My grandchildren will be spending a few days with us during the holidays. My daughter, their mother, mentioned the other day that she hoped I wouldn’t overload them on soft drinks and juice while they’re here. I can understand soft drinks, but what’s wrong with fruit juice?
Times have changed. Back in the day, pediatricians and nutrition professionals encouraged parents to serve children 100 percent fruit juice as a healthy source of vitamin C and other nutrients. It wasn’t unusual to see a toddler toddling around with a sippy cup of juice from morning till night.
But there are downsides to drinking so much fruit juice, too. That’s why, for more than a decade, authorities have recommended that juice consumption be limited to just 4-6 ounces a...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ken Lee, a professor in The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, has been elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Lee joins four other Ohio State faculty members who were elected to the association this year.
The recognition is bestowed upon leading researchers by their peers for scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to promote science or its applications.
Lee, who is also the director and lead investigator of Ohio State’s Food Innovation Center, was honored for his distinguished academic leadership in food science, for his service to professional organizations, and for his communication of discoveries and controversies about foods to the public....
During this time of year, I often make donations to food drives. I normally just take older items from my pantry that I haven’t found a use for, but I wonder if instead I should be buying new. Are there guidelines I should be following?
As long as the food is safe for human consumption, your local food pantry will likely be grateful for the donation, especially these days.
According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released in September, an estimated 14 percent of American households were food insecure at some point during 2014. That includes 5.6 percent experiencing “very low food security,” which means that one or more household members went without food at times because they didn’t have enough money or other resources for food. In Ohio,...
I see conflicting guidance about whether or not to rinse the turkey before roasting it. So, should I or shouldn’t I?
Despite what you might read in your favorite cookbook or go-to online recipe site, food safety authorities are steadfast in their warning not to rinse off raw turkey.
This has been the recommendation for years, in fact. Unfortunately, if you search the Internet, you may find many faulty recommendations that involve rinsing and pat drying the turkey before setting it in the roasting pan. This just doesn’t make sense, and causes more problems than it solves.
The reason is twofold: First, rinsing doesn’t work. It’s true that raw poultry sold in the U.S. is often contaminated with Campylobacter, Salmonella or some other bacteria. It’s also true...
WOOSTER, Ohio — It might be more costly thanks to an extensive avian flu outbreak earlier this year, but there should be no shortage of turkey for Thanksgiving this year.
Still, other segments of the poultry industry are taking longer to rebound, said a poultry specialist with The Ohio State University.
“The good news is the avian flu hit early enough in the year, and since most whole turkeys you buy at Thanksgiving are hens, there was sufficient time for a lot of the farms to be repopulated,” said Mike Lilburn, professor of animal sciences with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Lilburn is also unit supervisor with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s Poultry Research Center and is a poultry specialist with Ohio...
Last year, I promised myself that after the holidays, I would eat healthier and exercise more. It never happened. This year, I don’t want to wait, but I also don’t want to set myself up for failure or be the Grinch during holiday gatherings. Any ideas?
First, recognize that it’s difficult to change our behaviors. Face it: If it were easy, you would have done it a long time ago. For a habit to stick, experts in behavior change say it’s important to keep a few strategies in mind:
Keep it simple. Focus on one realistic change at a time, and make it as easy and automatic as possible. Once you get into the habit — that is, once you find yourself doing the behavior without even thinking about it — you can try tackling something else. But not before.
Be...
We recently moved, and my children are attending a new child care center. I’m surprised at how much it focuses on healthy eating and exercise, and I wonder if it’s a bit too much for preschoolers. Could it lead to a backlash later?
Actually, early childhood is the ideal time to establish healthy eating and physical activity habits. In fact, researchers of a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology recommend promoting healthy diet and exercise with children as young as 3 to 5 years old to help prevent cardiovascular disease later in life. In their study, young children who were introduced to a heart-healthy lifestyle program showed better attitudes, habits and knowledge about heart health up to three years afterwards than children who weren...
We attended a chili cook-off recently, and one of the entrants said she used canned pumpkin in her recipe. She said pumpkin helps thicken the chili and adds a lot of nutrients. Is pumpkin really that good for you? What else can it be used for?
Pumpkin-eaters can take heart knowing that canned pumpkin packs a lot of nutrition.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database, even though a cup of canned pumpkin is primarily water and contains just 80 calories, it offers more than an entire day’s worth of vitamin A, as well as 7 grams of fiber. It’s also a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and manganese, and is a good source of potassium and many other nutrients.
Interestingly, canned pumpkin — even canned pumpkin labeled...
What is magnesium and what does it do? Is a supplement necessary?
