Looking to learn more about the science behind Guiding Stars? Our scientific advisor breaks nutrition down to the nuts and bolts to help you out.
Kit Broihier, MS, RD, LD is a member of the Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel. As part of the panel, Kit works collaboratively on reviewing the latest nutrition guidelines and scientific research as it relates to the Guiding Stars algorithm. Kit’s skills as a writer and her love of creating more nutritious recipes has put her in a unique position of being able to bridge the gap between nutrition science frontiers and public health, which she does in her posts on the Guiding Stars blog. Kit also regularly participates in Guiding Stars Webinars.
Get Started with the Science Behind the Stars
- How Does Guiding Stars Rate Recipes?
If you’ve ever shopped “by the stars,” you already know how handy it is. Lots of foods in the store are labeled with their Guiding Stars 1, 2, or 3-star rating. Choosing more 2 and 3-star rated foods allows you to skip the in-depth label reading. You can easily put more nutrition in your cart. But what about putting more nutrition on your plate? There are only so many foods that we eat simply as they are. (Shout-out to baby carrots, my go-to do-nothing veggie side!). This is especially true if we are making an effort to purchase whole or minimally-processed foods. In other words, we often have to cook our food and combine ingredients together in recipes. How do we make sure our meals earn Guiding Stars too? Lucky for us, the Guiding Stars has roughly 1,200 star-earning recipes on the website! - Cooking For a Veggie-Hating Adult? Don’t Give Up!
Do you cook regularly for someone who bristles at Brussels sprouts or shudders at spinach? If so, you know how frustrating it can be to get well-rounded meals onto the table. Taking advantage of seasonal or local produce offerings is even harder. It can be enough to cause even the most patient meal planner to want to throw in the towel. But, like I wrote last year when I covered how to handle veggie-shunning kids, you don’t need to resign yourself to never-ending sides of potatoes or corn. - Personalize Your Plate
I LOVE this year’s National Nutrition Month® theme because it speaks to the fact that we are all unique beings and our physical needs and food preferences do vary. But what does “Personalize Your Plate” really mean, and how exactly does one achieve a personalized plate?