Oysters!

August 5 was National Oyster Day!

Oysters are enjoyed in many parts of the world, and are considered a delicacy. Oysters are a New England coastal favorite, especially during the summertime! There are over 100 species of oysters, and their taste varies in flavor according to their location. East coast oysters tend to be smaller and saltier, whereas west coast oysters tend to be larger and creamier.

These small sea creatures are very nutritious. Oysters are low in calories yet loaded with nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Vitamins and minerals: A serving of oysters provides over 100% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin B12, zinc, and copper, and over 75% of your daily needs for selenium and vitamin D!

‘Good’ fat: Oysters are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is beneficial in many ways: it can lower cardiovascular mortality risk, can benefit brain health, has anti inflammatory properties, which decreases risk of chronic disease, as well as reduce symptoms of high blood pressure.

Protein: Not just the amount, but the type of protein you eat matters! Oysters oysters offer seven grams of protein for only 68 calories, which rivals lean red meat for protein density. And unlike lean red meat, oysters contain a high amount of omega-3, which means they offer a high amount of quality protein.

Zinc: Zinc plays an important role in your body – it helps promote immunity, protein and DNA synthesis, as well as general growth and development. In fact, oysters are the world’s best dietary source of the mineral!

Vitamin D: Among its many functions, vitamin D promotes bone health and modulates cells, immune function, and inflammation. Also, it even has anti-cancer properties. Sunshine is the single best source of vitamin D, but we can also get it from our diet, and oysters are one of the best sources.

Vitamin B12: This is important for maintaining healthy blood cells and nerves, and it plays an essential role in DNA synthesis. When people think of vitamin B12, red meat usually comes to mind. However, oysters offer far more of this nutrient than any typical meat!

Oysters are indeed delicious, but you have to be careful when eating them raw. A bad oyster can make you feel ill or lead to food poisoning. However, you can still enjoy oysters if you prefer not to eat them raw! Oysters can be grilled, steamed, or fried. Steaming oysters is the healthiest option, and keeps the original flavors most intact!

Now we know just how good oysters are for you, time to start slurping!

Did you know:

-The world loves oysters! We consume almost two billion pounds of oysters each year around the world.

-Only one out of every 10,000 oysters will produce a pearl.

Dental Health: How to Combat Bad Breath

Oral hygiene and the fresh breath associated with it are part of healthy, daily habits. Over time, poor dental care will cause mouth odor. Of course, the foods we eat contribute to bad breath, too. However, bad breath may be a symptom of a health condition of a side effect of a medication

Dental hygiene refers to the practice of keeping the mouth, teeth, and gums clean and healthy to prevent disease. Dental hygiene and oral health are often taken for granted but are essential parts of our everyday lives.

Bad breath in particular can be embarrassing and in some cases may even cause anxiety. It’s no wonder that store shelves are overflowing with gum, mints, mouthwashes, and other products designed to fight bad breath. But, many of these products are only temporary measures because they don’t address the cause of the problem.

Certain foods, health conditions and habits are among the causes of bad breath. In many cases, you can improve bad breath with consistent proper dental hygiene. If simple self-care techniques don’t solve the problem, see your dentist or physician to be sure a more serious condition isn’t causing your bad breath.

Most bad breath starts in your mouth and there are many possible causes. First we must consider what you put in your mouth. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can increase bacteria and cause a foul odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions or garlic, also can cause bad breath. Smoking causes its own unpleasant mouth odor. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath.

We also have to be aware of how we take care of our mouth. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, causing bad breath. A colorless, sticky film of bacteria, also known as plaque, will begin to form on your teeth. If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums.

Some ways to combat bad breath include:

• brush after meals
• floss before bedtime
• gargle and rinse with mouthwash regularly
• chew sugar-free gum
• stay hydrated
• seek regular dental care

The best way to treat bad breath is to take the steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen in the first place. Brush and floss regularly and take care of your mouth!

National Root Beer Float Day

A nice glass of refreshing root beer with rich vanilla ice cream, it doesn’t get much better than that! On August 6th, National Root Beer Float Day tells us to float a scoop of vanilla ice cream in an ice-cold mug of frothy root beer.

