Corn Silks are Packed with Nutrients

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

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

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

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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What Does Vitamin C Actually Do?

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

We think of taking more vitamin C during winter and cold and flu season so that we don’t get sick. But is this nutrient really a miracle preventative for getting sick? Read on for a little crash course on vitamin C including what it is, what it’s good for, and if it really helps prevent illness.

So, what exactly is vitamin C? According to registered dietician Devon Peart, vitamin C is an essential nutrient, meaning that it is an important nutrient our bodies need to function properly, but we must get through our diet because our bodies don’t make it themselves.

Some of vitamin C’s main functions include:

  • Protects against free-radical buildup – Too many free radicals can lead to cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
  • Promotes eye health – Specifically it wards off cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
  • Improves iron absorption.
  • Encourages collagen growth.
  • Aids in wound healing.
  • Topical vitamin C promotes skin health.

You might have noticed that the list didn’t include improving our immune systems. That’s because this one needs a little more attention. It’s commonly said that vitamin C helps to prevent us from getting sick, and according to Peart, this isn’t true. Taking vitamin C doesn’t eliminate your risk of getting sick entirely, but it definitely does lessen the severity and duration of your illness.

Since vitamin C is so important to our health, how much of it do we need per day? It’s recommended that we be getting 75 milligrams to 120 milligrams of vitamin C per day, depending on gender, and if pregnant or lactating. Peart says that it’s worth noting that these recommended amounts are the minimum amounts required in order to keep you from being deficient. There is no harm in getting more vitamin C! He says that during times of sickness, taking up to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C helps to replenish your body after a time of physical stress.

One of the best food sources of vitamin C is citrus! Lucky for us Arizonans, citrus is one of the 5 C’s of Arizona, as we produce lots of it during the winter months. So, look for some Arizona grown citrus especially during the winter, and replenish your body with vitamin C! Check out the Fill Your Plate website for resources on finding locally grown citrus!

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Causes and Cures for Sugar Cravings

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

 

How often do you find yourself craving something sweet? For some, it’s right after meals, as sort of a sweet finish to your savory meal. For others, they happen throughout the day, whether it be a sweet, creamy coffee in the morning, or a sugary snack in the afternoon. Regardless of when these cravings hit, there are actually a few reasons why we experience them, as well as some ways that we can reduce them!

Often, we attribute our sugar cravings to it just sounding good, or having weak willpower when it comes to sweets. While these are still valid reasons, registered dieticians Ali Bandier and Sarah Olszewski note that sugar cravings can occur for other reasons as well.

One of these reasons is that sugar cravings come when your body needs an energy boost. This could be from either lack of sleep the night prior, or from a lack of proper nutrition throughout the day. Another reason for sugar cravings is a nutritional deficiency in chromium, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, protein, or healthy fats.

So how can we curb some of these cravings, or keep them from happening in the first place? Bandier suggests that you make sure to eat nutrient dense, balanced meals throughout the day. This will make sure that you’re getting in all of those nutrients that your body needs, as well as keeping it full and fueled to get you through the day. Olszewski says another way to curb sugar cravings is to reduce the amount of sugar you consume in general. She says that the more sugar you consume, the more you’re going to crave it. She also suggests that you prioritize staying hydrated, as a lot of cravings or feelings of hunger are really just your body being thirsty.

With that said, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet treat every now and then. But, if you find yourself wanting these treats too often, it’s important to figure out the root cause and do what you can to address it.

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

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Brown Rice Versus White Rice

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

One staple food that you will always find both stored in our pantry and cooked in the fridge is rice. Ever since my mom and I became gluten intolerant we’ve relied on rice as our versatile carbohydrate source. From using it in place of tortillas when we have Mexican food, to using it in place of pasta when we have Italian food, we’ve found ways to use it in almost every kind of meal! But whether you eat rice because you need a gluten-free grain, or you use it just because rice is an incredibly nutritious grain!

On the topic of rice, you’ve probably heard it said that brown rice is much healthier than white rice, but that isn’t necessarily the case.  Here, we’ll break down the main nutritional differences between the two kinds of rice and their nutritional details.

According to registered dietician Stefani Sassos, brown rice is a whole grain, which means that all three parts of the grain (the bran, the germ, and the endosperm) are still intact. White rice, on the other hand, is a refined grain, meaning it has undergone processing that removes the bran and the germ, leaving only the endosperm. Registered dietician Alisha Virani, since the bran is what contains the fiber in rice, and the germ is where all of the minerals, vitamins, and protein are contained, white rice loses all of this after it undergoes processing.

So, after considering what makes the two types of rice different, let’s look at the benefits of each kind of rice.

Brown Rice:

  • Complex carbohydrate (A whole grain, has all three parts of a grain still intact)
  • Provides a lot of fiber
  • Full of the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals
  • Has a lower glycemic index

White Rice:

  • Easily digestible (Due to lack of fiber content)
  • Quickly absorbed carbohydrate
  • Inexpensive and longer shelf life
  • If enriched, still offers vitamins and minerals

 

With that being said, both kinds of rice still have some significant benefits and are both very healthy, which is why it’s a staple all around the world! So, consider using more rice in your meals! Fill Your Plate has lots of delicious and healthy recipes that feature rice! Check them out here!

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