Nutrient Brief: Pumpkin Power

Pick up almost any of the cooking magazines out for this month, and you will see that there are any number of ways to whip up a tasty dish utilizing that bright orange gourd we so often associate with the fall season (Lighter Pumpkin Pie recipe).  Pumpkins are actually a vitamin and mineral powerhouse, including both the vibrant flesh and crunchy little seeds.

As we suggest in our Nutrition Together program, it is best to get a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet as each color is indicative of different nutritional benefits.  The orange of the pumpkin is telling of the abundance of Beta-Carotene (converts to vitamin A in the body) which is important for healthy vision, as well as antioxidant properties that bolster the immune system and possibly defend against cancer-causing free radicals.  The flesh of the pumpkin also contains the following:

• Only 50 calories per cup, with approximately 3 grams of Fiber
• Good source of Vitamins C, K, & E
• Over 500 mg Potassium per serving

The seeds (also known as pepitas)  also little nutritional gems.  If you have a nut allergy, seeds can be a great way to get some healthy essential fats into your diet.  The oil in the pumpkin seeds has been shown to help decrease blood cholesterol levels.  They are also a good source of the major minerals magnesium and phosphorous, as well as trace minerals copper, iron, zinc and manganese.  You can easily roast a batch of your own after you carve your pumpkins this Halloween, or add them raw to salads and soups.

Katie Jensen, CSCS

Fitness and Nutrition Coach

Learn about Nutrition Together program.  Our clients rave about it!

September Tip of Week 3: Eat Squash

It’s the time to take advantage of this season’s star vegetable: squash. Super low in calories, high in fiber and nutrients—here are some tips: roast spaghetti squash until soft, shred with a fork and serve as a low calorie pasta alternative; stuff roasted acorn squash with wild rice, and cranberries; make butternut squash into a delicious and 
nutritious seasonal soup.

Squash article with special Nutrition info

Nutrient Brief: Hungry for Hummus

Obviously the word is out that you should eat your vegetables if you want to maintain a healthy diet and body composition.  However, for some of us it is harder than others.  A great, healthy way to eat more veggies is to dip them in hummus!  A traditional Middle Eastern staple, hummus is mostly made up of chickpeas and tahini (a sesame paste), with olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice.  There are many varieties available that may use roasted red peppers, artichokes, and other flavors to enhance the basic recipe.

The chickpeas are fiber and protein powerhouses, and the tahini and olive oil have heart-healthy unsaturated fats.  Fiber and protein help keep you full and your blood sugar stable, which makes hummus a great afternoon snack to keep you from reaching for the candy bowl at work.   Iron, Vitamins C and B6, and folate are also present in respectable quantities.  When pairing with a variety of vegetables, hummus makes a low-calorie, but filling treat.

As with most food, while you can purchase store-bought dips—we always advise making your own if you have the opportunity.  With the aid of a simple food processor or blender, basic hummus only requires a few ingredients.  Making your own allows you to control the sodium content, as well as offers the chance add some flavor enhancements like herbs and spices or even experiment with edamame or black bean-based versions.  In addition to using as a dip, you can also spread it on a sandwich to add some flavor and nutritional value.

Recipe- http://www.drjanet.com/pages/2011/06/walnut-hummus-and-vegetable-wrap/

Katie Jensen, CSCS

NPTI graduate

Fitness/Nutrition Coach

Go for Healthy Factor over Convenience Factor: Pack your kids healthy lunches

Pack your kids healthy lunches

A lot of times parents go for the convenience factor instead of the health factor.  Throwing in a juice pouch that claims to be healthy because it has vitamin C or calcium does eliminate the fact that it has additives and sugar.  Besides, you're spending a lot of money on what is primarily water.  So, perhaps you can just give them a water bottle.  Better yet, a reusable BPA free bottle and add lime, lemon, or a small amount of O.J. to give it flavor.

As to food, give them fruit, carrots, and a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread or a potato roll (if you're going gluten free try Rudi's).  Don't tell me that the only thing your kid will eat is junk.  Just a little over 50 years ago, the only option they would've had would be to eat is real food.  On occasion, maybe once a week, you can throw in some chips and a cookie.  But these should not be your staples.

Once again, if you eat healthy lunches, they are more likely to eat what is given to them as well.

In health,
Kelly Huggins

Teach your kids to eat breakfast by Eating with them!

As a nutrition coach for over a decade, I have discovered that many parents do not eat breakfast with their children.  Though they tell them to eat breakfast, they often find it challenging for them to eat it.  Even worse, for the kids who do, parents will often throw a granola bar at them and have them eat it on the way to school.  This is a dangerous pattern that will lead to unhealthy eating behaviors.

If you want your child to eat a healthy breakfast, eat breakfast with them.  I'm usually out of the house before my kids are out of bed, but my wife prepares and has breakfast with our children.  She doesn't give them Pop-tarts and calls it breakfast.  Instead, she cuts up bananas, gives them blueberries, whole grain waffles, and eggs with a glass of water (not juice).  You know, healthy stuff.  By the way, they love it!  Why, because it's what we eat too.

This is just one more thing we can do to stop childhood obesity.

Kelly Huggins