According to the senior study author Wendy L. Bennett, M.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, although ‘time-restricted eating patterns’ – known as intermittent fasting – are popular, rigorously designed studies have not yet determined whether limiting the total eating window during the day helps to control weight.

This study evaluated the association between the time from the first meal to last meal with weight change. Nearly 550 adults (18 years old or older) from three health systems in Maryland and Pennsylvania with electronic health records were enrolled in the study. Participants had at least one weight and height measurement registered in the two years prior to the study’s enrollment period (Feb.-July 2019).

Overall, most participants (80%) reported they were white adults; 12% self-reported as Black adults; and about 3% self-identified as Asian adults. Most participants reported having a college education or higher; the average age was 51 years; and the average body mass index was 30.8, which is considered obese. The average follow-up time for weight recorded in the electronic health record was 6.3 years.

articipants with a higher body mass index at enrollment were more likely to be Black adults, older, have Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, have a lower education level, exercise less, eat fewer fruits and vegetables, have a longer duration from last mealtime to sleep and a shorter duration from first to last meal, compared to the adults who had a lower body mass index.

The research team created a mobile application, Daily24, for participants to catalog sleeping, eating and wake up time for each 24-hour window in real time. Emails, text messages and in-app notifications encouraged participants to use the app as much as possible during the first month and again during “power weeks” — one week per month for the six-month intervention portion of the study.

Based on the timing of sleeping and eating each day recorded in the mobile app, researchers were able to measure:

the time from the first meal to the last meal each day;

the time lapse from waking to first meal; and

the interval from the last meal to sleep.

They calculated an average for all data from completed days for each participant.

The data analysis found:

Meal timing was not associated with weight change during the six-year follow-up period. This includes the interval from first to last meal, from waking up to eating a first meal, from eating the last meal to going to sleep and total sleep duration.

Total daily number of large meals (estimated at more than 1,000 calories) and medium meals (estimated at 500-1,000 calories) were each associated with increased weight over the six-year follow up, while fewer small meals (estimated at less than 500 calories) was associated with decreasing weight.

The average time from first to last meal was 11.5 hours; average time from wake up to first meal measured 1.6 hours; average time from last meal to sleep was 4 hours; and average sleep duration was calculated at 7.5 hours.

The study did not detect an association meal timing and weight change in a population with a wide range of body weight.

As reported by Bennett, even though prior studies have suggested intermittent fasting may improve the body’s rhythms and regulate metabolism, this study in a large group with a wide range of body weights did not detect this link. Large-scale, rigorous clinical trials of intermittent fasting on long-term weight change are extremely difficult to conduct; however, even short-term intervention studies may be valuable to help guide future recommendations.

Although the study found that meal frequency and total calorie intake were stronger risk factors for weight change than meal timing, the findings could not prove direct cause and effect, according to lead study author Di Zhao, Ph.D., an associate scientist in the division of cardiovascular and clinical epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Researchers note there are limitations to the study since they did not evaluate the complex interactions of timing and frequency of eating. Additionally, since the study is observational in nature, the authors were unable to conclude cause and effect. Future studies should work toward including a more diverse population, since the majority of the study’s participants were well-educated white women in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., the authors noted.

Researchers also were not able to determine the intentionality of weight loss among study participants prior to their enrollment and could not rule out the additional variable of any preexisting health conditions.

According to the American Heart Association’s 2022 statistics, 40% of adults in the U.S. are obese; and the Association’s current diet and lifestyle recommendations to reduce cardiovascular disease risk include limiting overall calorie intake, eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity.

The 2017 American Heart Association scientific statement: Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention did not offer clear preference for frequent small meals or intermittent fasting. It noted that irregular patterns of total caloric intake appear to be less favorable for the maintenance of body weight and optimal cardiovascular health. And, altering meal frequency may not be useful for decreasing body weight or improving traditional cardiometabolic risk factors.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to update its definition of “healthy.” That includes the nutritional standards a product must meet to put the claim “healthy” on the package.

