Confessions of a dietitian
In my house, when it comes to sweets, we lack willpower. More specifically, our weakness is baked goods. Before children, Ed and I would nearly finish an 8"x 8" pan of brownies in an evening. Now that...
View ArticleKeep the fireworks in the sky
Trichinosis! The word alone takes away my enjoyment of eating pork chops at Fourth of July picnics. A disease caused by roundworms, trichinosis can be transmitted through undercooked pork. But...
View ArticleZucchini, the unsung fruit
My dad warns not to leave car doors unlocked during the month of July. If you do, zucchini may appear in the backseat. Zucchini is one of the easier fruits to grow, and many people grow it in...
View ArticleThe whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead
An old wives tale claims, "The whiter your bread, the sooner you're dead". Just a tale, or is it true? Bread gets its color from the bran in the wheat, but during the milling process grain companies...
View ArticleIncorporating wheat and other whole grains in your diet
Last week's blog, "The whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead" focused on wheat. Although the most commonly consumed grain in the western diet, wheat isn't the only edible whole grain. Other whole...
View ArticleVegetable or grain?
Some call corn a vegetable, but farmers like my dad refer to it as a grain when feeding cattle. Well shucks, who is right? The answer depends on when corn is harvested. Farmers typically feed livestock...
View ArticleChocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, oh my!
Do you remember the chocolate milk at school? Chocolicious! Some schools now serve strawberry and vanilla flavored milks too. My nephew tried strawberry milk for the first time at school this week....
View ArticleDo you need to take food to work?
Are your co-workers bad for your health? Tuesday morning, following the holiday weekend, a fellow co-worker or two may show up with high calorie leftovers from their weekend celebrations. Fully aware...
View ArticleOne day kids will eat it
I need to get something off my plate. My children are not a dietitian's delight. Kate, a one year-old vegetarian, prefers carbohydrates, cheese, and fruit. I know exactly which foods she dislikes when...
View ArticleThe skinny on holiday eating
January 1, 2012: What will your bathroom scale read? For the average American, the scale will read a few pounds heavier than it does now. But you think, "No big deal, my New Year's Resolution will be...
View ArticleResolve to Tweak
Did you resolve to lose weight and eat healthier this year but not know where to start? Most start by cutting back on -- or eliminating -- sodas, sweets, and snacks. But what other changes can you...
View ArticleCake for breakfast. Really?
Can eating cake with breakfast be part of a healthy diet? It depends on how you define diet. Some define "diet" as a four-letter word for deprivation. To deprive themselves, dieters often avoid all...
View ArticleNourishing the busy body
Who has time to cook? It's hard to find time when there's housework, yardwork, busy work, and plain old work. Kids take a little bit of work too. Or maybe it's social media, golf games, or grandkids...
View Article"Naturally fat free"
"Naturally fat free"--that's a common advertisement for sugar. But sugar in our diet may lead to more fat in our body. In fact, sugar may play a larger role than dietary fat in causing obesity and high...
View ArticleSticky Situation: Detecting Added Sugars
How much added sugar do you consume? If you're an average American, you consume around 24 teaspoons per day--about a ½ cup and 384 calories. To burn that much energy, most people would need to run...
View ArticleWhat can be substituted for lunch meats?
Do you know mothers who do backflips while packing fun, kid-appealing lunches that their children gobble up? And their kids even respond, "You're the greatest mom! I appreciate all you did to feed me...
View ArticleJump on the bandwagon!
Are you on the latest diet bandwagon? Are you tired of unsafe ingredients and questionable processing methods? Do you want more information about your food? If so, you're part of the healthy food...
View Article"Where do I start?"
"Where do I start?" is a common, exasperating question among those wanting to lose weight or simply improve eating habits. People have various challenges in their daily lives, so there is no...
View ArticleTips for enjoying holiday nourishment without weight gain
Holiday parties are often associated with tempting treats and weight gain. While weight gain does indeed happen if one isn't careful, parties can actually be a healthy way to enjoy fun, nourishing...
View ArticleFood Sensitivities: Could you have them?
Food sensitivities are a little known big problem. Affecting the immune system and inflaming the body, food sensitivities may impact 20-30% of the population, degrading their quality of life. If you...
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