National Nutrition Month
PRESENTED BY:
ELISA
SAMFORD DIETETIC INTERN
&
SARAH
UAB DIETETIC INTERN
Eat Your Colors
 Fruits & Veggies
 high in phytonutrients
 help you fight disease
and stay stronger for
longer
 8/10 Americans don’t eat
enough color
 to maximize your health,
eat 1 cup of EACH
COLOR every day!
Red
 How to get more red in the diet:
 use tomato sauce for pizza, veggies, pasta, lasagna
 snack on watermelon or grapefruit
 add raspberries or walnuts to oatmeal
 make chili with tomatoes and chili powder
 try red cabbage slaw
 homemade tomato soup
 strawberries- the immunity booster!
 packed
full of vitamin C, folate, fiber, potassium and
antioxidants.
Orange & Yellow
 How to get more orange/yellow in the diet:
 squash- the healthy heart promoter!


great source of vitamins and is high in manganese that helps the
body process fat.
carrots- the vision improver!

packed full of vitamin A and is best known for improving vision.
Green
 How to get green in the
diet:




eat a variety of green salads
add cabbage and green beans
to a stir-fry
include steamed broccoli
kale- the nutrition
powerhouse!

low in calories, high in fiber
and has zero fats.
Blue, Indigo, & Violet
 How to get more in the diet:
 blueberries- the memory enhancer!


blackberries- the super food!


contain high amounts of antioxidants and champion of fighting
many diseases.
filled with an ”alphabet” of vitamins – Vitamins A, B, C, E,
Calcium, fiber and iron.
raspberries- the cholesterol reducer!

contains anti-cancer properties and a great source of fiber.
The Guidelines
 Eat natural foods
 Avoid processed foods
 Drinks lots of water
 8 glasses per day for women
 12 for men
 Mild dehydration can cause fatigue and mood swings even in
healthy people-easy to fix!
 Stay Active
 Sleep
 Getting less than 6 hours of sleep can impair your judgment as
much as drinking 3 beers.
What to Eat
 Vegetables
 Fruits
 Whole Grains

Brown or black rice
 Lean Proteins

Eggs,skinless poultry, fish, turkey, pork loin, seafood
 Healthy Fats

Oily fish (salmon), nuts, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil
What to Avoid
 Processed Foods
 High in trans fats
 Foods that are commercially prepared
 White Carbohydrates
 Highly processed foods that have been stripped of much of their nutrient value
 Sweetened Beverages
 High in calories and can cause weight gain
 Fried Foods
 Alcohol
 Wasted calories!
 7kcals/gram (no nutritional value)
Rethink Your Drink
 Limit:
 Soda
 Alcoholic Beverages
 Juice drinks, Sports drinks
 Sweet Tea
 Flavored Coffee
 More:
 100% Juice
 1% or Fat-Free Milk
 Water
Top 10 Cooking Tips by AHA
 Preserve the nutrients and colors in veggies.
 Cook them quickly by steaming or stir-frying.
 Use herbs, vinegar, tomatoes, onion and/or fat-free
or low-fat sauces or salad dressing for better health.

Especially if you have high BP or high cholesterol.
 Use your time and your freezer wisely.
Top 10 Cooking Tips Cont’d…
 A smoothie can cover a multitude of needs.
 Throw a banana (you can keep them in the freezer for weeks)
into your blender along with frozen berries, kiwi or whatever
fruit is around, some orange or other 100% juice, some fat-free
or low-fat yogurt.
 You can get 4-5 servings of fruit in one glass of yummy shake.
try getting your loved one to sip on a smoothie. it’s easy, cool,
refreshing and healthy.
Top 10 Cooking Tips Cont’d…
 Replace salt with herbs and spices or
some of the salt-free seasoning mixes.

Use lemon juice, citrus zest or hot chilies to add
flavor.
 Look for “low-sodium_ veggies or try the
frozen varieties.

Canned, processed and preserved vegetables of
have very high sodium content.
Top 10 Cooking Tips Cont’d…
 Prepare muffins and quick
breads with less saturated
fat and fewer calories.

Substitute ripe bananas or
applesauce
 Choose whole grain for part
of your ingredients instead
of highly refined products.
Top 10 Cooking Tips Cont’d…
 In baking, use plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt or fat-
free or low-fat sour cream.
 Another way to decrease the amount of fat and
calories in your recipes is to use fat-free milk or 1%
milk instead of whole or reduced-fat (2% milk)

For extra richness, try fat-free half-and-half or evaporated
skim milk.
Recipes with Color
 Rainbow Fruit Skewers
 Ingredients:
 12 raspberries
 6 oranges
 12 1” chunks of pineapple
 1 large kiwi, peeled and cut into 12 1” chunks
 24 large blueberries
 12 red seedless grapes
Directions: Lay out 12 skewers. Prepare your fruit. Slide a
raspberry to the top of the stick, next add chucks of orange,
pineapple, kiwi, 2 blueberries, and a grape. Repeat for each
skewer.
Recipes with Color
 Cucumber Salad
 Ingredients:
 2 large English cucumbers
 1/2 onion
 2-3 tomatoes{For the dressing}
 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
 2 Tbsp. olive oil
 1 tsp. oregano
 1/8 tsp. salt
Directions: make the dressing: add all ingredients to a
small bowl and whisk to combine.
Slice the cucumbers and onion. Dice tomatoes,
removing excess juice. Place in a bowl.
Add the dressing and toss to coat. Salt/pepper to taste if
needed.
Best if refrigerated for at least an hour to let the flavors
combine.
References
 “Top 10 Cooking Tips.” Top 10 Cooking Tips.
American Heart Association, 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.