The FDA also is conducting research on a symbol to represent the claim “healthy.” The claim, along with a potential symbol on the front of a package, would act as a quick signal to empower you with information to identify foods that will help you build healthy dietary patterns.

More than 80% of people in the U.S. aren’t eating enough vegetables, fruit and dairy, according to the Dietary Guidelines for America, 2020-2025. And most people consume too much added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. That’s concerning because unhealthy dietary patterns can increase the risk of some of the most common chronic diseases.

But you don’t have to wait for a new definition of the “healthy” claim or a symbol to be in place to be more mindful about your food choices. “You can start now,” says Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

“To make healthier food choices for yourself and your family, aim to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lower-fat dairy, protein foods and healthy oils—like olive and canola,” Dr. Mayne says. “Try to eat and drink fewer foods and beverages high in saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars.”

Mayne adds that you also can check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods to get information on specific nutrients and compare food products. By looking at the Percent Daily Value, abbreviated as the %DV, of the different nutrients you can choose foods that contain more of the nutrients you want to get more of and less of nutrients you may want to limit.

The current definition of “healthy” as a nutrient content claim on food packaging was established in 1994. It was based on nutrition science and federal dietary guidelines at the time. The definition was focused on individual nutrients — such as saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and sodium, along with certain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein — with maximum amounts for some and minimum amounts of others.

Since that time, the federal dietary guidelines and nutrition science behind them has evolved. Today, we have a greater understanding of dietary patterns and their effects on health, and we recognize that people tend to build their diets around foods, which are made up of a variety of nutrients, rather than just individual nutrients.

To be consistent with the latest nutrition science and federal dietary guidelines, the FDA is proposing an updated definition of the “healthy” claim for use on food packaging, including that:

A food has to contain a certain amount of a food group like fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy.

A food can’t contain too much saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars.

The proposed rule is also consistent with recent changes to the Nutrition Facts label. For example, the Nutrition Facts label must now declare added sugars to help people maintain healthy dietary practices.

Foods like salmon, avocados, and olive oil, which under the current regulations do not qualify for use of the “healthy” claim, would qualify under the proposed definition. Foods like sweetened cereals and yogurt that have more than the amount of added sugars permitted would no longer qualify.

And plain, non-carbonated water and plain, carbonated water could be labeled “healthy” as well. Under the current regulation, water cannot be labeled “healthy.”

As a shopper, all you would have to do is look for the claim “healthy” — or variations such as “healthier” and “healthiest” — on a food package to know you’re buying something that meets the FDA’s definition of “healthy.”

Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and overweight and obesity are among the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., and minority groups are at greater risk of many of those diseases. For example, while more than 4 in 10 American adults have high blood pressure, that number increases to almost 6 in 10 for non-Hispanic Black adults.

Updating the “healthy” definition is a step towards providing the public with information that can help them identify food choices that can help lead to reducing diet-related chronic diseases and advancing health equity. Additionally, updating the “healthy” definition could lead to more healthy foods in the marketplace if some manufacturers choose to reformulate or produce products that can help them identify food choices that can help lead to reducing diet-related chronic diseases and advancing health equity. Additionally, updating the “healthy” definition could lead to more healthy foods in the marketplace if some manufacturers choose to reformulate or produce products that meet the new definition.

The following information from UCLA Health should answer common questions.

The term PFAS refers to a large group of manmade chemicals known as perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Previously known as PFCs, or perfluorochemicals, they were developed in the 1950s.

This family of chemicals is resistant to oil, grease, heat and water, which has led to their use in an extensive array of commercial and consumer applications. PFAS are found in cleaning products; nonstick cookware; stain-resistant coatings for carpets, upholstery, textiles, paints and varnishes; and also makeup and personal care products. They are also widely used in paper products meant to hold foods that are hot, gooey or greasy. That includes the wrappers that hold fast food,  and, microwave popcorn