First, the basics: Magnesium is an essential nutrient and plays a role in more than 300 processes in the body. While outright deficiencies are rare, many Americans don’t consume enough magnesium to gain potential protective effects against health problems. Magnesium supplements are readily available, but taking more than recommended can result in side effects. You should be careful and talk with a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian about the pros and cons.
Now, the details: Magnesium is a real powerhouse in the body. Most of the body’s magnesium isn’t in the bloodstream, it’s in the bone. In fact, it works closely with calcium and vitamin D to help form and maintain strong bones and teeth. Magnesium...
I didn’t think I had ever had food poisoning until I read recently that many people mistake it for the flu. How can you tell the difference?
This isn’t surprising. Many people believe they’ve been untouched by foodborne illness, yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million Americans, or 1 in 6, become ill due to food poisoning every year. What’s more, 128,000 become sick enough to be hospitalized, and 3,000 die.
Still, there’s a reason the most common type of foodborne illness, norovirus, is typically called the “stomach flu.” Norovirus actually isn’t a flu bug at all — it’s an entirely different type of virus that can be spread through contaminated food, water and surfaces as well as person-to-...
Although a lot of my health-conscious friends push me to try produce that I’ve never even heard of before, I’m partial to the good old-fashioned apple. What can I tell them about the apple’s health benefits that will get them off my back?
First, there’s a lot to be said for eating a wide variety of produce. No matter how much you prefer an apple over, say, a persimmon, different types of fruits and vegetables offer different benefits. Your body will thank you for eating a broad range of red, orange, yellow, green, white, blue and purple fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
That said, apples are nothing to sneeze at. A small apple (about 5 ounces, or about 2.5 inches in diameter) is considered one cup of fruit, which puts you well on your way toward the 1.5...
When fall comes and the weather starts getting cooler, I tend to indulge in comfort foods. I know most of them are high in calories, fat and sodium, and I worry about the effect on my weight and health. Are there ways I can make my favorite comfort foods healthier so I can keep enjoying them?
Yes, absolutely. In a lot of cases, you can make some relatively small adjustments to recipes that will boost nutrition, cut calories or otherwise make them healthier overall.
You can find many ideas for making these types of food substitutions with a simple search on the web. One good source from Ohio State University Extension is a free fact sheet, “Modifying a Recipe to Be Healthier,” available to download as a PDF online at go.osu.edu/modifyrecipe. Other good sources include...
Several of our children’s friends’ parents are divorced. Some of them seem to work through parenting issues easily, but others seem to have a lot of conflict. What’s the most important thing for parents to focus on as they separate and divorce?
Focusing on children’s well-being is, of course, something that every parent should keep in mind, divorced or not. But that’s only part of a much bigger picture.
Today, family relations professionals recognize that divorced parents need to not only take care of the children’s needs, but they need to be sure they take care of themselves, too, both physically and mentally. All adults require some time and energy to put toward themselves, but in stressful situations, it can be easy to forget that. Eating properly...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Throughout her career, Karen Bruns has been a people person. She cares — and it’s been evident, colleagues say, in every aspect of her professional life.
That work is being recognized this month as Bruns receives the national Distinguished Service Ruby Award, the highest and most prestigious award offered by Epsilon Sigma Phi, the professional organization of Extension personnel nationwide.
Bruns will accept the award at ESP’s annual conference in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, Oct. 4-7.
Until her retirement in March 2015, Bruns was the assistant director of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, in charge of Family and Consumer Sciences...
Farm and Dairy Editor receives the National Friend of Extension Award
COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Susan Crowell first started reporting about farm and rural issues in the mid-1980s, she knew where to turn for information.
“As a reporter, I am always looking for sources — people who have the best information and can be objective,” she said. “So, naturally, whenever I’ve written about anything rural, environmental or agricultural, even as a newbie reporter, my first go-to was always Extension.
“Then I quickly learned the depth and breadth of programming, knowledge and research that Extension has to offer.”
Over the years, Crowell began volunteering her time and energy to serve on Ohio State University Extension advisory boards and committees,...
As my parents get older, I’m beginning to worry that they may be taken advantage of financially. What can we do to help protect them?
It’s a legitimate concern. One analysis, the MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse, estimated that older Americans lost nearly $3 billion in 2010 due to financial exploitation. Many never report the crime, often because they are ashamed to admit they’ve been scammed or they fear retaliation.
Anyone can be victimized, but older adults are at risk because they more often experience confusion or have trouble concentrating and remembering things — a condition officially called “mild cognitive impairment.” This can be caused by a number of things, including normal aging, depression, side effects of medication, or even a...
I want to help my family eat better, but it seems like whenever I try to buy healthy foods, it costs a lot more. How can we eat better without totally breaking our food budget?
It might seem like eating healthfully could mean a higher grocery store bill. But it doesn’t have to.
