Cook County Department of Public Health launched the “Rethink Your Drink” Campaign on January 2nd
Cook County Department of Public health launched the “Rethink Your Drink” Campaign on January 2nd. “Rethink your Drink” is part of a county-wide effort to reduce the consumption of sugar-loaded beverages. Sugar-loaded beverages (i.e., sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks) are the single greatest source of calories in the American diet, providing approximately 10% of the total average calories per day. The large increase in the amount of sugary drinks people consume, or drink, relates to the dramatic rise in adult and childhood obesity.
The new campaign aims to educate Cook County residents about the harmful effects of sugar-loaded drinks through print and transit advertisements as well as radio and television commercials. Cook County joins several other health departments from across the US to promote healthy drinking habits.
For more information about “Rethink Your Drink” and to take the pledge, please visit the CCDPH website at www.rethinkyourdrinknow.com.
Shop Blue Island Health Hot Spots for December’s Veggie of the Month: Root Vegetables
Root Vegetables include Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Turnips, Rutabagas, Celery Root (or Celeriac) and Beets. Root vegetables are classified as the starchy tubers and taproots of a plant. If left alone they would supply all the nutrients needed by the plant, but we dont. Instead we pull them up so that we may enjoy their vitamin rich yummy-ness.
Some things you can do with root vegetables include:
Braise-Cut them into peices and simmer in a small amount of broth until they are tender, and starting to brown. Sprinkle on your favorite herb.
Grill-Many people dont think of grilling root vegies, but they can be delicious when brushed with olive oil and cooked on an open flame. 10 minutes per side on a med hot grill will give them a crispy outside and tender sweet inside.
Root Vegetable Fries-works best with high starch varieties such as potatoes, or sweet potatoes. Cut the veggies into sticks, as evenly as possible. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, pat dry thoroughly. heat oil to 325-375. Fry in small batches until tender and browned. drain on cooling rack or paper towels.
Visit Blue Island’s Healthy HotSpot Locations, Hidalgo’s Meat Market and La Unica for root vegetables and other healthy food choices.
(Source: localfoods.about.com)
