FCS3-604: Understanding Healthy Food Choices

Heather Norman-Burgdolf | February 9, 2018 (New)

Have you ever heard that shopping the perimeter of a grocery store is healthier? Many healthy foods are on the outer walls of the store, yet several other healthy options are also tucked in the middle aisles. If you know what you are looking for and how to find them, several other items in the middle of the store should be on your grocery list.

FCS3-607: Dining Out in a Healthy Way

Sandra Bastin, Heather Norman-Burgdolf | February 9, 2018 (New)

Sodium is an important mineral to the body. It helps keep body fluids in balance, helps the body to absorb certain nutrients, and also aids in muscle performance and sending nerve messages. Excessive sodium in the diet is linked with high blood pressure or hypertension. Hypertension can result in diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, or stroke.

FCS3-584: Home Canning Fruit

Sandra Bastin, Annhall Norris | February 2, 2018 (Minor Revision)

Home canning fruit from your garden, orchard, or local farmers market can help save you money and gain control over what's in your food, while preserving the taste of summer for your family's year-round enjoyment. To ensure safe, high quality home-canned products, always follow research-based recommendations when canning.

FCS3-585: Home Canning Meat, Poultry and Seafood

Sandra Bastin, Annhall Norris | February 2, 2018 (Minor Revision)

Home canning your own meat, poultry, wild game or fish can help you save money, gain control over what's in your food, and save time in meal preparation. To ensure safe, high quality home-canned products, always follow research-based recommendations when canning.

FCS3-583: Home Canning Vegetables

Sandra Bastin, Annhall Norris | February 2, 2018 (Minor Revision)

Home canning vegetables from your garden or local farmers market can help you save money and gain control over what's in your food while preserving the bounty of summer for your family's year-round enjoyment. To ensure safe, high quality home-canned products, always follow research-based recommendations when canning.

FCS3-599: Body Balance: Healthy Ways to Flavor Your Food

Hannah Bellamy, Dawn Brewer, Lisa Gaetke | December 21, 2017 (New)

Using herbs and spices is a healthy way to add flavor to food and they may protect against the harmful effects of environmental pollution. We are exposed to pollution every day in our air, water, soil, and even our food. This exposure to pollution may have negative effects on health. Herbs and spices help protect the body by decreasing cell damage caused by the pollution that we are exposed to everyday. Reducing cell damage helps protect against the development or progression of various chronic diseases. Some herbs and spices are also anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, which helps keep the immune system strong to protect against diseases and pollution. Even though research shows that herbs and spices are beneficial to health, scientists have not determined exactly how much of each herb and spice should be consumed each day. In the future, there may be official recommendations, like for vitamins. Incorporating a variety of herbs and spices into meals is flavorful and may have health benefits.

FCS3-596: Body Balance: The Connection between Pollution and Nutrition

Hannah Bellamy, Dawn Brewer, Lisa Gaetke | December 21, 2017 (New)

Pollution increases compounds called free radicals in the body. Too many free radicals in the body cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can increase the risk for cancer and other chronic diseases because cells are damaged more easily and do not repair themselves as well. Pollution in the environment cannot always be avoided. However, eating for good health may help reduce the effects of pollution in the body. Choosing more nutritious foods, such as those high in phytonutrients, may reduce oxidative stress and protect the body from the negative health effects of pollution.

FCS3-602: Body Balance: Safe Storage for Food and Drink

Hannah Bellamy, Dawn Brewer, Lisa Gaetke | December 21, 2017 (New)

How food and drink is stored plays a big part in how long it stays fresh. Some types of packaging can keep food fresher longer. There are many types of packaging and beverage containers, and some are safer than others, which may have negative health effects. People are exposed to pollution every day, in ways that cannot always be avoided. Even storage containers may contain potentially harmful chemicals. For example, heating plastic that is not microwave safe can cause chemical residue to come in contact with food. Certain plastics may have negative effects on health. Read on to find out more about the safest ways to store food and drinks.

FCS3-598: Body Balance: Make Your Plate a Rainbow

Hannah Bellamy, Dawn Brewer, Lisa Gaetke | December 21, 2017 (New)

A phytonutrient comes from plant-based foods. Think of a phytonutrient like a vitamin or mineral in that it can benefit health. Research shows they are good, but scientists have not determined them to be essential like vitamins or minerals, or determined how much needs to be consumed each day. In the future, there may be recommended levels of phytonutrients to consume, just like vitamins and minerals today. There are thousands of phytonutrients. They naturally occur in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and other plant foods. Like vitamins and minerals, there are diverse types of phytonutrients, and they have various positive health effects. Certain foods are higher in some types of phytonutrients than others, just like how vitamin C is high in oranges, and milk is high in calcium. Therefore, consuming a variety of plant foods means you will eat a variety of phytonutrients!

FCS3-603: Body Balance: Nutritious Nuts and Seeds

Hannah Bellamy, Dawn Brewer, Megan Finnie, Lisa Gaetke, Carolyn Hofe, Beth Willett | December 21, 2017 (New)

Eating plant foods, such as nuts and seeds, makes a diet more nutritious and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases. It is especially helpful if you encounter pollutants in the environment. Plant foods, including nuts and seeds contain nutritious compounds called phytonutrients. Unlike vitamins and minerals, there is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for phytonutrients.