PFAS have a carbon-fluorine bond, which is one of the strongest single bonds in nature. As a result, these types of chemicals break down very slowly. This has led to their being referred to as “the forever chemical.” PFAS also dissolve in water, which allows them to accumulate and persist, both in the environment and in our tissues. All of these factors, along with their widespread use, means PFAS are present not only in the environment, but also in the blood and tissues of humans and animals throughout the worlld

Elizabeth Ko, MD and Eve Glazier, MD

Studies have linked PFAS to adverse health effects, including high blood pressure, decreased fertility in women, liver damage, cancer, low birthweight and an increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease. The use of some of the more common PFAS was gradually phased out in the United States between 2000 and 2015. However, other variations of the chemicals have taken their place. The newer PFAS tend to have shorter chains of the carbon-fluorine bond, and are thus more rapidly eliminated from the body. But the FDA says they continue to present a concern for human health.

Research suggests that people who regularly consume microwave popcorn have markedly higher levels of PFAS in their bodies. A study published in 2019 analyzed a decade of data about the eating habits of 10,000 people, which was collected by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 2003 and 2014. Blood samples from the study participants were also collected. The researchers found that people who ate microwave popcorn every day over the course of a year had levels of PFAS that were up to 63% higher than average.

Considering the questions that continue to surround the safety of consuming PFAS, we think it would be reasonable to curtail the daily use of microwave popcorn. Instead, you could save it for an occasional treat. If your kids are flexible, you might switch to a different type of evening snack. Or if it has to be popcorn, you could turn the process of making stovetop popcorn into a family project.

The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition is at the forefront of clinical practice and nutrition research. Send your questions to Ask the Doctors@mednet.ucla.edu.

Ultra-processed foods are high in added sugar, fat and salt, and low in protein and fiber. They include soft drinks, salty and sugary snacks, ice cream, sausage, deep-fried chicken, yogurt, canned baked beans and tomatoes, ketchup, mayonnaise, packaged guacamole and hummus, packaged breads and flavored cereals.

“Ultra-processed foods are meant to be convenient and tasty, but they diminish the quality of a person’s diet,” said study author Huiping Li, PhD, of Tianjin Medical University in China. “These foods may also contain food additives or molecules from packaging or produced during heating, all of which have been shown in other studies to have negative effects on thinking and memory skills. Our research not only found that ultra-processed foods are associated with an increased risk of dementia, it found replacing them with healthy options may decrease dementia risk.”

For the study, researchers identified 72,083 people from the UK Biobank, a large database containing the health information of half a million people living in the United Kingdom. Participants were age 55 and older and did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of 10 years. By the end of the study, 518 people were diagnosed with dementia.

During the study, participants filled out at least two questionnaires about what they ate and drank the previous day. Researchers determined how much ultra-processed food people ate by calculating the grams per day and comparing it to the grams per day of other foods to create a percentage of their daily diet. They then divided participants into four equal groups from lowest percentage consumption of ultra-processed foods to highest.

On average, ultra-processed foods made up 9% of the daily diet of people in the lowest group, an average of 225 grams per day, compared to 28% for people in the highest group, or an average of 814 grams per day. One serving of items like pizza or fish sticks was equivalent to 150 grams. The main food group contributing to high ultra-processed food intake was beverages, followed by sugary products and ultra-processed dairy.

In the lowest group, 105 of the 18,021 people developed dementia, compared to 150 of the 18,021 people in the highest group.

After adjusting for age, gender, family history of dementia and heart disease and other factors that could affect risk of dementia, researchers found that for every 10% increase in daily intake of ultra-processed foods, people had a 25% higher risk of dementia.

Researchers also used study data to estimate what would happen if a person substituted 10% of ultra-processed foods with unprocessed or minimally processed foods, like fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes, milk and meat. They found that such a substitution was associated with a 19% lower risk of dementia.

“Our results also show increasing unprocessed or minimally processed foods by only 50 grams a day, which is equivalent to half an apple, a serving of corn, or a bowl of bran cereal, and simultaneously decreasing ultra-processed foods by 50 grams a day, equivalent to a chocolate bar or a serving of fish sticks, is associated with 3% decreased risk of dementia,” said Li. “It’s encouraging to know that small and manageable changes in diet may make a difference in a person’s risk of dementia.”

