Nutrition Lessons

SAMPLE #1: NOT ALL CALORIES ARE EQUALLY HEALTHY Not all green light foods are created equal. Although a green food may be low in calories, the calories may be ‘empty calories’ that are not very healthy and filling.  In the food database, healthy and recommended foods are marked by an asterisk.  We recommend that you choose the starred foods whenever possible. Sign up to learn how we decide which foods are healthy and which are junky. SAMPLE #2: ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE  Exercise is a very important part of weight loss.  Exercise helps burn body fat and increases metabolic rate. Yet most children don’t get the recommended amount of exercise.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sixty minutes of vigorous exercise almost every day of the week.  Very few children reach this level. Children often mistake physical activity for vigorous exercise.  They are not the same!  Sign up to learn the difference between physical activity and vigorous exercise and to see a list of 50 fun activities that count as exercise. SAMPLE #3: NUTRITION TERMS: WHAT DO THEY MEAN? Companies try to make their food products seem as healthy as possible.  Advertising executives stretch the truth to its breaking point, stopping just short of outright lies.  The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has set up criteria concerning when certain terms can be used to describe food products.  These guidelines, however, can lead to confusion and misinformation.  Sign up to learn what the different nutrition terms actually mean and when they are allowed to be used.

< back to top