Food for Thought                     

Food for Thought contains articles on various nutrition topics written by KAND dietitians.

Local foods, are they better for you?

By Wendy Markham

When you think about nutrition, you most often think about what nutrients are in the food. What vitamins does it have, fat, calories, and the favorite, calories?  What is not often considered is where the food is from. In our global market, we are able to buy foods imported from all over the world. In some ways, this gives us an edge on nutrition by providing many options to suit all tastes. You no longer have to settle for oranges or strawberries to get vitamin C. Now, you can run to the supermarket and purchase exotic fruits from far away countries to get the same vitamin C but with a different flavor. Food is also more accessible. Now, you can run to the local super store and buy your produce in the same location as where you purchase hardware, clothes, and even have your car worked on. Time and travel reduce vital nutrients.

While all these options are pleasing to the palate, there are some downsides to the global food market. Food travels an average of 1500-2500 miles from farm to table. Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend up to seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the market. Most fruit and vegetables sold in supermarkets are chosen for the ability to withstand harvesting equipment and extended travel, not taste.  This results in very little variety in plants grown.

Does distance make a difference in nutrition? The answer is yes. Spinach stored at room temperature loses between 50 and 90 percent of its vitamin C within 24 hours of being picked and spoils after five days. Time and exposure to light destroys folic acid, a vital nutrient in many green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C, the B vitamins and vitamin E are all important antioxidants that protect against disease, because they attack free radicals which cause oxidative stress and damage our cells leading to cancer and heart disease. These vitamins are particularly sensitive to time. These vitamins are often not in fruit and vegetables that are picked green – they are picked green so they will survive.

Any fruit or vegetable is a healthy choice.  Here’s a few good reasons to buy local:

•  Local food is fresh and tastes good. Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It is usually full of flavor and has not lost nutrients due to processing and shipping.

•  Local food supports local farm families. Local farmers who sell directly to consumers or to local stores, markets, or institutions can get better prices for their food, which means that farm families can keep their farm operating.

•  Local food builds a strong community. When you buy directly from the farmer, you are establishing a direct connection between with those responsible for growing the food you are eating.

•  Local food helps preserve farmland. Farmland will survive only as long as farms make money. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing something to help preserve the land needed to help our community have access to food.

•  Local food supports a clean environment. The average distance most food travels is up to 1400 miles. This burns up a great deal of gas and creates pollution.  Food that is grown and sold locally travels a much shorter distance.

Click here for more information on Knoxville area farmer’s markets.

Summer Hydration

With temperatures warming up hydration becomes even more important for kids and adults that are spending time outside in the sun, even more so for those that are ACTIVE.

5 Tips for Staying Hydrated:
1) Aim for a hydration goal—below are general daily fluid recommendations.(1)

• Children:
• 4-8 years: 57.5 oz. (7 cups)
• 9-13 years: Girls 71 oz.(9 cups), Boys 81 oz.(10 cups)
• 14-18 years: Girls 78 oz. (10 cups), Boys 111 oz. (14 cups)
• 19 years or older:
• Females: 91 oz. (11 cups)
• Males: 125 oz. (15 cups)

2) Get a re-usable water bottle—keep it with you and fill it throughout the day. If you don’t keep it with you, you won’t drink it!

• 32 oz. bottle = 4 cups-start refilling it 2x/day and work up to meet your needs!

3) Monitor your hydration—check the urine color at your first bathroom visit of the day

• Lemonade or lighter = Good hydration status
• Apple juice or darker = You need fluids, drink up!

4) Eat foods with high water content—this includes fresh fruit, crisp lettuce, 100% fruit popsicles, real fruit smoothies, Jell-o salad made with fresh fruit or low-fat yogurts.
                                                                                                           
5) For athletes/ACTIVE people—the recommendations above do not include fluids needed to replenish sweat loss during activity. The more you sweat, the more you need!

• Aim for 1-2 gulps of fluid every 15 minutes of activity
• Sports drinks-There is nothing wrong with sports drinks, they just need to be used appropriately. They replenish our body with electrolytes and keep our body fueled with carbohydrates/sugar during intense activity for optimal athletic performance. Sports drinks should be used during activity; not as a drink with meals, and not for young children or low-active adults. 
• When should I drink them? 
• During high intensity training or workouts
• Is sweat dripping and visible in your hair or on your shirt?
• Long duration sports games, practices, training, or workouts
• Baseball, endurance running or circuit training

Your daily fluids should come mainly from WATER with low-fat milk, or 100% fruit juices to round it out. If you notice that you start to urinate more while increasing the amount of fluids you’re drinking—don’t worry, that’s normal. Your body will adjust to a hydrated state over time and will only be temporary. Making an effort to hydrate more can be an adjustment for some but is well worth it, so drink up!

Contributed by Amanda Poppleton, Bowling Green State University Dietetic Intern

Fluid Recommendations were taken from Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) Tables. Recommended Daily Allowance and Adequate Intake Values: Total Water and Macronutrients. Available at: http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/New%20Material/3_RDA%20AI%20AMDR%20Values_Total%20Water%20and%20Macronutr.pdf

Farmers' Market: April - November 2013

Finally, summer is here and we can all enjoy the bounty of fruits and vegetables that East Tennessee has to offer. East Tennessee has a rich agricultural community, offering a wide variety of local foods including meat, produce, and dairy!

We are lucky to have access to heirloom fruits, vegetables, and grain such as Cherokee purple tomatoes, pesticide-free strawberries, and Hickory Cane corn in East Tennessee. We can also buy grass-fed beef, free-range chickens and eggs, and the prosciutto of the South—Benton’s bacon! Eating locally and in season can change your perspective on how incredible fruits and vegetables can taste. Eating your vegetables is hardly a chore when they’re bursting with flavor and freshness. Market season allows the farmers and artisans to exhibit their hard work and we’ve been looking forward to it since December.

