5 Nutrients You May Not be Getting Enough of

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Take a moment to assess your diet on a typical day. What is it usually comprised of? Is it eggs and toast for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and maybe a steak and some veggies for dinner? Or is it more like a muffin for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and pizza for dinner? While all these foods are similar in that they are delicious, they differ significantly in how nutritious they are. It is vital that we be getting good nutrition at each meal and not just consuming empty calories.

According to the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there are 5 nutrients that are lacking from most Americans’ diets. These 5 nutrients include calcium, vitamin D, potassium, fiber, and iron. Registered dietician Emma Willingham says that each of these plays an important role in our health. Calcium and vitamin D are essential for building and maintaining strong bones, potassium is important for regulating the fluid levels in our cells, fiber is important for good gut health, and iron maintains blood health.

 

The reason that many don’t get enough of these nutrients is that when we eat lower quality meals that are highly processed, such as fast food, prepackaged food, or foods comprised of refined grains and sugar, we don’t get much nutrition because it has all been stripped out of these foods. So how can we make sure that we are getting enough of these nutrients in our diets? Simply eating lots of fruits, veggies, meats, dairy, and whole grains is a great way to ensure that you are getting enough of all these nutrients.

We all need to make sure we’re all avoiding empty calories and instead eating foods that help us to meet our daily nutrient needs! Next time you’re at the grocery store or local farmers market, stock up on some fresh produce, meats, and dairy so that you can prepare meals for yourself and your family that are full of nutrition! Make sure that you look for products that are produced right here in Arizona!

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Whip Up a Brain-Boosting Breakfast!

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

What is your breakfast of choice? Cereal? Toast? Oatmeal? A muffin? Eggs and bacon? Breakfast burritos? Yogurt? Whatever food you choose to break your fast with, we can all agree that eating a healthy, balanced breakfast in the morning is pretty important. It gives you both nutrients and that little boost of energy to get your day started.

Breakfast

Find out why breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

But, besides eating a balanced breakfast, it’s also important to eat for your brain health too. This helps to ensure that your brain is energized and able to focus on the day that is ahead. According to Dr. Austin Purlmutter, there are some key things to look for when making a brain-boosting breakfast.

Go For the Complex Carbs

First, it is important to eat complex carbohydrates as opposed to refined carbohydrates. The reason is twofold. Not only are complex carbs filled with nutrients and minerals that refined carbs don’t have, but complex carbs don’t produce that “energy crash” later in the morning. Some examples of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, fruits, veggies, yogurt, and legumes.

Increase the Fiber

Second, when making a brain-healthy breakfast, it is important to increase fiber and decrease added sugars. Dr. Purlmutter notes that approximately 70 percent of foods we find in the grocery store contain added sugars, with a significant amount of those foods being breakfast foods. This is easy to see, considering how many of the cereals in the cereal aisle are either chocolate or fruit flavored, and many breakfast pastries are basically just desserts disguised as breakfast.

Fiber, Protein and Fat

Finally, Dr. Purlmutter suggests incorporating three essential brain-healthy nutrients into each breakfast meal. These three are fiber, protein, and fat. He notes that these are a surefire way to ensure that you are full, fueled, and feeling great all day long.

Ready to make breakfast yet? Thanks to Arizona agriculture, we have access to a wide variety of locally grown and raised breakfast foods. Our local dairies provide us with milk, cheese, yogurts, and other dairy products, while Hickman’s gives us eggs! Not to mention all the ranchers who raise livestock for breakfast meats like sausage, bacon, and more! So, get yourself some locally grown ingredients, and whip up a brain-boosting breakfast for you and your family!

For more information on locally grown products, or for more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog! Also, you can source for local agricultural products on Fill Your Plate’s “Find a Farm Product.”

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Study: Poor Sleep Linked to Increase in Inflammation

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

We all know what it feels like to have not gotten enough sleep the night prior. Often, we wake up groggy, grumpy, and lacking the energy to get through the day, and in my case, relying on caffeine to make myself somewhat functional. But did you know that not getting enough sleep also has some internal consequences too? A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine found that chronic sleep deprivation causes there to be an increase in the number of immune cells in your body.

Researchers studied a group of healthy individuals who were getting the ideal amount of 7-8 hours of sleep every night. They then slowly began reducing the amount of sleep that they got each night and compared blood samples to see the count of inflammatory cells present. They found that as sleep time was reduced, inflammation increased.

This goes to show that there really is a benefit to ensuring that we are getting a full, night’s rest every night. Not only will it help us feel refreshed and energized to tackle the next day, but it also keeps us healthier on the inside!

Fill Your Plate has a lot of other sleep-related articles! Check them out here!

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Study: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Preserved Brain Health

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

When I was younger, I absolutely hated fish. I couldn’t stand the sight, smell, or taste of any kind of seafood. But, for some reason, about a year ago, I began to really love it, especially shrimp and salmon. To be honest, I’m glad I did, as fish is an incredibly healthy source of protein and other nutrients. It’s a well-known fact that fish is a great source of omega-3s, but did you know that it has been shown that all of the omega-3s in fish can benefit your mental health as you age?

A recent study found that eating a diet that was higher in omega-3 fatty acids during the middle-aged years was linked to improved cognitive function later in life. According to Claudia Satzibal, the lead author of the study, even consuming only modest amounts of omega-3 was shown to have an impact. She notes that this corresponds to the suggested amount of fish for adults to consume, which is 2 servings per week.

During the study, researchers monitored the omega-3 levels of healthy, middle-aged adults. They then took tests on abstract reasoning and did MRI scans to assess brain mass. Overall, they found that those who ate more omega-3s had higher scores on the tests, and also had larger volumes of the hippocampus region of their brain, a portion of the brain that plays a huge role in memory. Satizibal stated that additional research is needed to fully prove this association, but if it is proven, being able to preserve brain function with one’s diet could significantly impact society.

 

After learning all of that, I’m glad I got over my hatred of fish, because not only is it super delicious, but it also can help to keep my brain strong in the long run. So, if you don’t consume fish regularly already, consider adding it to your diet! For some fish recipe ideas, check out these fish recipes from Fill Your Plate!

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Study: Coffee Consumption Linked to Lower Death Risk

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely LOVE coffee. To me, there is just nothing like a nice cup of either hot or iced coffee to perk you up during the day. Unlike a lot of people my age, I like to drink my coffee black, and as strong as possible, even to the point that I like to drink just plain iced espresso shots. Regardless of how you like your coffee, drinking coffee is actually considered to be part of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, coffee consumption has actually been shown to increase a person’s lifespan!

According to a study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, drinking coffee, both regular and decaffeinated varieties, was linked to lower death risk, as well as a lower risk of developing heart disease. The study compared the daily coffee consumption of groups that drank no coffee, less than a cup, one cup, two to three cups, four to five cups, or more than five cups per day. The study concluded that the group that drank two to three cups of coffee per day lived longer and had fewer cardiovascular complications than the other groups, and the group that drank four to five cups per day had a lower risk of arrhythmia than the other groups.

So, what is in coffee that provides these health benefits? And does this mean that we should be drinking more coffee? According to the study’s author, Professor Peter Kistler, “Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components. It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease, and survival. Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior.”

Who knew that our morning cup of joe could actually be benefitting our health in the long run? Not only does your coffee perk you up and give you an energy boost, but it also might be helping you to live a longer, healthier life!

Want to read more about coffee? Check out these related articles from Fill Your Plate!

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