Also known as the “Black Cow”, the root beer float got its start in Colorado in a mining camp. Frank J. Wisner of Cripple Creek, CO gets the credit for creating the first “Black Cow” way back in August of 1893. Rumor has it that one night as he was contemplating his mountain soda business, he looked out the window and thought the full moon looked like a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He ran home and added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his favorite soda from his childhood, root beer, and the rest was history.

Gather up some root beer and ice cream and mix up the perfect root beer float. Enjoy a root beer float over lunch or dinner either at your favorite restaurant or make it yourself at home!

Follow this recipe to enjoy the perfect sweet treat: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/root_beer_float/

National Chocolate Chip Day!

Today, August 4th, is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! People old and young enjoy chocolate chip cookies! It can remind older people of their childhoods when their mothers would bake chocolate chip cookies or would eat a chocolate chip cookie found in a school lunchbox. There are so many styles of chocolate chip cookies and flavors, like hard or soft chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie ice cream, or chocolate chip cookie ‘butter’ spread!

Chocolate chip cookies are a classic American dessert and now a popular cookie all over the world, but did you know that they were invented right here in Massachusetts? In 1938, Ruth Graves Wakefield owned the popular restaurant ‘Toll House Inn’ in Whitman, MA. She planned on making regular chocolate cookies but got the great idea of throwing in chunks of a chocolate bar into it. Much to her surprise, the chocolate did not mix well with the cookie and instead, it filled up with tasty chunks of chocolate.

Locally the cookies were very popular, but they reached widespread status was during WWII. Soldiers from Massachusetts who were stationed overseas shared the cookies they received in care packages from back home with soldiers from other parts of the United States. Soon, hundreds of soldiers were writing home asking their families to send them some Toll House cookies, and Wakefield was soon inundated with letters from around the world requesting her recipe. Thus began the nationwide craze for the chocolate chip cookie. Soon, this spread all over the world, and now people everywhere enjoy chocolate chip cookies!

On National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, celebrate by baking and eating the cookies! In addition to eating them, bake your own chocolate chip cookies. You can even add your own spin and add white or dark chocolate chips, nuts, M&M’s, or more!

National Watermelon Day Part 2

Health benefits of watermelons continued! The only thing we love more than all of the positive healthy aspects of watermelon, is eating it in creative ways! Check out this fun tutorial for how to make a watermelon basket at home!

Contains Compounds that May Help Prevent Cancer:

There is evidence that the lycopene found in watermelon is associated with lower risk of cancer of the digestive system. Studies indicate that lycopene can reduce cancer risk by lowering insulin-like growth factor (IGF), a protein involved in cell division. High IGF levels are linked to cancer. Also, cucurbitacin E is being studied for its ability to inhibit tumor growth.

Improve Heart Health:

The antioxidant lycopene that is found in watermelon may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and helps to prevent oxidative damage to cholesterol.

Choose Watermelon to Prevent Heart Attacks:

According to studies, lycopene may help reduce stiffness and thickness of artery walls. Watermelon also contains citrulline, an amino acid that may increase nitric oxide levels in the body. Nitric oxide helps your blood vessels expand, which lowers blood pressure. Both of these antioxidants found in watermelon working together helps promote heart health!

Lowers Inflammation and Oxidative Stress:

As we know, inflammation is a key driver of many chronic diseases. Watermelon may help lower inflammation and oxidative damage, as it’s rich in the anti-inflammatory antioxidants lycopene and vitamin C. In addition, the antioxidant lycopene may also benefit brain health. For example, it may help delay the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Important for Eye Health:

Lycopene is found in several parts of the eye where it helps protect against oxidative damage and inflammation. It may also prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a common eye problem that can cause blindness in older adults. Lycopene’s role as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound may help prevent AMD from developing and getting worse.

Helps Relieve Muscle Soreness:

Watermelon juice has some potential as a recovery beverage after exercise. Citrulline may be partially responsible for its effect of easing muscle soreness.

Good for Skin and Hair:

Two vitamins in watermelon — A and C — are important for skin and hair health. Vitamin C helps your body make collagen, a protein that keeps your skin supple and your hair strong. Vitamin A is also important for healthy skin since it helps create and repair skin cells. Without enough vitamin A, your skin can look dry and flaky. Both lycopene and beta-carotene may also help protect your skin from sunburn. We KNEW there was a special reason behind eating watermelon during the summer!