Smart Snacking

Whether it’s the afternoon or a late night, you need a break from studying and realize your stomach is rumbling. You immediately reach for faithful friends: a bag of chips and a bottle of pop. However, they can actually do more damage than you realize. Certainly, these snacks will provide energy but only for a short time in comparison to healthier alternatives that can provide long-lasting energy. Not to mention, these snacks that are filled with fat, calories, and sugar help you get on the path to the freshmen 15.

Next time you’re on a snack break, aim for foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads and cereals. Pairing them with high-protein foods, such as low-fat cheese and nuts, helps keep your blood sugar levels, or your energy levels, steady. Choose these snack options over foods containing simple sugars, such as candy and soda, which will make you crash after an immediate boost in energy. Steer away from energy drinks, which are also high in sugar and caffeine. If you need your sugar fix, munch on whole fruit such as an apple or a cup of cantaloupe. These options contain fiber, which help slow the absorption of sugar, so you can concentrate on your work without crashing halfway through.

Some other snacks that are great sources of fuel include:

-Whole wheat pita with hummus
-Celery topped with peanut butter and raisins
-Sliced fruit dipped in low-fat yogurt
-Baked tortilla chips with salsa
-Homemade trail mix with your favorite whole-grain cereal, walnuts, and dried cranberries

Be healthy!
By Campus Dining and Shops Intern Judy

Dining Hall Tips to Avoid the Freshmen Fifteen

Dining Hall Tips to Avoid the Freshmen Fifteen

Campus dining halls are overwhelming for many college students. With so many options, along with an all you can eat menu, it is easy to overindulge. Here are some tips to help with navigating the dining halls.

1. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are low in fat and calories, and can help fill you up. Aim for 2-3 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables each day.
2. WHOLE GRAINS: Whole grain products offer more nutrients and contain fiber than refined products. When choosing grains such as breads, cereals, and pastas, look for whole grain products. You can choose whole wheat bread when selecting a sandwich, and select whole wheat pasta from the pasta bar.
3. AVOID FRIED FOODS: Fried foods contain high amounts of fats and little nutrients. Choose a baked potato instead of French fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a hamburger.
4. CHOOSE LOW FAT MEATS: Chicken and fish are lower in fat than red meats. Choose grilled or baked options. Be wary of sauces that can add a lot of calories and fat.
5. LOW FAT MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS: Choose low fat or fat free milk. Drink chocolate milk sparingly as it is high in added sugars.
6. OPT FOR WATER: Choose water instead of juices and sodas, as these drinks are high in calories and sugars. We need about 8 glasses of water per day, so start by having water with every meal.
7. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST: Choose whole grain cereals including Mini Wheats, Raison Bran, or oatmeal. Use low fat milk on cereal and have fruit at breakfast. Try not to eat eggs with sausage or bacon daily, as these are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.
8. FILL UP WITH SALAD: The salad bar is a great way to add veggies to a meal. When navigating the salad bar add lots of vegetables. A small amount of olive oil and vinegar make a healthy dressing option.
9. FRUIT FOR DESSERT: The dessert table can be overwhelming for many students. Try to steer clear of desserts. Instead select fresh fruits for a healthy alternative to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
10. PORTION CONTROL: Because most dining halls are all you can eat, it is easy to go overboard. Start out with small portions as you can always go up for more. You may find what you chose to begin with is plenty and you won’t leave feeling stuffed.



Be healthy!

By Rachel Kirsch, Campus Dining and Shops intern

Salad Bars are a Healthy Choice

-Skip the iceberg lettuce, choose dark greens, spinach, endive, mixed greens they contain vitamin C and folic acid.
-Choose all the colors of the rainbow for fruits and vegetables such as red radishes, green and red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, strawberries , cranberries, apple slices, pear slices, red grapes, blueberries. t
They contain fiber, vitamins A & C, and potassium.
-Beans are a great choice add ½ cup of chickpeas or kidney beans which is about 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein.
-Salad dressings must be watched carefully, vinaigrette’s are a good choice, oil & vinegar , look for dressings that are about 60 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving.
-A handful of nuts are a good source of omega-3, such as walnuts, almonds.
-If you really want to make salad your main meal add a lean meat such as grilled chicken, or turkey, fish such as tuna, salmon,also hard- boiled eggs are all excellent sources of protein.

Looking for a great salad bar on campus, check out Bert’s dining center where they make your salad to order, or Green and Beans located in the Ellicott Food Court where you choose your favorite combination, or our newest salad bar Edgy Veggie located in the student union. This year we have added gluten free dressing to all of our salad bars. If you eat at any of four residential dining centers you will find a large selection at the salad bar to make a healthy choice.

