.
Every president has his favorite foods. And it doesn't take long for the nation to become captivated with a president's eating habits - with Ronald Reagan, it was jelly beans; Jimmy Carter munched peanuts; George W. Bush loved pretzels; Trump likes fatty fast foods, and Joe Biden delights in ice cream.
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Almonds: A Super Seed
Health Benefits of Almonds
Recipe by Southern Living
Nutrition Profile by @DietitianOnline
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Foods and Dietary Habits
What did he eat while he led the country through the American Civil War, ending slavery and promoting economic modernization?
Helen Dupre Bullock, Historian of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, wrote "Authorities agree that Lincoln was indifferent to food, not particularly knowing or caring what was placed before him, whether it was cold or hot, and even whether he ate it or not. If not reminded of meal times he forgot them." Lincoln was usually so preoccupied with problems of politics he gave little thought to food unless faced with it.
President Lincoln was fond of certain foods, especially apples, and Mrs. Lincoln always had plenty of apples available. One of his favorite meals was fresh fruit and nuts, cheese and crackers. Some sources note, President Lincoln did have two favorite dishes, Chicken Fricassee with Biscuits and Oyster Stew. His favorite dessert was Apple Pie.
Lincoln's Table
National Shut-In Visitation Day
Your Visit Can Make a Big Difference
Your Visit Can Make a Big Difference
People who are shut-in may be lonely, have difficulty going to the market,
cooking meals and/or eating.
Your visit can make a big difference.
Most recently with Hurricane Sandy and the unpredictable weather conditions; we became aware of a large number of disabled and elderly people trapped in their homes and apartments (some trapped over 16 stories high.)
How you can help.
Meals-on-Wheels Programs (check your local listing)
Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program
Check local religious organizations.
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