By: Nadia Bedrosian, CSUN Dietetic Intern
You’ve seen it before, friends and family doting themselves to a new routine at the start of the new year, month, or on a Monday. They say, “Tomorrow is a new day, I will start then.” Whether it’s a fitness routine or a nutrition routine most people jump in head first with an all or nothing mindset. If making drastic changes was easy, there wouldn’t be such a market for gimmicky weight loss plans.
Continue readingBy: Brittany York, B.S., CSUN Dietetic Intern
Probiotics are “good bacteria” that provide health benefits to those who consume them.1,2 Probiotics mainly live in the intestines, and their known health benefits have been traced back as far as 460–370 BC when Hippocrates stated: “All diseases begin in the gut.”1
Continue readingBy: Samy Elcott, CSUN Dietetic Intern
Every morning, as the glistening sun shines over the marvelous campus, CSUN’s garden called The Orange Grove glows brilliantly to passersby, exhibiting over 60 years of deep rooted history of agriculture, research and recreation.1 The reflection of neighboring plants radiates from the CSUN pond, which is a sanctuary for ducks, turtles, fish and other sociable insects. The orange trees tower from above, proudly displaying its fruits which can be seen growing from mid-Fall to late-spring semesters.
Continue readingBy Eirenel G. Eclevia B.S.
Ever since I was old enough to help my mom cook in the kitchen I was in charge of either cracking eggs in a bowl or separating the egg yolk from the egg whites. Eggs are common in our household and we always have dozens of them stocked in our refrigerator. Stigma regarding egg consumption continues to linger as medical literature has presented conflicting data related to eggs, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and high cholesterol.
Continue readingBy Caroline Pak, DTR, CSUN Dietetic Intern
Individuals choose to adopt a vegetarian diet due to environmental interests, animal rights, or health concerns. Whatever the reason, vegetarians should be aware of how to customize their meals to meet their nutrient needs.
Continue readingBy: Mariah Haroon, CSUN Dietetic Intern
Keeping caloric intake balanced and blood sugar levels steady are part of a diabetic individual’s daily routine. Diabetes affects about 30.3 million people in the United States.1 That is 9.4% of the US population.1 As the number of products containing artificial sugar substitutes flood the markets, Stevia enjoys its own niche as a zero-calorie natural sugar substitute. It is extracted and purified from a plant called Stevia rebaudiana.2 This plant is native to South America.2 The leaves of this plant contain a substance called steviol glycoside. According to FDA, the highly purified and safe form of stevia should contain ≥95% of pure steviol glycoside.3 FDA granted stevia the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in 2008, as long as it is sold in its highly purified form.4 This form is called rebiana and is sold under brand names such as Truvia®, PureVia® and Enliten®3. It is used as a sugar substitute and as an ingredient in packaged foods.
Continue readingBy: Talia Bondelli, DTR
What does it mean to eat the rainbow? Eating the rainbow signifies eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.1 All of the colors of fruits and vegetables have different health benefits that may reduce your risk of diseases.2 Sweet potatoes have a deep orange color, which is the pigment called beta-carotene.3 They are very nutritious and they are also fat free, which means they also have no saturated fat or trans-fat.4 Furthermore, they are low in calories and sodium, with about 100 calories and 70 milligrams of sodium for one medium sweet potato.4 Sweet potatoes can definitely sweeten up your life, and in a healthy way!
Continue readingBy Talia Bondelli, DTR
I’ve been drinking apple cider vinegar for years and it seems to keep the doctor away! Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is well-known as a home remedy with many health benefits, but what exactly is it? ACV is basically apple juice with yeast in it.1 The yeast goes through fermentation and turns the apple’s sugar into alcohol and then bacteria turns the alcohol into acetic acid.2 Acetic acid gives vinegar the strong smell and bitter taste!1 It is popular to add ACV to a glass of water, tea, or salad dressing to reap the health benefits. There are some health benefits but there are also some myths about ACV with no scientific evidence.
Continue readingBy: Tania Menachegani Khachatourians, B.S., CSUN Dietetic Intern
Inside the human body, there is a constant battle to keep the “bad” out and keep the “good” in. Antioxidants are the “soldiers” that fight this battle inside our body.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.1 Free radicals are substances that attack healthy cells and are produced through normal body functions including food consumption, breathing, exercise, and lifestyle choices.1 These are the “unstable molecules made by the process of oxidation during normal metabolism” that may play a role in cancer, stroke, and disease development.2 Free radicals damage cell components such as DNA, proteins, and the cell membrane.3 Free radicals may be increased through toxins found in cigarette smoke, metals, and high-oxygen atmospheres. Whether the antioxidants are naturally found in food or synthesized, they neutralize free radicals in the body and prevent or delay the cell damage.4
Image: Margouillat Photo/Shutterstock
By Maddie Hoeks, BS, CSUN Dietetic Intern
Gluten has become a very popular topic in the past couple of years, and has had quite an impact on diet culture in the United States. As of 2015, gluten free versions of foods have made around $1.6 billion in the market.1 Interestingly, the majority of these consumers were individuals who were not required to be on a gluten free diet for medical reasons.1 A market research study estimated that 30% of Americans either eliminated or reduced gluten from their diet.2 Though it is no question that gluten free products are highly valued and being sought after, what is of question is the consumer’s knowledge of what exactly gluten is, and what the gluten free diet is capable of, even more so, what it is not capable of. Continue reading