UB Healthy
Campus Dining and Shops

What's the Truth on Pop ?

Facts on Soda Health Risks


Soda, as we all know it, is one of society’s favorite beverages. Each year, billions of gallons of pop are consumed by men, women, and children. However, what are the health risks? (If you do not know already)

Risks

Pop is high is sugar and calories with practically no nutritional value. You may drink excess calories and essentially pack on the pounds. Though drinking pop is not the only factor in causing obesity and its complications, it combined with eating other unhealthy foods and leading a sedentary lifestyle will.

Liquids also do not provide as much satiety factor as solid foods. When you drink calorie-dense beverages such as pop and have a meal with it, you may not know that you are consuming more than you should be because liquids do not make you as full.

With complications of obesity, there are increased risk factors for heart disease, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and increase cholesterol levels. Having certain number of these risks is called metabolic syndrome and it is not a good thing to have.

Other options:

Water is the best alternative. Drink it with a slice of lemon or lime for added taste.

Green Tea is great for boosting your metabolism and making it easier to burn calories.

100% fruit juices are better alternatives, which provide essential nutrients and are refreshing.

Diet soda may not be the best alternative, but this is better than just drinking the regular.

If you do decide to drink pop, always remember to drink it in moderation. Try to limit your consumption and increase the alternatives. Look at your diet and see if you are consuming excess calories from pop and realize that you could be “pouring on the pounds.” There are a lot of unhealthy risk factors for drinking pop and obesity.

Eat healthy, drink healthy, and exercise!

By Campus Dining & Shop intern Hong

Water - why it's good!

Top 10 Benefits of Staying Hydrated

Water has an abundance of functions and it’s very important to keep your hydration up to prevent and fight off a variety of different ailments. Here are 10 great reasons why you should be paying attention to the water going in your body each day (we recommend at least 6-8 glasses a day)!!

1. Higher Endurance- Nothing makes it easier to keep going on a workout than a nice big glass of water! Water acts as a fuel for all your cells and muscles to keep them doing their job and keep you moving.

2. Healthier Skin- Drinking water enhances capillary circulation to help moisturize, regulate body temperature and give skin a healthy color. Circulation is important to ensure proper skin repair and cellular hydration. Without water, your face will wrinkle and you’ll age prematurely.

3. Lose Weight- Water is especially important if you’re trying to curve your appetite and eat less. Not only does it help make you feel fuller, but it is involved in breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates which in turn neutralizes and burns fat molecules.

4. Immunity- Water can help fight the flu, kidney stones, heart attack and many other ailments. Adding lemon juice can give your water an extra kick in flavor and may also aid in keeping your immune system strong.

5. Reduced Cancer Risk- Water normalizes the blood-manufacturing system which aids in cancer prevention. Treatment of leukemia and lymphoma can also be achieved through drinking water. Cancer has become an increasingly large disease, so it’s important to start thinking of ways to prevent it while you’re young and it’s not too late!

6. Brain Function- Drinking more water can aid in many brain related maladies including depression, sleep disorders and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Water helps reduce depression through replenishing the neurotransmitter serotonin. Hydration also helps produce melatonin which regulates the sleep cycle. Energizing the brain through hydration also enables you to take in new information and pay attention more effectively. This is especially important for college students when you’re cramming for your exams!

7. Reduces Headaches- Whether your headache was originally caused by dehydration or if it’s unrelated, water often alleviates some of your pain and relaxes the muscles around your scalp. If you experience routine headaches, give drinking more water a try and see if you notice a reduction in the amount or severity of your headaches!

8. Reduces Cramps- Supplying water to your muscles is important to keep the muscles lubricated and prevent tightening which leads to painful cramps.

9. Healthier Joints- If you’re exercising or doing any activity that requires muscle movement, the function of your joints should be a definite concern. Water helps all ages with cushioning the joints and supporting the stress you’re putting on your body.

10. Energy Level- Water helps to increase your energy throughout the day through generating electrical and magnetic energy within the cells and providing a natural power boost!

Indicators of dehydration: darker colored urine, dry skin, hunger due to empty stomach, fatigue, migraines.

