Health & Wellness
Articles
Tips
Creating The Ultimate Summer Salads
The summer season offers up a beautiful bounty of some of the most flavorful and nutritious fruits and vegetables. With such a plethora of fresh produce to choose from, salads are a quick, simple and satisfying way to experience a wide variety of summer’s finest foods. Whether you love them tossed, chopped or layered, for an energizing lunch, complementary side dish, or light supper, deciding what delicious ingredients to use for your salad is part of the fun! When you get creative, make healthy choices, and combine a variety of colors, tastes and textures, you can enjoy spectacular salads all summer long.
Tips
Foods That Can Help Ease Allergy Symptoms
Spring can be a difficult time of year for those who suffer from seasonal allergy symptoms. When the body overreacts to things in the air that don't cause problems everyone, such as dust or pollen, it is an allergy. This overreaction can cause symptoms such as watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, itching and pressure in the nose and cheeks.
Tips
Have A Healthy Picnic
Picnic season is upon us! The next time you’re packing up your basket for a meal that celebrates not only the beautiful weather, but the freshest foods of the season, consider including nutritious classics along with some healthier alternatives to traditional picnic favorites. Your outdoor feast will be full of flavor, and you’ll feel healthy, energized, refreshed, and ready to enjoy your outdoor environment.
Tips
Hit The Hay!
Tips For Keeping Hay Fever At Bay
The season of spring is a special time of year. Houses are cleaned from top to bottom, barren trees and shrubs bloom with leaves and flowering buds, and dry lawns once again become carpets of tender green grass. We welcome the season with spring-cleaning, and celebrate it by spending time outdoors, enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature as the earth awakens from its winter slumber.
Sustainable Eating
Buying and Eating Local:
Are You Up to the Challenge?
When it comes to sustainable eating and buying and eating local foods, community advantages are numerous and prosperous. Buying and eating locally grown foods help build more self-sufficient food economies where the sustainable food production, processing, distribution and consumption are taken into consideration to promote the economic, environmental and social health of a specific place. It is a part of the sustainability movement on a broader scale.
Sustainable Eating
Hot Off the Grill!
In-Season Summer Fruits and Vegetables
One of the greatest joys of summertime is the act of barbecuing, and most everyone has a favorite grilled food that they look forward to indulging in. When it comes to sustainable eating and grilling, options for the grill are endless. With a cornucopia of in-season fruits and vegetables, you can cook a table-full of vegetarian entrees, side dishes and desserts right on the grill. And, eating seasonal produce helps cut down on carbon emissions that are produced by oil-drinking boilers that are used to heat greenhouses and by power plants used to keep things frozen.
Sustainable Eating
What is Sustainable Eating?
Today, more than ever, the word sustainability is heard on a regular basis. Sustainability, simply put, means to keep going, to supply with food, drink and other necessities in life.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Dairy-Free Lifestyle
For people who are allergic to dairy products, or who are lactose intolerant, a dairy-free diet is crucial to one's well being.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Gluten, made from the proteins gliadin, glutenin and others, exists with starch in the endosperms of some grass-related grains - notably barley, rye and wheat. Gliadin and glutenin comprise about 80% of the protein contained in wheat seed.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Low-Fat Lifestyle
Low-fat diets are followed for many reasons, such as weight loss and/or weight maintenance and for the prevention of some diseases like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Low-Salt Lifestyle
For people with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and other medical problems, a low-salt diet may be beneficial and is often prescribed by physicians.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Sugar Free and Low Sugar Lifestyle
Sugar, once considered a luxury that only the wealthy could afford, comes in many forms and is used in many ways. For many people, a low sugar or sugar free diet is either necessary or desired.
Special Lifestyles & Diets
Vegetarian Lifestyle
Vegetarians build their diets around plant foods, but did you know that there are several types of vegetarian classifications? Lacto-ovo vegetarians consume dairy foods and eggs, but no fish, meat or poultry; Pesco-vegetarians include fish into their diets; and Vegans are strict vegetarians who do not eat any animal products, including dairy products, eggs and honey.
Healthy Eating & Entertaining
Healthy Summer Snacks
Convenient Ways To Curb Your Hunger!
Days are longer and the kids are out of school for the summer, which means it’s more important than ever to have plenty of fun, healthy and easy snacks on hand. Staying hydrated and energized during the summertime is crucial. Fuel-up this summer with plenty of water and some quick snacks that are good for your schedule—and good for your body. These nutrient-rich munchies are easy to prepare and enjoy, which means more time for you to soak up the summer!
Healthy Eating & Entertaining
Lemons and Limes
The Stars of Summertime Citrus
Although they're available in markets throughout the year, lemons and limes reach their peak of perfection during the summer season, lending their lip-puckering flavor and bright, acidic zing to everything from refreshing lemonade to grilled seafood.
Healthy Eating & Entertaining
The What, Why and Where of Anthocyanins
When popping a sweet, juicy strawberry into your mouth, have you ever wondered about the brilliant red color of it? What makes blueberries so blue, or red raspberries so red? The answer lies in antioxidant flavonoid compounds that lend color to fruits, plants and vegetables: plant pigments. One group of these coloring compounds is known as anthocyanins, and they are found in flowers, fruits, leaves, roots and stems.
Healthy Eating & Entertaining
To Her Health!
Celebrate Mother’s Day With Fresh & Healthy Morning Favorites
Treating Mom to a special meal in honor of Mother’s Day is a favorite holiday tradition that lets her know how much she is loved and appreciated. This Mother’s Day, honor her with a relaxing breakfast or brunch that is not just delicious, but healthy too. By highlighting the freshest foods of the spring season, and showcasing delicious, nutrient-rich favorites, you can lighten up the morning, and get her special day off to a fantastic start.
Healthy Eating
A Healthy Mind & Body
How The Foods You Eat Can Influence The Way You Think
Along with plenty of water, these tasty foods are important for a well-balanced diet. Morning, noon or night, they’re some of the best for your body—and your brain!
Healthy Eating
Healthy Hydrators
Ways To Stay Refreshed, Energized & Hydrated
There’s no denying it: consuming sufficient amounts of water every day is an absolute imperative for good health. As the principal chemical component of the human body, water is needed to keep every system of the body functioning properly.
Healthy Eating
The Joys and Benefits of Seasonal Eating
As the seasons come and go one thing is for certain when it comes to eating fresh, seasonal produce—the taste just can’t be beat. And, when produce is at its freshest, the nutrient content is higher. If you’ve never made a fresh tomato gazpacho in August when tomatoes are at their peak, or have used sweet Vidalia onions to top your grilled burger in the month of June, when Vidalia’s take center stage, you’re missing out on some serious flavor. Long, long ago, before travel allowed for the shipment of out-of-season produce across the country, eating seasonal produce was a necessity. Those necessities created some favorite traditional dishes such as corn on the cob in late summer, pumpkin pie in the fall, potato soup in the winter, and radishes on salad during springtime. Eating seasonal is not only great for the freshest tasting produce possible; it also carries on beloved food traditions.
Healthy Eating
The What, Why and Where of Antioxidants
Chances are, you hear and see the word ‘antioxidant’ on a regular basis. On television and radio commercials, and on food packages found throughout grocery stores, the word ‘antioxidant’ has become an important word when it comes to our health. Have you ever found yourself asking, “What are antioxidants?”
Antioxidants are nutrients found in foods that are capable of preventing or slowing oxidative damage to our bodies. Some antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E, and phytochemicals such as flavonoids, lycopene and lutein. When the cells in our bodies use oxygen, they naturally produce by-products called ‘free radicals’ which can cause damage. Antioxidants scavenge for free radicals, preventing damage and repairing damage done by them. Some health problems associated with oxidative damage include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and macular degeneration.
Foods that are rich in antioxidants include:
• Blueberries – Despite their small size, blueberries pack a big nutritional punch with antioxidants that may help your body fight everything from the effects of aging, to vision problems, to cancer. Blueberries are a good source of dietary fiber and a very good source of vitamins C, K and manganese.
• Carrots – Carrots’ antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer, and also promote good vision, especially night vision. Carrots are a good source of vitamins C and E, and are a very good source of dietary fiber and vitamins A, K and manganese.
• Cherries – Not only does this ruby-red fruit taste great, ongoing research shows that tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout. That’s because tart cherries are bursting with antioxidants. Cherries are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
• Cranberries – Scientists found that cranberry extract contains the antioxidants anthocyanin, proanthocyanidins and phenolic compounds that are known for their anti-cancer properties. Fresh cranberries are very high in vitamin C.
• Green Tea – Green tea is among one of the world’s healthiest beverages. In recent years, it has been the focus of much scientific study. The health benefits of drinking green tea may include reduced risk for coronary heart disease thanks to green tea’s high concentration of antioxidants. Green tea offers the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Health And Wellness
Calcium
The What, Why, and Where?
One of the most important, and plentiful, minerals in the body is calcium. Calcium allows proper functioning of the heart; builds and repairs bones and teeth; clots blood; helps nerves function; and makes muscles contract. The majority of calcium found in the body is stored in the bones, with the rest in the blood. If the calcium levels in blood drops, then the body will begin to take calcium from the bones. The body needs calcium to function properly, while bones need calcium to be strong and firm.
Health And Wellness
Getting to the Root of Root Vegetables
Why You Should Not Overlook These Nutritious Veggies
If you are passionate about buying vegetables in season, then fall and winter root vegetables should be on your shopping list for comforting, autumnal cooking. Root vegetables are exactly what their name implies, the [edible] roots of vegetables. Beets, celery root, parsnip, rutabaga, and turnips – each one is a root vegetable, and just a sampling of root vegetables available for consumption.
Foods For Healthy Eating
A Guide To Spring Produce
Discover The Health Benefits Of The Season’s Freshest Picks
It is easy to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet when you choose ripe, seasonal produce. When it comes to flavor, freshness and nutritional value, locally grown, peak of the season produce is unsurpassed. The spring season produces a plethora of fruits and vegetables that are popular for their delicious flavors, versatility and exceptional health benefits. Here’s a guide to a few of the favorites:
Food In The News
Disappearing Honey Bees
Losing the Foods We Love to Eat
With its rich texture and lovely golden hue, honey is a natural sweetener prized for its wonderful flavor and unique composition, making it a deliciously healthy antioxidant and useful antimicrobial agent.
Food In The News
Low Fat Grilling in the Good Ole Summertime
No doubt about it, summer is the season for barbecuing. It's also the time of year when, for some, watching our waistline is a top priority. If you love barbecued foods but don't want all the bad saturated fats found in foods such as red meat, beef and pork sausages, and butter, good fats can be found in foods such as fish, vegetables and olive oil. And, the intense heat of the grill brings out food's natural flavors; that means that there is no need to overload with calorie-laden butter. If you need to use an oil to keep foods from sticking, choose a monounsaturated one such as olive oil. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol while saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol.
Food In The News
Mad for Melons
A Slice of the Sweet Life
Cool, crisp melons elicit the essence of summer. With their refreshing flavor, cantaloupe, casaba, honeydew and watermelon are thirst-quenching fruits that you can feel great about indulging in. Low in calories, melons contain key vitamins and nutrients.
Food In The News
The Decline and Abundance of Wild Salmon:
A Balancing Act
Wild Salmon—firm in flesh, rich in oil, almost nutty in taste. All across the United States, from consumers to fish vendors to restaurants, there is no other fish that gets people as excited as the first wild salmon of the season. For people in the Pacific Northwest, grilling the first wild salmon fillet of the season is an obsession and ritual combined into one. Salmon are not only beloved for their flavor and texture; they are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have certain health benefits.
© 2008 DWGCO & Chief Super Market, Inc.