In 2016, The United Nations declared Pulses as Superfoods. Four years later, they are still as healthy as ever. And they are also delicious, inexpensive, and easy to cook with.
If you're wondering what a pulse is, and you are also wondering what constitutes a “superfood,” then you've come to the right place.
First of all, a definition. Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family.
For example,
lentils
green peas
split peas
chickpeas (garbanzos)
Are all pulses.
Also, dried beans including
kidney beans
pintos
and black beans
Are pulses as well.
To put it simply, pulses are legumes (beans and peas), and they are highly nutritious.
Pulses as Superfoods
Why are pulses classified as superfoods? There are at least 10 reasons:
High in Protein, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, and B vitamins
High in Fiber
Easy to Cook With
Promote Sustainable Agriculture
Decrease Greenhouse Gases
Increase Soil Health
Require Less Water than Other Crops
Help with Weight Management
Reduce Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer Risk
Help to Increase Food Security
And pulses are delicious when prepared correctly. Because of their mild taste, they can be integrated into many dishes, even desserts.
Other Articles you Might Enjoy from Homeschooling Dietitian Mom
What is the importance of potassium? Potassium levels are closely connected with heart health.
According to WebMD:
“Potassium plays a role in every heartbeat. A hundred thousand times a day, it helps trigger your heart to squeeze blood through your body.
It also helps your muscles to move, your nerves to work, and your kidneys to filter blood.”
So, the importance of potassium cannot be overestimated.
Why do American diets tend to be low in potassium? Diets are low in potassium because fruits and vegetables are the best consistent sources of potassium, and people aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables. For example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that only 1 out of 10 people are getting enough vegetables in their diet.
So, how do you make sure you and your family are getting enough potassium in your diet? Eat more fruits and vegetables, and other rich sources of potassium, such as nuts, beans, dairy products, and whole grains. Find vegetables and fruits you enjoy, and eat lots of them! For example, I love avocado and broccoli. And my son likes avocado and broccoli as well. Thus, we eat broccoli almost every day, and avocado whenever it's in season.
It is true that the greater the variety of vegetables and fruits you eat, the more healthy your diet will be. However, eating two super healthy vegetables every day is better than NO vegetables! Especially since eating vegetables and fruits every day is the best way to make sure you are getting enough potassium in your diet.
Food Sources of Potassium
The best way to get enough potassium is to eat fruits and vegetables. However, most foods contain at least some potassium:
potatoes, including sweet potatoes (see below for recipe for home made French fries)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, prunes, and dates)
nuts
dairy products
whole grains
meat and fish
The above foods are all sources of potassium. However, calorie for calorie, vegetables and fruits are, by far, the best sources of potassium. For example, 1 banana has about 422 mg of potassium which is over 10% of the US Recommended amount of 3500 mg, (banana has 100 calories) while 1 cup diced cantaloupe has 417 mg (about 60 calories).
in the bananas and cantaloupe to ground beef, which is a good source of potassium, but is much higher in calories and fat. Of course, lean ground beef can be an important part of a balanced diet. However, ground beef doesn't have the other nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables (fiber, vitamin c, vitamin a, etc). This is another example of how important variety is in our diet.
Tomatoes and avocados are also rich in potassium in addition to being excellent sources of lots of other vitamins and minerals. For example, a 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes provides about 250 mg potassium, and an avocado has a whopping 945 mg.
Cow's milk is an excellent source of potassium as well. For example, 1 cup serving of nonfat milk contains 382 mg potassium. However, cheese is not such a good source of potassium (1 ounce cheddar only has 20 mg potassium).
This drives home the importance of adding vegetables and fruits to your and your kids' menu, especially if they eat a lot of macaroni and cheese.
Besides being rich in potassium, there are many reasons why vegetables and fruits are important. For more information and ideas on how to encourage your family to eat more fruits and vegetables, click here.
Excessive potassium in the blood can be caused by dehydration, or excessive diuretic use. Dehydration causes loss of water in blood which increases the concentration of potassium in the blood.
Diuretics, especially what are known as potassium-sparing diuretics, are often used for high blood pressure or excessive fluid retention. For example, in conditions such as congestive heart failure or pre-eclampsia of pregnancy. However, these types of diuretics are safe, when used as directed by a doctor. When diuretics can become dangerous, however, is when someone takes large amounts of diuretics to lose weight. This is more common in eating disordered individuals.
So the point is, excessive potassium is not generally a concern in healthy individuals who are following their doctor's orders.
