Iowans could use some help with “active living and healthy eating.”
Only 27.1% of adult Iowans have a healthy body weight, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health’s June 2022 Healthy Iowans: Iowa’s State Health Assessment report. And while the federal 2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults and adolescents eat 2½ to 4 cups of vegetables and 1½ to 2½ cups of fruit daily, Healthy Iowans revealed that 22.7% of adult Iowans eat less than one vegetable per day and 40.4% eat less that one fruit per day.
Fast-food restaurants offer little help in the way of healthy food…
healthy food options near me
Which Is the Healthiest Nut?
All information is per data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Almonds
Almonds are the highest in fiber of the three, and contain the most vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium per serving. You’ll also get a healthy dose of phosphorus and potassium — all nutrients that aid cell growth, energy production, and immune function, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Plus, almonds contain antioxidants. A study in the January 2023 Frontiers in Nutrition even indicates that almonds may improve muscle recovery post–sweat session. Consider adding almonds to your next salad or enjoying almond butter in place of your usual nut butter.…
7-Day Healthy Eating Plan: 1,200 Calories
A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons to protect against heart disease. In fact, incorporating heart-healthy foods, getting adequate exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol and getting enough quality sleep can have a major impact on reducing cardiovascular disease-related deaths, according to a 2023 review in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
The meals and snacks in this diet plan feature heart-healthy foods, such as fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats, such as olive oil and avocado. Saturated fat, added sugars and sodium—nutrients that can harm your heart when eaten in…
$2 million goes to expand food program | Columbia County
GHENT — State Sen. Michelle Hinchey and the Field and Fork Network at the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store announced $2 million in state funding to support the expansion of Double Up Food Bucks NY, a program that has contributed over $10 million in New York-grown produce sold with $2.7 million going to New York farmers.
The program doubles the value of federal nutrition benefits spent at participating markets and grocery stores, helping customers bring home healthy fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers.
The state investment of $2 million allows the program to expand into more year-round sites such as…
The Top 3 Foods That Cause Poor Gut Health in Kids, From a Nutritionist
When parents feed their children a nutritious diet, they can often underestimate the importance of gut health at such a young age.
“Healthy gut microbiota is crucial for supporting overall well-being and optimal growth,” licensed functional nutritionist Kourtney Simmang told Newsweek. “Differences between children and adults in terms of gut health can exist. Children have developed immune and digestive systems, which may make them more susceptible to dietary influences on gut health.
“Additionally, certain foods that can be well-tolerated by adults may cause more pronounced effects on children’s digestive systems due to their sensitivity.”
A stock image of a young…
Yes, a Healthy Diet Can Include Ultra-Processed Foods
How many times have you heard that it’s best to eat “whole” foods or to avoid “processed” ones? There’s even a system that designates some foods as “ultra-processed,” which calls to mind chemical concoctions made in a lab that we shcould do our best to avoid. But as I’ve written before, the degree to which a food is “processed” doesn’t tell you how healthy it is. And now scientists at the USDA have taken steps toward proving that.
What is an ultra-processed food?
“Ultra-processed” is not a category based on nutrition. It’s based on the NOVA scale, which counts a…
Heart-Healthy Dinners on the Grill (& Shopping List!)
Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make meal planning and meal prep as easy as it can be. Signup here to get a meal plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!
Carne asadas, or barbecues, are a staple in Mexican households, especially in the summer. Whenever I go home, my dad always makes steak, ribs and vegetables. This week, I’m firing up my grill to make dinners that are full of mouthwatering summer flavors and are also packed with heart-healthy foods.
Your Meal Plan
You don’t have to have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease to benefit from…
Is More Fiber the Healthiest Way to Lose Weight?
Fiber might just be the key to healthy weight management—and by nature packages it in a perfectly balanced ratio with carbs when you eat them as whole foods. Think unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Research suggests that carbohydrates are meant to come packaged in a nature-balanced ratio of total carbohydrates to fiber. In fact, certain types of fiber affect how completely your body absorbs carbohydrates and tells your cells how to process them once they are absorbed.
Fiber slows the absorption of sugar in your gut. It also orchestrates the fundamental biology that recent blockbuster weight…