First, it was chocolate milk. Now, potatoes are the target in the school cafeteria.

While many schools regularly serve hashbrowns, mashed potatoes, and even baked potatoes, a new proposal by the USDA wants to eliminate white potatoes from federally subsidized school breakfasts and limit their service to lunch.

The proposal is part of the initiative to make school meals healthier by offering more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. As part of this proposal, schools would have to limit starchy vegetables which include potatoes, corn, peas and lima beans to a total of one cup per week. The hope is that by limiting potatoes and other starchy vegetables, children will increase their consumption of green veggies.

What does this mean for schools? No more baked potato bars and possibly increased lunch prices. The final rules will be released in the coming months and will be effective for the 2012-2013 school year.

Potatoes contain nearly twice the amount of Vitamin C as an entire head of lettuce and are one of the top potassium containing foods. They also provide fiber and other key nutrients that can be part of the newly released food icon, MyPlate.

What do you think? Should spuds be expelled from schools?

A new study shows dieters are more likely than non-dieters to be misled by food names and labels – are you guilty of falling into this trap as well?

The name of a food is one of the biggest influences on consumers’ perceptions of healthfulness. Dieters, in particular, rely on food names to help them make ‘healthy’ choices, but are the ones most likely to fall into ‘naming traps’ when compared to non-dieters.

Instead of letting the name of a product influence your food choices, be sure to check out the Nutrition Facts Panel as well as the food ingredients. This knowledge and information can help you make better informed choices to keep your diet and lifestyle on track.

Read more about this study and check out the American Heart Association’s no-fat diet tips.

Do you find cutting your food into smaller pieces helps you eat less? A new study found that slicing candies in half helped people eat less and essentially consume fewer calories.

Think this might work for you? Read more about the study here.

Olive oil is a “good” fat – it has been shown to have beneficial effects in fighting heart disease and high cholesterol. A new study shows olive oil may also be beneficial in reducing pain and inflammation.

Extra-virgin olive oil contains an antioxidant that has a similar effect to ibuprofen in inhibiting the enzyme that causes pain and inflammation such as that experienced during a headache.

A nutritional way to treat a headache? I’ll take that over pain meds any day.

Read more here.

As you visit your local Farmers Markets this spring, you’re likely to come across fresh asparagus. Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse for important vitamins and minerals and is naturally low in calories.

Asparagus is a source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, antioxidants which may help reduce your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and other health conditions. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, so asparagus makes an excellent side dish to your chicken breast, hamburger, or other iron containing foods.

Potassium and fiber are also found in asparagus. Potassium helps to counteract sodium to keep your blood pressure in check while fiber can help lower your cholesterol. Fiber is great for keeping you full longer and may help lower your risk for developing diabetes and heart disease.

Fill up on fruits, veggies and whole grains to get plenty of fiber each day.  How much fiber do we need?  Most adult American’s need at least 25 grams fiber/day.  Sadly, most of us aren’t getting even half of the recommended amount.

Look for crisp, round spears when choosing asparagus. Aim for spears that are relatively the same thickness to make cooking easier. Store in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days.

Steam, sauté or blanch your asparagus for a quick and healthful side dish. Top with lemon juice or shredded low-fat cheese.

Tired of asparagus as a side dish? Puree and substitute for avocado when making guacamole for a guilt-free option with fewer calories and no fat. Try the recipe below – I promise you won’t even miss the avocado!

Mock-A-Mole

Ingredients:

• 8 oz fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped
• ½ cup fresh salsa
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tsp minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp lime juice
• ¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a large pan, combine the asparagus with ½ cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is tender, but crisp.
2. Drain and run under cold water to cool and stop cooking process; pat dry.
3. In a food processor, pulse the asparagus, salsa, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Pulse until desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 1 ¼ cups.

Nutritional Information (per ¼ cup serving): 6 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 94 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein.

I’ll be the first to confess I have a sweet tooth, especially when it comes to chocolate. Good news for me, a new study shows people who eat candy and chocolate tend to have smaller waists, weigh less, and have a lower BMI than those who don’t indulge in sweet treats from time to time. The study also found that candy consumers decreased their risk for elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol, while also reducing their risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Can candy really help you lose weight? According to researchers, it’s not likely. One theory for smaller waists, lower weights, and lower BMIs in frequent candy consumers is that they exercise more to maintain energy balance. It could also be that these individuals consumer fewer calories.

