Lentils can be cooked in a variety of ways. They can be served hot or cold. They can be added to practically any dish. They are high in nutrients, too. They have 16 g of fiber in them. These legumes are high in protein coming in at 18 g. There are many vitamins in lentils including A, C, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, B12, pantothenic Acid, choline and betaine. The minerals found in lentils are calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. So, let’s see what betaine is and what it does for our bodies.

Betaine, otherwise known as Vitamin B10, has been shown in research that it can reduce homocysteine levels. These levels are linked to stroke and heart disease. This vitamin also supports your hair, digestive system, and skin. I like this vitamin because it is suppose to delay the skin from the appearance of wrinkles.

For the mineral, let’s pick selenium. Selenium is a mineral that has been taken and used for, according to WebMD, the prevention of cancers of the stomach, lung, prostate and skin. This mineral supports your heart, eyes, skin and hair. It’s used for many diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration, mood disorders, CFS and more. It helps your body function correctly.

Lentils are inexpensive and easy to make. Not to mention they are delicious. They come in a variety of colors, not just green. And, because of all these fun benefits for the body, I’m totally motivated to eat more of them!! Let’s Go Lentils!!!

After sports games or working out, we choose water and natural whole foods to rehydrate. Some of the major electrolytes the body needs are potassium, magnesium, sodium chloride, and calcium. The whole food eaten before games is celery. Celery provides sodium and consists of 95% water. A great food choice before becoming active. Raisins and bananas are loaded with potassium. I typically hand out either a banana or a box of raisins as a “snack” for the kiddos after games along with an orange or clementine and a water bottle. Oranges, dried figs, dates, apricots and clementines provide calcium. You can mix sunflower seeds or nuts with the raisins to get the electrolyte magnesium. Or just eat a banana. Not to mention these whole foods have nothing but vitamins and minerals in them and are the better choice when it comes to rehydrating. Let’s take a look at what’s in a popular “sports” drink. Some of the nonessential ingredients consist of red dye 40 (awesome), “natural” flavorings, glycerol ester of wood rosin (ester gum is a food additive), and high fructose corn syrup (of course) which is highly controversial. Can you imagine just putting those ingredients together with nothing else in it and drinking it?

Subject: Let’s Go Garbanzo!!!

Let’s Go Garbanzo!!! My family could eat garbanzo beans every day. This bean is LOADED with nutrients. There is 29% of protein in just one cup of Garbanzo beans. Here are some exciting vitamins and minerals found in Garbanzo beans which is what Hummus is made out of. Yum! Chick peas (another name for Garbanzo beans) has vitamin A (carotenoid and beta carotene), Vitamin B1, B2, B3, vitamins C, E, K, folate, pantothenic acid. The minerals calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc in it. There are so many vitamins to choose from to learn about. There is 8% of vitamin K found in one cup of chick peas. According to WebMD, vitamin K supports the blood to clot when it needs to, it also helps prevent excessive bleeding. Vitamin K1 is one of the vitamin K compounds. It is the most important of the compounds and is primarily found in plant based foods.

Chick peas have a ton of minerals in them including zinc. One cup of Garbanzo beans has over 16% of this mineral. Zinc is an essential trace element, a metal, necessary for supporting the immune system, proper growth, maintaining vision and more. It also helps improve strength and athletic performance.

Check out my recipe for Hummus under the recipe section. Enjoy it as a spread to replace mayo or eat it with crackers, veggies, or tortilla chips. My family loves a good ole fashioned bowl of chick peas and rice to eat as a snack or for lunch.

What is pantothenic acid? This is otherwise known as Vitamin B5. This vitamin helps to support your nervous system. Pantothenic acid converts food into fuel.

What is pyridoxine? This vitamin is known as Vitamin B6. Pyridoxine is required to convert food into fuel, support proper nerve function, and helps to produce red blood cells.

My kids love cold dates as a snack. After purchase, I put them in the refrigerator and the kids get them out any time for a yummy snack after school. This dried fruit also helps to add important caloric intake to their diet. Go ahead and have a date tonight and enjoy! ; )

How do these essential amino acids benefit our bodies? Here are a few samples. L- Lysine is important for bone growth. It’s medicinally used to help in the treatment of cold sores. L Leucine is getting a lot of attention now due to studies suggesting that it may help our bodies lose fat, but not muscle. That’s potential good news. I love the amino acid L-methionine because it helps support the skin by keeping it elastic and toned. It also helps lower one’s cholesterol by helping to remove fat from the liver. L-Isoleucine is important in that it supports endurance, increases energy, and helps to repair muscle tissue. L-Tryptophan helps decrease stress levels. L-Threonine helps to support strong bones, skin, nails, and tooth enamel. It is essential for a body’s overall health. L-Valine helps support the maintenance of muscle tissue. It’s known as a branched-chain amino acid. L-Phenylalanine is essential for the overall health of our bodies. It converts to L-tyrosine then to L-DOPA and lastly to dopamine which then converts into the catecholamines (neurotransmitter and stress hormones) norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline). These essential amino acids are easily obtainable through diet.

Subject: First Public school to go vegetarian- in New York

This is GREAT!!! Check this out. It’s a MUST read. It’s an article regarding the first public school to go vegetarian. They are really on the right track. My favorite quote from this article is:

“We know that when students eat a healthy diet, they’re able to focus better. Their immune systems are stronger, so they’re sick less, and then they’re in school more and they’re able to focus and concentrate better, and therefore learn better. There’s research about that,” said Amie Hamlin, the executive director of New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, which has worked with P.S. 244 for several years.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/01/17999627-nyc-public-school-swaps-chicken-nuggets-for-tofu-becomes-first-all-vegetarian-cafeteria