Li noted that further research is needed to confirm the findings.

Maura E. Walker, PhD, of Boston University in Massachusetts, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study, said, “While nutrition research has started to focus on food processing, the challenge is categorizing such foods as unprocessed, minimally processed, processed and ultra-processed. For example, foods like soup would be classified differently if canned versus homemade. Plus, the level of processing is not always aligned with diet quality. Plant-based burgers that qualify as high quality may also be ultra-processed. As we aim to understand better the complexities of dietary intake, we must also consider that more high-quality dietary assessments may be required.”

The good news is that you don’t need to drink gallons of water to stay hydrated. You can also get needed water from the food you eat.

Here, from UCLA Health, is what you need to know:

You may not realize it, but water is an important key to feeling good. It helps regulate your body temperature, prevent infections, get rid of waste and deliver nutrients to cells. Water also plays a role in your mental wellness. Without enough, you could have trouble with sleep, memory, information processing and mood.

Why hydration is important

You may not realize it, but water is an important key to feeling good. It helps regulate your body temperature, prevent infections, get rid of waste and deliver nutrients to cells. Water also plays a role in your mental wellness. Without enough, you could have trouble with sleep, memory, information processing and mood.

Common signs you’re starting to dehydrate include:

• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Dull skin
• Fatigue
• Headaches

Foods that hydrate you

Your body typically gets about 20% of the water it needs from the foods you eat throughout the day. Foods that typically provide the highest water content are raw fruits and vegetables. Eating a diet heavy in produce is a good way to give the body vitamins, minerals and fiber while increasing your daily water intake.

Drinking the recommended daily amount of water may seem daunting. The good news is that it doesn’t all need to be plain water. As you’d expect, you can get hydration from coffee, tea and flavored still or sparkling water. Your body can also absorb water from food.

Any fruits and vegetables with more than 80% water content are a great choice. But these foods (all with a water content greater than 92%) offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to getting the water your body needs:

1. Cucumber (96%)

If you love the crunch of a cucumber, you’re in luck. Cucumbers have the highest water content of any solid food.

2. Iceberg Lettuce (96%)

Darker greens do provide more fiber, folate and vitamin K. But when it comes to staying hydrated, crispy iceberg has the goods.

3. Celery (95%)

In addition to being full of water, celery is a great source of fiber. Add some protein-rich nut butter and you have a healthy snack.

4. Radishes (95%)

This root veggie is full of flavor, vitamin C and fiber but low in calories. Add them to a green salad or grate them into a summer slaw.

5. Romaine Lettuce (95%)

This dark, leafy green packs in a lot of water but also provides many nutritional benefits. Romaine is a good source of vitamins C and A, folate and fiber.

6. Tomatoes (94%)

Many people think of tomatoes as vegetables, but they are actually fruit with a high water content. They also contain lycopene, which helps prevent cell damage.

7. Zucchini & Summer Squash (94%)

Whether you eat summer squash cooked or raw, it provides the same amount of water. So don’t be afraid to throw some zucchini on the grill next to your turkey burger.

8. Asparagus (92%)

With its rough texture, most people choose to eat cooked asparagus. But its water content is the same whether you eat it cooked or raw, so go ahead and grill up some spears.

9. Bell peppers (92%)

All shades of bell peppers will quench your thirst, but green ones lead the pack in water content. As a bonus, bell peppers are high in antioxidants.

10. Cabbage (92%)

All common varieties of cabbage contain a lot of water raw and even more when cooked (94%). Some Chinese cabbages, such as bok choy, are 96% water and taste great tossed into a salad.

11. Cauliflower (92%)

If you love riced cauliflower, but don’t like to eat it raw, you’re in luck. Cooked cauliflower, like cabbage, provides even more water (93%) than eating it raw.

12. Mushrooms (92%)

The health benefits of mushrooms are impressive. But to get the most water from your shrooms, eat them raw.

13. Spinach (92%)

Spinach is a great summer staple for salads and smoothies. In addition to its high water content, it’s packed with nutrition including calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.      

