Chicken of the Sea

Tuna that is...particularly the white tuna canned in water! It is a great source of protein containing 22 grams in a 3 ounce serving for only ~100 calories.  It also boasts omega-3's, DHA & EPA, which are well known essential fatty acids that play an important role in brain function and normal growth and developement.  Worried about mercury contamination in canned tuna? Don't be.  Government testing has shown that canned ALBACORE (white tuna) and fresh/frozen tuna steaks have higher levels of mercury than canned tuna.

How much is recommended?  The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least 2 times a week so why not include this delicious and versatile food in your meal plan? Canned tuna is great for travel or when you are on-the-go and even come convienantly packaged in pouches or cans with pull tabs for easy opening. Tuna salad is not the only thing that can be made with canned tuna so be creative!

To get recipes and meal ideas visit the StarKist website.

 

All About Greek Yogurt

Lately, Greek yogurt has been getting a lot of attention so we wanted to break down the information and share why it has been in the lime light of health, nutrition, and dieting.  First of all, there are many brands out there providing options in the Greek yogurt realm of the grocery store including: Chobani, Fage, Oikos, Athenos which all have predominately Greek products (all brands are not listed) and other brands like Yoplait and Dannon (all brands that have Greek lines are not listed) that have introduced a Greek yogurt line in their overall line of yogurts. 

Traditional and Greek style yogurts both have a straining component to the process of production, but when making Greek yogurt additional straining occurs.  The straining process removes water or whey from the yogurt and this is what gives the yogurt a thick, creamy and dense consistency. 

The process of production gives way to the nutritional components and benefits to Greek style yogurt.  It depends on what your goals are for your diet as to whether Greek yogurt is 'better' for you or not.    Because more water is removed in the Greek style yogurts; they are more calorically dense, have a lower amount of calcium (some is lost in the additional straining of the whey), the protein content is higher, and they are lower in carbohydrates per ounce of yogurt when compared to traditional yogurts.  Some brands boast up to 23 grams of protein per 8 ounce container!

Greek style yogurts are gluten free, and are also free of corn, nuts, and soy which are common allergies.  They are vegetarian and a good substitute for many food items.

Using Greek style yogurts as a substitute for mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, or salad dressings can boost nutritional value while trimming unnecessary calories in dips, dressings, and spreads. 

The Food Network did a taste test on Greek yogurts-you can read HERE for more information on the scores and how the different brands lined up.  Recipes and additional resources can be found on any of the Greek style yogurt products web pages. Do you enjoy Greek yogurt? If so, what kind and how do you eat it?

       

One Minute Healthy Snack Ideas

Need healthy snack ideas that don't take all day to make? Do you know how to make sure your snacks can hold you over in between meals and help provide the nutrition you need each day?

One thing to remember is having at least 3 food groups in each snack: fruits/vegetables (for added nutrition), whole grains (to help incorporate more fiber), and protein (to hold you over until your next meal).

One idea included, in this short video from WebMD, is sliced apples, a low-fat cheese stick, and whole grain crackers. For more snack ideas view this video!