Category Archives: General Nutrition Info

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, Plant-Based Dining, Tips, Vegetarian/Vegan, Weekly Health Tips

Downtown Eats: Healthy Tips

Tired of your typical day-to-day healthy meals, but want to avoid all the calories, sodium, and fat that fast food places have to offer?  Are you willing to try something new?  You can always grab something at one of the many restaurants downtown!  Downtown State College offers some great healthy options that can cater to everyone’s taste buds, and will give you a break from your typical meals.

BONUS: Many establishments accept LionCash!

Keep reading for a few of our suggestions:

Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls is located on E. Calder Way and is known for having fruit bowls and smoothies (and other bowls such as oatmeal and poke). What makes this place a healthy option downtown is the variety of fruits (bananas, pineapple, kiwi, berries), bases (acai, kale, pitaya, coconut, green, chia, and banana) and healthy toppings (peanut butter, granola, nuts, seeds, coconut) that are in their fruit bowls and smoothies. These fruit bowls provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats.  Fruit contains natural sugars and fiber and is a good source of carbohydrates, which provides energy to fuel your body and give you a natural boost at any time of the day. They’re also rich in antioxidants (especially the berries) that help protect your cells from harm.  Why not try a tasty way to get all those vitamins and minerals in for the day?

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Oh Mega Chia Bowl
  • Contains: granola, banana, blueberry, hemp seeds, agave nectar
  • Provides: 440 calories, 54 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, 11 grams of protein
  • Tip: Ask for less granola and and more fruit! Or, for more protein, ask for some peanut butter or nuts.

 

Fiddlehead

Fiddlehead is located on W. College Ave and offers a variety of salads, wraps, grain bowls, and soups. For the salads, there are a variety of different leafy greens, which include romaine iceberg mix, baby spinach, kale, and spring mix. Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories. For example, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables, which provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help reduce the risk of diseases. The leafy greens also come with many healthy toppings and dressing. Try to go for vinegar or oil-based dressings and top with nuts to help you get in those healthy fats for the day!

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Mediterranean Grain Bowl
  • Contains: quinoa, kalamata olives, kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, falafel, Fiddlehead vinaigrette
  • Tip:  Ask for your dressing on the side.  This way, you have control over how much goes on the salad!

Tadashi

Tadashi has two locations in State College, one on W. College Ave and the other on S. Atherton St.  Tadashi offers a variety of Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, udon, and donburi. Many of the menu options include many different types of fish, which provide high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and protein while being low in calories.  An omega-3 fatty acid is good for your heart and may event give you that extra brain boost for that exam you’ve been studying for!

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Shichimi Salmon Roll
  • Contains: spicy salmon, Kani, avocado, topped seared mayo salmon, mango salsa, eel sauce, scallions
  • Tip:  Go with friends and sample a variety of items instead of eating the entire meal yourself.

Although these restaurants offer healthier options than most, try to avoid dining out on a regular basis.  Even though you may choose the healthy option on the menu, eating out on a regular basis can increase your calorie, sugar, or fat intake, without you even knowing.   Those portion sizes and ingredients can be deceiving!

 

Learning how to cook your own healthy meals allows you to have control over exactly what goes into the food you’re eating.  You could even get fancy and try to re-create some of the items on the menu at your favorite restaurant.  By buying your own ingredients you can make them healthier and save money over time!

By: Michelle Tang

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, MyPlate, Plant-Based Dining, Tips, Uncategorized, Vegetarian/Vegan

Sustainable Eating

Okay, so you may be wondering what it means to have a “sustainable diet”?

In the most basic sense, a sustainable diet is one which has a low environmental impact, and that contributes to food and nutritional security.  Additionally, it aims to create and sustain healthy lives for present and future generations.

But, how can you do this while living on or off campus?

The answers are simpler than you  may think!

1. Prioritize Plants:

USDA’s MyPlate suggests filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits as part of an optimal diet, but planning our meals around product benefits the planet as well.  Shifting to a more plant-based way of eating will help reduce freshwater withdrawals and deforestation.  Think of this as a win-win for both our personal health and the environment.

