Kent State Interns

The Makings of the Perfect Smoothie Do you ever go to a juice bar or a smoothie shop and think “how can I recreate this?!” Well with just 6 easy steps, you can start developing your own smoothie masterpieces and heaping tons of nutritional benefits! Step 1: Choose your Base-   This is typically a liquid, for instance, plant milk, cow’s milk, fresh pressed juice, coconut water or milk, water, or even iced coffee. A base helps develop the consistency. In addition, the milks will have calcium, fresh pressed orange juice will be loaded with vitamin C, and coconut water is hydrating and loaded with electrolytes to replenish you. Step 2:   Choose Fresh or Frozen Fruit -  Fruit will provide you with fiber and various micronutrients. Fruits are hydrating and can sweeten your smoothie.   Options include bananas, mangoes, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, strawberries, apples, and frozen acai. Step 3: Add Some Greens- Greens are a gr...

One of my favorite holidays is definitely Thanksgiving! Not only is it a time that I get to spend with my whole family and eat amazing food, but it is also around my birthday, so there are always extra treats! Thanksgiving can be a time that many people stress about because of all of the food that is offered. Some may worry about their calorie consumption, trying to eat all of the foods to please everyone, or just trying to make healthy choices at the meals. Well… no need to worry! There are many things that can be done to make the holiday a little bit more stress free! The first thing is eating a well-rounded snack prior to going to your holiday celebration. If you eat a snack that contains carbs and protein you will feel more full longer and will be less likely to eat to the point of being beyond full. Another option is using a smaller plate, so that you do not take as large of portions of everything. This keeps “sampling” in mind, so that you can try all of the dishes without...

            If you are interested in where your food comes from (like me!) you may be seeing a new trend popping up in your grocery store: aquaponic grown vegetables!   They are usually the vegetables that are still sitting in water—and in my experience they usually look pretty dang fresh!   In this blog I hope to explain why this new up-and-coming method of growing food is and how it could be the future of food!             Typically—we need lots of land, water, and sunlight to grow plant.   Not really rocket science, but new technology has allowed us to grow food in small, urban locations INDOORS! How is this possible?   Well there are multiple ways to do it, but the most common is aquaponics --   a system where nutrient enriched water flows to the roots of vegetables to grow.   The traditional method of aquaponics is combined with aquaculture, a...

                         “I’m gluten-free…. I’m lactose intolerant… I have a peanut allergy”.   We consistently hear these phrases from people and a lot of times; people don’t know the difference between allergies and intolerances.   Food allergies cause a reaction in the immune system, triggering numerous organs in the body (Mayo Clinic, 2019). Intolerances tend to be limited to digestive issues and tend to be less severe than a food allergy (Mayo Clinic, 2019). Researchers approximate that 32 million Americans have food allergies, 5.6 million of those people being children under 18. About 40% of children with food allergies are allergic to more than one food (FARE, 2019).    There are eight major food allergens:   milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, treenuts, peanuts. These are marked on menus and ingredient labels.         ...

Winter Squash I’m always sad to see summer end. I love the long daylight hours. And more notably, I delight in eating delicacies grown in my garden. There is nothing quite like eating something right off the vine when it comes to flavor and nutrition.  But my end of summer blues quickly subside because, there is no doubt, fall is by far my favorite season. There are several reasons for this statement: I welcome the break from the heat and humidity of the summer months; with the turn of the leaves, the world suddenly becomes a pleasant array of beautiful colors; and, of course, delicious local fall produce comes to market.  Typically harvested in September and October, winter squash (I personally would have named it fall squash) is one of my favorite seasonal foods. From a nutrition standpoint, it’s hard to argue the tremendous beneficial qualities of these autumn treasures. Winter squash of all varieties is an excellent source of vitamin A and a really good source...

For those that don’t know what Weight Watchers is, it is a popular weight loss program for adults.  How Weight Watchers works is you are given a certain amount of points per day along with some flex points that can be used throughout the week.  Every food you eat is given a point value (there are some free foods like certain vegetables and certain fruits).  Throughout the day, you track and add up your points until you reach your point goal and then you are done eating for the day.  Obviously, this is just a super brief over view but those are the main goals of the program.  Recently, Weight Watchers just launched a weight loss program called Kurbo, which is a program specifically for kids and teens.               Launching a weight loss program for kids and teens has caused some back lash.  Is it appropriate to be telling young kids to lose weight? Or i...

Don’t Freak Out, but There’s Probably Arsenic in Your Rice Okay, so first of all, what is arsenic? Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that exists in both organic and inorganic forms. Inorganic arsenic compounds are typically found in soils, sediments, and groundwater. These compounds can either occur naturally or as a result from industrial use. On the other hand, organic forms are found primarily in fish and shellfish in small amounts. According to the World Health Organization, arsenic is highly toxic in its inorganic form and is linked to cancer, decreased cognitive development, and even death. Roughly 85% of the rice we consume in the United States is grown by American farmers. Each year, 18 billion pounds of rice are grown in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas. In America today, rice farming involves specialized technology, like lasers and computers, to help position water control levels for optimal results.  ...