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...

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...