2. Minimize Meat

MyPlate suggests reducing red meat, and now there’s another reason to treat it more as a condiment than a main dish.  Meat production is a substantial contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, especially beef production.  Transporting and raising livestock also requires more food, water, land, and energy than plants.  To eat for our own health as well as that of the planet, we should consider picking non-meat proteins such as nuts and legumes.

3. Select New Seafood

Fish can be a healthy choice if part of an overall healthy dietary style, but some species are at risk of being over fished, or produced in ways that harm the marine environment.  If your go-to variety of fish is on the “avoid” list, consider trying some new seafood.  The “Avoid’ and “Alternative” visual can be seen below.

Seafood to limit Alternative Reason for Alternative
Atlantic Salmon Pacific Salmon ·         Similar flavor profile

·         Remains rich in fatty acids

·         Requires less fish feed
Swordfish Mahi Mahi ·         Similar “meat” flavor

·         Smaller and healthier
Wild-Caught Sea Scallops Farmed Shellfish ·         Harvesting in ocean disrupts natural habitat

·         Farmed shellfish can be harvested sustainably
King Crab Blue Crab or Stone Crab ·         Typically come from well-managed fisheries in the US

·         Seafood sourced close is more sustainable

4. Look Local

Exploring farmers’ markets helps you find fresh produce grown locally, but equally important, you can meet the people who produce your food.  During the academic year, there are many farmers’ markets that take in downtown State College.  What could be better than walking downtown with some friends and finding some cheap fruits, vegetables, and locally -made baked goods?  Keep in mind, many of these markets are cash only!  Additionally, Penn State has its own student-run farm, which provides produce to many of the dining halls of campus, as well as a few businesses downtown.  Keep an eye out for events in the dining commons featuring this produce!   These are great opportunities for education: you can learn how your food was grown, when it was harvested, and event how to prepare it.

5. Eat Mindfully

One of the simplest things you can do to eat more sustainably is to practice mindful eating.  Focusing o what you’re eating allows you to reflect on where your food came from and how it is nourishing your body.  Additionally, by tuning in to your hunger signals you may learn that you don’t need as much food as you thought, and resize your meals accordingly.  by paying more attention to how we eat and thinking about the “bigger picture”, we may alter our food consumption and reduce food waste, as well as become encouraged to seek out more sustainable food sources.  These are no changes that need to be implemented all at once.  Rather, one should take their time and make small, but impactful choices  about what they are consuming.

So now that we know that sustainable eating is beneficial for so many reasons, how can you incorporate it into your diet?

Visit this link to learn more about what “sustainable eating” entails

By: Emmy Sikora

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, MyPlate, National Nutrition Month ®, Tips, Uncategorized, Weekly Health Tips

So, what did your plate look like today?

Choose MyPlate with campus dining!

Do you want to improve your health through the meals you eat on campus?

Do you feel like you have trouble making your plate healthy at meals?

Then, stay tuned for these tips to get you on the right track and find out how easy the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines are to follow, after all.

 

So, what’s MyPlate?  MyPlate’s mission through the USDA is to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans through two primary objectives: advance and promote dietary guidance for all Americans and to conduct applied research and analyses in nutrition and consumer economics.  The first picture below is the direct result of years of continued research on the best way to promote dietary guidelines to Americans!  However, they didn’t always make it this easy.

Before 2011, and the days of MyPlate, the Food Guide Pyramid was the visual used by the USDA to show the five food groups and recommended amounts for each.  The second visual above is what your parents were most likely taught back in the day when they were in school!  Don’t you think the new MyPlate is easier to follow?

MyPlate, which continues to focus on the on the five food groups like the Food Guide Pyramid once did, serves as a colorful visual to encourage personalization of food choices and recommended portion sizes.  With this layout it’s suggested that your start by filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, then fill about a quarter of your plate with protein (preferably lean protein), and then fill the last quarter of your plate with grains. You can complement your plate with a serving of dairy or high-calcium milk alternative like yogurt, milk, or fortified almond or soy milk. Examples of fruits include apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges. Vegetables include peppers, spinach, broccoli and squash.  Lean proteins include plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils and quinoa and non-plant-based proteins such as fish and chicken. Some healthy grains include whole wheat toast, white, brown and wild rice, and multigrain breads.

