During National Nutrition Month® 2005 and beyond: "Get a Taste for Nutrition" by Adding Variety to Your Food Choices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 17, 2005

Media contact: Lori Ferme
800/877-1600, ext. 4802
media@eatright.org

CHICAGO - A new world of taste and texture exists when you explore new foods - especially new types of fruits, vegetables and grains. There is a host of intriguing foods out there, and the nutrients they contain make them worth looking at the next time you visit the supermarket.

"It's amazing just how adding a new food to your regular eating plan can enhance not only your meal, but can boost the nutrients in your overall diet," says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson Christine Gerbstadt. "Adding a new food you might not typically use in soups, stews on salads or just by themselves opens up a whole new flavor palate and can definitely add some spice to your nutrition life." Gerbstadt suggests being a little adventurous the next time you make out your shopping list and add a new food to your list once a week.

Fruits:

  • Kumquat: it is both sweet and sour in taste and is high in vitamin C and fiber.

  • Passion fruit: the pulp’s flavor is sweet-tart and lemony and is high in vitamin C, vitamin A (beta-carotene) and high in fiber.

  • Acerola: it is red outside and yellow inside with a slightly tart flavor. It is high in vitamin C and is a good source of vitamin A (beta-carotene).

  • Pomegranate: it contains hundreds of ruby-colored seeds encased in translucent red pulp that is both sweet and tart. The seeds are a good source of potassium and vitamins C and B6.

Vegetables:

  • Kohlrabi: it has a creamy interior and is somewhat sweet. It's high in vitamin C and raw is a good source of fiber.

  • Bok choy: a type of cabbage, it is rich in vitamins A and C and potassium.

  • Jicama: potato-like, it is juicy and slightly sweet. It is high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber.

  • Parsnip: it has a celery-like fragrance and a sweet, slightly peppery flavor. It is a good source of folate, vitamin C and fiber.


Grains:

  • Quinoa: it contains more protein than most grains and offers an even balance of amino acids. It is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron.

  • Flaxseed: is both soluble and insoluble fiber. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

  • Amaranth:  it is a source of calcium, and magnesium and contains more iron than most grains.

  • Bulgur: it is a good source of fiber and magnesium.

With nearly 70,000 members, the Chicago-based American Dietetic Association is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition and well-being.

National Nutrition Month®, created in 1973 and celebrated each March, helps promote healthful eating and provides consumers with practical nutrition guidance.

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