WIC is excited about March being here... because March is National Nutrition Month! The American Dietetic Association (AD) created the nutrition education and information campaign in 1973 as a week-long celebration with the purpose of: “Promoting the nutrition profession as well as serving as a vehicle for delivering nutrition education messages to the public.” In the 1980’s it became a month long celebration. The campaign has continued to focus on making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This year the theme is “Eat Right with Color”. The main goal is to emphasize the importance of eating a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. Currently, WIC participants who are older than 1 year, post-partum, pregnant, or breastfeeding receive a fruit and vegetable check. It is solely up to the participants as to what items they select. Our goal is that by encouraging and providing new recipes and helpful tips to our participants, they would try some new fruits and vegetables they wouldn’t usually purchase with their WIC checks. WIC also provides foods such as whole wheat breads, fortified breakfast cereals, tortillas, cheese, milk, dried beans, brown rice, peanut butter, eggs, etc. By providing a variety of foods, they are enriching their diet with tons of wonderful things like fiber, folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, potassium, and phytochemicals. Ø Dietary fiber from fruit, vegetables and whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as whole fruits and vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Additional WIC foods such as whole grain breads, tortillas, beans, and brown rice are also good sources of fiber. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber; fruit juices contain little or no fiber.
Ø Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development. WIC foods such as the whole wheat products, fortified breakfast cereal, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, asparagus and strawberries are good sources of Folate.
Ø Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections. WIC foods that are yellow-orange or green color such as sweet potatoes, peaches, apricots, broccoli and spinach. In addition; fortified milk, cheese and eggs are good sources of vitamin A.
Ø Vitamin E helps protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation. WIC foods such as peanut butter, dried beans, fortified breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, and asparagus, are good sources of vitamin E.
Ø Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption. Broccoli, oranges, bell peppers, tomatoes, cantaloupe and WIC juices are also good sources of vitamin C.
Ø Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Fruits and vegetable sources of potassium include bananas, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, sweet potatoes, white beans, soybeans, lima beans, winter squash, spinach, lentils, kidney beans, and split peas. Other WIC foods that provide potassium would be: milk, cheese, and whole grains.
Celebrate National Nutrition Month with us and Eat Right with COLOR!!!
