Farmer's Market Fun

Have you ever visited a farmers’ market?  If not, what are you waiting for?  You are truly missing out on an awesome experience!  There is nothing like picking up a potato that is covered with fresh dirt or selecting a tomato that was picked just hours ago. 

Farmers’ Markets are set up all over the country and they provide fresh, local produce, meats and specialty products to the community.  Farmers Markets provide many benefits to the producer, the consumer, the environment and the local community/economy.  Check out what these markets have to offer to so many.

                Benefits to the Producer:

·         Cuts out the need for a middle man and increase the financial return

·         Cuts cost by reducing transportation and packaging needs

·         Provides direct feedback from the consumer to the producer about the quality of their products

·         Provides a secure market for small farmers/producers who may not have the capacity to provide to large supermarkets

                Benefits to the Consumer:

·         Gives you the ability to talk directly with the producer about the product and how it was grown/produced

·         Promotes a healthier diet by providing easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables

·         Provides fresher fruits and vegetables because they are picked at peak ripeness  and carried straight to the farmers market

·         Provides a variety of information on how to prepare fresh produce in a healthier way

·         Offers a source for produce and meats at a lower price than supermarkets—this is because you are cutting out the middle man and packaging costs

                Benefits to the Environment:

·         Reduces food miles—which in turn reduces pollution and fossil fuel use

·         Reduces packaging and use of plastics and paper

·         Encourages more environmentally friendly production techniques such as organic, pesticide free and hormone free

                The Community and Local Economy Benefits:

·         Encourages interaction between rural and urban communities

·         Assist in the aesthetic feel and look of a community or town

·         Encourages buying and selling locally, therefore keeping the money within the community and providing more jobs within the community

There seems to be many huge benefits to supporting farmers markets and purchasing fresh, local products from your own community.  So, really now, what are you waiting for? Check one of your local farmers markets out today! 

                ECU Farmer’s Market: 

                        September 13, 2011, 2:00 – 5:30 pm

Location:  Bottom of College Hill Dr.

                               

                Pitt County Farmers’ Market: 

                          Address: 

4560 County Home Road, Greenville, NC

                          Dates and Times:  Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 8am – 1pm & Fridays 8am – 3pm

                          Open March through December

                          Office Phone:  252-355-7612

                Umbrella Market:

                                Location:  Five Points Plaza, Downtown Greenville

                                Dates and Times:  Every Wednesday through September from 5-8pm

                               

                                                                   

                                                   

                               

Meatless Monday

Have you ever thought about becoming a vegetarian?  Maybe you entertained the thought for about a minute but then decided that lifestyle just wasn’t for you.   Don’t give up on that idea just yet.  There is an international movement that encourages you to go meatless at least one day every week.  It is called Meatless Monday!  So maybe you can not give up meat for good, but passing on the meat only one day a week seems a little more manageable, right?  By reducing meat consumption, just one day a week, you are on your way to making small strides in improving your personal health as well as the health of your planet.

So, now you are probably asking, why goes meatless on Mondays?  How is that better for me or my environment and why on Mondays?  Why not go meatless on Wednesdays or Saturdays?  There is a reason behind the madness and there are lots of benefits to going meatless every Monday.  Here are just a few:

• Reduce your risk for cancer by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption which is associated with a decreased risk for cancer
• Reduce heart disease by decreasing saturated fat intake and increasing polyunsaturated fat (vegetable oil, nuts and seeds) intake
• Reduce your risk for diabetes by lowering your consumption of red and processed meats
• Prevent obesity - people who consume low meat and vegetarian diets have a significantly lower body weight and BMI
• Promote an overall improvement in your diet!!
• Reduce your carbon footprint and save resources like water and fossil fuel

Multiple studies have shown that periodic health prompts lead to positive behavior change.  Monday is the beginning of the week, making it the perfect time to reevaluate your choices and set your intentions for the coming days.  Meatless Monday is a scheduled, recurring reminder to start your week off on a nutritious note.  If this Monday passes you by, next week is another opportunity to focus on health!  You know the saying “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”

Every Monday, ECU Campus Dining challenges you to give it a try AND succeed!

There are many delicious vegetarian options available in all of our dining locations to help you meet this challenge.  Look for the Meatless Monday signs throughout our dining locations to help you identify those meatless features.  Check out the ECU Campus Dining Facebook page for meat free recipes, helpful meatless cooking demos and other relevant nutrition and health  news.  On Monday, September 12, join Todd and West End Dining Halls for a Meatless Monday Dinner!  You can do it, march to a different drumstick and GO MEATLESS! 

For more information on Meatless Monday, visit:  www.meatlessmonday.com

Meet Your Pirate RD, Janie Owens, RD, LDN

Hi everyone and Welcome to Pirate Country!  I look forward to a great fall semester with all of you as your

Pirate RD

and nutrition resource.  Let me tell you a little about myself:

I am a graduate of East Carolina University.  I graduated in 1997, completed my ECU Dietetic Internship in November 1999 and became a Registered Dietitian in January of 2000.  I started my career as a consultant for Pitt County Group Homes working with mentally challenged and autistic clients and taught a Dietary Managers Training Course at Pitt Community College.  I joined the ARAMARK team at ECU in August of 2006 where I have worked to provide students healthier alternatives throughout campus as well as the education and information necessary to make smart food choices.  I am passionate about eating organic and locally grown foods.  I believe it is important to know how your foods have been grown or raised, where your foods came from and what is in the foods you eat.  I enjoy working with local farmers and vendors to bring that way of eating as well as thinking to the ECU Campus and community.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my two daughters who keep both myself and husband extremely busy with all of their extra-curricular activities.  We all enjoy activities outside but we especially love soccer and together spend a lot of time on the soccer field!