Be Healthy
By Lauren (Campus Dining and Shops Intern)

Fad Diets

With warmer weather just around the corner, you may be thinking about trying to drop a few pounds. But before you pick your diet, here are a few things to consider about “fad diets.” A fad diet is a popular diet that usually promises big results with small effort, such as a 15 pound weight loss in just 3 weeks

What’s wrong with a diet that sheds pounds so fast? Well, for one thing, fad diets are usually so restrictive in what you can and can’t eat that they’re not sustainable—in other words, when you get tired of counting calories and avoiding your favorite foods, you’ll quit, and the pounds will come right back on. Here are some other common problems with fad diets:

* Rapid weight loss usually means water weight was lost. On a low carb diet, when your body burns off your carb stores, the water that is stored with the carbs is also lost, not fat. This means your body becomes chronically dehydrated! What a headache. Diuretics, such as energy drinks with a lot of caffeine, can also make you lose a lot of water weight.
* Fad diets often limit certain foods or food groups, which means you don’t get enough of the nutrients that are in those foods. For example, carbs are necessary to fuel your brain, give you the energy to exercise, and to preserve your lean body muscle (muscle). Beware of these diets, and instead eat a variety of foods and colors, including plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and low-fat meats! See www.mypyramid.gov for more about variety.
* Fad diets often require special pills, drinks, products, or powders. It’s all about the money! Some dietary herbs and supplements may actually be harmful. Check out the current research about a supplement first, at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s website, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm.
* Some fad diets have you skipping meals or replacing them with specific foods or products. Again, think long-term—are you going to get tired of eating the same bar twice a day for the next six months? That takes the pleasure and enjoyment out of eating. And enjoying eating is a big part of life! So whatever diet changes you choose, make sure they fit with a normal and healthy eating plan that includes your favorite foods.

When you see a fad diet with these problems, don’t be swayed. Instead, think long-term. Try this for long-term weight loss and maintenance:

o Fewer calories in, more calories out. This means eat fewer or smaller amounts of foods that are high in calories and low in other nutrients (like chips, soda, candy), and instead fill up on foods that are lower in calories and higher in nutrients (like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and low-fat meats and beans). Choose a variety of foods to get all the nutrients your body needs, and to give you energy for the second part: Exercise.
o Exercise. It’s a proven method of losing weight. Whatever you pick, make sure it’s realistic for your schedule and preferences, so that you stick with it. And make sure that it burns calories and gets your heart and lungs in shape. Every little bit counts, so take the stairs! (Check with a doctor before starting any new exercise program.) To make a step-by-step plan for how much you should eat and how much you should exercise to lose weight at a steady, healthy pace, check out: http://www.mypyramid.gov/STEPS/stepstoahealthierweight.html.
o Eat at least three meals a day, including breakfast, to get your metabolism going.
o Aim for slow and steady, about a 1-2 pound loss per week. More than this can be unhealthy.

Remember that losing weight shouldn’t ruin your life or make you miserable (like some fad diets can). If you really want to keep the pounds off for good, then your plan should be realistic and sustainable—a plan for a healthier life!

~Be Healthy

Breakfast Benefits

Why eat breakfast ?
- Re-Fuel your body after a long overnight fast.
- Rev Up your metabolism for a healthy weight.
- Kick-start your brain for better grades.
- Pump Up your muscles for sports or gym.
- Improve your mood

Eat protein in the morning for all day energy,strong muscles, and a healthy weight.
- yogurt
- a piece of cheese
- eggs
- two tablespoons of peanut butter
- handful of almonds,cashews,soy nuts or sunflower seeds
- power bars
- balance bar

Check out our residential centers for a variety of breakfast foods to energize
your day ....
- waffles, fresh fruit and milk
- made to order eggs with a variety of toppings
- cereal,sliced banana and milk
- pancakes, yogurt and fruit
- hot cereal with nuts, fruit and milk
- bagels,fruit and juice .... and much more

So get a up a little early before class for a energy boost and all essential nutrients needed for a good day !

~ UB Healthy

Spring Break

Spring break is rapidly approaching and one wonders how to get the beach body in a short time. Two of the main things to consider are exercise and nutrition. A lot of people tend to think that they can lose weight strictly by dieting while in fact, that is a poor choice. Depriving the body of important nutrients and calories puts your body into starvation mode. The best way to start losing weight is becoming more active. Once accomplished you can then trim your diet and make healthier choices. If you think about it, it is easier to change the amount of time you move compared to the way you eat.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for physical activity is
• 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity
o Snow shoveling, hiking, dancing, biking (less than 10 mph), walking (about 3.5mph)…
• If this takes up too much time of your week then you can simply increase the intensity of your workout to vigorous intensity with an accumulative time of 75 minutes.
o Running, swimming laps, cross-country skiing, jumping rope…
• For those of us crunched for time, it’s okay if you need to exercise in small amounts of time. You can exercise in 10 minute bouts if it fits into your schedule. Walking would give you the greatest benefits. You can go for three 10 minute walks per day for 5 days and that will satisfy your need for aerobic physical activity.
• It is also important to include weight lifting in your schedule.
o The recommendations for that is 2 days a week getting all of the basic muscles groups with 8-12 repetitions and 1-3 sets.
o The easiest way to do this is the basic 8 routine:
 squat, leg curl, calf raise, lat pull down (one arm row), bench press, shoulder press, bicep curl, triceps extension and end with abs

Along with exercising comes the concern of fluid intake. You need to make sure you rehydrate your body with water or an electrolyte mixture (such as Gatorade) after working out and even throughout the day.