Here are some fun activities you can use to teach your children about the importance of fruits and vegetables for good health.
Not low fat, but still delicious and made from fresh potatoes which are high in Vitamin C and potassium. If you keep the skin on, you also increase the fiber and iron.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: frugal, kid friendly recipes
Servings: 4Servings
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
1CupAvocado oilAmount will depend on size of pan, amount of potatoes made
4LargePotatoesOne potato per person; Russett are best; wash and scrub thoroughly
1tspGarlic SaltLawry's is the one we use because it doesn't have any artificial ingredients
Instructions
Add oil to large non-stick pan
Heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
While oil is heating, cut potatoes into wedges. Cut potato in 1/2, and then in 1/2 again, and then 1/2 until wedges are about 3/8' square size.
When oil is ready, add potatoes carefully to pan using a pair of tongs
Cook potatoes until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Drain on a paper towel covered plate for at least five minutes. Pat french fries with paper towels to remove excess oil.
Why a Zinc Deficiency May be Contributing to Your Child's Pickiness
There are SO MANY THINGS that can be causing your child's picky eating behavior. From sensory/tactile issues, to food allergies and intolerances, the cause and cure can seem impossible to figure out. Limited food intake, including few different foods accepted, can make the problem even harder to figure out. There is often a vicious cycle of unwillingness to try new foods which then results in a limited variety of foods eaten. The fewer different foods a child eats the more likely they are to be deficient in one or more vitamins and minerals. Often, the deficiency can make the appetite disappear, and can affect taste and smell. This is especially the case with zinc.
Zinc is an important nutrient. It is a trace mineral that is vital for a healthy immune system. Research has shown that taking zinc for five months before and even within 24 hours of catching a cold can actually shorten the cold recovery time.
Besides iron, zinc is the most concentrated trace mineral found in the human body. It is also important for wound healing. In fact, a common practice in long-term care facilities is to give zinc and Vitamin C supplements to patients JUST IN CASE they develop a wound, or in order to prevent a wound from developing.
Adequate zinc also helps to ensure proper growth in children as well as a healthy appetite. Not only does a lack of zinc in the diet affect appetite, it also affects taste and smell.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
Frequent infections
Hypogonadism in males
Loss of hair
Poor appetite
Problems with the sense of taste
Problems with the sense of smell
Skin sores
Slow growth
Trouble seeing in the dark
Wounds that take a long time to heal
Although in the ideal world, everyone would eat all the right foods in all the right amounts, this is obviously not the case. As a result, I normally encourage parents of picky kids to take a multivitamin with minerals to help offset the potential nutrient imbalances. Unfortunately, gummy vitamins do not have sufficient minerals of any kind in them.
I really do not recommend mega doses of any one nutrient unless there is a proven reason for it. This is because when a person takes an excessive amount of one nutrient, it can make it difficult for the body to digest other important nutrients.
The best and safest way to ensure proper nutrition is through the diet. However, if there is a severe deficiency, and your child doesn't eat much, it may be necessary to supplement. How much to give your child really depends on the level of deficiency, the age and weight of your child, and other factors. So, if you suspect that your child might have a zinc deficiency, I suggest you have them tested first.
So, how do you determine if your child has a zinc deficiency? Unfortunately, traditional blood tests will not be able to rule out a zinc deficiency. There is one test that may at least help determine if zinc deficiency is a possibility. It's called the “Zinc Taste Test.” However, it is probably not all that accurate either. And it might be difficult to get a picky eater to cooperate anyway. It you can convince your child, It might not hurt to try it, but I would talk to your child's doctor first. In the meantime, it will be helpful to know what the best sources of zinc are.
Keep in mind that often a person will crave something they are low in. For example, my son loves seafood. Despite that he is so picky, he will eat oysters, octopus, clams, squid (I know, right?).
I love to read! This is one reason why I never have too many printable Christmas bookmarks.
Even though I use my Kindle for much of what I read, I still have lots of hard copy books to read as well. Plus, I usually have several books going at the same time. As a result, I’m always looking for cute printable bookmarks to use.
Even though I’m a Registered Dietitian by training, I am also a creative soul at heart. Since It seems like I can never find a bookmark to use when I need one, I decided to make my own printable Christmas bookmarks to use and to share.
I also have some digital Christmas cards in the store. See below for those.
I created these printable bookmarks especially for my readers which is why they are free.
