The Medicine Cabinet: What’s the Origin of the Five-Servings-per-Day Guideline?
Q: Where did the recommendation that we need five servings of fruits and vegetables come from? A: According to one source I found, the five-a-day slogan was conceived by a number of food companies and endorsed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute back in 1991. Over the next couple decades, public health agencies around the […]
Trim Pesticide Residues in Produce
It’s time to tune into the Dirty Dozen, based on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) analysis of USDA tests on pesticide residues on conventionally grown produce. Even if you wash and peel produce, pesticide residues in conventional fruits and vegetables persist; almost 70 percent of conventional produce samples showed pesticide residues, according to the USDA. […]
Shining the Light on Plant Proteins
Environmental Nutrition Newsletter More and more people are putting plant proteins — beans, lentils, peas, soyfoods, nuts, seeds and whole grains — at the center of the plate. According to research conducted by Midan Marketing and MeatingPlace, 70 percent of meat eaters in the U.S. are substituting a non-protein meal at least once a week, […]
Study Shows Marketing Health Food to Kids Works
The Kid’s Doctor The marketing of foods to children continues to be a hot topic. As any parent knows, by the time children are 3, 4 or 5 years old they can often point to the box of sugary cereal with their favorite cartoon character on it or identify a sign (McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Hut) […]
Crunch on cruciferous vegetables
All veggies are good for you, but cruciferous vegetables are in a special category. This group of vegetables is rich in disease-preventing nutrients, including vitamins C, E and K, folate, minerals, and several carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are well-known examples of cruciferous vegetables, but did you know […]
The beet goes on
People have been eating beetroot for its health properties since the Middle Ages. In modern times, however, it’s the liquid version that’s making waves. Scientific studies on beetroot juice claim the elixir can lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, and improve exercise performance. As a result, the ruby red beverage has become a favorite among […]
Environmental Nutrition: Shout-out to Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts can get a bad rap, especially from kids. But there’s more to these little veggies than meets the eye. The folklore Preceded by a less than delicious reputation, Brussels sprouts have been famously refused by children and labeled as smelling of sulphur. Even ancient folklore says the very first sprouts grew from bitter […]
How to select the best vegetables this fall season
Four vegetables in season now — broccoli, chard, mushrooms and potatoes — are delicious in fall dishes. See what these four vegetables have to offer nutritionally, and how to pick the best at the market. Broccoli Studies at Johns Hopkins University have shown that compounds in broccoli, rich in antioxidants, may be beneficial in fighting […]
The healthiest fall vegetables you’re not eating
By Carolyn Malcoun If the craze for pumpkin-spice everything is any indication, many of us love fall vegetables (at least in latte form). But even a true fall-vegetable lover can get into a cooking rut. Particularly when fall’s bounty of colorful squash, leafy greens and hearty roots arrives and summer’s easy-to-love tomatoes and peppers are […]
