Class #3, Tuesday Dec 5, 2023, Plate by ZUMBA with ZIN Monica Velez via ZOOM and/or video recordings

 Howdy howdy family and friends, 

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog page for the Plate by ZUMBA with ZIN Monica Velez online class via ZOOM (and/or video recordings/ podcast).  I am glad you stopped by!

Today I am hoping to cover a lot of material!  I will briefly review my background in case there are any newcomers here.  Then, if you get a chance to look at the class syllabus (the post before this latest one here), I'd like to (try) and cover the following topics in today's class session:

  • What are essential plants?
  • What are essential calories?
  • How do we read food labels?
  • What motivates you?  Do you reward yourself?
  • Are food and disease related?  If so, how?
Let's begin.  Anything we don't get through today we can cover at another time.

Essential Plants.  
What are essential plants?
In the Plate by ZUMBA program, most of our food that we eat will come from plants.  There are 4 categories of foods that are considered essential plants.  These 4 categories of essential plants are fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans or legumes in the Plate by ZUMBA program.  The optimal (or best) fruits to eat are those that are low glycemic; most berries would fit into this category.  The best vegetables to eat are all the green ones!  The best grains to choose are the gluten free ones (GF).

Why are essential plants important?
Essential plants are important because the contain nutrients your body needs.  Your body needs nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals.  Essential plants also help lower cholesterol, reduce weight, and they help stabilize blood sugar levels.  What's not to love about essential plants, right?!

Let's talk about FRUITS.
Why are fruits important?
Fruits are important because the contain vitamins and minerals.  Fruits promote optimal health.  Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C to help fight colds.  Fruits contain collagen, which is found in bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.  Fruit contains fiber, which is needed to maintain health of our digestive tract, lowers the risk of cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and helps to control appetite.  Phyto chemicals are disease fighting compounds that are also found in many fruit.

A whole fruit is better choice for you than a fruit juice because of the fiber a whole fruit contains; whereas the fruit juice itself will not have the fiber that our body needs.

What are some ways to enjoy fruit?
Fruit is the original fast food!  Have a fruit basket on the kitchen table to be able to grab and go quickly.  Fruit can be a great snack or dessert.  Fruit can be a topping for almost anything.  I personally enjoy fruit with yogurt, fruit with cottage cheese, and fruit with peanut butter, just to name a few.  Fruit can also be easily added to any salad; apples cut in chunks, strawberries, and blueberries are nice salad toppings.  Fruit is great to eat because it already ready to be eaten.

Why are vegetables important?
Vegetables are important because they are rich in vitamins and minerals.  Vitamins contain phytochemicals and fiber.  Dark leafy greens, such as collards, kale, and bok choy.  

Vegetables are a good source of non-heme iron; they promote adequate iron levels without giving you more iron than what you need.  Many vegetables contain calcium with twice as much absorbable calcium than cow's milk, and promotes bone health.  

Vegetables contain protein.  1/3 of broccoli's calories are protein.

Some vegetables contain BETA CAROTENE.  Beta carotene is found in the yellow and orange vegetables.  They are a cancer fighting agent.

Other vegetables contain LYCOPENE.  Lycopene can be found in red vegetables and cuts prostrate cancer risk in men.

Vegetables are a meal time essential.  Try including 2 vegetables per meal.  Add a salad to one of your meals each day.  Roast or bake the vegetables and sprinkle with seasoning.  Some of my favorite seasonings are paprika, and Italian herbs.  These seasonings give added flavor to vegetables; anyone can learn to like vegetables if they're seasoned right.  

What is a bean?  What is a legume?
By definition, a legume grows in a pod.

Why are beans and legumes important?
These beans and legumes provide soluble fiber.  They are a high protein food.  Beans can be a powerhouse of calcium and iron.  (I just made beet soup tonight and beets are loaded with iron.)  Other nutrients beans and legumes contain are zinc, the B-vitamins, and omega 3s.  How do you use beans, or how would you like to try to enjoy them?

Grains.
To be continued.  Check back soon!!

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