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Liakos
Family Greek Garden Salad
On
our recent family trip to Nebraska, we enjoyed this salad nearly every
day. I finally got the "secret recipe" from my parents. The
real secret, though, is that nearly all ingredients come straight from
Gus' garden!
6
to 8 tomatoes, cut in chunks
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup green pepper, cut in small chunks
1 tsp. dried oregano
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin oil
1/4 cup gourmet salad vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives (optional)
Toss
together the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, green pepper, seasonings,
oil and vinegar. Top with crumbled feta cheese and kalamata olives.
EAT AND ENJOY!
Makes
approximately 8 servings
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Note:
The Basics section of the newsletter highlights
an important nutrient, its functions and sources.
The
Basics: Potassium
The mineral
potassium is just one more reason to add extra helpings of fruits
and vegetables to your plate. Potassium is responsible for maintaining
the heart beat, regulating fluid balance, and plays a role in proper
nerve transmission and muscle contractions. Potassium is classified
as one of the electrolytes because it contains free ions that conduct
electrical charges in the body. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2005 specifically encourage a reduction in sodium intake and an
increase in dietary potassium. These two electrolytes are currently
out of balance in the American diet.
Potassium is
lost in sweat so heavy exercisers need to replace it through food
or drink. Digestive illness and certain diuretics also cause potassium
loss from the body.
A diet rich
in potassium promotes healthy bone density, prevents high blood
pressure and lowers the risk of stroke. Surveys show that few Americans
in any age/gender group meet the recommendations for potassium,
shown below.
| Adequate
Intake (AI) for Potassium |
| Life
Stage |
Age |
Males
(mg/day) |
Females
(mg/day) |
| Infants |
0-6
months |
400 |
400 |
| Infants |
7-12
months |
700 |
700 |
| Children |
1-3
years |
3000 |
3000 |
| Children |
4-8
years |
3800 |
3800 |
| Children |
9-13
years |
4500 |
4500 |
| Adolescents |
14-18
years |
4700 |
4700 |
| Adults |
19
years and older |
4700 |
4700 |
| Pregnancy |
14-50
years |
- |
4700 |
| Breastfeeding |
14-50
years |
- |
5100 |
Source:
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Potassium. Dietary
Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate.
Washington, D. C.: National Academies Press; 2004:173-246. (National
Academies Press)
Fruits, vegetables,
legumes and dairy foods are the best food sources of potassium.
The table below features select foods that are good sources of potassium
(>10% of the daily value per serving).
| Food,
Standard Amount |
Potassium
(mg)
|
| Sweetpotato,
baked, 1 potato (146 g) |
694
|
| Tomato
paste, ¼ cup |
664
|
| Potato,
baked, flesh, 1 potato (156 g) |
610
|
| White
beans, canned, ½ cup |
595
|
| Yogurt,
plain, low-fat, 8-oz container |
531
|
| Halibut,
cooked, 3 oz |
490
|
| Orange
juice,1 cup |
450
|
| Tuna,
yellowfin, cooked, 3 oz |
484
|
| Winter
squash, cooked, ½ cup |
448
|
| Banana,
1 medium |
422
|
| Spinach,
cooked, ½ cup |
419
|
| Milk,
non-fat, 1 cup |
382
|
| Apricots,
dried, uncooked, ¼ cup |
378
|
| Cantaloupe,
¼ medium |
368
|
| 1%-2%
milk, 1 cup |
366
|
| Lentils,
cooked, ½ cup |
365
|
| Kidney
beans, cooked, ½ cup |
358
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NOTE: You will
not find sports drinks listed on this chart for a simple reason
— the average popular sports drink provides only 30 mg of potassium
per 8 ounces, a mere 1% of the daily value.
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Nutrition
and Our Culture:
Part of the Problem OR Part of the Solution?
P.O.P.
(Part of the Problem):
Pears
from Argentina (in Oregon!)
As I was shopping for fruit in my local grocery
store last fall, I noticed a large display of fresh pears. Living
in the heart of the Northwest, you would expect that the pears would
sport a "USA Pear" sticker, which indicates they were grown
in Oregon or Washington. Most of the pears in the display did have
that sticker. What caught my eye, though, were the pears that were
.20/pound cheaper. When I picked one up, I couldn't believe it —
the sticker indicated that the pears were from Argentina!
Then this spring,
I stopped by a local strawberry farm for some fresh, Oregon strawberries.
By the time I had passed two more nearby strawberry farms, I arrived
at a major chain grocery store. A large display of strawberries greeted
me there, too. Unfortunately, they sported labels indicating they
were from the Salinas Valley of California.
I'm not sure
why major chain grocery markets fail to support local agriculture.
But I do know that consumers have a lot of power. Talk to your produce
manager and tell him or her how you feel about locally grown produce.
And, of course, vote with your dollar. Support the stores in your
area that support the local farm economy.
P.O.S.
(Part of the Solution):
Eat
Closer to Home
The
good news is that there are now many more options for procuring foods
that are grown, caught or made near your home. Even some major grocery
chains are making an effort to feature locally grown foods while a
number of specialty grocers make local food a central part of their
mission (e.g. in my area we are lucky to have the New
Seasons markets).
In addition,
there are also a number of other options for eating closer to home.
The website Local
Harvest helps you find farmers' markets, family farms, coops,
restaurants and many other sources of sustainably grown food in your
area.
And, of course,
there is always the option of growing (and preserving) some of the
food you eat in your own home garden. Even the creative urban gardener
can grow herbs and vegetables. Check out Moss
in the City, a regular urban gardening feature from the National
Gardening Association.
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- Our new activity
book, Nutrition Fun
with Brocc & Roll, is hot off the press! This resource is packed
with copy-ready activities perfect for any school or group setting.
- If you are a nutrition
professional attending the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo
in Philadelphia next month, be sure to stop by the 24 Carrot Press booth
on Sunday, September 29th. We will be exhibiting at the Product Marketplace,
booth 20, from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
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News
in Brief
Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry Debuts New Nutrition Exhibit
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) recently completed
a traveling nutrition
education exhibit aimed at elementary aged children. The exhibit
will travel to 40 science museums throughout the U.S. over the next
8 years. Connie was an advisor for this project.
Should Kids
Be Warned About the Dangers of Obesity?
Two experts offer contrary opinions on whether schools should focus
on body weight in this opinion piece from US
News & World Report.
Recommended:
PBS Kids "Don't Buy It: Get Media Smart"
This clever site helps kids discover the secrets advertisers use
to sell products. Interactive and fun, this is a great introduction
to media literacy for school-agers. Access it at http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/advertisingtricks/
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The
information contained in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute
for medical and/or nutrition advice. See your physician and/or registered
dietitian for individual health and/or dietary concerns.
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©2007
by Connie Evers, All Rights Reserved. There is a modest reprint fee
for reproducing the material in this newsletter in either print or electronic
publications. Please send an email to reprint@nutritionforkids.com
for details and rates.
The
FEEDING KIDS NEWSLETTER is published quarterly (January, April, August,
and November) by 24
CARROT PRESS. To subscribe, click
here.
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