Several recent studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service examined this question and were highlighted in a feature article in the September 2015 issue of the service’s online magazine, Amber Waves. The article’s title, “Following Dietary Guidance Need Not Cost More—But Many Americans Would Need to Re-Allocate Their Food Budgets” pretty much sums up the findings.
Researchers used the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as a baseline for what a...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The effects of Ohio’s unprecedented oil and gas boom will be seen far beyond the 1,600 horizontal wells now dotting the landscape in eastern Ohio.
Authorities say the pipelines that will criss-cross the state and other new infrastructure required to make use of the state’s newfound energy riches will likely have a presence in every county in the Buckeye State.
In addition, solar, wind and other alternative sources of energy have become a strong presence in some parts of the state in recent years.
To help keep landowners and public officials such as county commissioners, township trustees, state representatives and economic development directors informed about the potential impact of energy development in their communities, Ohio State University Extension...
I noticed that a friend of mine has a thermometer in her refrigerator. She says she uses it to make sure the refrigerator is cold enough. Why would this be necessary? Aren’t refrigerators built to keep food cold enough?
Well, yes, the whole idea of refrigerators is to keep food cold. But your refrigerator might not be cold enough.
It could be due to something as simple as opening the door more often than usual. Or it’s possible that the fridge is packed too tightly, not allowing cold air to circulate around the food properly. Your friend is on top of things by keeping a refrigerator thermometer and checking it regularly to make sure her food is being stored safely.
Refrigerators should be kept at a temperature above freezing (obviously) but below 40 degrees F. Above...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Any processed meat professional worth his or her salt knows that sodium is an issue in the industry.
Lynn Knipe will address that concern at the Process Expo in Chicago this week where more than 20,000 are expected to attend.
Knipe is an associate professor of food and animal sciences in The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He is also a meat specialist with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms of the college, respectively.
“Reducing Sodium in Meat Products” is one of four presentations Knipe will offer during the Sept. 15-18 event, which is sponsored by the Food Processing Suppliers...
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A community nutrition program geared toward low-income families with children is expanding its reach.
Beginning in October 2015, Ohio’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), offered in 20 Ohio counties, is redoubling its efforts to offer more classes in community centers, libraries, food pantries, churches and other facilities that are convenient to the people it serves, said Maria Carmen Lambea, program director.
EFNEP is a weekly series of eight nutrition education workshops, coordinated by Ohio State University Extension and federally funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Participants gather in small,...
Our 11-year-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. We’re learning a lot very quickly. What do we need to be aware of as we settle in to living with diabetes?
The diagnosis of diabetes is always difficult, especially when it’s type 1. With type 2 diabetes, in which the pancreas still produces insulin, there’s a chance that diet, exercise and oral medications can help the body use the insulin it makes to control the amount of glucose in the bloodstream, allowing it to be used for energy.
With type 1 diabetes, which accounts for 5 to 10 percent of diabetes cases, the pancreas produces little to no insulin, causing blood glucose to reach dangerously high levels. In addition to taking a prescribed amount of “basal” or long-acting insulin every day, you have...
LONDON, Ohio — As more farms dot the urban landscape, interest is growing in just how much food can be produced in American cities.
Currently, estimates are that 15 percent of all food in the United States is produced in a metropolitan area, said Mike Hogan, educator with Ohio State University Extension in Franklin County. That includes food grown in home and community gardens, urban farms, and even urban aquaculture facilities, he said.
Hogan will discuss “Can American Cities Feed Themselves?” at the annual Farm Science Review in London, Ohio. The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University is the Review’s sponsor. OSU Extension is the college’s outreach arm.
The presentations will be on Sept. 23 at 11:40 a.m....
It’s always a struggle to get my children to eat a good breakfast before school. How can I make them get up early enough to be sure they start the day right?
Breakfast is important for kids heading to the classroom: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises that regularly eating a nutrient-rich breakfast helps children in several ways, including improving school performance and helping with maintaining a healthy weight. A good breakfast — something that provides a variety of nutrient-rich foods — provides nourishment for both muscle power and brain power.
Eating a healthy breakfast doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Here are some ideas to help make sure the kids don’t skip out without fueling up first, courtesy of nutrition experts with various...
My husband and I married this summer. It’s a second marriage for both of us, and we each brought children into the family. Everything seemed fine until we combined households and school started — now, the kids are not getting along at all. What’s the best way to handle this?
Blending families can be challenging, and reasons are many and varied. The National Stepfamily Resource Center points out that all stepfamilies begin with a history of loss: Stepfamilies form because previous relationships have ended. Such a significant loss can bring on feelings of sadness, anger and fear, and many times members of a blended family may enter into the new situation on edge, guarding themselves against the possibility of experiencing that kind of loss all over again.
In addition,...
