Less Processed Sugar Substitutes

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Last year I began to follow the paleo diet. While there are a lot of details and specifications about what you can and can’t eat on that diet, the basic goal of the paleo diet is to avoid all processed foods, instead eating only whole, real, and natural foods.

One area in which I really had to adjust was when it came to options for adding sweetness to drinks and desserts since the typical white cane sugar is heavily processed. So, here are my two favorite sweeteners that are very minimally processed, and actually more nutritious than regular sugar!

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar has become my newfound favorite sugar substitute. This is because it is granulated just like regular sugar and can be used as an even replacement for regular sugar. Coconut sugar is made from ground-up sap from coconut palms, and it is similar to brown sugar in color and taste. In terms of nutrition, coconut sugar has more nutrients than regular white sugar. It contains more zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, and B and C vitamins, and it is much less processed than white sugar.

 

Honey

Honey is also an amazing natural sweetener. It is rich, versatile, and packed with health benefits. I love to use it in baking recipes and also in dressings, coffee, and tea. Researchers have found that consuming honey lowers fasting blood glucose and bad cholesterol, and it also increases good cholesterol. In order to reap these health benefits, it is important to be consuming raw honey rather than pasteurized honey, as the processing weakens the healthfulness of honey.

Whether you’re looking to use alternatives to sugar for a specific diet, or just to reduce the amount of processed foods that you’re consuming, honey and coconut sugar are great! I would strongly suggest giving them a try! Who knows, you might like them better!

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

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Take Your Time When Eating

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Whenever we’re trying to improve our health with our diet, some of the factors that we consider are what we’re eating, how much we’re eating, and how much physical activity we get. Those are all great and super important things to consider.

But have you ever thought about the time you are taking to eat? It turns out that the time that it takes you to finish a meal plays a big role in how much you end up eating.

According to registered dietician Abigail Hueber, we should be aiming to make our mealtime last at least 20 minutes. Why such a specific number? Hueber explains that it takes about 20 minutes for our satiety hormones leptin and cholecystokinin to tell our brain that we are full. These hormones begin to be produced the moment that food begins to enter your stomach while the hunger hormone ghrelin is slowly reduced. Waiting till your satiety hormones are telling your brain that you’re not hungry anymore is a great way to prevent overeating and improve your digestion.

Next time you’re sitting down to eat, take your time and don’t rush. If you find it hard to make yourself linger at the table, consider talking to the rest of the people at the table, reading a book or magazine, or trying my personal favorite and doing a crossword puzzle!

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

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Incorporate Turmeric into Your Diet

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Turmeric power. (Photo by Karl Solano via Pexels.)

Looking to reduce inflammation and promote a long life? Turmeric might play a role in that! This bright yellow spice that is often associated with Middle Eastern cuisine is surprisingly packed full of health benefits.

According to registered dietician Lauren Manaker, turmeric contains an active compound called curcumin, which is linked to reducing the risk of chronic health issues. Curcumin is linked to reducing inflammation and it is a powerful antioxidant, which reduces oxidative stress. Thanks to all of the curcumin and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric can actually provide the following health benefits:

 

When adding turmeric to your diet, it is important that it be eaten with black pepper. Pepper contains a compound called piperine that enhances the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000%.

Who knew that this simple spice could have such a big impact on our health! Try using it as a seasoning on your favorite dishes, mix it into juices, smoothies, and sauces, or make turmeric tea!

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

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4 Tips for Stress-Free Travelling

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

Taking trips and traveling to places is a great way to take a break from our everyday lives and relax a little. But sometimes being out of our usual eating, exercising, and sleeping routine can cause a little bit of stress.

family travel

Here are some tips for family travel (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Here are a few tips on how to take care of your health and stay “mostly” on your routine while traveling so that your trips can be as stress-free and relaxing as possible!

 

  1. Pack your own food.

Taking along your own healthy snacks is a great way to make sure that you’re sticking with your eating goals even though you aren’t at home. It is also a great thing to do if you’re following a strict diet or have food allergies because it is never fun not knowing if you’ll be able to eat anything at your destination.

 

  1. Take along a first-aid kit.

It’s never fun to not be feeling well when you’re away from home. Consider bringing along a first-aid kit with just a few of the basics such as small bandages as well as some medicines such as pain-relievers, heartburn medicine, and allergy medicine.

 

  1. Don’t neglect exercise.

Keeping yourself physically active is a great way to stick to your health goals as well as decrease some stress thanks to the endorphins that start flowing with activity. Take a quick walk, hit up the hotel gym, or do a little workout in your room.

 

  1. Stay well hydrated.

Often, we don’t drink enough water when we’re on trips, whether it be because we don’t want to have to stop in public restrooms, or we simply forget. But keeping ourselves well hydrated is essential to helping our digestion to stay on track, overcoming jetlag, and keeping away dehydration headaches.

 

Traveling to places and seeing new things can be incredibly fun! While it can be stressful to be thrown out of your element, try out a few of these tips to help keep you somewhat in your normal routine!

For more travel articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Study: Daily Exercise Linked to Lessened Disease and Early Death Risk

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

How often do you find yourself exercising? Daily? Once or twice a week? Never? Whether you’re already an avid exercise enthusiast who works out every day, or if you rarely find yourself working out, there are many reasons why you should be getting those exercise minutes daily. Not only does it help to improve your physique, but a recent study found that it can actually lengthen your lifespan.

Exercise is one activity that supports mental health and physical health.

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that daily exercise might actually lead to a lessened risk of early death, cancer, stroke, and other heart diseases. Researchers found that moderate-intensity exercises such as walking or biking for as little as 11 minutes daily reduced the risk of early death by 23%, stroke, and heart disease by 17%, and cancer by 7%.

Incorporating 11 minutes of exercise each day is very doable, and the benefits that it can provide make it worth it! Try taking a brisk walk in the morning or evening, going for a quick jog, or playing an active game or sport with your kids or grandkids!

For more articles on exercise, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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