14. Strawberries (92%)

These sweet berries are a great choice when you’re hot and sweaty. They’re low in calories, but high in water, fiber and vitamin C.

15. Watermelon (92%)

It’s no surprise that watermelon will hydrate you. But, like tomatoes and other red fruits and veggies, it’s also a great source of lycopene.

If you have questions about how much water you should be getting, reach out to your primary care physician.

Led by Carolyn Ross, a professor of Food Sciences at Washington State University (WSU), the study tested saltiness perception in older adults using white sauce formulations with varying amounts of salt and different spices and seasonings added.

According to a WSU news release, the results of the analysis showed the addition of chipotle seasoning to the white sauce made it difficult for the study participants to differentiate between the samples with low and high levels of salt.  Conversely, the addition of herbs, such as basil leaves, garlic powder and coarse ground pepper, was not as effective at masking the samples with less salt. The research points to the significant role that spice could play in reducing salt intake for people over 60.

“We were working specifically with a population of older adults to see if we could reduce the amount of salt in a product and then tailor it to their tastes,” Ross said. “This is important because the ability to taste and smell is known to weaken with age, and weaker perception of salty flavors may induce people to season their food with excessive salt, which may increase their risk of cardiovascular disease.”

For their study, Ross and María Laura Montero, a postdoctoral researcher in the WSU School of Food Sciences, recruited 39 healthy people over the age of 60 to participate in an in-person taste testing experiment that took place over several days slightly prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous research examining saltiness perception in older adults has tended to use water as a matrix for tasting experiments rather than actual food products. To generate more realistic data in terms of what people actually enjoy eating, Ross and Montero used a white sauce formulation that is commonly found in ready-to-eat Cajun chicken pasta meals.

The study participants were asked to compare three different formulations of the sauce at five different salt concentrations. One of the formulations had no added herbs, the second had just herbs and the third had both herbs and chipotle seasoning.  Their results showed the formulation with both herbs and chipotle seasoning made it difficult for the seniors to determine the amount of salt being used while the formulation with exclusively herbs did not.

In addition to administering the taste test, the news release said, researchers surveyed their participants about their oral and olfactory health, the number and type of medications they were taking and any other pre-existing conditions that might affect their saltiness perception.

Their analysis showed there was a positive correlation between poor oral health and the number of medications each participant was taking, which could be a result of less saliva production; however, their data on whether or not this was the main cause of lowered saltiness perception wasn’t conclusive.

Moving forward, when it is once again feasible to recruit participants for in-person studies, the researchers plan to follow-up with a larger study evaluating lower salt concentrations as well as different herb and spice concentrations.

“To date, a clear relationship between taste loss, and thus higher taste thresholds, and eating behavior remains to be established,” Ross said. “So, we are investigating a bunch of different possible factors.”

Mind games are all about the illusion of control. We decide certain foods are the cause for our discomfort and need to be control, when it may be instead the lack of a food portion/eating schedule our bodies can count on. Next weekend, eat energy-appropriate portions of food (which tend to be a few bites less than our usual intake). Eat on a schedule of every 2-4 hours without grazing in between. This will prevent your body from feeling weighed down or sluggish – even if the foods you eat aren’t nutritionally awesome. This little test is guaranteed not only to boost your energy, but to help you let go of food obsessing. The enemy isn’t bread or brownies, but the lack of a consistent schedule.

Get to the source of your guilt.

Guilt stems from the feeling that we have done something “wrong.” Every time we label a food good or bad, we pass that judgment onto ourselves when we eat it. A positive relationship with food begins with tossing out the words “good” and “bad” as they relate to food, and instead thinking of them as “beneficial” or “less beneficial.” 

End the apology cycle.

Women are especially prone to fall into the apology cycle: making too much of a perceived wrong (say, eating an extra piece of cake) until you feel so guilty that you admit defeat and start bad eating all over again. The best way to end it is to stop thinking of food as your enemy and start looking at it in terms of energy appropriate portions. Plan what you will eat at meals, whether at home or away.

