Choosing Dark Chocolate

Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, remaining sweets and chocolate linger in kitchen cabinets, candy dishes, and supermarket aisles. Rather than feeling guilty for indulging in chocolate this year, try choosing a ‘dark’ chocolate product that has a higher percentage of cocoa than milk or white chocolate. 

While dark, milk, and white chocolate all have some derivatives from cocoa, they vary in their flavonol content, which provide health benefits from cocoa beans. Dark chocolate contains more flavanols and protein than milk chocolate and white chocolate. When there is more cocoa in dark chocolate, manufacturers typically add less sugar to the product too.

Research has shown that consuming dark chocolate after a meal can increase feelings of satiety. C.F Marsh demonstrated with post-menopausal women that those who ate dark chocolate prior to eating a meal consumed 20-26% less than women who ate milk or white chocolate before their meal. Other studies show similar findings that substituting dark chocolate for milk chocolate in recipes also diminished caloric intake by 20% during the next meal. Within the body, dark chocolate has been shown to keep blood glucose levels lower than milk and white chocolate, which prevents insulin levels from spiking. 

So if resisting chocolate altogether is too daunting, give dark chocolate a try. Experiment by substituting dark chocolate in recipes, or send your sweetheart a dark chocolate treat!  

Find this information and more at: https://journals.ohiolink.edu/pg_200?::NO:200:P200_ARTICLEID:348387372

Spaghetti Squash in the Spotlight

The fall season not only marks the beginning of cool weather, but it also introduces autumn produce! Pumpkins and apples are popular choices among consumers at farm markets during this time of year, but spaghetti squash is often overlooked. Baking and scraping the inside of the squash reveals spaghetti-like flesh that is lower in calories and more nutrient dense than typical spaghetti. As spaghetti squash starts to take root in American households, it’s important to recognize the origins and development of this unique squash. 

  The traditional ‘Vegetable’ spaghetti squash, which grows on vines, originated in Mexico and Central America, but ‘Orangetti,’ a more commonly seen orange spaghetti squash that grows in a more compact habitat, was developed in Israel during the early 1990s. ‘Orangetti’ was then altered into ‘Hasta la pasta,’ which grows similarly to other summer squashes like zucchini and yellow squash, allowing it to be grown in the U.S.

If you're wondering how these types of squash differ, researchers from the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station compared ‘Vegetable’ and ‘Hasta la pasta’ squashes according to a nutrient analysis and consumer preferences. Nutritionally, the ‘Vegetable’ squash contains slightly more glucose and sucrose than ‘Hasta la pasta,’ which could explain their participants’ taste preferences for ‘Vegetable’ squash. Visually, however, consumers preferred ‘Hasta la pasta’ due to its brighter outer orange coloring. In retail, they found that more ‘Vegetable’ spaghetti squash were sold, but the researchers suggest this may not be solely attributed to taste preference. ‘Vegetable’ spaghetti squash plants produce a greater yield compared to ‘Hasta la pasta,’ so more ‘Vegetable’ spaghetti squash may be sold simply because of the plant’s  efficient production of fruit, causing farmers to harvest larger quantities of ‘Vegetable’ squash. 

Before the seasons change and winter arrives, stop by your local market to try spaghetti squash. Can you spot or taste differences between the squash? Instead of cooking the same old pumpkin recipes, get creative with spaghetti squash this year!

Red this information and more at: https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-445.html and http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/healthy-eating/fall-produce-picks

Summer Hydration

The summer months are upon us and so are the rising temperatures! While many people escape to pools or the ocean to cool off in the water, it is important to remember that that drinking water cools and rehydrates the body as well. 

Children especially need to be drinking enough water since they are playing outside and are unaware of their water intake needs. Generally, kids and teens need between 6 and 8 cups of water each day. This may seem difficult to fulfill, but fruits and vegetables are also sources of water that their body can use. 

When deciding how much to drink, consider the temperature, humidity, and physical activity you’ll be experiencing that day. Remember to drink water during exercise since dietary guidelines suggest drinking a half-cup to two cups of water every 15 to 20 minutes while exercising.

Water is the cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle. It is sugar-free, caffeine-free, calorie-free, and, most importantly, essential for human life. It helps the body maintain blood volume, lubricate joints, and transport nutrients. So pack a water bottle this summer and drink up!

Find this information and more at: http://www.eatright.org/resource/fitness/sports-and-performance/hydrate-right/water-go-with-the-flow