Nutrition Notes: Papaya Month
June 27, 2016Papayas are sweet, succulent with brightly colored flesh, reminding us of sunny beaches on tropical islands. These tropical beauties are rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Papayas are grown in Florida and Hawaii in the United States, and are in peak season during early summer and fall. While buying papayas, select ones…
Nutrition Notes: Nutrition Facts Makeover!
June 13, 2016Over the last week or so, you may have heard about the update our Nutrition Facts Panel will be receiving. Can you believe that our current label is 20 years old?! The changes to our label reflect new scientific findings and will help consumers when choosing healthy food options. Here’s a quick guide to the…
Nutrition Notes: National Dairy Month
June 8, 2016June is National Dairy Month. Dairy includes milk and its products like yogurt, cheese, cream and sour cream. Milk, yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, protein, riboflavin, vitamins A, B12 and D, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Try choosing unsweetened and low-fat, skim, part-skim or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese and sour cream…
Debunking Harmful Myths About a Powerful Program
June 3, 2016It may surprise you to learn that San Diego has one of the most effective solutions to hunger at our fingertips. It’s called CalFresh, a program that is designed to uplift families by ensuring people receive the sustenance they need, enabling them to focus on working toward self-sufficiency. That’s a big deal. But thousands of…
Nutrition Notes: S is for Spring… and Strawberries!
May 25, 2016Springtime offers a bounty of fruits and vegetables. Because they are one of the first fruits to ripen in the spring, May is the month of strawberries! Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fiber. They are healthy, delicious and bite-sized, and make a great snack. These berries can also be used…
Nutrition Notes: Protecting Our Bones
May 16, 2016This month we are increasing awareness about preventing osteoporosis and maintaining good bone health. Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile due to bone loss. The bone loss may be caused by several factors including sedentary lifestyles, deficiency of nutrients like vitamin D and calcium, and hormonal changes. Bone…
Nutrition Notes: Food Allergies Alert
May 9, 2016This week is Food Allergy Awareness Week. Food allergies are unpleasant and can trigger potentially dangerous reactions of the immune system to the allergy-causing foods or food allergens. Food allergies may develop in childhood or adulthood, and may persist or disappear; though their cause is unidentified. Symptoms include digestive trouble, rashes, hives, swollen airways and sometimes…
Nutrition Notes: National Herb Week
May 4, 2016The first week of May is National Herb Week, and the chili pepper is the herb of the year for 2016. Chili peppers are good sources of vitamin C, most of the B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and iron, and can range from sweet (like bell peppers) to spicy (like ghost peppers) in taste. They come…
Thankful Thursday: DPR Construction
April 28, 2016“DPR Construction – Integral and Indispensable to San Diego Food Bank’s Success in Assisting Low-Income Community Members” The vision of DPR Construction is to be “integral and indispensable” to the communities the San Diego builder serves. This company-wide vision manifests itself at the local level through a series of volunteer activities and community projects organized…
Nutrition Notes: Amazing Asparagus
April 13, 2016Spring season is here, and so is asparagus! Available from March through June each year, asparagus is rich in iron, potassium, vitamin A, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber. Asparagus spears can be white, green or purple in color, and are available in standard, large, extra-large and jumbo sizes – the thicker…