With March being “National Nutrition Month”, there’s no better time to refresh your nutrition-related knowledge and rethink common food misconceptions and myths. With so much conflicting information online and on food labels themselves due to marketing messages, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Here are nine fun and informative facts that might change the way you look at what’s in your pantry or on your plate:
1. Himalayan pink salt isn’t much healthier than table salt.
While himalayan pink and other sea salts are less processed and may have a higher natural mineral content (iron, copper, etc) than table salt, these minerals are found only in trace amounts and unlikely to provide significant nutritional benefits. Both types of salt are about 98% sodium chloride, however, table salt is often fortified with iodine, an essential mineral needed to produce thyroid hormones. Both types of salts should be used in moderation to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
2. Blending foods does not remove or reduce their fiber content.
Fiber is found in the flesh, skins and seeds of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Blending fruits and vegetables into smoothies, sauces and soups is a great way to increase your dietary fiber intake, especially as up to 95% of the population fails to meet the recommended 25-38 grams of dietary fiber/day. As long as everything that goes into the blender is consumed, the fiber content remains the same. In contrast, juicing DOES remove the fiber from fruit, as the juice is separated from the flesh, skins and seeds, which is where the fiber is found!
3. Fruit juice is not always 100% fruit juice.
Fruit juice can be made in two different ways: “not from concentrate” or “from concentrate”. Juice that is not from concentrate is “100% fruit juice” with no added colors, preservatives, or sugars. It is harvested, immediately bottled and stored/sold. Juice that is from concentrate is made from a “syrup-like concentrate” that is made by evaporating water from 100% fruit juice. This concentrate is easy to ship and store, and therefore much cheaper to sell to the consumer, however, due to the loss of nutrients and flavor in removing the water, preservatives and other ingredients are often added, making fruit juice from concentrate an ultraprocessed food and therefore one that should be limited.
4. Frozen produce can be just as nutritious as fresh produce, if not more.
Frozen fruits and vegetables aren’t just more cost effective - they may also be more nutritious! Fruits and vegetables that are frozen are often picked at peak ripeness, when the flavor is best and often when the nutrient content of foods is at their highest. In contrast, fresh produce is often picked before its peak ripeness to allow for ripening time during transport and storage. Fruits and vegetables that are ripened on the vine often result in higher levels of antioxidants and better flavor. When choosing frozen fruits and vegetables, be sure to opt for those without any added sugars or seasonings, which can make them less nutritious.
5. Peanuts aren’t “nuts”.
Nuts are botanically defined as a dry, single-seeded fruit with a hard shell that doesn’t split open once mature (such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, acorns). By definition, peanuts are actually legumes, plants that produce seeds in pods (such as beans, lentils, peas), although they are legally and culinarily considered nuts. Both nuts and legumes are good sources of fiber, plant-based protein, B-vitamins and many minerals and both food groups should be incorporated several times each week as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
6. Oranges aren’t the food with the highest vitamin C content.
Despite oranges being the face of vitamin C-rich foods, there are many foods that contain more vitamin C per serving than an orange (~70 mg vitamin C per 1 medium orange). For example, one medium red-bell pepper contains ~150 mg vitamin C, one guava contains ~200+ mg vitamin C, and 1 kiwi contains 80-90 mg vitamin C! Vitamin C plays an important role in immune health and function, collagen production, and iron absorption!
7. Pineapple contains an enzyme that helps break down protein-rich foods.
The stem and fruit of the pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that helps break down proteins. Some people may experience tingling in their mouth when eating raw pineapple, which is caused by bromelain beginning to break down proteins on the tongue!
8. Eggshell color has no impact on the nutritional value, quality or taste of an egg.
Eggshells come in a variety of colors - white, brown, speckled, blue, green, grey - however, the color of the shell of the egg is determined solely by the breed of the chicken, rather than its nutritional content or quality. Any variation in quality or nutrition would be a result of the hen’s diet or living environment.
9. Multigrain does not mean whole grain or healthier.
100% whole grains are grains in which all 3 layers of the grain are intact, which provide maximum fiber, vitamins and minerals. In contrast, “enriched” or “refined” grains are those in which one or more of the layers of the grain has been removed to allow for consistent color and texture of the product, however, in removing part of the grain, many of the nutrients are also removed. “Multigrain” means that the product uses more than one type of grain, which may or may not be refined or enriched and therefore may not be as healthy. To ensure you’re getting the most nutritious grains, opt for 100% whole grains such as 100% whole wheat bread, quinoa, oatmeal, or brown rice.