De-stress.

Some of the best (and easiest) destressing techniques include any exercise, especially outdoors, having small rituals throughout your day, and activating your imagination through reading.

Turning daily habits into rituals simply means being mindful and completely present while you do them, and noticing your breath. Any activity will do. For example, I have ritualized watering plants every morning and making my matcha latte in the afternoon. Rituals create short “safe harbor” times throughout the day.

Another technique is to read the first three pages of a novel. Reading stories stimulates our positive brain centers as we create images of what we are reading. A few pages of mindful reading can help to “short-circuit” the worry spin cycle when our brains go in that direction.

How can we create habits that will benefit our long-term goals of ending post weekend eating negativity?

In my program AND/life, we ask people to embrace the idea of highly nutritious “habit” foods and less beneficial, but emotionally comforting “social” foods. If you make a habit of eating 80% habit foods, that leaves you one meal per day that can include social foods. Some people, including me, eat super nutritionally several days each week to allow for more social foods on the weekend. Whether you eat them every day, or on some sort of schedule, including appropriate social foods in your plan immediately breaks the cycle of negativity around food. And when you find the right food portion and eating schedule strategy for your actual energy needs from meal to meal, you will discover that you can feel leaner and stronger even with social foods in your life every single day. This is true food freedom. and an absolutely fantastic way to live. Food is for enjoyment as well as nourishment, and having a positive relationship with it is essential to our overall well-being.

For more on Andrea and her work, click here.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to make sure people have greater access to healthier foods and easy-to-understand nutrition information to make healthier choices. One way to do that is to make it easier for you and your family to eat less sodium. 

Because about 70% of the sodium you eat comes from processed (packaged) foods and restaurant foods, the FDA is working closely with industry, asking manufacturers to gradually lower sodium across a wide range of foods. This will result in more food choices with less sodium.

You and your family can also take steps to ease into reducing the amount of salt—and therefore, sodium—you eat. The recommended limit for sodium is 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day for people 14 years and older. But, the FDA says in a Consumer Update, people in the U.S. consume 3,400 mg per day on average!

Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Ninety percent of American adults are eating more sodium than is recommended. While more than 4 in 10 Americans have high blood pressure, in non-Hispanic Black adults that number increases to almost 6 in 10.

Moreover, children and adolescents are also eating too much sodium. Evidence shows that children who eat foods higher in sodium can carry those eating habits into adulthood.

Steps You Can Take to Reduce Sodium

Try to cut back on foods high in sodium, such as deli-meat sandwiches, pizza, burritos and tacos. Remember, it’s important to cut back both when eating at home and eating out in restaurants. If you’re ordering a standard menu item at a chain restaurant, ask to see the written nutrition information and choose a lower-sodium option.

Compare products. Before you buy, check the Nutrition Facts label to compare the sodium content of packaged products (there’s a fair amount of variety among similar foods). For example, data collected by the FDA shows that breads can vary from 300 mg to 700 mg of salt per 100 grams of bread. The FDA’s material on the Nutrition Facts Label is regularly updated; click here to find out more

Aim to stay under the Daily Value (DV) for sodium. The DV for sodium is the recommended daily limit– your goal is not to exceed that amount. As a general guide: 5% DV or less of sodium per serving is considered low, and 20% DV or more of sodium per serving is considered high.

Expand your spice horizons. Try no-salt seasoning blends and herbs and spices instead of salt to add flavor to your food.

For additional information, please visit the FDA’s Sodium in Your Diet.

“After the past several months disrupted many of our typical routines, this fall is a great chance to reset and resume a more consistent work, school and family schedule. Start small by committing to eating more meals together as a family,” said Anne Thorndike, M.D., MPH, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, director of the Metabolic Syndrome Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee.

“Routines can be a good way to provide structure and clarity during busy or stressful seasons, so scheduling in meals at home or regular exercise is not only good for physical health, but good for managing stress as well.”

