Red Rabbit Blog
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Time for the Beach...and Fad Diets?
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on Jun 07, 2013
Tagged in: summer time, Red Rabbit, Low Carb Diet, fad diet, eat healthy, calorie counting
It is starting to get hot out there!
For many of us, the very idea of “beach-ready” makes us pause and ask, "Am I ready to strip down to my swimwear?" Before you let this question drive you to jump on the latest diet fad, let us put some things in perspective with one of our more popular blogs from last summer. Fad Diets…What Works?!
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Everything in Moderation...Including Frozen Yogurt
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on May 31, 2013
Tagged in: Yo-Way, TCBY, Red Rabbit, Pinkberry, ice cream, Harlem, frozen yogurt, Fresh Fruits, eating in moderation
With summer just around the corner, and hot weather headed our way, many of us opt for frozen yogurt instead of ice cream for a “healthy” refreshing snack. “Fro-Yo” is sweeping the nation with big names like Pinkberry, Yo-Way, and TCBY, but is this fad really the healthiest choice? With delicious toppings and dozens of “make it your way” restaurants sweeping the nation, who can say “No” to this refreshing treat on a hot summer day?As it turns out, eating frozen yogurt over ice cream, doesn’t offer much in the way of benefits. In a cup-to-cup comparison, frozen yogurt and ice cream are more similar than different. In an attempt to “eat healthier” many of us opt for frozen yogurt but what we don’t know can hurt us, or at least our waistlines. For example, did you know that “original” frozen yogurt has 30-35 calories per ounce with about 20g of sugar—so, that 16-ounce cup weighs in at 380 calories and 76g of sugar… before adding any toppings.
At Red Rabbit, part of our mission is to empower you with information so you can make healthier choices. Below are our tips to help you and your family enjoy a tasty, frozen treat, without overloading on extra sugar and calories:
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Make this Memorial Day Special....
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on May 24, 2013
Tagged in: Red Rabbit, Memorial Day Parade, Memorial Day Crafts, Memorial Day Activities, Family Fun, Armed Forces
Memorial Day is a special holiday to many Americans because of its significance to our country’s ideas of freedom and service. Before celebrating this day with a trip to the beach or the park, we can ask our families these 3 questions to set the stage for a meaningful weekend:
1. - Do you know what Memorial Day is?
2. - Do you know why we celebrate Memorial Day?
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Help a Farmer, Save the Earth – Eat Local!
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on May 17, 2013
Tagged in: Red Rabbit, Local Produce, Local, GROW NYC, Farmer's Market, Farm Fresh, Dirty Dozen, CSA, Clean 15
If you have never been to a farmer’s market or thought about buying local produce, springtime is a great time to start! Many fruits and vegetables are at their peak, which means they are at their most delicious! In addition, buying local means that you get the produce closer to harvest time – making them more nutritious.Many people think that buying locally grown food is more expensive than buying at a grocery store, when in fact you can save money both directly and indirectly! Here’s how: by selling locally, the farmer avoids incurring the cost of distribution, as well as avoiding wholesale and broker mark-ups. In turn, they can pass those savings on to you.
Indirectly, you are positively impacting the carbon footprint of that distribution model. For example, trucking your lettuce from the West Coast to your New York-based food store has a far more negative impact on the environment than buying directly from a farmer in the tri-state area. This ultimately saves energy, fuel, labor and transportation costs.
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What is the Deal with Gluten Free?
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on May 10, 2013
Tagged in: Red Rabbit, NYC, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, New York, NCGS, gluten free, food allergy safety, food allergies, Children, Celiac Disease
Over the last several years, there has been an invasion in grocery store aisles across America. You may have heard it on the news, or read about it in your daily magazine or newspaper. You’ve probably noticed it on bookshelves, too, at your local bookstore: “gluten-free” is fast becoming as ubiquitous as the “fat-free” stamps of the 1990’s.The rise in popularity of a gluten-free diet has millions of people across the country jumping for joy – and not because it is a weight-loss-miracle cure by any means. For those with Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), the increased availability in gluten-free products translates to a sense of relief, freedom and normalcy.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered when gluten - a protein found in wheat, barley and rye - is consumed. The body reacts to gluten as an enemy combatant, and it results in damage to the villi of the small intestine (tiny hair-like projections that absorb nutrients from food). This damage can be chronic and life threatening, causing an increased risk of associated disorders – both nutritional and immune related.
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"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve."
