Tag: fiber

Peas Please

eminniha
Bowl of peas

Green peas grow inside pods and are sweet and starchy. They belong to the legume food group. Despite their small size, they pack in a lot of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. A 1/2 cup serving of green peas has 70 calories, 4 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of fiber.

Health Benefits of Peas

  • Weight Management—Peas are low in calories and high in protein and fiber, helping you feel full longer.
  • Blood Sugar Control—With a low glycemic index, peas have little impact on blood sugar levels. The fiber content helps slow down glucose absorption, making them a great choice for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
  • Blood Pressure—Potassium in peas helps relax artery walls and offsets the effects of sodium, helping to lower blood pressure.
  • Eye Health—Lutein and zeaxanthin, found in peas, promote eye health and may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Source: WebMD, go.iastate.edu/PFHCME

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Fiber: Your Health’s Best Friend

eminniha
Bowls of grains and fruit

Fiber plays a key role in many different body functions. Yet, most adults in the United States only get about half of the suggested amount for daily fiber intake. The current Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults consume 22 to 34 grams of fiber each day, depending on age and sex. Fiber is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and peas. The main functions of fiber include the following:

Controlling blood sugar—Fiber helps reduce blood sugar spikes, which is especially important for people with prediabetes or diabetes.

Heart protection—Including fiber in a healthy diet may lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Maintaining digestive health— Fiber aids in a regular and healthy digestive system, reduces constipation, and may reduce your risk of colon cancer.

Feeling full—Fiber slowly works through the digestive system to help keep you feeling full for a longer time. This can also help with weight loss or weight maintenance.

There are many tasty ways to get more fiber. Eat oatmeal with nuts and berries. Pick whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat pasta and bread. Add more nonstarch veggies to meals. Include beans or peas in casseroles or soups. Choose whole fruits like apples and raspberries instead of juice.

Sources:
CDC, go.iastate.edu/7MJYMV
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, go.iastate.edu/X1WNIA
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, go.iastate.edu/CH0N8W

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How’s Your Microbiome?

eminniha
Tray of healthy foods

When we talk about a microbiome, we are talking about the gut and its important role in overall health. The gut is home to many microbes and bacteria, both good and bad. What we choose to eat determines the amount and type of bacteria residing in our large and small intestines.

Eating foods containing prebiotics and probiotics promotes a favorable environment for a healthy microbiome. Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates, like fiber in fruits, beans, and whole grains. They act as fertilizer for the good bacteria to multiply in the gut. This fiber is broken down by the good bacteria in your gut through fermentation. This fermentation process limits the number of bad bacteria and supports a healthy gut.

Probiotics are the good bacteria in your gut and are dependent on prebiotics as their main food source. Common probiotic foods are yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and other fermented foods. Other ways to improve your gut microbiome are to eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, add fiber foods to your diet, reduce stress, and maintain a regular eating schedule.

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Good Gut Health

eminniha
Bowls of fruit and grains

Did you know that your digestive system plays an essential role in your overall health? Nurturing a population of good gut bacteria is good for your health. What you eat may encourage the growth of good or bad bacteria. For example, avoiding processed foods, high-fat foods, and foods high in added sugars is important for maintaining a healthy gut. Eating high-fiber and fermented foods actively promotes the growth of good gut bacteria.

High-fiber foods are a good source of prebiotics. Prebiotics are the fuel for your good gut microbes. High-fiber foods include legumes, like black beans and chickpeas; whole grains, including whole wheat and oatmeal; vegetables; nuts; and fruits. Eating high-fiber foods may help build a strong immune system; improve digestion, sleep, and brain health; and support heart health.

Fermented foods are great sources of probiotics. Probiotics are living friendly bacteria. The goal is for these helpful organisms to take up residence in your gut and replace other less helpful or even harmful bacteria. Fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi.

This month’s recipe, Berry and Greens Smoothies, has both high fiber and fermented foods. Bananas, frozen berries, and greens are high in fiber and yogurt is a fermented food; try it today!

Sources:
Healthline, www.healthline.com/health/gut-health
Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, nutritionletter.tufts.edu/

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Sweet Potatoes: Not Just for Thanksgiving!

eminniha
Baked sweet potato

November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month! Sweet potatoes are often a part of Thanksgiving dinner, but why not enjoy them all winter long? These nutritious tubers are very versatile.

Sweet potatoes come in a variety of colors, including orange, white, and purple. Orange and purple sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, which help fght infammation and may protect against cancer. All sweet potatoes give you vitamins A and C, fber, and potassium.

One cup of cooked sweet potato with skin provides 6.6 g of fber, about one-fourth of your daily fber recommendation. The fber in sweet potatoes feeds the “good gut bugs” that are important for gut health and keep you regular. The vitamin A prevents vision loss and improves eye health. The vitamin C promotes healthy skin, helps heals wounds, and enhances immune function. Potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure.

You can enjoy sweet potatoes in many ways—mashed, grilled, steamed, microwaved, even in pancakes. Try today’s Sweet Potato Fries recipe!

Source: Produce for Better Health Foundation, fruitsandveggies.org

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Food for Thought: The Gut-brain Axis

Kristin Taylor

Ogut-brain connectionne of the biggest buzzwords in current media refers to the smallest subject: the human gut microbiome. This microbiome is a collection of microorganisms living in the human intestinal tract; aka the “good gut bugs.” These good gut bugs help our gut produce compounds needed for digestion and absorption of other nutrients. They also provide protection against harmful “bugs” and support our immune system. These good gut bugs have also been shown to promote brain health.

There is communication between the human microbiome and the brain, called the gut-brain axis. This means the health of your gut microbiome may impact the health of your brain—a healthy gut leads to a healthy brain.

The best way to take care of your gut microbiome is to focus on your overall eating pattern.

  • Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
  • Choose fiber-rich foods because increasing fiber can promote abundance of gut bugs.
  • Try fermented foods and foods with pre- and probiotics to improve the variety of your good gut bugs.
  • Prebiotics are plant fibers that promote the growth of healthy bacteria. They are found in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, including apples, asparagus, bananas, barley, flaxseed, garlic, jicama, leeks, oats, and onion.
  • Probiotics contain specific strains of healthy bacteria. The most common probiotic food is yogurt; other sources include bacteria-fermented foods, including sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi.

Sources:

  • Shreiner AB, Kao JY, Young VB. The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2015;31(1):69–75. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000139.
  • Foster JA, Lyte M, Meyer E, Cryan JF. Gut microbiota and brain function: An evolving field in neuroscience. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2016;19(5):1–7. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyv114.
  • Jandhyala S, Talukdar R, Subramanyam C, Vuyyuru H, Sasikala M, Reddy D. Role of the normal gut microbiota. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(29):8787–8803.
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