 

General MyPlate guidelines for each of the food groups include:

  • making half the grains you eat whole grains
  • varying your fruits and vegetables or eat all the colors of the rainbow
  • choose primarily low-fat and fat-free dairy items
  • keep your meat proteins portion sizes under control (around 3-4 ounces but this depends on the type of meat and your individual needs)
  • avoid overeating foods that are high in solid fats or added sugars

How can we apply these “rules” to dining on campus?

Compare the MyPlate guidelines above to the picture below.  This meal below was prepared at one of our All You Care To Eat locations on campus.  As you can see, more than half of the plate is filled with grapes, cantaloupe, honeydew, butternut squash and mixed veggies.  The grain component of the plate includes a quinoa falafel and the protein portion of the plate includes Penn State’s famous cider brined smoked turkey.  All with a side of our Creamery’s low-fat milk as a serving of dairy.

Although there’s a large amount of options each day, it’s not always easy to make the best choices and come up with a plate that looks like the one above.  On some days the pizza may sound better to you than the veggies.  Or, the chicken tenders might be calling your name louder than the turkey.  But remember, there’s always small changes you can make to improve your eating habits. You can opt for the whole wheat pasta instead of the original penne pasta, or maybe get a piece of hand fruit when leaving the dining commons instead of the ice cream cone to-go every day. Some things to keep in mind in the deli areas of commons are to choose whole wheat or multi-grain breads/wraps instead or white breads/wraps. If you don’t like the vegetable choices being served at the buffet, then you can choose to make yourself a side salad at the salad bar which also offers a variety of fruit options.

Dietitian Tips: If there’s multiple menu items that are tasty enough to eat five servings of, always remember that it won’t be the last time you’ll see them on the menu.  The cycle menu allows for these items to pop up at least every 3 weeks!  Yes, you’ll see that butternut squash mash every few weeks!  No need to eat a whole plate of it this time.  Can’t pick between items one day?  Ask for smaller servings of each or serve yourself a smaller amount so you are not overeating.

 

As for dessert, it’s okay to enjoy it occasionally.  Yes, you read that right.  It’s okay to have the famous Death By Chocolate on certain occasions as a treat.  Always remember, everyone’s body is different, and has different requirements, so try to find the plan that helps you feel the best!

 

For more information check out the nutrition tab on the Penn State food services website at foodservices.psu.edu and follow us on Instagram @psudining_dietitians.  Better yet, get to know your Green Hats in each of the commons.  They’re students just like you who can help with healthier options.  Or, reach out to the Registered Dietitian’s office for tips/suggestions.

 

Want more information on these recommendations without having to talk to anyone?  Your first stop should be to visit the ChooseMyPlate.gov website.  Now, here’s an excellent resource for finding tips, pictures, and other printable or downloadable materials for meal planning, budgeting, and adjusting your food choices!

 

Stay tuned for the Registered Dietitian’s Office collaboration with Healthworks during National Nutrition Month.  On March 30th, you’ll see tables set up in each of the dining commons for a “Build Your Plate” theme!

 

By: Hannah Fitzgerald

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, National Nutrition Month ®, Uncategorized

Macros, Micros and Fads…Oh My!

Welcome to the first post of National Nutrition Month 2019!

We wanted to use this post to highlight some of the basics of nutrition including macronutrients, micronutrients, and how to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Macronutrients

There are 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein.  These are called the macronutrients because our bodies need them in large quantities. Carbs, fat, and protein all yield energy, but they are digested, absorbed, and utilized in the body differently.

Carbohydrates are your body’s number one fuel source. They are the most efficient at providing energy and should therefore be a large part of your diet. Not all carbohydrates are created equal, however, which often causes carbs to get a bad reputation. Here’s what you should know about carbohydrates:

  1. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are all sources of carbohydrates and are an important part of a healthy diet
  2. Added sugars, refined grains like white bread and pastries, and syrups like those found in coffee drinks are also sources of carbohydrates, but these should be consumed in moderation as they are not beneficial to the body
  3. Including a healthy source of carbohydrates in your first meal will provide you with energy for the rest of the day. Overnight, our energy stores are depleted, so it’s important to replenish these energy reserves in order to stay focused and energized throughout the day

Protein is the macronutrient that aids in the regulation of metabolism, necessary repairs, muscle maintenance, and other important functions within the body. Here’s what you should know about protein:

  1. Varying your protein sources is an important part of a healthy diet. Choosing different sources throughout the day will ensure that your body is getting enough of each amino acid.
  2. Plant proteins, such as those found in legumes, nuts, and seeds, should be included in the diet on a regular basis. These protein sources have unique qualities that animal proteins don’t, such as containing fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins and minerals that help keep us healthy.
  3. Just like calorie requirements, protein requirements vary among individuals. Age, activity level, goals, and other factors all influence the amount of protein that is appropriate.

