Nutrition Science Archives

How Not To Be A Victim of Holiday Stress Eating

December 27, 2016December 19, 2016 by Kitty Broihier

It seems like most people either fall into one of two camps when it comes to stress: it either prompts you to eat more than you usually would (science shows that’s about 40% of the population), or it completely takes away your appetite (another 40% fall here; the other 20% don’t change their food intake at all in the face of stress). Add in all the holiday “joy” that’s around right now and it’s not difficult to see that lots of us use food and alcohol to assuage our seasonal stress. And yet, there are ways around it, thank goodness. For the sake of your health and sanity, you owe it to yourself to try and manage your stress in non-food ways.

10 Food and Nutrition Trends We’ve Navigated Through Over The Last 10 Years

December 1, 2016June 24, 2021 by Kitty Broihier

We believe that milestone birthdays and anniversaries, like our 10th year, warrant extra reflection. As one of the first (and leading) supermarket shopping guidance systems, we’ve seen a lot of food and nutrition trends come and go since 2006—and have persevered through them all! Guiding Stars was even awarded two patents for our database system during our first decade! Won’t you join us as we review some of the most impactful nutrition trends to hit the aisles in the last ten years?

A Closer Look at One-Star Foods

November 8, 2016 by Kitty Broihier

If you use Guiding Stars to help you select healthful food items for yourself or your family, you’re no doubt familiar with the concept of choosing more of the two- and three-star items. (Maybe you even make a game of it—seeing how close you can get to having all the items in your cart be either two- or three-star items!) It’s true, the double and triple-starred items have more of the healthy attributes most of us are looking for (fiber, vitamins and minerals) and less of the things that health authorities recommend we limit (added sugars or trans fats, for example). Making it a habit to aim your food choices at two- and three-star items is a smart shopping strategy for a healthful diet.

Indulging Your Passion for Pumpkin

October 25, 2016August 31, 2021 by Kitty Broihier

Just when it seems like we’ve seen the peak of the pumpkin spice craze, another pumpkin-laced product pops up at the store. Don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin (and the spices that typically go along with it), but let’s face it, these products are no substitute for something made with actual pumpkin in it! And most don’t taste like real pumpkin pie, which is what I hold as my standard. So, if you want something that tastes like pumpkin pie, your best bet is to cook something that contains pumpkin—no surprise there, right? Not only will you get the great taste that you’re craving this time of year, you’ll get some of the nutrition benefits of pumpkin, too.

Slow-Cooking a Quick Breakfast

October 12, 2016August 31, 2021 by Kitty Broihier

The convenience of a healthy, pre-made breakfast cannot be understated, especially when one wants to stay in bed until the last possible moment. And while the overnight refrigerator oats recipes were great in the summer, they’re not nearly as appealing now that the temps have dipped. That’s where your trusty slow cooker comes in. Lots of folks never think about using their slow cooker for breakfast, but I implore you to consider it. Here are a few ideas that may convince you to give it a try….

Nurturing a Cook-at-Home Habit

October 4, 2016 by Kitty Broihier

It’s not a mystery as to why we are cooking less than we used to. There are many reasons: we have more convenience products available, more restaurants/takeout/delivery options, more women in the workplace, a bigger lack of cooking skills/knowledge, and more demands on our time while at home, to name a few. But if you’re among those who long to get back to home cooking and see its value, I’ve got some ideas for ways to help make cooking at home a habit again. (And if you want to learn more about trends in home cooking and the many valuable aspects of cooking at home, check out the Guiding Stars webinar on the topic here).

Getting Your Gut Ready for Flu Season

September 13, 2016August 31, 2021 by Kitty Broihier

What’s so special about the gut? In a word, lots. Where we used to concentrate mostly on food digestion and nutrient absorption when talking about the gut, we are now learning so much more about what goes on in the gut (and how it impacts the rest of the body) that gut-centered conversations are now frequently about the role of the microbiome in immunity, obesity and metabolism, allergies and more. What’s the microbiome? It’s the collective term for the trillions of microbes we all carry around with us in and on our bodies—primarily in our digestive tracts (sometimes referred to as the gut microbiome).

Food Safety for the Lunchbox Brigade

August 25, 2016August 31, 2021 by Kitty Broihier

When my children were younger they took a “home lunch” several times a week, and each day when they brought home their lunch box/bag I was happy to see that they had, in fact, eaten their entire lunch (usually). I was less pleased with the messes they left in those lunch boxes….which leads me to my topic for this blog—lunchbox food safety. Here are a few of the main things you can do to keep brown bag lunches safe for your kids (or you).

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