So, if you have any questions about campus dining, need assistance because of a dietary concern, or want to know more about eating healthy on campus, contact Janie, your

Pirate RD

!

Fresh and Fit Vendor Show Case

Come and Join Us for Lunch tomorrow at Todd Dining Hall for our Fresh and Fit Vendor Showcase!  Sample products from our vendors that are healthier options.  Games and Giveaways!

Relay for Life Dinner

Visit Destination 360 for dinner on March 15th from 6-9pm and support Relay for Life! $1 will be donated to our Relay for Life committee if you purchase our special! Baked Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Seasoned Green Beans, and a roll.  Campus Dining is parterning with the Student Dietetic Association for our Relay for Life team!

How Sweet is Too Sweet?

Sweet and Low, Splenda, Equal, Stevia, Truvia – The influx of these artificial sweeteners has made it possible to enjoy the sweet taste of sugar with less increase in pants size, but how much is too much?

To answer this question, the FDA developed ADIs or acceptable daily intake ranges which are based upon a 150lb person and are suggested to be about 100 times less than the smallest amount that would cause health concerns.  Within these ranges, these sweeteners are acceptable and diet friendly substitutes for sugar.

Saccharin aka Sweet’N Low:  Originally developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University as a way for people with diabetes to sweeten their foods.  Still popular today, the FDA recommends keeping daily intake under 9-12 packets.

Sucralose aka Splenda: Chemically altered by replacing hydrogen-oxygen atoms on a sugar molecule with Chlorine atoms, Splenda is safe for baking and daily intake.  It is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate and therefore contains no calories.  ADI recommends roughly no more than 6 cans of diet soda daily, or its equivalent.

Aspartame aka Equal: Chemically constructed by the joining of two amino acids L-phenylalanine and L-aspartic acid with a methyl ester group, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar and safe for daily intake (roughly 18-19 cans of diet soda).  Because it contains phenylalanine, people with phenylketonuria (PKU) must severely restrict their consumption of Equal and other phenylalanine containing products.  Because of this, the FDA requires products containing phenylalanine to clearly state so on the label (see: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE).

Steviol Glycosides aka Stevia: Made into a powder or liquid state from the Stevia Plant, steviol glycosides contain Stevioside and Rebaudioside A, which give the plant its sweetness.  ADI is recommended at 4mg/kg bodyweight.

Rebina aka Truvia: Made from purifying Rebaudioside A found in the Stevia plant, Rebina goes directly from leaf to food grade specification in a process similar to steeping tea.  Rebina is characterized as natural and undergoes no chemical change.  The ADI is set at 29 packets/day.

Is natural really better?  It all boils down to taste.  Some people enjoy the taste of popular artificial sweeteners while others want to know they’re eating something natural.  Bottom line: all of the above mentioned sweeteners are safe in moderation and have not been shown to cause health concerns at or near these ranges.

Sourcres:

http://www.saccharin.org/history.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

http://www.splenda.com/faq/no-calorie-sweetener

http://www.aspartame.org/aspartame_factsheet.html

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/

http://www.truvia.com/healthcare/faq/default.aspx

The Bread Debate

Multi-Grain or Nine Grain? Whole Wheat or Whole Grain?  Is there really a difference between whole grain and whole wheat bread or is 12 grain better than 9 grain?  This seems to be a popular question among shoppers who are often overwhelmed with all the bread selections.  I am sure that most of you have heard that whole wheat or whole grain bread is the better option but where do all these others fit into the scale of healthier options?

First begin by reading the food label.  An item is considered a true whole grain if the first ingredient contains the word “whole”.  If the product packaging has words such as “made with whole grains” or “made with whole wheat”, “seven or nine grain”, usually it is made from refined grains and not the whole grain.  Also, if the package says it contains wheat flour or unbleached flour that does not mean it is a whole grain either.  Best practice: look for the words “whole” in the beginning of the ingredient listing!

Whole Grain

Whole grain breads add fiber and more texture to your diet.  When a grain, of any type, is left intact, that means the entire bran, germ and endosperm is left intact.  The bran is a good source of fiber and B-complex vitamins, the endosperm contains protein and carbohydrates and the germ is rich in thiamin as well as antioxidants.  Look for breads that say 100% whole grain!

Whole Wheat

Whole wheat bread is also made from the whole grain, which means the bran, germ, and endosperm are intact.  The only difference is the grain used is always wheat.  Once again, for a bread to be 100% whole wheat, the first ingredient should say whole wheat flour.

Multigrain

This term often tricks us!  Some of the multigrain breads are made with the same flour as white breads, while each of the grains listed on the front of the package make up just a very small percentage of that bread.  To truly know what the bread is made of, look at the ingredient listing.  If the first grain listed is “enriched white flour”, it is not a whole grain.  It may be made with many types of grains, but still made mostly with white flour.

Brown Bread

Looks can be deceiving!  Brown bread does not mean whole wheat.  Some companies add food coloring or things such as molasses to make the bread brown.  Pumpernickel, a common brown bread, is made with rye and wheat flour.  It may be a whole grain, but is not always the case, so the only way to know for sure is to read the ingredient listing.  Remember, the word “whole” should be among the first few words listed.

White Bread

White bread is a refined grain.  This means that during the processing, the bran and endosperm are removed from the grain or wheat flour.  This also means that nutrients such as zinc, fiber, thiamin, niacin and other trace elements have been removed.  Sometimes switching from white bread to wheat bread can be difficult; especially if that is all you have been used to eating.  So make the switch slowly.  Start with a white bread made with some whole grains or a multi grain bread before heading straight to the whole wheat.  You will be surprised at how tasty many of the whole grain breads are!

Janie, the Pirate RD