Often, people may want to grab a soda or other soft beverage to accompany a meal, however, these drinks contain a lot of sugar and aren’t always the healthiest choice for our bodies.
This leads us to the question, what drinks are good for us?
The best answer for that is – water! And while you can have it plain, there are lots of ways to drink water. The first option for water is still (meaning it is not bubbly), or sparkling (which makes it bubbly, like soda)! You can also add fruits, vegetables, and spices to your water to flavor it and jazz it up. Some examples include making citrus water by adding slices of lemon, lime, or oranges. For a sweeter option, you could add some berries. Or you could opt for something more refreshing by adding fresh mint leaves and cucumber. The options are endless!
Another healthier drink is 100% fruit juice mixed with still or carbonated water. Because fruit juice is high in sugar, adding in water allows it to maintain its flavor, uses less juice, and adds in a more hydrating component. The sugar in 100% fruit juice is natural and better for your body than the fake sugars found in soda. As a healthy drink bonus, you can also find 100% juices that are calcium-fortified. When shopping for juices, it’s important to compare nutritional labels. It’s important to look at calories and sugars added. It’s also important to check the serving size.
Other great drinks are dairy products or dairy alternatives. For example, low-fat and fat free milks, or plant-based milks that are calcium-fortified (i.e. almond milk). Dairy products contain nutrients that are important for the body like calcium and vitamin-D. It’s important that we get enough of these nutrients to help improve our bone health.
Written by: Kailee Bar-Nadav
Sources:
https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/dairy
https://www.myplate.gov/tip-sheet/make-better-beverage-choices
Popcorn is a snack most people love to eat. It comes in various flavors and forms. You can have sea salt, kettle, white cheddar, cheddar, and so many more. Is popcorn healthy? Can you make it healthy?
Popcorn counts as a whole grain! Three cups of popcorn count as 1 ounce-equivalent in the grains group. Grains are important because they have complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, several B vitamins, and minerals. Specifically, they contain iron, magnesium, and selenium.
Popcorn should not be eaten with any other ingredients or toppings like salt, caramel, cheese, or butter or oil to “pop” the popcorn. Instead, you are encouraged to eat popcorn with healthier alternatives like herb blends for seasoning. Popcorn can make a great whole grain desert if these “guidelines” are followed by not adding any other toppings/oils.
Pita chips are pieces of pita bread that are cut into triangles and are baked in the oven. Because they are baked instead of fried, pita chips are a healthier alternative than regular potato chips. Along with being a healthy choice for a snack, the baking process also gives pita chips their crunch. Pita chips are commonly served with different kinds of dips. Here is a healthy recipe for a dip that tastes yummy with pita chips:
Lentils are another example of a healthy crunchy snack. Lentils are a part of the vegetable food group, specifically the beans, peas, and lentils subgroup. This subgroup contains nutrition that is similar to both the vegetable and protein food groups. Lentils are a very good source of fiber, folate, and potassium. These are essential to keeping healthy! They also contain plant protein, which provides zinc and iron.
Our last example of a crunchy snack are plantain chips. Plantain chips are made from green plantains that are thinly slices and baked to make them very crispy. They are commonly seasoned with salt and pepper. Plantain chips look like bananas, but they are, in fact, different. They are very rich in vitamins, which are essential for your health. Here is a recipe for tuna salad that pairs very well with plantain chips:
Cheesecake Base Mixture
The Base: ½ C. oats + ½ C. low fat milk
Next up in our “Eating the Alphabet” curriculum are pears. A pear is one of the many delicious fruits we are going to learn about! Pears are a good example of a versatile fruit because you can eat them fresh, canned, or even dried. They grow on trees and tend to be collected from the trees when they are not ready to eat yet. This is because pears ripen as they sit in room temperature.
When Are Pears Ready to Eat?
We all know that eating fruit provides many health benefits and nutrients that our bodies need. But did you know that you can freeze-dry fruits to make an easy, tasty, on-the-go snack? Essentially, dried fruits are the same as normal fruits but with all the moisture taken out of them. This leaves the fruit a bit smaller, crispier, and more flavorful with all the nutritional content still inside!
As we continue eating the alphabet, it’s time that we learn about Okra! Okra are unique vegetables that are used in many dishes in the Southern United States. An interesting thing about Okra is that while many people utilize this food as a vegetable, it is actually classified as a fruit since it has seeds within it!
Okra is a great food to eat and has many benefits for your body. It provides an excellent source of vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber, is low in sodium, and is fat free and cholesterol free. All these factors are important when figuring out what food to eat as you need to supply your body with the right fuel.