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on May 03, 2013
Tagged in: SNAP, Red Rabbit, New York, Harlem, Community Supported Agriculture, Community Service, Community Food Projects, Clean UpIdeas of charity and helping our fellow neighbor tend to be more prevalent during the
holidays, but in order to make a real difference it has to be a year round effort! Many of us want to lend a hand in some way, but it can be an overwhelming task to decide how to become a change-agent in our neighborhoods.To assist in making the choice to act, below is a short list of opportunities during the month of May to help you decide how to take the first step and get involved!
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May is the Month to Jump-Start your Health Goals!
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on Apr 26, 2013
Tagged in: workplace exercise, vegetables, Red Rabbit, NYC, New York, Healthy Snacks, Healthy Meals, healthy food, global employee health & fitness month, Get Active, Exercise, Encouraging Healthy Choices, Breakfast
Did you know that May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month? The goal of this month-long initiative is to encourage people to be fit and embrace a healthy lifestyle in the workplace. Here at Red Rabbit, we believe that the earlier healthy habits are formed, the better; however, it is never too late to start working toward a healthier you!Nearly 25% of our time during any given week is spent at work, and for some of us it is even more. Our daily routines are repetitive; we might skip breakfast, and then sit at our desk for several hours before picking up something fast and unhealthy for lunch and returning to our chairs for the rest of the afternoon. All of this—combined with a few trips to the vending machine down the hall—contributes to a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle.
In honor of Global Employee Health and Fitness Month, and in hopes of creating lifelong healthy behaviors, here are some tips on how to incorporate healthier habits in and out of the workplace:
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It all Begins with a B(ee)
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on Apr 12, 2013
Tagged in: Save our Bees, Red Rabbit, pollinators, New York, Mother Earth, honey, Fresh Vegetables, Fresh Fruits, flowers, Farmers Markets, Farm Fresh Foods
Spring is the time of year for outdoor sports and recreation, picnicking...and bees! While many of us regard bees with a certain level of apprehension, not everyone always thinks about their contribution to what we put inside our picnic baskets!From watermelon to the milk that we drink, bees play a vital role in our nation’s food supply. One way they do this is in their role transporting pollen from the anthers of a flower to the stigma of another, which enables the growth of seeds. This is the process of pollination.
Bees are not the only “pollinators.” Butterflies also pick up pollen when they stop to take a drink from a flower, and they carry that pollen to their next flower. The wind can also move pollen from plant to plant- but most of what we eat comes from plants that need a little more help than from the wind and butterflies. That’s when bees come in.
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3 Ways to Beat the Heat and the High Sugar Drinks
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on Apr 05, 2013
Tagged in: Sugary Drinks, Red Rabbit, NYC, New York, Hydrated, High-fructose corn syrup, Fruit Smoothie, Fresh Fruits, Childhood Obesity, Bloomberg Ban
While the thermostat outside slowly rises, we all try to soak up the sun and get outside. As our outdoor activity increases, so does our thirst. Now is the perfect time to try out some great alternatives to the sugary drinks that crowd the supermarket shelves.
It can be difficult to decide what to buy when you’re grocery shopping. We have all seen the ads for sugary drinks that claim to quench your thirst, and you may be tempted to reach for the "on sale" jug of brightly colored liquid that appears to be made from fruit juice. Don’t be fooled. Many of these types of drinks are packed with empty calories, artificial flavors and high-fructose corn syrup.
A great alternative to sugary drinks is to make your own delicious and nutritious beverage. Try one of the ideas below to quench your family's thirst in a healthy way!
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A 12 oz can of Cola Can Contain 11 Teaspoons of Sugar....
Red Rabbit in MyBlog on Mar 29, 2013
Tagged in: Sugary Drinks, Red Rabbit, High-fructose corn syrup, Healthy, Harlem, food additives, Childhood Obesity, Bloomberg Ban, artificial dyes, artificial colors, ADHA in kids
The talk about sugary drinks is back in the news again, and with good reason. Many of us have heard the statistic in the news that a 12 oz can of cola can contain 9 to 11 teaspoons of sugar! Go ahead and see for yourself just how much that is. To help you get a better visual - the image to the left is from a middle school science project. It has been posted all over the web as a shining example of why we must Rethink What we Drink. At Red Rabbit we want you to understand at least on a basic level why high sugar content of any kind is not good for your body and what options are available to you. So we are re-posting one of our most popular blogs by our Program Development Director Shari Mermelstein, RD.