Eating For Health

Who hasn’t heard the old wives’ tale, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”?    Although not true, eating apples has some health benefits.   Fall is apple season and how fun it is to visit an orchard to pick or to browse and choose some freshly picked apples.   Growing up we did not hear much about the health benefits of apples.   But more research has found apples not only provide some good nutrition but also fiber and those healthy antioxidants.    What are some health benefits of apples?   Cleveland Clinic has a great article on 7 Reasons Why Apples are Good for You .   Blood sugar control – yes, apples do contain the natural sugar, fructose.   But unlike sugary foods like donuts, eating an apple won’t spike your blood sugar.   Why?   Because the fiber in the apple slows down the absorption of fructose, and apples are lower in sugar than processed foods like donuts.   In fact, a study of over 38,000 women found...

Have you heard of the old wives’ tale, “an apple a day will keep the doctor away”?   Fall is apple season and a great time to visit an apple orchard for some fresh apples.   Growing up I often heard that apples did not provide much nutrition. But now researchers know that apples provide some good nutrition including adding some antioxidants and fiber to one’s diet.      Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Apples do have many nutritional benefits.   Apples are low in calories, have no fat, and do provide fiber which many American diets are low in.   Unlike many American snack foods, apples have no sodium but do provide potassium which helps prevent high blood pressure.   The American Heart Association notes, “Foods that are rich in potassium are important in managing high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) because potassium lessens the effects of sodium.”   Apples are a great grab and go snack and may help satisfy one’s sweet t...

As the weather turns hot, it is so important to stay hydrated.   This week my husband and I went on a long bicycle ride.   It was going to be 95 degrees that day, so we rode in the morning, found a shadier bike path to ride on and definitely brought some water with us.   Water and other liquids are great for hydration, but there are also foods that are hydrating.   My daughter said she loves watermelon in the summer.   Watermelon is a great food for hydration.   What foods can you add to your diet to help you stay hydrated?   Students in my class are often surprised to learn there are foods loaded with water that help with hydration. Our bodies need water and water is actually a required nutrient.   We lose some water every day from sweat, urine and even breathing.   In the summer, we sweat more and we lose more water.   It is important to restore “your body’s water supply regularly”.   Most of our daily water does come from ...