20 Tips for Nutrition Tip Tuesday

Welcome to Nutrition Tip Tuesday! We have rounded up some of our favorite nutrition tips, interesting nutrition facts and pieces of wellness wisdom that have helped our clients grow leaps and bounds in their wellness journeys.

We hope this Nutrition Tip Tuesday brings you a little nugget or two of wisdom that resonates with you! Do any of these surprise you? Stick with you? Inspire you? Let us know in the comments below!

Nutrient Availability

1. Cooking greens like spinach, collard greens and kale substantially increases the availability and absorption of calcium. This is because cooking calcium degrades its tough bonds, which makes it easier for our bodies to absorb it.
2. Soak chia seeds to increase nutrient availability. Soaking chia seeds softens their tough exterior, doing some of the pre-digestion work for us so we can absorb more nutrients from inside of the chia seeds.
3. The iron in plant-based foods like leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds is harder to absorb than the iron in animal-based foods. Adding a source of vitamin C helps us absorb more iron from plant foods. Vitamin C helps convert the form of iron to one that gets into our cells more easily.

Interesting Nutrition Facts

1. Watermelon may help lower blood pressure by increasing a compound called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps widen our blood vessels, which in turn lowers blood pressure. 
2. White potatoes are NOT bad for you. White potatoes and sweet potatoes both offer nutrition benefits. Sweet potatoes are slightly lower in carbs, slightly higher in fiber, a lot higher in vitamin A, and a tad higher in vitamin C. White potatoes are slightly higher in protein and potassium.
3. Nutritionally speaking, white sugar and brown sugar are actually pretty similar. The minor differences in nutrient content are due to brown sugar having molasses in it.
4. Light roast coffee contains the highest amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect our body from oxidative stress, helping to reduce our risk of inflammation and chronic disease.
5. One of the biggest differences between natural sugars and artificial sweeteners is that we receive energy (i.e., calories) from natural sweeteners, however we do not receive energy from artificial non-nutritive sweeteners.
6. One of the main differences between red and white wine is that the grape skin and seeds are kept during fermentation for red wine, but removed before fermentation for white wine.

Connection between Food and Health

1. Turmeric can help lower your LDL cholesterol and Triglyceride levels. If you have a personal or family history of high cholesterol or metabolic syndrome, try adding turmeric to rice, toss it with roasted vegetables, or use it in your next batch of soup.
2. Pepitas or pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron and zinc, two minerals that many people do not get enough of. Try sprinkling some on your next salad for a delicious crunch.
3. Probiotics are live microorganisms associated with health benefits in the gut, while prebiotics are the types of food that help feed the good bacteria and fungi in the gut. Grab some yogurt for your next snack, make a stir-fry with that delicious and prebiotic-rich base of garlic and onions, or try mixing sauerkraut into your next salad for a probiotic kick.
4. Hair loss, dizziness, and constipation can all be signs that you are not eating enough. 
5. There are 2 types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Most plant foods contain a mixture of both. Soluble fiber helps slow digestion and keep us full for longer. Insoluble fiber provides bulk to help make it easier to pass a bowel movement. 
6. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts contain powerful carotenoids that play a role in reducing inflammation. This is key for chronic disease prevention.

Wellness Wisdom

1. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Some vegetables are better than no vegetables. Some movement in your day is better than no movement in your day. 
2. Sleep hygiene and stress management are two very important aspects of health that don’t get as much attention as they deserve! These complement a well-balanced diet and physical activity to help you optimize your physical health, as well as your mental health!
3. Aiming to eat a fruit or vegetable with each meal is a really great start. 
4. There are SO MANY signs of progress we can monitor aside from a number on the scale. 
5. At the end of the day, YOU know your body best. Healthcare professionals can help you along the way, but you have the lived experience in your body. You have valuable intuition worth listening to when it comes to caring for your body. 

We hope you enjoyed this Nutrition Tip Tuesday roundup! We know there are a lot of tips out there. Sometimes it can feel exciting to learn new things. Other times, it can feel overwhelming to try to piece everything together yourself. If you’re in the overwhelm boat right now, read on for ways we can help you.

If you’re looking for support in finding healthier habits that stick, preventing or managing a chronic disease, and/or improving your relationship with food, we have options. We provide free content via our blog, social media, and podcast Dietitians Uncorked. We also have a biweekly newsletter you can sign up for here. 

If you like our vibe and are ready to take the next step with us, we offer individualized virtual nutrition counseling as well as a virtual group program. If you have any questions at all or want to learn more, reach out to us! 

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash