UC CalFresh Fresno/Madera Counties - <span style='font-size:0.5em;'>Healthy Eating</span>

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UC CalFresh Fresno/Madera Counties - Healthy Eating

TUE, APR 30 2024

13:58:59

Author: Emily Harris

Published on: January 9, 2017

Happy New Year! To start the new year off right and encourage healthy resolutions, this month's Tasty Tips is all about fiber during National Fiber Focus Month.

What is fiber?

Fiber is a nutrient found in plants. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

"Soluble fiber attracts water and turns to gel during digestion. This slows digestion. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that soluble fiber lowers cholesterol, which can help prevent heart disease."
"Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains. It appears to speed the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines and adds bulk to the stool."

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002470.htm

Watch Out!

Adding fiber to your diet too fast can lead to negative side effects, such as gas, abdominal cramps and bloating. Slowly adding fiber-rich foods to your diet will decrease these side effects as you begin increasing your fiber consumption.

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002470.htm

Where's the fiber?

Find a complete list of food sources of fiber here.

Not sure how much fiber you need every day? Check out your general fiber recommendation in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines.

Tags: fiber (1), Healthy Eating (3), Healthy Resolutions (1), National Fiber Focus Month (1), Tasty Tips (12), UC CalFresh (16), UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (20), uccalfreshfmc (15)

Comments: 0

Tasty Tips- National Parfait Day

Author: Emily Harris

Published on: November 23, 2016

Balance your Thanksgiving feast with a pretty parfait on Black Friday, which just so happens to be National Parfait Day! Choose a parfait below or create one of your own.

Pumpkin Parfait

Ingredients

1 can low-sodium pumpkin (about 15 ounces)

3 cups fat-free or low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup rice crisps

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup brown (or white) sugar (packed)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a blender or with a fork, blend the pumpkin until smooth.
Mix pumpkin, yogurt, and spices in a bowl.
In another bowl, mix the granola ingredients: raisins, quick cooking oats, rice crisps, oil, and sugar.
Spread granola on a baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Let the granola cool down until it hardens. Then, break it apart or crush it into small pieces.
Spoon the pumpkin into 6 medium-sized glasses or bowls.
Put granola on top of the pumpkin in each glass or bowl. Spoon the pumpkin and granola in layers until all have been added to a glass or bowl.
Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Strawberry Banana Parfait

Ingredients

1/2 medium ripe banana, mashed

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup plain non-fat yogurt

1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup bran and wheat flakes ready-to-eat cereal

Directions

1. Stir banana and vanilla into yogurt and combine well.

2. In a 10-12 ounce glass, alternately layer the yogurt-banana mixture, strawberries and cereal.

3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Jean's Banana Pudding Parfait

Ingredients

8 ginger snap cookies (crushed)

7 medium ripe bananas (sliced thin)

1 cup nonfat milk

1 1-oz box instant sugar-free, fat-free vanilla pudding

1 1/4 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fat-free frozen whipped topping (thawed)

8-oz parfait cups or drinking glasses

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and pudding mix; blend well (about 2 minutes).

2. Add yogurt and vanilla extract; blend until smooth.

3. Stir the thawed whipped topping into the mixture.

4. Line the bottom of the parfait cups with a teaspoon of crumbled ginger snaps.

5. Layer 6 banana slices on top of the cookies; then 2 tbsp of the yogurt mixture on top. Repeat with another layer of the ginger snaps, bananas, and yogurt mixture.

6. Top with cinnamon or crushed cookie for garnish.

7. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Source: What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl

Tags: Healthy Eating (3), Healthy Holidays (4), National Parfait Day (1), parfait (1), Tasty Tips (12), UC CalFresh (16), UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (20), uccalfreshfmc (15)

Comments: 0

Seasons Change, Food Choices Change

Author: Nelly Carrillo
Editor: Emily Harris

Published on: February 22, 2016

Cold weather can definitely make us feel the need for warm comfort food. Unfortunately, these food choices are not always the healthiest choices.

It is essentially important to maintain a steady consumption of fruits and vegetables throughout the whole year. The new American Dietary Guidelines for 2015 recommend that we eat 4-5 cups daily.Take a look at the comparison of Recommended Intake versus Average Intake:

Why eat more fruits and vegetables? Fruits and vegetables provide our bodies with a variety of vitamins and minerals that help support the overall health of our body, yet about three-fourths of the population has an eating pattern that is LOW in fruits and vegetables.

So, the next time you want to reach for a comfort food, try a fruit or vegetable instead. Your body will thank you later.

Tags: Healthy Eating (3), Healthy Lifestyle (6)

Comments: 0

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