Sports Drinks

Pure Coconut Water is "nature's great re-hydrater"  – its full of sodium, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium making it an excellent placement for energy and sports drinks.  Plus it has just enough sugar to make it taste yummy and as well as refreshing.  Tropical countries have been serving it to their very young, growing children, and adults for years.  It even has been used for electrolytes (minerals) and hydration replacement for the sick, especially those with stomach bugs.  

Coconut Oil is also a winner.  It's medium chain fats are smaller and thus more easily digested, immediately used by the liver to produce energy avoiding spikes and fat storage.  And, it contains important anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  Thus, not all saturated fats are the same.  This is one you want to include in your food mix.  The other good news is that is has a high heat tolerance making it the preferred oil for cooking. 

As with any produce, organic is better.  We are currently researching the brands we would recommend.  Be sure to avoid coconut waters that are  "sweetened" and have added flavors.  Buy it straight and serve on ice.  Delish!  

Thanks to our team member, Carolina Jintac, MS,RD,LD, for this in depth interview about coconut products.  To hear all her good news: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familyfoodexperts/2012/03/23/coconut-craze–how-good-is-it-for-you.

You will be so glad you did!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

No time like the present.  Enter to Win a Case of Gluten-Free Organic Brownie Mix by Simply Organic.  Makes yummy Birthday and Holiday treats for those with or without wheat allergies!  www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

The folks in Portland, Maine have encouraged their community to follow the 5-2-1-0 program: EVERYDAY eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, engage in 2 hours or less of screen time, exercise at least 1 hour, and, consume 0 sugary drinks. A recent survey showed a significant increased dedication to this behavior pattern.  More kids are sitting down and eating fruits and vegetables which means parents are serving them.  45% of kids are watching less screen entertainment.  Water is replacing sodas.  The trend is moving in a healthy direction.  This 5-2-1-0 number series seems to make it easier for parents and children to follow this guideline.  Do you agree?  If so, we encourage you to adopt it in your home.

… for the health of families,
ellen

Win a Whole Free Range Turkey (Shelton’s Poultry) for your family. Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes to enter.  Shelton’s birds “don’t do drugs.”  You can really taste the delicious difference!

Please fill in this blank: “It’s easier to ____________________ than figure out what to feed my kids every day.”  Answer in a comment or email your response to ellen@KidKritics.com.  We will chose one and send the “author” a signed copy of our new book after it is finished and hot off the press!  We look forward to hearing from you… more than one fill-in is encouraged!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Sally and I have put together our official Family Food Experts 12 Worst Foods to feed your family, listed alphabetically:

Twelve Worst Foods
1. Candy artificially dyed, sweetened and flavored
(Examples: M&Ms, Smarties)
2. Candy Cereal
(Examples: Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms)
3. Doughnuts
4. Drinks: Artificially sweetened, artificially dyed, artificially flavored drinks
(Examples: Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, Gatorade, Powerade)
5. French Fries (all deep fried food)
6. Lunchables
7. Margarine
8. Pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni
9. Pop Tarts
10. Pork products (bacon, chops, tenderloin, hotdogs)
11. Soda – ALL
12. Sugars: Refined sugars and sugar substitutes
(Examples: high fructose corn syrup, Splenda, Nutri-Sweet)

Honorable Mentions … couldn’t help ourselves as these should be part of the twelve.
A. Bleached and bromated flours
(Examples: white flour, white breads/rolls, white pasta, cakes and pastries)
B. Lunch meats with nitrates
C. Milk, non-organic

For the health of your family, AVOID these foods.
ellen

Soda companies a find themselves competing with water sales, be it simply spring water, vitamin and mineral enhanced water or flavored waters. The consumer has begun to respond to the negative facts about sodas – just enough to concern soda manufacturers. As a result, these companies have done three things. They have bottled their own purified water products. In addition they have bought companies which have produced and marketed flavored waters. The third move they made in order to regain and exceed market share has been to create a variety of seemingly better for you sodas. Do not be fooled by this last tactic.

Vitamins and minerals are being added to sodas. Remember, most contain caffeine which is known to leach the body of nutrients. There are conflicting factors affecting the absorption and use of these added nutrients.

The use of the word “carbonated” is being replaced by “sparkling” trying to make soda sound healthier to the consumer. Bottom line: bubbles in drinks are made by gassing liquid with carbonated gas.

No-Calorie – Zero Calorie – Low Calorie sodas. When there are no calories in these drinks, what gives them the sweet flavors? “They (the soda manufacturers) are much more skilled at using blends of sweeteners and flavor blockers to more closely simulate the taste of regular of sugared products.”* What are these sweeteners and flavor blockers made from? Be careful.

Extra energy is being added to some sodas – yes more caffeine. “Energy-infused sodas”* Energy – good energy – is being alligned with caffeine energy. To make this seem more desireable, they are adding different flavors such as berry (Vault Red Blitz).

Flavors and more flavors – “Lemon, lime, cherry, strawberry, vanilla, caramel are just a few of the tastes that have been added to colas.” * And the source of these flavors? Most probably the more cost-effective dyes created from petroleum, coal tar and chochineal beetles (red, pink and purple).

Consumers, MOMS, and KIDS, out-smart the soda manufacturers. Choose wisely for the your health and productivity. Use your smarts and drink brain fuel, water, the true energizer!

*Laura Petrecca, “So many new soft drinks, so little time”, USA Today, 3/13/2007,. p. 3B.