March is not only National Nutrition Month but it is also National Frozen Food Month.  This is a perfect pairing, particularly given the tight pinch many are feeling in their wallets these days.  Frozen fruits and vegetables are a great option when fresh produce is out of season or has a higher price tag.   Don’t stress about nutrient quality of frozen foods.  The losses can be small and overall, it is far better to choose a frozen fruit or vegetable than none at all.  If you can though, choose bags in which the pieces are still individually frozen.  A solid, ice-crusted bag, as seen in some freezer cases, suggests that lots of thawing and refreezing may have occurred and that the taste and quality are not as good.

• Top hot or cold breakfast cereal with a serving of frozen fruit.
• Use frozen broccoli florets as a topping for pizza or a baked potato.
• Boost the nutrient content of canned soups by pouring in some frozen vegetables while heating.
• Use frozen fruit in place of ice cubes to cool your drink.
• Whip up a last minute fruit dessert with a scoop of plain yogurt, a combination of frozen fruit and a sprinkling of mini-chocolate chips.
• Green up some scrambled eggs or frittata with some thawed, drained, and squeezed frozen spinach.
• Create a quick weekday stir-fry by sauting frozen mixed vegetables with a little low-sodium soy sauce and chicken cutlets.  Serve atop brown rice.

An important topic to stress, given this year’s national nutrition month’s theme is to increase color in your diet, is the importance of adding color naturally.  Colorful foods have long been known to be more appealing and food manufacturers have attempted to capitalize on this fact by enhancing the color of the foods they sell.  Hence, the birth of color additives.  Color additives are fairly widespread.  Without them, cola wouldn’t be brown, margarine wouldn’t be yellow, and farmed salmon wouldn’t be pink.

There are two basic types of color additives.  Some are pigments that come from natural sources, such as vegetables, minerals, or animals.   A few examples of these are annatto extract, dehydrated beets, paprika, and caramel.  Other color additives are synthetically produced and as such, are subject to approval by the FDA based upon research.   It is these color additives of which to be aware.  Yes, they are approved but given the fact that they are still artificial additives and some research is controversial, it is wise to monitor your intake and choose natural colors as much as possible.   Artificial colorings most controversial include Red 3, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. 

It is interesting to note that different versions of the same foods are sold in the United States compared to Europe due to a stricter policy in Europe on artificial colorings.  This begs the question, why the need for artificial coloring in the US if it looks just as well using natural colors? Increased public pressure on the FDA may help change their policy.  Until then, is it really worth the risk to have a green colored mint ice cream?

March is national nutrition month and this year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color!” What exactly does that mean?  Adding a colorful variety of foods to your plate also adds more nutrients.  This is because the pigments that give foods their bright colors are associated with many potential health benefits.  Each color has a different benefit to the body so it is important to eat a variety of colors to receive the entire rainbow of benefits.  For example, the red in foods such as cherries and tomatoes is an antioxidant in the body, reducing damage done to cells.  It also helps prevent heart disease, cancer, and reduces the skin damage from the sun.  The green in fruits and vegetables, such as avocado, celery, and spinach, helps with vision and lowering cancer risks.   Purple and blue fruits and vegetables also have antioxidant benefits and may help with memory, anti-aging, and reducing cancer risks.  Even white fruits and vegetables such as cauliflower, white peaches, and mushrooms may promote heart health and prevent cancer.