When consuming chocolate, candy, and other sweets, moderation is important. In this study, participants consumed 1.3 ounces of candy a day – about the size of one Hershey’s Bliss Dark Chocolate Bar. Consuming a small amount of sweets each day should not contribute to weight gain as long as you are able to balance your calorie intake with calorie expenditure. A calorie is a calorie so it doesn’t necessarily matter if you’re eating sweets or vegetables – as long as your calorie intake is less than or equal to your calorie expenditure you will not gain weight.

Not one to promote excessive intake of sugar and sweets, I do believe in moderation. Allowing yourself a small sweet treat each day may have some health benefits, but it’s important not to overdo it as high sugar and fat intake can contribute to obesity. Make sure to follow recommendations from MyPyramid and the Dietary Guidelines and reward yourself with candy or chocolate occasionally – your waist may thank you for it!

Read more here and here.

Never one to pass up a good deal, I couldn’t resist the deal I found on bananas during a recent trip to the Farmers Market. Four pounds of bananas for just $1 – what a steal considering bananas not only taste good, they also a good source of potassium.

Dietary potassium can help lower blood pressure by having the opposite effect of sodium (which is found in excess in our diets and is associated with high blood pressure). Potassium rich foods decrease bone loss and can help reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. The Adequate Intake (AI) for potassium in adults in 4,700 mg per day – an amount most of us are not meeting. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to increase their potassium intake by consuming more fruits, vegetables, and milk products. One banana provides about 400 mg of potassium and is sodium free! Choose your favorite potassium rich foods from this list (Appendix 12) to increase your daily intake.

After some quick calculations, it occurred to me I would have to eat my entire 4 pounds of bananas to meet my daily potassium recommendation. Talk about a lot of bananas. Realizing there was no way I could actually consume 4 pounds of straight bananas in a day (or even a week), I spent some time researching some new and unique ways to use my bananas. Next time you find yourself with excess bananas, try one of these ideas.

1. Make banana pops. Peel and cut banana in half and place on a wooden ice cream or popsicle stick. Place on a piece of wax paper and freeze. For a sweet treat, dip frozen banana in melted chocolate or butterscotch and roll in nuts or other toppings.
2. Blend bananas with fresh or frozen fruit for a quick and healthy fruit smoothie.
3. Top your morning cereal or oatmeal with banana slices.
4. Spread peanut butter or almond butter on whole wheat bread, slice some bananas and make a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
5. Use a food dehydrator to make dried banana chips.
6. Whip up banana bread or muffins. Add walnuts for some extra protein.
7. Combine milk, peanut butter, and bananas for a peanut butter and banana smoothie.
8. Try grilled bananas. Lay banana on its side (unpeeled) and cut a slit lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Mash together brown sugar, margarine, and cinnamon and stuff banana with mixture. Place on grill and cook until blackened. Serve warm.

What are your favorite food sources of potassium? Do you have creative ways to use bananas?

Just like you put gas in your car before a long drive, it’s important to put fuel in your body before exercise. There are many reasons individuals do not fuel up before exercise, but a snack or meal is important to help provide energy for the duration of your workout. A snack or meal before exercise can also help prevent low blood sugar as well as associated symptoms such as light-headedness, fatigue, and blurred vision.

A common myth is that exercising without eating beforehand burns more fat and boosts metabolism, but this is not true. Eating a snack or meal before exercise will actually help you burn more calories because you will have more energy to be able to exercise harder and longer.

Not all individuals are able to tolerate the same pre-exercise meals and snacks – these vary from person to person and there is no right or wrong choice. Trial and error will help you find what works best for you.

Carbohydrate-rich foods like bagels, bananas, and granola bars are good snack choices before exercise because they are digested quickly to provide energy to fuel muscles. Protein and fat take longer to digest and may cause intestinal problems so these are better to limit prior to exercise. Remember to drink plenty of water and fluids to prevent dehydration as well.

What foods do you use to fuel for exercise?