Which Oils and Fats are Healthy and Why?

 Health, Nutrition  No Responses »
Jan 302013
 

Episode 52 – Fats and Oils

“In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and chains. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale.” ~ Stephen Phillips (Photo by Julia Freeman-Woolpert)

“In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and chains. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale.” ~ Stephen Phillips (Photo by Julia Freeman-Woolpert)

Judging from all the fat-free and low-fat foods available, you might consider fat a dietary evil. However, the body requires a certain amount of fatty acids to function properly. Choosing the correct type of dietary fat can mean the difference between health and disease.

Today’s guest is Janet Hackert, regional nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

initials - large

 

 

For more information:

Do you know your cholesterol numbers?

Gateway to Health newsletter

 Posted by on January 30, 2013 at 8:38 pm

Bringing Home the Turkey

 Family, Health, Holiday, Nutrition  No Responses »
Nov 152012
 

Episode 50 - Bringing Home the Turkey [ 4 min 05 s ] Download

“Coexistence: what the farmer does with the turkey – until Thanksgiving” ` Mike Connolly (Photo by Rachel Spauldling)

According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at their Thanksgiving meal. Since it’s likely that a turkey will be the centerpiece of your holiday meal, do you know how big a bird to buy? If the turkey is frozen, do you know how to thaw it safely? University of Missouri Extension is here to help you with these questions. Listen to the podcast or download it and listen to it later. But, don’t wait too long, turkey day is almost here.

 

Today’s guest is Tammy Roberts, nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

Check out Turkey Tips from the Missouri Families website.

 Posted by on November 15, 2012 at 9:00 pm

Help Children Enjoy Halloween without Candy Overload

 Health, Holiday, Nutrition  No Responses »
Oct 292012
 

Episode 49 - Healthy Halloween [ 4 min 18 s ] Download

There is a child in every one of us who is still a Trick-or-Treater looking for a brightly lit front porch. ~ Robert Brault (Illustration by Rainer Topf)

Halloween is a popular holiday because kids get to bring home lots of treats, mostly candy. Too much of anything always has consequences. This creates a tough balancing act for parents who want their children to enjoy the holiday, but would rather avoid tummy aches, tooth decay and too many calories.

Today’s guest is Tammy Roberts, nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension. She has some tips for helping children make good choices while still enjoying the fun and excitement of Trick-or-Treat.

 

 

 

 Posted by on October 29, 2012 at 11:06 pm

Pumpkin Pie or Jack-O-Lantern – Why Not Both?

 Family, Health, Holiday, Nutrition  No Responses »
Oct 192012
 

Episode 48 - Pumpkins [ 5 min 15 s ] Download

The littlest pumpkins have the biggest grins. (Photo by Katrina DeLourve)

Today we pay homage to the versatile pumpkin. It’s a mainstay for Halloween decorations, but shouldn’t be overlooked as a nutritious fruit that’s low in fat and calories.

Our guest today is Tammy Roberts, nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension. She has tips for recycling your Jack-O-Lanterns into yummy pies, breads, soups and stews.

 

 

Find more information and some delicious recipes at Pumpkins – From Harvest to Health

 Posted by on October 19, 2012 at 6:53 pm

Salt – More Than Just a Pinch

 Bates, Boone, Cass, Health, Nutrition  No Responses »
Jul 192012
 

Episode 41 - Salt [ 6 min 50 s ] Download

“Give neither counsel nor salt till you are asked for it” ~ Italian Proverb (Photo by Bruno Sersocima)

Whether it’s added to morning eggs, or part of the crunchy taste of potato chips, we love salt.  It’s actually the ultimate spice because our taste buds respond to salt and open up making everything taste better. The problem is we’ve moved salt from a flavor enhancer to a habit with medical consequences.

The good news there are ways to kick a salt obsession. Just a little behavior modification can train taste buds to savour other flavors.

 

 

Today’s guests are nutrition specialist Tammy Roberts, human environmental sciences specialist Ellen Schuster and nutrition specialist Susan Mills-Gray. All three are with University of Missouri Extension

More tips and information:

Decreasing Salt Can Decrease Blood Pressure

Is Sea Salt Healthier Than Table Salt?

Is There a Salt That’s Healthy?

 Posted by on July 19, 2012 at 7:34 pm

Don’t Let Uninvited Guests Tarnish Outdoor Cookouts

 Bates, Health, Nutrition  No Responses »
May 302012
 

Episode 37 - Grilling Safety [ 5 min 31 s ] Download

"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook." ~ Julia Child (Photo by Lukas Patkan)

The transition between spring and summer is full of beautiful, blue-sky days. It’s the perfect time for picnics, camping and barbecues. But, there’s one problem with outdoor cooking. If you don’t use care with perishable foods, you, your family and friends could be battling food borne illness rather than having lots of fun.

 

 

Today’s guest is Tammy Roberts, nutrition specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

More food safety tips can be found on the Missouri Families webpage.

 Posted by on May 30, 2012 at 7:28 pm

A Different Front May Simplify Food Choices

 Boone, Nutrition  No Responses »
Oct 242011
 

Standard Podcast Download

One example of the front of label recommendations from the Institute of Medicine

The battle over front-of-package real estate continues as an Institute of Medicine committee recommends a label system that’s simple and consistent.

Government regulatory agencies want labels that help consumers make healthy choices. Food manufacturers want to help consumers be healthy, but many have set up systems using their own criteria for what is healthy. These can often be different.

 

Today’s guest is Ellen Schuster, Associate State Specialist of Human Environmental Sciences for the University of Missouri Extension.

More information on the front-of-package is available here.

 Posted by on October 24, 2011 at 9:36 pm

Are You a Skip Breakfast Sinner?

 Boone, Health, Nutrition  No Responses »
Sep 052011
 

Standard Podcast Download

“I went to a restaurant that serves ‘breakfast at any time’. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance.” ~ Steven Wright (Photo by Mathilda Tan)

If hitting the snooze button three times is more appealing than having a bowl of cereal, you might be a skip-breakfast sinner.

If you’re skipping breakfast to save calories, don’t bother.  You’ll end up eating more for lunch or dinner because you went hungry all morning.

Perhaps the problem is this idea that breakfast should eaten as soon as you get out of bed and must consist of “breakfast” foods. Well, there are no breakfast rules.  As long as you eat something in the morning, and you define “morning,” and that something means anything from soup to nuts, you can change from a breakfast sinner to a breakfast saint.

 

My guest today is Ellen Schuster, Associate State Specialist of Human Environmental Sciences for University of Missouri Extension.

If you like more breakfast ideas check out MU Extension’s Healthy Kids newsletter.

 Posted by on September 5, 2011 at 5:47 pm

Fun Ideas for After-School Snacks

 Boone, Health, Nutrition  No Responses »
Aug 222011
 
Standard Podcast [ 6 min 05 s ] Play Now | Download

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” ~ La Rochefoucauld

Learning is hungry work. Schoolchildren typically eat lunch around 11:30 and then have classes all afternoon. Add an after-school activity or two and by the time they get home they’re running on empty. It’s small wonder that many kids head straight to the kitchen to devour whatever they can get their hands on.

How can you make sure that they’re choosing snacks that are good for them? Just think “inside the box.”

 

Today’s guest is Ellen Schuster, University of Missouri Extension associate state nutrition education specialist.

For more fun ideas about healthy snacks, check out MU Extension’s “Pack a snack box”

 Posted by on August 22, 2011 at 10:41 pm

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