I don’t usually have much of a sweet tooth, but during the holidays I tend to go overboard on cookies and other baked goods at parties and when people bring treats to the office. This year, it seems to have started already. Any ideas to help me keep in control?
Actually, it sounds like you may be a step ahead of most people. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, about 70 percent of U.S. adults and children consume more added sugars than recommended — and not just during the holidays.
The guidelines say to keep added sugars to less than 10 percent of daily calorie intake. That means if your recommended calorie intake is 2,000 calories, your goal should be to keep sweets to a maximum of 200 calories a day.
It’s hard to estimate how many homemade...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The erosion of milk’s reputation as a healthy food choice is the biggest issue facing the nation’s dairy industry, said the new dairy chair for The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
“We could survive longer on milk without food, without water, without pizza, than you can survive on anything else,” said Rafael Jimenez-Flores, who joined the college as the J.T. “Stubby” Parker Endowed Chair in Dairy Foods earlier this year.
Jimenez-Flores has made it his mission to demonstrate scientifically the nutritional benefits of milk in the face of “fear mongering” that may have led to some public misconceptions that it is not good for you. “It is unethical to use fear...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The safety of Ohio’s drinking water will be in the spotlight during the December breakfast program by the Environmental Professionals Network.
Mike Baker, chief of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, will present “Lead in Drinking Water: Ohio Leads the Way. What More Is Needed?” as part of the program, which goes from 7:15 to 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 2 at The Ohio State University in Columbus.
The network is a service of Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources, part of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Baker, who’s an alumnus of the school, will talk about lead in water pipes, its prevalence in Ohio — such as the case in Sebring in...
New Ohio State center aims to unearth secrets to make foods healthier
COLUMBUS, Ohio — What if commercially made whole-wheat bread tasted just as good as its refined-wheat counterpart? What if you could enjoy the guilty pleasure of eating a bag of potato chips with a third less sodium but all the flavor?
These are the types of questions being tackled by the Flavor Research and Education Center, newly arrived to The Ohio State University.
“Dietary guidelines provide a basis to promote a healthy lifestyle, but they are not well followed. People tend to select foods they enjoy, they can afford, and that are convenient,” said Devin Peterson, director of the center and professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology. Both the center and department...
Media Advisory
What: Midwest Bioeconomy Regional Stakeholder Forum
Where: Shisler Conference Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster
When: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Nov. 15
Contact: Dennis Hall, hall.16@osu.edu, 614-292-4188
Background: For much of two decades, the federal government has examined the use of plants as feedstock to help drive our nation’s economy. With Congressional authorization and the support of the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations, over 1 billion tons of biomass have been identified that can be sustainably utilized to create energy, fuels and biobased products. The increasing use of renewable, biobased materials creates jobs, improves air quality and reduces reliance on foreign sources.
In February, the Biomass Research and Development Board, comprised of seven...
My husband has type 2 diabetes, and lately he has been frustrated about his blood sugar. Even though he gives himself the proper dose of insulin according to his carbohydrate intake, his glucose levels often don’t go down as much as they should. He has a doctor’s appointment, but can you shed some light about what’s going on?
Talking with his doctor, or a registered dietitian or diabetes educator, to gain some insight is a good idea. But many things can affect blood glucose levels. He might need to adjust his insulin, but physical activity, or lack of it, can make a big difference. Worry, frustration and feelings of burnout regarding diabetes have also been associated with higher blood sugar levels, according to a 2010 study in the journal Diabetes Care. The biology and...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Livestock producers beware – black vultures are on the hunt and they aren’t just looking for dead animals.
These migratory birds are known to attack and eat live animals, too.
The birds have become a problem for many Ohio livestock producers in recent years, said Stan Smith, an Ohio State University Extension program assistant in agriculture and natural resources.
OSU Extension is the outreach arm of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Black vultures have been a growing problem for Ohio livestock producers over the past 15 years, Smith said. Recently, they were spotted on the northeast side of Lancaster.
“Folks in several areas across the state have reported having problems with black...
I host Thanksgiving dinner for extended family every year. I am never as organized as I hope to be and get totally stressed out. Now some older family members are battling serious health issues, and I’m especially concerned about making sure I do everything properly so no one gets sick. Any tips?
Actually, the fact that you recognize some people are more susceptible to foodborne illness indicates you are much more on top of things than you might think. Unfortunately, food safety issues during the holidays often take a back seat to other matters — like who will have to sit at the “kiddie table.”
Planning ahead is key to keeping yourself calm and collected during the Thanksgiving hustle and bustle, and to making sure food safety takes precedence. For example,...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Sustainability Innovation Virtual Lab (SIVL) at The Ohio State University has launched its first project. The project links a business with an Ohio State student with a goal of solving a real-world sustainability business problem.
SIVL is a joint experiential learning effort by two units in Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences: the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE). Its aim is to connect businesses and students for sustainability problem-solving. The university’s Sustainable and Resilient Economy Discovery Theme is also supporting the program.
Demand for student help ‘the driving force’
Neil...
What is the best way to cook vegetables so nutrients aren’t destroyed?
You’re right — the heat involved in cooking vegetables can destroy some nutrients, but for others, it actually enhances their absorbability. For example, both beta carotene (think carrots) and its relative, lycopene (tomatoes), are more easily absorbed by the body after cooking. Cooking changes the structure of these nutrients’ molecules, allowing our bodies to absorb them much more efficiently. Adding some healthy fat, such as olive or canola oil, also helps.
With different nutrients reacting differently to the cooking process, it can get confusing. As a general rule, limit cooking time: The less time a vegetable is exposed to heat, the more nutrients it will retain.
You’ll also want...