Eating For Health

Caffeine – who doesn’t enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning?   Whether a K-cup, Starbucks or Mr. Coffee, most people enjoy starting their day with a cup of coffee.   According to the FDA , about 80% of adults in the US have some caffeine every day.     How does all this caffeine affect our health? What beverages and foods have caffeine? Coffee and tea have caffeine as does chocolate.   Energy drinks such as Red Bull contain caffeine.   How much caffeine is safe to drink? FDA notes that for most people, caffeine can be part of a healthy diet.   “But too much caffeine may post a danger to your health.”   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   But this varies as some people are more sensitive to caffeine and some people metabolize it faster or slower.   Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult with t...

Growing up who didn’t’ enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?   So many kids are raised on PB&J.   And many adults love to enjoy peanut butter sandwiches.   A favorite sandwich of Elvis Presley was a peanut butter and banana sandwich.   Are there health benefits to including peanut butter in your day?   My sister sent me an interesting article, The Popular Sandwich Spread That Helps Prevent The Risk Of Stroke .   I have heard a lot of benefits of eating peanut butter but had not heard that PB may help prevent strokes. Peanuts, peanut butter, and health: As noted in the article , about every 40 seconds someone in the US suffers from a stroke.   Many factors affect stroke risk including obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, but diet also plays a role.   Some foods increase one’s risk of stroke including “diets high in sodium, processed meats, and sugar-sweetened drinks”.   Including peanut butter and peanuts in...

Who doesn’t like bananas?   One of my favorite fruits.   Such a fave, that I eat a banana every morning.   What are some health benefits and convenience of eating bananas? Easy and convenient Bananas are now available in grocery stores all year.   One doesn’t have to wait for them to be in season. Bananas are easy to store, don’t need refrigeration and easy to pack in a lunch. Kids find bananas easy to eat.   If you ever went to a school lunch room when apples are served, you would be shocked to see how many apples have a tiny bite in them and then the rest of the apple hits the garbage can.   But when bananas are served, the kids usually eat all of the banana.    What are the health benefits of bananas? Potassium:   Loaded with the mineral, potassium .   “A medium banana gives you 422 milligrams, which is 9% of what you need every day.”   Potassium helps you lower your blood pressure.   How?   Potassium helps yo...