Water, Water Everywhere

When most people think of nutrition they think of eating their fruits and veggies, but a vital part of a person’s health and well being has to do with drinking water. Water is one of the most important nutrients our bodies need on a daily basis, yet if often neglected.

 

Because children are more active than adults they can become dehydrated faster than adults. So it’s important to pay attention to how much water your child is getting each day. Plus, young children are at more of a risk for dehydration because their thirst mechanism is not fully developed. That means they can’t always tell you when they are thirsty.

 

By the time a person is thirsty and goes to get that refreshing glass of water, they are already becoming dehydrated. That is why it is so important to get in those 6 -8 glasses of H2O a day!

 

Did you know…

 

• 2/3 of your body is water weight…
• Water makes up 83% of blood…
• Water accounts for 22% of bones…
• Water removes waste…
• Water regulates body temperature…
• Water helps absorb nutrients…
• Water makes up 90% of lungs…

 

Fitting water into your day…

 

Make a game out of it. Challenge your older kids to think of ways to get their 8 glasses in. Water, like exercise, does not have to be consumed all in one sitting. Split the portions out throughout the day.

 

Track it. Create a visual chart so your children can see just how much water they drank in one day. If the child didn’t drink all the water, talk about how they can get more in the next day.

 

Your drink – they drink. As rule of thumb, when you pour yourself a glass of water, pour one for your child too.

 

So just how much do we need?

 

Adults need six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That is about 1 ½ to 2 quarts.

 

Children, just like adults need six to eight glasses of water per day, but the portion sizes are different.

 

1 serving =

½ cup for children age 2 years

¾ cup for children ages 3 – 5 years

1 cup children 6 years and up

 

Flavored Water Recipe:

**Add sparkling water for a bubbly, fizzy treat***

 

Mixed Fruit Water

Ingredients:

4 slices orange

4 slices lemon

4 slices lime

1 peach, cut into quarters

½ cup strawberries

½ cucumbers

1 quart filled with water

 

Directions:

Slice each ingredient and add to water.

Refrigerate and steep for 4 hours.

 

Science Experiments in the Kitchen with Kids

My husband is a scientist… loves all things science. He has passed along his love of experiments to the kids. They make goo, glop, ice cream, flour volcano’s, tie-dyed milk and an array of other things, but here is a neat one to try this weekend…

 

The Egg Test -

 

If an egg is dropped in a glass of water a fresh egg will sink – a bad egg will float.

 

Here’s why-

Fresh eggs have a very small air cell within the egg so when dropped into water they sink to the bottom and lay on their side. The egg typically feels quite heavy.

 

The older the egg becomes and less fresh it is, more air enters the egg. This causes the egg to float and stand upright. The smaller end of the egg will lie on the bottom of the glass and the bigger end will tip upward, towards the surface. At this point you can still eat the egg.

 

But, if the egg fully floats in the water you should dispose of it. It’s no longer fresh or edible. Bad eggs feel extraordinarily light in weight and give off a pungent smell.

 

Here’s another quick test kids love too…

 

Hard boiled or not?

Spin an egg on a flat surface. If the egg wobbles, it’s fresh because the insides are moving around. If the egg spins smoothly, it’s cooked!

 

Ode to the Sweet Potato!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my tummy can reach.

When feeling hungry you give Vitamin A, C, B6 and fiber.

Oh my sweet potato, for the health benefits I ever seek.

 

I know, I know - not the best poet…

 

I wanted to share our love of sweet potatoes because typically, most people only think of making sweet potatoes around Thanksgiving, but they should be enjoyed year round. My family is not big on regular potatoes, but sweet potatoes are a staple in our house and we do enjoy them so.

 

Plus they are chocked full of nutrients we need.

 

Recent research shows that Sweet potatoes contain unique root storage proteins that have been shown to have significant antioxidant capacities which we all need to keep us healthy and strong. Sweet Potatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene), a great source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron.

 

Storing Sweet Potatoes:

Our delicious little veggie should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area. They have the capacity to keep fresh for up to ten days, but you should always remember to keep them out of the refrigerator.

Sweet Potatoes Ideas:

If you buy organically or locally grown sweet potatoes you can eat the entire vegetable – skin and all. However, commercially grown sweet potatoes need to be peeled before eating because sometimes the skin is treated with a dye or wax that’s not good for you. You can boil them with the skins on, but just peel it off after cooking.

Here a few great ideas for eating your sweet potatoes. Your whole family will enjoy these…

Take cooked sweet potatoes and purée them with bananas, maple syrup and cinnamon. This is great for your toddlers who are just starting to eat solid foods. The banana along with the sweet potato is a fabulous combination that is healthy and quite tasty. For the rest of the family, top with pecans to add a little protein and serve as a nice side dish.

Many desserts are made with sweet potatoes like sweet potato pie, bread, muffins and even pudding!

Instead of traditional baked potatoes, try baking sweet potatoes. Serve with a little brown sugar and yogurt butter for what will soon become a family favorite. And as you begin to think about packing those lunches for school, baked sweet potatoes are scrumptious even when they are cold so they tend to make a great food to pack in lunch pals.

Here is a complete meal  for the whole family with one of our favorite veggies -

Sweet Potato Pot Pie with Ham

Ingredients:

2 cups of peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
2 cups cubed cooked ham
1 cup of chopped onion
2 cups canned chicken broth ; divided
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup skim milk  
1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans
One 9-inch refrigerated pie crust
Nonstick cooking spray
7×11 baking dish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

1.      Spray bottom of pot with nonstick cooking spray and sauté onion over medium/high heat until translucent.

2.      Add sweet potatoes and 2/3 of a cup of chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft. (about 10-15 minutes)

3.      Slowly add milk and ham. Bring to a boil and transfer the mixture to a 7×11 inch baking dish that has coated with nonstick cooking spray.

4.      Sprinkle the pecans on top of the mixture.

5.      Unfold crust and cover the baking dish.

6.      Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is brown.