Consumers buy more oatmeal in the month of January than any other month. It’s the perfect start to a chilly morning and provides antioxidants, iron and vitamins for optimal energy through the day. Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate and also falls into the category of a whole grain. The soluble fiber in oats has been proven to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and also stabilize blood sugar levels making it an optimal choice for those at risk for heart disease and diabetes. With less than 100 calories in ¾ cup, oatmeal can control your hunger, making it a diet-friendly food.

Oats are an inexpensive and versatile ingredient that can be added into cookies, meatloaf, breads and desserts. Experiment for yourself with one of these oat recipes from Eating Well.

For serving sizes, use this printable portion size table from WebMD as a guide to remembering what a serving size should look like. A serving of meat should be the size of a deck of cards. Compare a serving of fruit to a baseball and a serving of cheese to a stack of three dice. Finally, be cautious with fats. One serving of butter, salad dressing, mayo or oil should only be the size of a poker chip. Consider measuring your servings at home for two weeks to reevaluate how much you are actually eating.

Happy Hot Cocoa Day!

Good news for hot cocoa lovers- A study from Cornell University reveals winter’s favorite beverage may have more antioxidants per cup than a glass of red wine or green tea. Cocoa powder is derived from a bean that contains large quantities of the flavonoid, procyanidin. Antioxidants and flavonoids are compounds that have been shown to slow aging and prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. The antioxidants in cocoa powder show up in highest amounts in unprocessed chocolate.

Many pre-packaged hot cocoa mixes made from milk solids don’t contain as many antioxidants and flavonoids as pure dark cocoa powder. For maximum antioxidant benefit, mix one tablespoon of pure organic dark chocolate cocoa powder with one cup of skim milk which adds a bone building dose of calcium and vitamin D. For a healthy variation, try making a batch with soy milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a teaspoon of pure maple syrup. Try this healthy hot cocoa recipe from EatingWell, and get a tasty dose of antioxidants.

Halloween can also be a good time to teach children (and adults!) moderation and healthy eating. Instead of traditional candies, pass out 100 calorie packs of crackers, granola bars, or bags of popcorn. Another option is to pass out non-food related items like stickers, pencils, or a small play dough.

Although eggs are nutritional royalty, a debate continues to exist over the cholesterol content in their yolks. Despite 100% of the cholesterol being found in egg yolks, the yellow center is also home to most of the calcium, iron, zinc, choline and vitamins A, D, E, and K. The recommended daily limit on cholesterol is 300mg, and one large egg has about 213mg. Therefore, those concerned with their cholesterol levels may consider just using egg whites, cholesterol free egg substitutes, or limiting other sources of cholesterol throughout the day.

As an affordable and convenient food, you can eggperiment different ways to cook them; hard-boiled, over easy, or scrambled. For other recipes and more nutrition facts, click here.

Choose foods closest to their natural state, and avoid processed junk foods

The concept of Clean Eating is not a new one. Dating back to Biblical times, populations were instructed to avoid eating unclean animals. Although the idea of clean eating has evolved slightly, it is still a highly sought after and recommended way of eating.

Clean eating recommends limiting or completely eliminating highly processed and packaged foods that are likely high in chemicals, fillers, food dyes. It encourages nutrient dense foods grown out of the ground and from plants.  A clean eating diet contains plenty of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables (organic when possible), low fat dairy products, and lean clean meats. Eating clean includes drinking plenty of filtered water while avoiding soda, sugary drinks, and alcohol.

Although this concept may be daunting to some, it is best to start small. Begin incorporating clean foods into just one meal a day and work your way up. Slowly rid your cabinets of processed and packaged foods. Learn to read food labels; generally speaking, the shorter an ingredient list is, the better. Avoid products that contain ingredients that you can’t pronounce. The further the food is from its natural state, the more ‘dirty’ it is considered (think fresh organic strawberries vs. strawberry poptarts).

Browse Clean Eating recipes and learn more about the Eat Clean diet.

Since 2002, the USDA has set standards that food manufacturers must adhere to if they label their product as organic. An inspector from the USDA must examine farmers, their animals, animal feed, soils, and growing practices to determine if their final product can be labeled as organic. Organic foods are free from pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic ingredients, dyes, and growth hormones. Produce grown in organic soil has been shown to have more nutrients due to the nutrient rich soil. Pesticides, chemicals, and growth hormones have been linked to many conditions such as cancers, food allergies and ADHD.

Generally speaking, you typically don’t need to pay the extra cash for produce with thick skins or rinds that get pealed or aren’t eaten. This includes bananas, melons, pineapple, broccoli, and mango. However, it may be worth shelling out a few extra bucks for milk, meat, eggs, and produce with thin skins such as berries, peaches, and bell peppers.

Although you may pay more, there are cheaper alternatives such as joining a farmers co-op, buying locally, or shopping at farmers markets. For more information visit the Organic Consumers Association.

Bottom's Up!

If water is truly the most essential nutrient, then why do so many  avoid it? Water is essential for lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, and excreting waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.  

As the thermometer rises, it is important to make sure our water intake rises too. As a rule of thumb, you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, a 150lb person should drink around 75 ounces of water a day.  

What about soda, coffee and tea? Unfortunately, carbonated and caffeinated drinks don’t count. Caffeine works as a diuretic actually dehydrating you more. Choose liquids you can see through such as 100% fruit juices and decaf tea.

Carry a water bottle everywhere you go, and squeeze a slice of lemon, lime, orange or even cucumber for a refreshing drink. Most fruits and vegetables have a high water content as well, so eat up!

Berries are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Also known as “natures candy” these tasty fruits and plentiful, versatile, and oh so delicious. Below are a few of the famous berries and their nutritional resume.

Blueberries- This tiny blue fruit is loaded with Vitamin C, E, and fiber. Time after time, blueberries top the charts as one of the most powerful foods for phytochemicals and antioxidants…compounds that fight off free radicals and prevent aging. Blue berries are easy to pick, and can be used in muffins, waffles, pancakes, smoothies, and eaten fresh or frozen.

Raspberries- Raspberries are a tender and elegant berry with a bright red hue. This fruit contains almost a day’s worth of Manganese in 1 cup. This berry also boasts of a wide variety of B vitamins such as Folate, B2, B3, and Vitamin C.  Raspberries contain anthocyanins, which contain a bit of antimicrobial properties. These anthocyanins have the ability to help prevent overgrowth of certain bacteria and fungi. One example of this includes the yeast candida albicans, a bacteria that has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome and yeast infections.

Strawberries- This red heart shaped fruit is the perfect treat for your heart. This prominent Missouri berry is packed with two flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol. Studies have shown that these flavoniods do your heart a favor by keeping the bad cholesterol (LDL) from damaging artery walls. One cup of strawberries also contains a whopping 140% of your DV for Vitamin C. These berries are great for jams, smoothies, pie, and salads.

Blackberries- Frozen, canned, or straight off the vine, blackberries are good for more than turning your mouth purple. Blackberries rank among the top of the charts for fiber content. They also contain high levels of ellagic acid and tannins which have been shown to decrease the risk of certain cancers, and reverse some effects of aging.