Once you become more active, the diet can follow. It is important to follow the USDA’s my food pyramid http://www.mypyramid.gov/ recommendations. This new and improved pyramid can be accustomed to your life style. Here at UB, we are lucky enough to have many choices of foods that fit into the pyramid. All across campus you can find Grab and Go salads, vegetable trays, 0 calorie beverages, light yogurt, fresh fruit, eggs, tuna, and soups. As long as you remember to stay active and eat right, you’ll be ready for the beach in no time.

By Christine (Campus Dining and Shops intern)

Beat the Winter Blues

Shorter winter days also mean less sunlight every day and sunlight helps us feel more awake. Need a extra boost choose your foods wisely.

~ Folic Acid - It helps the body process and lower your homocysteine levels. This is important because high levels of homocysteine can damage your blood vessels. Impaired blood flow may leave you feeling sluggish or slow to process or recall information.

Good sources- leafy vegetables (spinach,broccoli,kale), potatoes,beans,peas,and fortified breads and cereals.
~ Omega-3 fatty acids - People who experience seasonal depression during fall and winter have been found to have lower levels of omega-3s.
Good sources- Salmon, tuna some plant oils (flaxseed,canola) and walnuts.

~ Vitamin D - Lack of sunlight in winter,causes many people to have low levels of vitamin D. Low levels cause fatigue and depression in some people.
Good sources - Low fat milk fortified with vitamin D,some oranges juices
(check labels) and sunlight.

~ Protein - A diet high in protein and lower in carbohydrates may help to improve mood,stimulate energy and chase away feelings of sluggishness.
Good sources - Low fat dairy products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt,lean meats,poultry and eggs.

~Rosemary - This herb has shown to increase blood flow to your brain and improve your mood. It may also benefit your immune system, keeping your immune system strong during flu and cold season. So sprinkle a little on your mealsfor flavor.

Just keep in mind that spring is just around the corner, and March 14 the time changes which means more sunlight and warmers days ahead!

~Be Healthy

Chocolate Lovers - A Sweet Treat at Perk's

  A term that may be unfamiliar to you is flavonoids antioxidant.  A flavonoids antioxidant is found in plants like oranges, grape juice, apples, onions, tea and cocoa.  Eating plenty of plant based foods helps to reinforce our own body’s defenses.  Thanks to nutrient-rich cocoa beans people benefit from eating chocolate, especially dark chocolate. A small piece of dark chocolate has only 50 calories, but most candy bars contain at least 200 calories.So go ahead and eat a small, 1.6 ounce bar of dark chocolate everyday because it's good for you.

  Treat yourself or someone special on Valentine’s Day to a sweet treat at Perk’s, located in the Ellicott Food Court.   Rich, decadent desserts are the perfect indulgence including heart shaped cookies, homemade fudge, chocolate covered strawberries and much much more.  Enjoy chocolate for its distinctive flavor as well as for its potential health benefits, but remember that chocolate contains fat and added sugar. Everything in moderation!  

Be Healthy ~

Gluten -free foods at Ellicott Food Court

People with celiac disease cannot eat foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, splelt and other grains. The body immune system responds to gluten by damaging the lining of the small intestine. The only treatment to celiac is to eat a gluten -free diet. There are plenty of foods that are naturally gluten free, including fruits, vegetables, beef, poultry,fish, nuts,eggs and more. The key to understanding the gluten-free diet is to become a good label reader. A growing number of foods are being developed by manufacturers to answer consumers increasing interest in gluten -free foods.

Here at Campus Dining and Shops we are meeting the needs of students with celiac disease. All four residential dining centers have in stock all the foods needed to eat a balanced gluten -free diet. Recently the Ellicott Food Court added a gluten -free menu.

Stop by Sizzles and you can order a gluten-free pizza, pancakes, chicken sandwich, a variety of burgers, two gluten-free salad dressings, and more. Just ask the cashier for the gluten-free menu and they will place your order. The quality and variety of prepared items continues to grow and improve. We are very fortunate to have options that allows Campus Dining and Shops to put students first.

Be Healthy ~