Dear Chocolate, I love you but... are you good for me?

kaboose.com

By Marilyn Thomas, Meredith College Dietetic Intern:

Chocolate is a favorite treat, especially around the holidays. We enjoy sipping a cup of hot cocoa, making festive desserts, and stuffing stockings with chocolate candy this time of year. And let’s not forget Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Easter—all “chocolate occasions”! So we eat a decent amount of chocolate. Perhaps you’ve wondered how healthy—or how unhealthy—chocolate is.

Kickstart Your Metabolism!

fitnessmagazine.com

Simply stated, metabolism refers to the rate in which your body converts calories from food into usable energy. To lose weight, you must expend more energy (calories) than you take in.  Below are some nutrition tips to give your metabolism a boost:

Fiber: Not Just For Your Grandma...

healthlob.com

So what you do you think of when you hear "fiber"?  Prune juice?  Metamucil?  Something for you grandma, right?  Well, I'm here to tell you that fiber is NOT just for your those who are 60+, it's for people of all ages!

Coffee: Friend or Foe?

slashfood.com

I'd like to introduce our guest blogger for the week, Marilyn Thomas, Dietetic Intern from Meredith College.  Marilyn graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelors in Human Nutrition. After completeing her internship, she'd like to earn her Registered Dietitan credential and pursue a job in the field of dietetics.

As the weather cools down, our drinks heat up, and a latte, espresso or mocha from Starbucks seems even more inviting.  In general, we love coffee!  And we drink it often…maybe to get that extra energy boost after a late night of studying, or simply to warm us up as we sit down to read a book.  Have you ever wondered about how healthy a cup of coffee is?  Is it in our best interest nutritionally speaking to drink coffee several times a week, or even every day?

Antioxidants: The Whats, Wheres and Whys

stockfresh.com

This statement may sound familiar: "They're really healthy for you because they're packed with antioxidants!"  And you may say, "OH!  Well in that case, I'll have some!"  However, what you really want to say is, "WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?  WHERE CAN I FIND ANTIOXIDANTS?  WHY DO I NEED ANTOXIDANTS?"

Buyer's Guide to Fruits and Vegetables

kids.britannica.com

I'd like to introduce our guest blogger for the week, Lindsey Carter, Dietetic Intern.  Lindsey graduated from Meredith College last year with a Masters Degree in Nutrition. After completeing her internship and obtaining her Registered Dietitian credential, she'd like to pursue a career in Maternal and Pediatric Nutrition.

When the grocery store has so many options for fruits and vegetables how can you tell which are actually tasty, fresh, and in season? We’ve all experienced buyer’s remorse at some point, when we’ve selected a fruit or vegetable that’s past its prime, not yet ripe or just downright nasty. How can you avoid these imposters of good taste, these “lemons”?

Portion Distortion

rd4health.com

As many of you already know, our dining halls are all-you-care-to-eat.  This is great when you want to get your money's worth but maybe not so great on your waistline.  It's important to know that when it comes to food, size does matter!  Sometimes portion sizes can be confusing, and who wants to walk around with measuring cups and spoons in order to know how much you should eat?  Did you know that you can help yourself to better understand portions by relating various sizes to every day objects?  Let's take a look...