Eating For Health

What parent doesn’t have a picky eater?   At least at times.   Recently, Jennifer Motl, a registered dietitian shared her own experience with a picky eater and gave parents some advice on what the latest research shows   ( Bright Eating ).   Her tips modified for this blog are:   Model Good Eating habits – your children are always observing what you do and what you say.   So eat healthy foods in front of your child and say how much you like it.   Motl shared how her son started eating radishes because his grandfather liked them on his salad. Make up Creative names for foods – Cornell researchers found school age kids ate 99% more broccoli when it was called “Tiny Tasty Treetops”.    They also ate more green beans when they were labeled, “Silly Dilly Green Beans”. Slice some foods – perhaps because they are easier to pick up and eat but researchers at Cornell found children ate more apple slices than a whole apple. I’ve seen so many children take the tiniest bite out of a

As summer approaches, we will be reaching for water bottles to quench our thirst.   Are there water bottles to avoid?   Yes, as some contain BPA which we really don’t need.   Most of us have heard some manufacturers put a chemical in plastic bottles that we should avoid.   What is the chemical and why should we avoid it?   The chemical is bisphenol A or BPA for short.   Manufacturers use BPA to hard plastics, and they put   this chemical in:   Baby bottles, sippy cup s – most US manufacturers no longer put BPA in baby bottles an sippy cups Plastic bottles like water bottles Cans – lining of cans   Why isn't BPA banned?   The Food and Drug Administration was asked to ban BPA but they cited insufficient evidence.   One has to wonder was it insufficient evidence or a strong food lobby that prevented the ban.   But our friends to the North, Canada has banned BPA use in baby bottles so they have recognized the “insufficient evidence” as being sufficient.   BPA came under f

It used to be said coffee was bad for us.   Many still drank coffee for the taste and a   pick me up. Now they keep finding health benefits for coffee drinkers.   The latest comes from Cornell University, a study that finds coffee is good for our eyes. Study:   Cornell University’s study found that coffee has a strong antioxidant in it that prevented mice retinal degeneration.   Our retinas need lots of oxygen and antioxidants help because they help prevent tissue damage.   According to the study’s senior author, Chang Y. Lee, The study “is important in understanding functional foods, that is natural foods that provide beneficial health effects.”   ( Coffee is good for your eyes ) .   Coffee and Your Health:   Coffee has been found to have many health benefits including: Type 2 diabetes – coffee has been found to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.   People who drink more than   one cup of coffee a day over four years were found to have less chance of getting typ

Wow!   Who is responsible for the latest rumor that bananas are toxic?   A relative was at work eating a banana and her boss told her “bananas are toxic, why are you eating it?”   Then   a co-worker came in and said the same thing, and he had stopped eating bananas.   A woman was in a health food store and overheard a customer saying they had stopped eating bananas because they have toxins in them.   Yes, the banana peel may have some pesticide residue, but since you peel bananas they are noted as a very low pesticide food.   A group called the Environmental Working Group lists the foods most likely to be covered with pesticides ( EWG's 2014 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce ).    Bananas aren’t on the list because when you peel a banana you peel away the pesticides.   The World Health Organization (WHO) calls bananas one of “the world’s healthiest foods”.   ( The World's Healthiest Foods ).    Why?   Potassium – bananas are full of potassium.   Many of