It may be hard to get all your nutrients on a daily basis, especially with our busy schedules. However, nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here are some nutrients that you may not be getting enough of and how you can easily fix that! Calcium Most people associate calcium with bone strength, but it also has been linked to lower blood pressure and weight control. An easy way to get enough calcium is to have dairy products or calcium-rich foods! Be aware that not all dairy products have a lot of calcium. When buying dairy products, look at the nutrition label! Make sure the dairy products you are buying have at least 20% calcium. Some healthy dairy items that give you a great source of calcium are yogurt and low-fat milk. If you are lactose intolerant, don’t worry! You can also get calcium from lactose-free milk or green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Fiber Fiber helps with digestion, lowering your cholesterol, and managing blood sugar levels. In order to get enough fiber in your diet, be sure to choose whole grain products! Specifically, look for breads that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Eating fruit is also a great way to get your fiber, along with beans. Potassium Potassium helps maintain muscles, nerves, and fluid balance. It also gives you energy! Some foods that provide a great source of potassium include raw spinach, sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt, and bananas. Try some Greek yogurt topped with bananas and cantaloupe for a great potassium-filled breakfast! References: https://www.webmd.com/diet/7-nutrients-your-diet-may-be-missing#1 https://www.ketaminewellnesscenters.com/24-essential-nutrients-foods-provide/
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Matcha tea is the newest health fad, but is it really as good as they say? The short answer is yes! Matcha has actually been around for centuries, originating from a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Matcha is a type of green tea. The leaves are ground into a fine powder and mixed with hot water to create green tea. With matcha, you are actually drinking the tea leaves. This is super healthy because you receive a stronger mix of antioxidants and nutrients than if you were drinking standard green tea. Matcha not only provides you with antioxidants, but it can also benefit your blood sugar. In addition, matcha helps you stay awake and boosts your energy through a natural substance called 1-theanine, known for triggering alertness. Matcha can lower your risk for heart disease, prevent you from aging and even help with weight loss! Comment your favorite matcha treat below! References: https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/matcha-green-tea-healthy?utm_source=Newsletter+Sign+Up&utm_campaign=78f0e3fc38-News_from_Consumer_052720145_23_2014_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_82b395cd70-78f0e3fc38-59835397 https://www.brambleberry.com/matcha-tea-latte-fragrance-oil-4-oz-p6760.aspx According to doctors and experts in healthcare, it is important to eat with the cycles of nature and consume food that has just been grown, in other words eat food that is in season. Due to food processing, we often forget that food availability changes with the seasons. When foods that are out of season are preserved, they are often covered with pesticides and preservatives to maintain or store them before they make it to the grocery shelves. These pesticides and preservatives can be detrimental to our health. Eating seasonal food or produce means that it is more likely grown locally or closer to where you live. If food is grown locally, it doesn’t spoil as easily during transport, is harvested at the right time in order to keep its nutrients, and ultimately is sold during its season before it spoils or gets sprayed with pesticides or preservatives. Here are some examples of seasonal produce available in Maryland during the summer! Carrots Strawberries Cherries Arugula Cucumber Zucchini Also, check out this great online resource to see which seasonal foods are available in your area: https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/ References: http://www.naturesgardenexpress.com/blog/eat-seasonal-for-health/ http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/whats-in-season-during-the-summer/ Google Images Currently, the average American consumes around 77 pounds of sugar per year! The average American eats 7 extra grams of sugar per day than the recommended about of 25 grams per day. Unfortunately, sugar is abundant in the American diet. There is sugar in cakes, cookies, sodas, candies, ice cream...the list goes on and on. When you eat sugar, you may start feeling shaky, sweaty, and even dizzy! This is called a sugar rush. Afterwards, you start to crash and become very tired. Consuming too much sugar can also lead to weight gain, tooth decay, skin problems, increased sugar cravings, a risk of pre-diabetes, and anxiety. High fructose corn syrup is a growing problem, as it is a highly processed type of sugar and is nearly 20 times sweeter than regular sugar. Therefore, many food manufacturers have begun to use this unhealthy type of sugar in their foods to make it sweeter. It is important to note that sugar is not naturally bad for you when eaten in moderation. In order to control your intake of sugar, try limiting your refined grain consumption. Start eating foods with healthy fats and natural sugars, such as avocados and apples. Also try drinking water to curb cravings! A little change in your diet could go a long way. References: https://articles.mercola.com/sugar-side-effects.aspx https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2017/06/30/Sugary-foods-advertising-ban-the-first-step-to-reducing-obesity |
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