In case you are concerned about how much ink you will use printing these bookmarks. I have printed several different bookmarks and a couple of Christmas cards, and I still have not needed to change the ink in our printer.
We have a Hewlett Packer printer. HP has an awesome printer service that we use. Previously, we had to spend $15-$20 per ink cartridge every single time we had to replace a cartridge. Since getting our HP printer, and subscribing to InstantInk.com, we only spend $4.99 a month for up to 100 pages.
Any pages we don’t print in the current month are rolled over to the next month. For example, we currently have 7 rollover pages in addition to the 100 for this month. If we have a lot of printing to do that month, or if we go over, we simply upgrade to whatever plan fits.
Plans range from $2.99 to $9.99 per month, and it’s super easy to switch back and forth as needed. If you need support, they are there to help. They send you ink automatically, and it does not cost extra for the ink.
We have saved A LOT of money and stress with this plan. Of course, the only limitation is that you own a HP printer, since the ink cartridges only work for HP printers.
Instructions for Printing and Making the Printable Christmas Bookmarks
1. Print bookmarks on white card stock, using the Highest or Best Quality setting on your printer. (See Pictures below)
2. If you want a two-sided bookmark, cut around the outside of the bookmark.
3a. Fold in half using a bone folder so that the ends line up.
3b. Dab glue on inside part and put together.
NOTE: (On the darker colored ones, if you don’t want the white to show, you can cut the inside white off and simply glue the two sides together, back-to-back).
4. If you want a ribbon on your bookmark, punch a hole into the top middle of the bookmark. Make sure the hole is big enough for the ribbon to fit through.
5. Cut ribbon, place through hole, tie twice for a knot. Add a bow if you prefer. You can get even fancier by using more than one ribbon, adding buttons or other fun gadgets.
6. Have Fun with your printable Christmas bookmarks!
Here are some pics showing a sample bookmark I made:
Making sure your child is getting his or her basic nutritional needs met.
Today I'm going to focus on how to avoid (or minimize) the food additives that are detrimental to his or her health.
Since reading the book, “Eating for Autism,” and others like it, I have made quite a few changes to Nathan's diet. That is, I've removed things that I've decided aren't so good for him.
I must be honest when I say that I haven't noticed any remarkable changes in his behavior, like many have when making these significant changes. However, I still know that it's making a difference. One of the things about prevention is that you're preventing it from happening. So, obviously it didn't happen. You can't know about something that didn't happen, right? I believe that's important to remember.
It's not just about reducing behavior and allergy issues; it's about preventing them from happening at all.
The process is complicated and time consuming. However, if you have a child with major behavior issues, who is nonverbal, or has any other extreme symptoms, you may find the time and effort worth it in the end.
The next step is straight forward:
Get Rid of Harmful Toxins
So, what should you strive to remove, or at least reduce, and why? You should eliminate all synthetic food additives because evidence is growing that these additives do affect people who are sensitive.
Food additives include artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. Click here for partial list
One of the issues with toxins is that there are so many of them in the diet of Americans. And food manufacturers are quite skilled at hiding these worrisome ingredients under different names. For example, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), which I will talk about in a minute. But first, let's talk about “GRAS.”
GRAS
“GRAS,” which stands for “Generally Regarded as Safe,” is the label or certification the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives when they determine that an ingredient in food is safe to eat. Once a food is labeled as “GRAS,” it's impossible to get it removed from this list. Unfortunately, many food ingredients that have been labeled GRAS aren't necessarily safe for everyone.
Here's what the FDA has to say about GRAS:
“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized as Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excepted from the definition of a food additive. (Emphasis Mine)
But if you look at the list of food additives, you might not be feeling so positive about the “safe” part of GRAS, especially when you realize that certain substances were “grandfathered” into the GRAS designation under the Food Additive Amendment of 1958. In other words, they were never really tested for safety before GRAS was slapped on them.
Saccharin, which has been clearly shown to cause bladder cancer in rats, is still on the market because it falls under “GRAS.”
Other ingredients that are labeled as GRAS are questionable, including Aspartame and MSG. Despite the fact that numerous people have reported adverse symptoms to Aspartame and MSG, the FDA refuses to budge on its classification of GRAS for both additives.
So, GRAS was created in an effort by the FDA to monitor food additives. The designation GRAS, according to the FDA, is supposed to mean the food additive is safe for the general public. But kids with ADD, ADHD, and Autism are not the “general public.” And studies are showing that many of these food additives have detrimental effects on these kids and other sensitive people.
