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...

Q:  I was hoping that you could suggest a few recipes that would be affordable for people living with  SNAP benefits . As a SNAP recipient, I receive roughly $4 per day to spend on food. I am looking for flavorful, satisfying meals that don’t require fancy kitchen equipment or excessive culinary techniques. Thanks! - Jordan (Pittsburgh) A:  Hi Jordan, thanks for your question! There are lots of barriers that can block us from nourishing our bodies and satisfying our appetites, but money doesn’t have to be one of them! Recognizing that eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures, author Leanne Brown published her novel  Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day . In her writing, Brown strove to celebrate the many meals available to those on strict budgets by creating recipes that use money carefully - without sacrificing flavor. Her readers learn how to shop smart, build their pantries, cook for a crowd, and resourcefully reinvent their leftovers. 1 Below I’ve hi...

Many athletes enjoy a caffeine-lift either as a morning eye-opener, during daily coffee breaks, before training, and during competitions. There is always a question mark about caffeine. Should I use caffeinated gels during or before long runs? How much coffee should I consume before the competition to improve the performance? The purpose of this article is to look at caffeine, which is most commonly consumed as coffee, as a part of a sports supplement and help you determine whether you want to take it or leave it. Research on caffeine and performance is not a new topic. The recent studies suggest that caffeine may help to improve physical performance during both endurance and high-intensity exercise. The evidence indicated the amount of caffeine that enhances performance ranges from 0.5 to 2 mg/lb body weights (2 to 3 mg/kg) taken one hour before exercise. For example, a 150 lb person, this comes to about 75 to 300 mg per day. More does not seem to be better. Also, there is no ev...

It’s that time of year again: growing season! Many savvy seedsmen and women have ventured outdoors to plant their most-coveted crops. The benefits of at-home gardening are numerous and include: environmental sustainability, improved self-sufficiency, and access to fresh, economical produce. The plants that thrive in home gardens are as diverse as the gardeners who grow them. From foreign fruits in wild shapes and sizes to common vegetables with uncommon colors; planting novel crops can add both variety and vibrancy to your backyard and dinner plate, 1,2  Here are the top fruit and vegetable treats that have plant experts in Pittsburgh asking for more. Kohlrabi This alien-looking vegetable is a member of the Brassica family and is indigenous to Ireland. It is a pollinator-friendly plant that is said to have a sweet, ‘cabbage-like’ flavor. The stem of the plant can be either roasted or eaten raw (much like broccoli), while its leaves are best-eaten fresh or sautéed (sim...

America is in love with avocados. Our country’s appetite for the creamy, savory fruit has exploded — prompting home cooks, celebrity chefs, and fast food restaurateurs to reinvent-the-wheel. Fortunately, no matter how you slice them; avocados are healthful! Each indulgent serving is packed with potassium, fiber, and vitamins B6 and E. Indigenous to Mexico, this now international delight tastes great when paired with local ingredients such as tomatoes, corn, and garbanzo beans. In celebration of National Avocado Day, this past July 31st, let’s explore some unexpected, tasty ways that avocados have been reimagined.  The Avo Garden:   The Avocado Show   1  | Amsterdam  Welcome to the world’s first avocado-themed restaurant! Here, legendary chef Jaimie van Heije transforms sustainably sourced avocados into whimsical, flavorful features! Try their Avo Garden—a leafy hummus ‘burger’ with two avocado halves as the buns. Wash it all down with their famou...

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...

Q: I’m new to plant-based cooking and was wondering how to best prepare tofu, or if it could be eaten raw. Also, could you suggest a recipe that features tofu? (Danielle, Coraopolis) A:  Thank you for your question! Truth be told, all types of tofu can be eaten raw but the soft and silken varieties are best when eaten right out of the package! Just drain off any excess packing liquid and you’re good to go! Invite your friends to try silken tofu as part of this bright and beautiful  Mango, Raspberry Smoothie Bowl . 1 If you’re looking to add both texture and flavor to your mixed dishes, then cooked tofu should do the trick! Try this foolproof recipe for tasty tofu every time! Step One: Drain it!  A waterlogged block of tofu won’t absorb a marinade or get crispy in a frying pan. Luckily, draining tofu couldn’t be easier! Place your tofu (the whole block or slices) on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Then, place a heavy object (like a cast-iron skillet or a te...

Have you ever wondered what people from other countries eat? Do you consider yourself to be an adventurous eater? There’s an entire world of pungent, bizarre, fantastically tasty foods out there that promise to provoke your palate. 1  Interestingly, each of these foods have a strong religious, socio-cultural or historical connection, which make them even more fascinating! Let’s delve into some of these intriguing eats from across the globe. Kefir - Russia Referred to as the champagne of milk, kefir is a fermented milk-product that offers a tart, yogurt-like flavor with a hint of effervescence. The nutrient and pro-biotic-packed drink contains 30+ strains of beneficial bacteria that are said to fight against tumor growth, bacterial infections, and carcinogen accumulation. Most popular in Russia, the beverage is made by combining milk (or coconut water) with beneficial bacteria and allowing the mixture to thicken. This results in a slightly tangy yet creamy and refreshing m...

Q: My doctor suggested that I begin a low-sodium diet. Could you recommend a list of seasonings that are not notoriously high in sodium? Could you also talk about some of the sodium-related [u1] claims on packaged products? Thanks! (John, Bloomfield) A:  Hi John - great question! This is a frequently asked question, as many people are now following low-sodium diets. In fact, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that a healthy individual intake no more than 2300mg of sodium per day. 1  This is because moderate sodium consumption is essential for proper body functioning, yet too much sodium can be detrimental to one’s health. Here are some tips to help in managing your sodium consumption. Swap This Jarred Sauces (alfredo, barbeque, cocktail, fish, soy, steak, taco, tartar, teraki, tomato…etc) Powdered Sauces and Dressing Mixes Condiments (horseradish, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish) Flavored Salts (onion, garlic, seasone...

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...

The Mediterranean Diet is an elusive title for a certain way of eating that many people have heard but may not fully grasp what it really means. As a dietetics student, I get several inquiries about what I think are the “best” diets and what are the “healthiest” things to eat. It is nearly impossible to clearly define one specific way of eating that is generally “healthy” for everyone, but the Mediterranean Diet provides a general format that outlines a specific subset of eating that many people can follow to increase their overall health. The Mediterranean Diet provides a guide on how to eat specific food groups to produce a sustainable, well-rounded diet that will help you achieve a life of health and wellness, rather than restricting the things you eat to achieve short-term weight loss goals like most fad diets. So, what exactly does the Mediterranean Diet consist of? The Mediterranean Diet pyramid is a compact guide to the components and general portion recommendations for each...

When it comes to hydration and physical performance, many people immediately consider sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, the best option. While these brands may seem like the ideal choice considering the extensive recognition and popularity they receive, they are not always the best choice. To start, these drinks typically contain a significant amount of simple carbohydrates. We do recognize carbohydrates as a vital energy source; however, it is typically recommended to consume a meal containing carbohydrates 1 to 3 hours prior to your exercise.¹ This allows the body to prioritize its energy toward your workout, rather than digestion. At this point, many individuals will think, “Well if sugar is the issue, why not buy the reduced sugar or sugar-free options that companies offer.” The problem with these products is the fact that companies will replace the sugar with artificial sweeteners, usually sucralose, to reduce the carbohydrates without losing taste. Although most ar...