Certain Prepackaged Foods Can Actually be Nutritious

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Often, when we hear about prepackaged foods, our minds instantly think that they are unhealthy, as many of them are full of sugar, carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and more. While this is definitely true for a lot of prepackaged foods, there are actually some prepackaged foods that are both super convenient and actually healthy for you.

Food Labels

Make sure you understand these commonly used terms on food labels (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Registered dietician nutritionist Shana Minei Spence notes that just because a food item is either prepackaged or highly processed doesn’t inherently mean that it is bad for us. She says that it isn’t necessarily the packaging or the processing that makes a food unhealthy, rather it is the nutrient makeup of the food item itself. For example, canned vegetables are prepackaged as well as processed, as they have been picked, washed, cut, and canned, yet they are still nutritious vegetables. Compare that to an Oreo cookie, which is prepackaged, full of carbohydrates and sugar, and while they are delicious, they are not very healthy for us.

With that being said, Minei Spence says that people should feel free to use some prepackaged foods in their cooking, as not only are they convenient and budget friendly. Just remember to check the ingredient labels and choose those that contain nutrient-rich foods! Some examples of healthy prepackaged foods include canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, canned soups, dried pasta, certain prepackaged snack foods, and oatmeal packets.

So, just because a food is processed or prepackaged doesn’t mean that that food is instantly made unhealthy and should be avoided. If you consult the nutrition label and ingredient list and make wise choices, prepackaged foods can be a part of a healthy and balanced diet!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Women Can Prevent Dementia with Physical Activity

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Listen up, ladies! Its time for us to pull on our running shoes and hit the treadmill or the trail and get those steps in! According to a new study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the more steps and overall physical activity women get the lesser their risk of developing dementia or other cognitive impairment later in life becomes.

This study tracked and analyzed the daily activity of a group of women as they went about their day. On average, these women walked 3,216 steps, had 276 minutes of light physical activity, 45.5 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, and 10/5 hours of sitting per day. Overall, the study concluded that with each additional 1,865 steps, the risk of developing dementia or other cognitive impairment was reduced by 33%, and for those 65 years and older, each additional 31 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity were associated with a 21% lesser risk.

Study author Andrea LaCroix noted that there is no cure for dementia currently, so taking preventative measures early in life is one of the ways that we can lessen our chances of developing cognitive impairment.

While getting more physical activity does help our mental health, it offers plenty of other health benefits too! Read more about the importance and health benefits of exercise in the following Fill Your Plate articles!

The Weekend Exercise Warrior: It’s Better than Nothing – Fill Your Plate Blog

Cardio: The Best Exercise – Fill Your Plate Blog

Fun Ways to Exercise This Summer (For All Ages!) – Fill Your Plate Blog

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Move Over, Olive Oil! Whole Olives are Just as Nutritious!

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

We all know that olive oil is touted as being the healthiest oil option out there, and it’s true! But, whole olives are just as healthy!

What’s not to love about whole olives? They’re salty and savory, and go great with a wide variety of foods. When I was a kid, I loved just rating black olives by themselves. And, as many olive-loving kids know, the best way to eat them is by sticking your fingers into the little holes and biting them off from there! Besides being fun and delicious to eat, olives pack a huge nutritional punch and are a great way to add some extra nutrition to your meals.

Small as they might be, olives have a lot of nutritional value to them. According to registered dietician Adda Bjarnadottir, olives are a great source of the following:

  • Monounsaturated fat (a healthy fat, don’t worry!)
  • Oleic acid
  • Fiber
  • Vitamin E
  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Calcium
  • Antioxidants including oleuropien, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleanolic acid, and quercetin

Thanks to all of these vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that olives provide, eating them in our meals can actually provide us with many different health benefits. Registered dietician Devon Peart notes that there are lots of ways that eating olives can benefit our health. Whether it be reducing inflammation and swelling, keeping our hearts healthy, managing blood sugar levels, or simply just adding some extra vitamins and minerals to our diets, you can’t go wrong with olives!

So, grab a can of olives, make some tapenade to spread on some bread or crackers, slice some on top of a salad, or just eat them plain and enjoy their delicious taste and all of the nutrition that they have to offer!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Eat Your Fruits

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

We’ve all long known the importance of getting lots of fruits into our diets. Eating fruits regularly is a great way to increase the number of plants that we are incorporating into our diets, they are a delicious and sweet snack that is free of added sugars and are chock full of fiber and other essential nutrients. Oranges Fruit over Wooden background

While there are so many different fruits out there, the following are ones that are recommended by dieticians, as they pack the greatest punch when it comes to nutrition! And we’ll highlight what fruits are grown in Arizona!

  1. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries – These are all a great source of fiber, and multiple vitamins, and are lower in sugar! (Arizona’s really good at growing blackberries and raspberries!)
  2. Apples – A great source of soluble and insoluble fiber! (We have several commercial and u-pick apple orchards in Arizona. We’re known for a naturally sweet and crisp apple with several varieties grown here.)
  3. Oranges – Chock full of vitamin C! (One of Arizona’s “5 C’s” is citrus and while we don’t grow as many oranges as in the past, we do still raise a wonderfully sweet and juicy orange.)
  4. Prunes – High in fiber and vitamin K!
  5. Bananas – A great source of potassium and fiber!
  6. Tomatoes – Full of vitamin A, and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant! (Commercially as well and small farm growers for the farmers’ markets throughout Arizona)
  7. Watermelon – Very hydrating due to its high-water content and potassium content! (Now this is where we shine. Our watermelon farmers know the best varieties to grow in Arizona and how to grow them crisp and sweet)
  8. Avocados – Full of vitamins and healthy fats! (California does this fruit best but Arizonans know how to make the best guacamole.)

If you don’t eat fruit regularly already, consider adding more of them to your diet! They are a healthy, sweet way to incorporate more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients! So, go ahead and make yourself a fruit salad, or just choose one and eat it fresh! To see what kinds of fruits are grown locally here in Arizona, check out the Fill Your Plate website!

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Break Up Your Sitting Time with some Light Activity

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

How often do you find yourself sitting each day? For some, sedentary time can be most of the day, whether it be because of a desk job, because of school, etc. There are many different health issues that can arise from sitting too much, but luckily the negative effects of sitting can be counteracted by adding a little activity to your day.

According to the Mayo Clinic, sitting for long periods of time can cause obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat, and higher cholesterol levels. The Mayo Clinic also notes that those who sit for prolonged periods of time also have a greater risk of early death.

So, how do we combat sitting for long periods of time? According to Keith Diaz, a behavioral medicine professor at Columbia University Medical Center, the kind and length of movement aren’t that important, Just getting in any kind of movement for a couple of minutes each hour does a lot to counteract the negatives of sitting. Whether it be a walk, squats, stretches, or some other kind of movement, the overall goal is to just get your muscles moving.

Another benefit to taking a break to move around a little bit is that it also boosts your mood! It’s a great way to clear your mind of whatever you were working on, give you a little more energy, and maybe even increase your productivity when you get back to work!

When you find yourself sitting for a long period of time, take a quick break and get some movement in! Not only will you be helping to counteract the effects of sitting, but you’ll also be boosting your mood and helping yourself be more productive!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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