Many of these additives contain suspicious ingredients or are created by suspicious means. For example, artificial colors.
Artificial Colors
Most artificial colors contain Coal Tar. Coal Tar is a by-product of coal, and it has been shown to be a carcinogen. So, besides the fact that artificial colors have been shown to increase behavior problems and hyperactivity, there's the risk of cancer. Coal tar is also used in shampoo, soap, and as a treatment for lice (yikes)!
The current artificial colors used include Blue #1 and #2, Green #3, Red #3 and #40, Yellow #5 and Yellow #6, and Orange. Look for these ingredients on food labels if you want to avoid them.
Artificial Flavors
Artificial flavors are added to food to improve and enhance the flavor of natural food. For example, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), which is the most common. Do any of you remember the old “Accent” spice? The commercials used to say, “Enhances the flavor of foods.” Well, that's what Accent is: MSG. In fact, it turns out that Accent is alive and well in the food community. My husband was just in the hospital, and I discovered that they were giving him an Accent packet on his meal trays.
Here is the ingredient list for Accent:
MSG, salt, chili pepper, Tricalcium Phosphate, (anticaking agent), spice (cumin, oregano), Paprika Extractives (color), Garlic Extractives, Onion Extractives, Yellow Lake No. 6, Yellow Lake No. 5.
Hello!!!???
I could not eat Chinese food as a child, because I got sick. I remember one time I was so sick I didn't even get out of bed. My mom was not happy with me! When I was older, someone told me it was MSG that made me sick. Fast forward to the current day. The food manufacturers still claim it's all in our head that MSG causes symptoms. Yet many Chinese (and other Asian) restaurants are MSG free.
And the FDA is requiring MSG to be labeled if it is in a particular food. That should make us all wonder.
Some people think MSG is addicting.
For example, many fast foods contain MSG. I have found when I eat a lot of fast food, I want to eat more. In fact, my first job was at McDonald's. I remember that I always wanted to eat there even on my days off. Addicting? Maybe.
While in college, I read a book titled, “The Slow Poisoning of America.” It seemed extreme at the time, but it did discuss MSG in depth. If you're interested in reading this book, it is available on Amazon.
Some people believe that MSG is added to foods because of its addictive properties.
Do an internet search under “Is MSG addictive?” and you will see what I mean.
At any rate, if you are interested in removing MSG from your kids' diets, you will need to learn to identify it on food labels. Unfortunately, it's not so straight forward. Even though the FDA requires a manufacturer to state “Contains MSG” on the package, food manufacturers figure out ways to avoid putting it on the label.
Glutamate, or glutamic acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid. So, technically it's “natural.” As a result, if a food contains any form of glutamate (if it's not actually MSG), it can be labeled under “natural flavors” or “spices.”
Also watch out for the chemicals “disodium inosinate” and “disodium guanylate,” because these are always associated with MSG. Other ingredients that contain glutamate are hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate.
As you can see, carefully reading labels and doing your research is extremely important, if you want to eliminate or reduce MSG in your family's diet.
Artificial Food Preservatives
Two artificial food preservatives that have caused controversy are butylated hydroxy anisole “BHA” and butyl hydroxytoluene “BHT.” These two preservatives are used in cereals, certain oils, and in cosmetics.
When I first learned about BHA/BHT, I discovered that Cheerios had them listed as an ingredient. I was really bummed because Cheerios are one of my favorite cereals. Reluctantly, I stopped buying Cheerios after that.
The good news is that Cheerios stopped using that preservative. One day I was in the grocery store, thinking, “Boy some Cheerios really sounds good right now. It's too bad they contain that cursed ingredient!” Just for fun, I checked the label. It was no longer there! So now my family can eat Cheerios again.
So, read food labels, and re-read them again, because food manufacturers are starting to get the hint that increasing numbers of people don't want that junk in their food!
Other common preservatives that are often not tolerated and that can be harmful are sulfites and sodium nitrites/nitrates. Sulfites are found in dried fruit, certain aged cheeses, and wine. Nitrites are found in ham, hot dogs, salami, other cold cuts, and bacon. The good news is that there are sulfite free versions of most foods. There are also nitrate free versions of cold cuts as well.
In part 3 of this series, I will discuss specific vitamins and minerals, and why they are important, in more detail.
Grab My Book on Amazon by clicking on the book below.
I only promote products I use and love. Clicking on some of the images on this page will take you to a page of a company I am an affiliate with. If you purchase anything, I will get a small commission.
