Overweight and obese individuals, as you know, are at a much higher risk of developing a host of health complications and diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease than people who are at a normal weight.   However, new research indicates that the weight itself might not be the only factor.  You…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This month, we focus on increasing awareness to the public about this disease.  It is important to take time out to actively participate in learning ways to prevent, plan and detect the disease in its early stages to keep you and your loved ones healthy. Overall, Breast Cancer Awareness…

It is your morning side-kick, afternoon pick-me-up and the center for social gatherings, first dates, business meetings and the like.  There is no other beverage that has generated more popularity (and revenue) than coffee.  Whether your go-to coffee beverage is an Americano, latte, cappuccino, iced, decaf or just a classic medium roast, you can all…

September marks the beginning of a new school year and a change in weather as everyone seems to be gradually getting back into their busy routines of life. What better time to add a healthy breakfast to your schedule? This past Friday was Better Breakfast Day! I’m sure when you were younger your mother told…

Many would be completely turned off at the thought of eating a food from the fungi family, but not when it comes to mushrooms!  Mushrooms are the celebratory food of September as it is a special food that is neither fruit nor vegetable and offers health benefits outside the realm of nutrients produce has to…

The importance of healthy fats as a part of a nutritious eating plan is becoming more and more emphasized in the world of health and nutrition.  In celebration of National Guacamole Day, which is tomorrow, I am going to talk about one of the richest sources of healthy fats – the avocado!   Avocados are…

September is celebrated as Whole Grains Month in the world of food and nutrition.  Each year, there is a different theme. The theme for 2014 is “Make the Switch”.  As you can guess, this theme is referring to switching from refined grains to whole grains! Making the switch can be as simple and easy as…

Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are growing in popularity as millions of Americans choose to go meatless, whether because they are animal lovers or feel that eliminating meat from their diet is simply better for their health.  In hopes to bring attention to the vegetarian lifestyle, this week is recognized as Vegetarian Awareness Week.  Raising awareness…

Sunday September 7th is National Acorn Squash Day! Learning about and enjoying all the possibilities this unique type of squash has to offer is the perfect way to kick off the fall season.   As summer ends and fall quickly approaches, one of the things I automatically notice before the leaves start changing is the…

The Nutritional Power of Cauliflower Kale better brace itself because there is a new “it vegetable” in town and that is cauliflower! Because of its naturally mild flavor, cauliflower is extremely versatile. It can be roasted, broiled, cooked, and steamed. It’s wonderful eaten on its own, added to soups and salads, or even manipulated into…

Nuts come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are an important part of a healthy eating plan.  Though every nut has something special to offer, I am highlighting the macadamia nut in this post in celebration of National Macadamia Nut Day on September 4th.  While you often find macadamia nuts covered in chocolate…

I am excited to bring to you, my readers, a brand new series on my blog, called Monthly Morsels. This idea came to me as I was mentoring one of my nutrition interns, Charna Sheinfeld. Charna shared the following thought with me: “I remember as a child hearing the expression “you are what you eat”,…

August 31st is National Trail Mix Day.  I encourage you to get ingenious today and create your own version of a healthy trail mix! The beauty of this national food day is that you can put basically any combination of healthy treats in your mix and it will taste delicious.   National Trail Mix Day…

Sadly, the summer is coming to an end and it’s time to prepare for a new school year.  With less free time, you might find that you are ditching your healthy habits, which is why it is all the more important to be prepared so you can ensure your kids will be getting proper nutrition…

August 22nd is nationally known as Eat a Peach Day! What could be a better way to celebrate than to sink your teeth into a delicious peach?  Don’t have any ripe peaches handy? Don’t worry! Crack open a can of peaches (preserved in water or its natural juices instead of syrup of course) or take…

Whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner there is one food that can be eaten at any time of the day, the sandwich!  August is National Sandwich Month, in which we appreciate the food that we all grew up on and continue to love in all of its delicious varieties, shapes and sizes.  From the classic…

I remember as a young girl, we would sit down to have a family dinner every night of the week. My dad would arrive home from work at 6:15 pm and by 6:30 pm dinner was served. We gathered around the table, talked about our days and enjoyed our meal together.   This is a…

Today is National Zucchini Day!  It’s time to celebrate this versatile green vegetable and all the glorious, scrumptious and tasty possibilities this squash has to offer!   But first, did you ever wonder where the zucchini comes from?  Zucchini is actually one of the many types of squash that comes from Italy. Italians introduced it…

This year August 3rd – 9th marks the USDA’s 15th annual National Farmer’s Market Week as we celebrate the hard working farmers and communities that make fresh locally grown produce available to the public.  There is something about locally grown fruits and vegetables that set them apart from those you find in your supermarket.  Nowadays,…

When you think about summertime fruits which ones come to mind?  I know for me it’s always watermelon! Perhaps it’s because it is made up of mostly water (92%), making it refreshing for summer.  Or, maybe it’s because the sweetness of this large melon compliments the summer feel.  For whatever reason, watermelon has been coined…