Fat, like carbohydrates, is a macronutrient that often gets a bad rep. There are two broad categories that we group fat into – saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats, like those found in cured meats, coconut oil, and highly processed foods have been shown to be associated with obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Unsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado have been shown to be beneficial and can even help prevent these chronic diseases.  Here’s what you should know about fats:

  1. Not all fats are created equal. Unsaturated fats should be given preference over saturated fats in order to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent disease
  2. Adding a source of fat to your meal can help keep you fuller longer due to the increased rate of digestion and absorption that fat requires. Adding avocado or a handful of nuts to a salad, or eating fruit with peanut butter will help keep you full until your next meal.
  3. Don’t go nuts over coconut oil – a recent trend has consumers believing that coconut oil is a health-promoting food. However, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, and research shows that it should be limited in the diet just like other sources of saturated fat.

Now that we’ve discussed the basics about the 3 macronutrients, let’s talk about micronutrients and what they do for our bodies.                

Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Micronutrients do not provide energy to the body, but they are still an important part of a healthy diet.

The 13 vitamins include Vitamin A, the 8 B vitamins (thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and biotin), Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K. All vitamins are essential to life and have different functions in the body, which is why consuming a healthy, balanced diet with variety is so important.

Our bodies also require minerals like calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, and others in order to function. Consuming a variety of healthy foods will ensure that your body is getting enough of everything that it needs.

Antioxidants are important for fixing damage within the body. The color in different plant foods is actually a result of antioxidants and other compounds that greatly benefit our health. When you hear people say to eat the rainbow, it’s because different colored fruits and vegetables provide different antioxidants and nutrients that keep us healthy.

So how exactly do you aim to eat a healthy, balanced diet?

Try to include all of the macronutrients in each meal. For example, rice, beans, and guacamole can be made into a burrito bowl that has a nice balance of carbs from the rice, protein from the beans, and fat from the guacamole. Next, consider adding some color to your meal. Throw in some green peppers, red onion, and salsa to add color, antioxidants, and micronutrients to your meal.

Some other examples are:

  • Chickpeas with shredded carrots, quinoa, hummus, and lettuce wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. Have some fruit on the side like grapes, a sliced apple, or fresh berries
  • Rolled oats soaked overnight with nut butter, berries, cinnamon, and ground flaxseeds
  • Avocado toast with scrambled eggs or tofu scramble. Add some spinach and mushrooms to your scramble and top with salt, pepper, and paprika

But what about Fad Diets?

Fad Diets

There is ultimately no “quick fix” to a healthy, balanced diet and claims like these can lead consumers astray. Claims such as “lose weight fast,” even from those denoting that they are a nutritionist, require no research backing. Even some diet and nutrition books you find in stores may not be backed by science!  In many cases, these “new” diets are only maintainable in the short-term. You may you lose weight fast in the beginning, which is how these fad diets gain popularity, but they are ultimately unsustainable long-term.

A fad diet is any number of weight-reduction diets that either eliminate one or more of the essential food groups, or recommend consumption of one type of food in excess at the expense of other foods. Diets such as the atkins and the keto diet, made popular in recent years, reduces carbohydrates in order to force the body to burn other resources as energy. As a result, the body will burn adipose tissue and eventually degrade muscles in order to produce energy. The best recommendation for an overall healthy lifestyle is to include a balance of all macro and micronutrients in the diet.

If you do wish to lose weight, gain muscle, or clean up your diet in a healthy, sustainable way, contacting a Registered Dietitian is a great first step! Unlike nutritionists, RDNs or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists can not have that title without credentials including a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science as well as passing the RD exam!

That’s all for this week!

Check back next week for a spotlight on fruits and vegetables.