Visit every vendor
There are numerous vendors at every farmers market, and each has special heirloom varieties of produce that cannot be seen in a regular grocery store. These include heirloom red, green, or purple okra, purple beans, ambrosia corn, watermelon radishes, over 20 types of tomatoes, and much more. There are also vendors who sell handmade products such as buttermilk soap, candles, goat cheese, and granola. 
 

Food
Getting hungry while picking your produce? Don’t worry! There are several food trucks and stands to satisfy your cravings. Dale’s Fried Pies, Pop Culture popsicles, Savory and Sweet truck, Cruze Dairy Farm Milk Bar and many others have specialty foods you cannot find at other restaurants.

Giving back to your community
Not only is shopping at your local farmers market a fun and delicious experience, it is a chance to give back to your community. Buying locally supports the farmers and artisans to create and expand their business. Buying locally also takes some of the guess work out of choosing foods that are safe and nutritious—as you can ask the farmer directly about his or her growing and harvesting practices. Farmers also tend to have great ideas for how to prepare the produce if it’s new to you.

Flexibility
There is a market for almost every one. Whether you live in Norris or Sequoyah Hills, there is a market open near you. Here is a list of all of the market times and locations compiled by Rebecca Simmons for FamilyFriendly Knoxville. If you’re not from this region, see Pick Tennessee Products for a list of markets all over TN. Also see Growing Seasons to find out what is in season.

Contributed by Jaanki Purohit 2013 UTK Dietetic Intern

Memorial Day Menu Tips

Who doesn’t love a reason to gather family, celebrate, and enjoy scrumptious, homemade food? A few words come to mind when I think of the official summer kick-off: Crank up the grill. There is nothing that says summer quite like the aroma of grilled meats carried by a gentle summer breeze coupled with the harvest of beautiful fruits and vegetables to enjoy. As the summer rolls in, Memorial Day celebrations give us an opportunity to get started on the right track for season-long indulgence in the best of what summer has to offer. The sun isn’t the only bright star of the season; summer hosts a number of beautiful fruits and vegetables to make your Memorial Day healthy and satisfying to all your guests.

Memorial Day honors the fallen soldiers who protected this country. Not surprisingly, many choose to prepare classic American dishes that may be heavy in calories. This kick-off to summer doesn’t have to be the end of healthy eating! Here a few tips to get your Memorial Day celebration started off on the right track.

1. Go lean! Thinking of grilling hamburgers and hotdogs but want a healthier alternative? Turkey burgers can be a great substitute for higher fat meats such as ground beef. Create a toppings bar with fresh tomatoes and greens from your local farmer’s market and give your guests the chance to create their own burger. Instead of white hamburger buns, go for whole-wheat buns to throw in some added fiber to your dish.
2. Take advantage of nature’s harvest. Summer not only brings the heat but also a myriad of fresh fruits and vegetables that can add some vibrant colors to any dish you prepare. In honor of the fallen soldiers, many tend to prepare dishes that highlight the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag. One easy way to do this is to use fresh summer strawberries, blueberries, and low-fat cheese and arrange the fruits seen in the picture below to create a wholesome, appetizing dessert for your guests.

   

   
   
3. Grilled vegetables make a winning side item.  A festive veggie kabob could be a combination of sliced squash, zucchini, red onion, and bell pepper skewered and grilled to perfection to make a tasty side dish for your guests. It’s quick and easy to prepare. Better yet, the clean-up is a breeze!
4. 100% fruit juice popsicles will have everyone staying cool. What is more refreshing in the summer than a cool popsicle on a hot summer’s eve? Instead of the sugary popsicles sold in the store, opt to make your own! Several grocery stores sell popsicle molds that you can use to create your own treats. Just pour your favorite 100% fruit juice or sparkling fruit water into the molds for a cold, invigorating dessert to beat the heat of summer.

Please visit this website for more fun recipes for your Memorial Day Celebration!

Contributed by Meredith Howell, 2013 UTK Dietetic Intern

Guest Post & Link: Even before they are school aged, toddlers are fed junk food at day care

Are you worried about what your child is getting to eat at day care? Knoxville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member, Sarah Griswold, RD, recently wrote a blog article for MomsRising.org.
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By trade, I am a registered dietitian.  So, I know a lot more than the average mom about what to eat and what not to eat.  In fact, my mother is also a registered dietitian, so the basics of a healthy diet were part of everyday life for me growing up.

As a dietitian, I know the importance of healthy diet for proper physical and mental development.  I also know the importance of having family meals for social and emotional development.  Giving my daughter the best possible start in life is a priority for me and began even before she was born.  I ate a wide variety of nutritious food during my pregnancy and breastfed my daughter for 2 years. Extended breastfeeding is not something that is celebrated in my part of the country.  Most breastfed infants born in the Southeast are lucky to be breastfed for the first 6 months of life.  Research has clearly shown the health benefits of being breastfed; yet, we live in an environment that is not always supportive of mothers who are trying to do this.

As a working mom, my toddler attends child care.  I give her fruit before “school,” then they feed her a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack.  My problem is the selection of snacks.  I look at the menus and see Oreos along with other items that I don’t consider nutritious being given to her at snack time.  As with many good Americans (including her parents), my little girl’s favorite foods are simple carbohydrates.  Crackers, cookies, pancakes, and pizza top her list.  She also happily eats fruit, veggies, and many other nutritious foods, but I worry about her preferences and the precedent being set at the child care facility.

Read the rest of the article here.