Pitt Nutrition Blog

Most Americans under-consume the recommended number of fruits and vegetables each day for adequate nutrition. Developing a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all the foods and beverages is essential to improve health and decrease health concerns.  Fruits and vegetables play a vital role in our overall health and well-being. While they provide us with a small percentage of our daily fluid intake, they provide us with essential vitamins and minerals including, but not limited to, vitamin A which improves our vision, vitamin C and Zinc to help strengthen our immune system, Iron and Potassium to help provide oxygen to our tissues and allow our muscles to contract, and Calcium which aids in bone strength and development. Also, fruits and vegetables provide us with fiber and fiber is essential for our gut health and proper GI tract motility.  While most people associate fresh, whole fruits and vegetables as being the best sources of these nutrients, frozen fr...

While enjoying food is a universal experience, the food guides that represent each country’s cuisine are uniquely individual. Each guide displays nutritional advice and current eating guidelines in an aesthetic, informative graphic. Here are 10 exceptional food guides from across the globe! Belize- Food Basket This Central American ‘shopping basket’ sorts foods into seven unequally sized sections that correspond to the country’s dietary guidelines. Across the handle of the basket are images of people engaged in various forms of physical activity. The basket serves as a reminder that ‘shopping smart’ and ‘exercising regularly’ are two components of a healthy lifestyle. 1 Benin-Traditional African House Benin’s nutritional guidelines form the façade of a traditional thatched-roofed African house. The illustration specifies five food groups with the most significant—grains & tubers—being located at the house’s base. Water is depicted in the home’s entryway t...

To increase awareness of children’s health and wellness topics, Phipps' Let’s Move Pittsburgh program presents Food in the News, a column on local, state and national health policies and nutrition related updates that impact you. The International Food Information Counsel Foundation  (IFIC) annually surveys American consumers to better understand their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors with regard to food and food purchasing. To do so, the foundation interviewed 1,009 Americans, ages 18-80, between March 12 and March 26, 2018. Popular topics included: Nutrition in the Media, Consumer Eating Patterns, and Food Insecurity.  Nutrition Imposition Consumers wish to eat healthy in order to maximize their cardiovascular health, boost their energy, and manage their weight. However, 80% of respondents agreed that “there is a lot of conflicting information about what foods they should eat or avoid.” Likewise, 59% of respondents agreed t...