Foods That Beat Bloating

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Have you ever finished a meal and then you felt all bloated inside? Maybe it was from something that you ate or maybe you overindulged a little. Other causes of bloating could be eating foods that are high in salt, eating or drinking too quickly, or battling digestive conditions.

Whatever the cause, it is definitely an uncomfortable feeling. There are certain foods that can help to relieve some of the pressure that can build up in your stomach.

These foods include:

  • Avocados
  • Yogurt
  • Ginger
  • Cucumber
  • Oats
  • Celery
  • Bananas
  • Mint
  • Fennel
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Grapefruit
  • Turmeric
  • Quinoa
  • Pineapple
  • Lemon

Each of these foods have nutrients that either reduce inflammation in the gut, activate the release of digestive enzymes, or are water and fiber rich, which helps bloats to pass through your digestive system.

Next time that you feel a bloat coming on, or if you know that you are prone to bloating, try incorporating some of these foods into your meals or snacks!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Fill Up on Fiber!

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Did you know that only 7% of adults in the United States get enough fiber? That means that the remaining 93% of us are significantly lacking in our intake of this important nutrient.

Gift of CSA share

Fill up on fiber with fruits, vegetables, nuts and more.

According to registered dietician Novella Lui, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested or absorbed. There are two kinds of fiber, soluble, which forms a gel when combined with water, and insoluble, which doesn’t dissolve in water. Both kinds of fiber can provide a whole bunch of health benefits such as preventing constipation, stabilizing blood sugar, improving gut health, helping to maintain a healthy weight, and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are full of fiber, but the following are some foods that have an exceptional amount of fiber in them!

  • Artichokes
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Kale
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Collard Greens
  • Beets
  • Beet Greens
  • Turnip Greens
  • Mustard Greens

Arizona agriculture grows lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and legumes! Next time that you’re out grocery shopping, choose locally grown products so that you support Arizona farmers while getting high-quality fiber while you’re at it!

For more articles about fiber, or for more information about finding locally grown produce, check out the Fill Your Plate website!

 

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Healthy Coffee Additives if Black Coffee Isn’t for You

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

One of my favorite things about also working at a coffee shop as my main job is getting to answer customers when they ask me for a coffee recommendation. Most of them expect me to have some complex, fancy drink with all these flavors, toppings, and more. But really, all I drink is black coffee, whether it be just straight espresso shots, black cold brew, or black americanos. After giving me a weird look for a second, most of them tell me that I’m crazy, or they compliment me and say they wish they could keep their coffee that healthy.

While coffee in general is chock full of health benefits, what you add or don’t add to it also contributes to its healthfulness. Many coffees, especially those from a coffee shop are full of added sugars from the flavored syrups, and lots of calories from both the milk and creamer as well as the syrups. This is why drinking your coffee black is the healthiest way to drink it.

But black coffee isn’t for everyone, so here are a few ideas on ways to flavor and add to your coffee without making it too high in sugar or calories!

Go for just milk.

If you want to cut back on the amount of sugar in your coffee, just adding a few ounces of milk, half and half, or heavy cream takes away the bitter acidity in the coffee and makes it smooth and creamy. In my opinion, you don’t even miss the lack of sweetness, and you can enjoy the flavor of the coffee without the interference of the sugary flavor.

Use flavored extracts.

If you like your coffee flavored but don’t want the hefty amount of sugar that comes along with those flavored syrups, try adding a few drops of a flavored extract. Vanilla, hazelnut, almond, and others are great.

Add spices to your coffee grounds.

While this might sound a little crazy, don’t knock it till you try it! Whether you’re pulling espresso or brewing a pot of drip, shake a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or whatever spice you like into your coffee grounds before brewing it. It adds a nice spiciness to your coffee, and with cinnamon especially, it adds some natural sweetness to it!

The nice thing about coffee is that you can tailor it any way that you like, and there are plenty of ways to flavor it and add milk to it without making it too unhealthy.

Want to read more about coffee? Check out these articles from Fill Your Plate!

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Corn Silks are Packed with Nutrients

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Growing up, one of my favorite things to do every summer was to husk the corn that we would get from our friends who grew some just down the road from us. Besides getting super itchy while doing it, it was fun to peel off all the husks and silk and see how many worms we found inside. After we finished husking it all, we always threw away the silk and husks. But did you know that corn silk is actually full of nutrition and offers quite a few health benefits?

Arizona sweet corn

Make sure you don’t miss out on the Arizona sweet corn season coming up in the valley as early as late May! (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Corn silk is that long, stringy stuff that surrounds a corn cob and helps to trap the pollen that fertilizes the cobs and promotes kernel growth. While it is definitely a weird one to think about, corn silk has long been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of health issues thanks to its nutritional profile.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, corn silk contains carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and a variety of minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, sodium, and chloride.

Some of the health benefits that corn silk has to offer are:

  • Helps to prevent UTI’s
  • Helps to prevent kidney stones
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Fights inflammation
  • Lowers blood sugar
  • Improves cholesterol levels

Now, if you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what it even tastes like and how you would even go about consuming it. Apparently, it tastes just like corn, and is great for making tea, both hot and iced. It is also used fresh as a topping on salads, or dried and used as a powder to sprinkle on other foods.

Check out our other articles on sweet corn and especially Arizona’s sweet corn season!

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Beans Provide Lots of Nutrients and Health Benefits

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

“Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat the more you…” You know the rest. When we think of healthy food items, we typically think of kale, spinach, carrots, lean meats, whole grains, etc. But how often do we think of beans as being a healthy food?

According to registered dietician Charlotte Martin, beans are actually incredibly healthy and are great to incorporate into your diet. They are a good source of fiber and protein, they promote a healthy gut microbiome, they are satiating, and they are a good source of resistant starch. Additionally, they are full of nutrients including folate, zinc, and potassium!

We have local farmers who grow pinto beans here in Arizona! Source for some of our other blog articles about beans including our recipes.

 

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