Intuitive eating is the practice of eating in response to your body’s internal hunger and fullness cues, rather than external cues, such as environmental or social triggers that prompt eating behaviors, regardless of true hunger or fullness levels. In today’s society, it is especially difficult to eat intuitively as we are near constantly being bombarded with messaging that tells us what we should or shouldn’t eat and that labels foods as “good” or “bad.” Overtime, as the mind and body become used to ignoring hunger signals, the cues begin to fade and are more and more difficult to notice or may only be noticed when the body is in an extreme, ravenous state, which is likely to lead to overeating, which is then followed by feelings of guilt and desire to restrict based on external cues and continued ignoring of internal hunger cues. For many, the body must be reconditioned, starting with reconnecting with your biological hunger cues. Here’s how to start:
Back-to-school season is a great time for a fresh start - whether you’re a student, parent, or both! However, as your schedule changes and so does the season, there are many obstacles to getting or staying on track when it comes to your nutrition, exercise and other health-related goals. From having to wake up earlier to help the kids get ready for school to having to stay up late to complete school assignments, many factors can disrupt your usual eating, sleeping, or exercising routines. To stay ahead of these disruptions, the best strategy is to have a plan. Begin thinking about how the change to your schedule may require you to adjust your eating or exercise routines. Does the start of the school year mean you will have to get up earlier to get your workout in before you see the kids off to school? Will a late-night class or evening sports practice interfere with your usual dinner routine? If so, what adjustments need to be made to help you stay on track?
imilarly to your eating routine, consider what changes must be made to maintain your exercise goals or if your exercise goals need to be reevaluated. Ask yourself: when can I realistically fit exercise/activity into my new routine/schedule? Do I need to make adjustments to the frequency or length of my activities? Are there other ways I can be active if my schedule doesn’t allow for structured exercise? For example - park the car further away from the store/office, take 5 minute breaks periodically between assignments or work tasks to get some 
In today’s busy world, it’s easy to put self-care on the back burner. When there are seemingly endless deadlines at work that must be met, household chores to tackle, and a calendar that is jam-packed it can be extremely difficult to even think about taking time out for ourselves. This is why we must take just a few minutes out of our days. And, as Millennial as it may sound, we need to begin to give some love to ourselves so that we not only exist, but live life to the fullest.
As many of us are confronted with the decision of whether to send our children back to school or continue with online learning, we are faced with many questions that we had never had to ask ourselves before. Breakfast, lunch, and often snacks are mainly consumed during these hours at school, so as we continue to see Indiana trying to return to normal and reopen, we might need to tailor our eating habits to ensure we are not risking unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 when refueling our bodies throughout the day. These ideas also work for adults who are returning to the workplace or have already returned to the workplace.
A few years ago, I made it my New Year’s Resolution to completely cut out animal products from my diet. I had played around with a couple variations of diets for a few years in college while competing in a Division 1 rowing program—cutting out all red meat, processed meats, and chicken, and only eating fish. Essentially the only things left were the eggs, milk, and cheese. I had been hesitant because cheese was my absolute favorite thing to add to every meal. I dreamed about doing a cheese and wine tour of Europe one day—I was really in love with cheese.
Take these next few weeks or so and use them to your advantage. We know this is an extremely challenging time, and we want to make sure you feel like you are taken care of. Circumstances are tricky right now, so even if you adopt one new technique, consider that a win! Don’t expect yourself to “eat the rainbow” every day, feel like you fall asleep easily at night from a relaxing day working at home in your pajamas, or get in a 10-mile run each morning. While you shelter at home and stay healthy, keep these tips in mind.
During cold and flu season, we try to do all we can to prevent illness or speed up how fast we recover from illness. One such strategy many employ is the use of Vitamin C for a natural remedy. Several products are marketed as immune system boosters because they contain large amounts of Vitamin C. Do these products really work? We set out to investigate!
Mondays can be hard enough, getting back into the swing of things after a much-too-short weekend. The last thought on your mind is what to cook for dinner, right? You might go out to eat instead, pick up carryout, or eat a frozen pizza for the most painless dinner prep possible. However, what if you opt for something that is not only easy for you, but also healthy for you and the planet?
Do you feel like you get stuck in a rut eating the same things from week to week? On one hand it makes life a lot easier, right? You don’t have to scour through recipes, find that one illusive ingredient on the top shelf in the last aisle you looked in, or put the effort into prepping a meal that claims “30-minute prep” but in fact took you two hours. I completely understand!