Have you ever wondered which has more vitamin C: an orange or a kiwifruit? Did you know that oysters have almost a half day's worth of iron? Suprised to learn that a serving of broccoli or potato has more potassium than a banana? For more fun facts and nutrition information on some of the most commonly consumed fruits, vegetables, and seafood, click here to check out the new online tool from the Food & Drug Administration.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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4 comments:
Well, there went my proof to my husband that romaine lettuce is better for you than iceburg. I had been told iceburg lettuce had no nutritional value. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to get his iceburg lettuce back.
BTW- I have now made the fried rice recipe TWICE from the cookbook. I love it! I have searched for a good and easy recipe for years and loved it.
Interesting information. I wish that the poster included a disclaimer that 1) noted the other hundred important phytonutrients that were in each of the items, and 2) explained that the vitamins in fruits & veggies, though sometimes low, are as or more effective at nourishing our bodies because of the synergy with all the nutrients.
As a kids' cooking instructor and wellness counselor, I teach that fruits and veggies are "green light" foods. Eat them anytime. I'd hate for consumers to forgo their favorite produce because the chart shows it's not as nutritious as expected.
Off my soapbox, I have a fun story to share...
As I mentioned, I have my own biz (Cooking to Learn) which teaches kids to cook and helps them to develop a healthy relationship with food. This year, my goal is to educate my students even more about making healthy eating choices. In developing my class menu, I recently turned to your book for some ideas.
For the first class, I had already planned to do my kid favorite Lasagna Roll-up recipe but needed ideas for future classes. Then, I came upon your Squishy Squash Lasagna and had to give it a go. I changed the weekly theme to Squish Squash, updated my recipe to Squashy Lasagna Roll-ups, and added Pumpkin Pie Cups.
As the class worked through the recipe, there was a lot of the typical "ew", "that looks gross," "my mom's getting this recipe," etc. I just nodded my head and went forward. Well, wouldn't you know it, the kids were loving it during the eating part. And the truly great conversation between me and one student was just priceless...
ME: I'm glad to see many of you trying and, even liking, our Squashy Lasagna.
STUDENT: This is sooooo good.
ME: Great to hear. Did you know that squash is good for you too?
STUDENT: Cool. And, like, the squash is in there but you can't even taste it.
Score one for us! Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Amy:
We could not agree more. We should all be eating lots more veggies and fruits. Yes, some may be higher in this vitamin or that vitamin, but the bottom line is that there are tons of phytonutrients that we are still learning about that are important for health. So... eat more and eat what you love.
We checked out your website, cookingtolearn.com and were impressed! And you are in Massachusetts- keep up the good work teaching kids about healthy cooking. Love the story about the squishy squash lasagna. Often kids are skeptical about new (and healthy) foods but if they just try it, they often like it.
Keep us posted on your activities and maybe one day we'll run into each other!
Hi Ann:
Before you toss the romaine and return to iceberg lettuce, bear in mind that romaine lettuce really is a lot more nutritious. Compared to iceberg, it has four times more vitamin K (important for strong bones) and ten times more vitamin A (good for eyes and a healthy immune system).
Iceberg's mere 6% of the daily requirement for vitamins A & C isn't enough to entice us to choose it over some of our other favorite (and more nutritious) greens including romaine and baby spinach. That said, it's fine to enjoy iceberg lettuce once in awhile. It's all about eating a variety of foods that you love including lots of fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains, along with seafood and other lean meats, and some lowfat dairy. Eating with friends and family helps as well. Enjoy!
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