When it comes to mealtime, there are plenty of clever ways to add in nourishing ingredients, according to Bridget Wojciak, director of Nutrition at Kroger Health, a national sponsor of the AHA’s Healthy for GoodTM initiative.

“It is a helpful frame of mind to ask yourself what you can add to a meal instead of taking away, like mixing in zucchini noodles with traditional noodles or adding in shredded vegetables to sauces or soups,” Wojciak said in a news release from the AHA. “Experiment with new recipes and new preparations and see what works best for your family.”

In addition to using mealtime to intentionally connect, the AHA offers these tips for a healthier fall:

1. Unplug to connect: September is a great reminder to eat regular meals at home with family. Family meals reduce stress, boost self-esteem and make the whole family feel connected.

2. Savor seasonal flavors: Fall brings new seasonal produce and recipe inspiration for family meals. Sign up to receive a free cookbook with heart-healthy, delicious recipes from the AHA and Kroger Health, a national sponsor of the AHA’s Healthy for Good initiative.

3. Spend time outside: Take advantage of cooler temperatures by spending time outdoors for better physical and mental well-being. Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood. If you have a pet, get moving together! It’s a win-win for the health of you and your pet.

4. Shop smart: Grocery shopping can be overwhelming, no matter the season. To find foods that can be part of a heart-healthy eating pattern, keep an eye out for the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark (click here for more information).

5. Give thanks: Chronic, or constant, stress can have a negative impact on health, so it’s important to build in habits to reduce stress. One great place to start is by practicing gratitude. Write down three things you’re grateful for each day, or reach out to a friend or family member and tell them how much you appreciate them.

Use microgreens on salads, soups, pizzas, omelets, in stir fries or as a snack. These tiny seedlings are packed with more nutrition than their mature counterparts.

Add a bit of spice to soups and sandwiches with radish and mustard microgreens. Try red cabbage, chard, beets and amaranth for some added color. Sunflower’s somewhat nutty flavor makes it perfect for snacking.  Let some of your pea microgreens grow a bit taller to use in stir fries.

Fill a shallow container with a two-inch layer of moist potting or seed starting mix. Sprinkle seeds over the soil surface and lightly cover with potting or seed starting mix. Water gently to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.

Continue to water often enough to keep the soil slightly moist. Reduce your workload and keep the planting mix consistently moist by covering freshly planted containers with plastic. Once the greens break through the soil, remove the cover and move the container to a sunny location or under artificial lights.

Increase the fun and success with a microgreen growing kit like the Organic Herb and Microgreens Grow Kit from Gardener’s Supply (www.gardeners.com). This set up is the perfect size for your countertop or other small space. The full spectrum light is adjustable so you can raise or lower it as needed whether growing short microgreens or taller herbs.

Or skip the growing mix and mess with a Jute Microgreens Starter Kit. Set the jute mat in the shallow tray, add seeds, and water. Then compost the jute mat after harvesting your greens.

Follow the planting directions on the seed packet. You typically need two to three tablespoons of seeds for an 11” x 21” tray. Buy enough seeds to make additional plantings every week or two to ensure a constant supply. Microgreens like most vegetables taste best and are most nutritious when eaten fresh. And these tasty bundles do not last long in storage.

The microgreens are ready to harvest once the plant forms the first set of true leaves. These are the leaves that resemble those of the mature plant. This takes anywhere from 7 to 14 days, depending on the room temperature and type of microgreens you are growing.

Use scissors to clip the greens off at ground level. If you prefer to use the whole seedling, roots and all, you will need to wash off any of the seed starting mix clinging to the roots.

Once you harvest all the greens, it is time to replant. Save money and be kind to the environment by composting the used planting mix and reusing containers. Convert shallow fast-food containers into planting trays.  Disinfect these or other planting trays before using them for subsequent plantings.  Just soak the containers in a 10% bleach and water solution for ten minutes. Then rinse in clear water before planting.

Gardening doesn’t get much easier than this. You will enjoy the fresh flavor all winter long as you wait for the outdoor growing season to begin.

Featured photo credit: Gardener’s Supply Company

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ web site is www.melindamyers.com.