Southgate Community Schools’ Nutrition Services
Celebrating local food, farmers & nutrition education!
Carrots | Cherries | Beans | Peas
Lettuce | Cucumbers | Mangoes | Milk
Carrots
Carrots are a type of root vegetable underground
Carrots are 88% water.
WINTERS underground!
Carrots are biennials, which means they have a 2-year life cycle.
Potassium
Potassium supports balancing fluid in the body & proper function of the muscles and nerves.
Once potassium enters the body, it functions as an electrolyte.
Helps to keep the body hydrated!
Electrolytes help balance the amount of water in the body.
FUN FACT:
The body is made up of approximately
Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral in the body.
Potassium helps promote bone health.
Potassium helps to regulate muscle contractions.
98% of the body’s potassium is found in its cells.
Many runners eat foods high in potassium before a run to
Eat Good .
Feel Good .
Do Good .
March is National Nutrition Month
Let’s celebrate! National Nutrition Month is all about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating habits. a time to learn how to keep our bodies strong and healthy! Eating nutritious foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and proteins gives us energy to play, learn and grow.
Cherries
Cherries are a type of stone fruit - a fleshy fruit that contains a hard “pit” inside.
Honeybees
cherry trees main pollinators.
Bing cherries –the most popular variety of cherry.
Tart cherries are most often used for baking.
2 main types of cherries: tart & sweet.
Cherry trees can grow up to be 33 feet tall!
Cherries grow on trees that are known for their flowers – the cherry blossom.
Over 1,000 varieties.
An entire cherry tree can be harvested in just 7 seconds.
A typical cherry tree produces ~ 7,000 cherries.
A cherry tree can survive and produce fruit for around 100 years.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supports the immune systemthe body’s defense against infections.
ENERGY booster!
Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment.
The body cannot make vitamin C on its own - it has to come from food.
Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy! What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?
A
Vitamin C!
Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.
Beans
Beans are the seeds of flowering plants – typically grown in pods.
Michigan is the # 1 producer of black beans in the U.S.
The U.S. is home to around 1.3 MILLION acres of dry beans. Dry beans include pinto, navy, kidney & black beans. Dry beans are grown in 30+ states.
Beans have been cultivated by humans for 6,000 years.
All beans are a part of the legume family.
Try growing some beans in your garden!
There are over 40,000 types of beans.
Copper
Copper supports the creation of red blood cells
Red blood cells help oxygen contain minerals because their plants roots absorbed them.
Most copper in the body is found in the liver, brain, kidneys & skeletal muscles.
Copper helps the brain function properly.
Copper is known as an essential nutrient
Copper plays a role in helping the body turn food in energy!
Peas
Peas are a type of that produce pods containing seeds.
Main Types of Peas:
1. English Pea
2. Snow Pea
3. Sugar Snap Pea 3
When a pea pod is ripe, the pod will split in half.
The U.S. is home to about 893,000 acres of peas.
Pea pods grow to be long.
Pea are a great snack!
The average pea weighs 0.1 - 0.3 grams!
Peas are cool-weather crops that cannot tolerate the heat.
There are 5 - 10 peas in each pod.
A fully mature pea is actually yellow.
Harvesting usually takes place 60 – 70 days after planting.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant & supports the immune system.
Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment. These harmful substances are called free radicals.
Vitamin E was discovered in 1922.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Fat soluble vitamins are best absorbed body when eaten with foods with healthy fats
Vitamin E supports proper blood function – circulation, clotting & production.
Vitamin E also helps to maintain healthy skin.
Vitamin E is a group
Examples of healthy fats include olive oil, avocados strengthens the immune system.
MOST
Darker green lettuce leaves are MORE LEAST
Lettuce prefers to grow in colder climates.
Lettuce is a type of leafy green vegetable. California & Arizona grow the most lettuce in the U.S.
popular type of lettuce in the U.S.
Lettuce is a part of the sunflower family.
Lettuce is the second most popular vegetable in the U.S.
Lettuce is 95% of lettuce’s water %, it must always be eaten FRESH.
Hydration
Hydration is the process of replacing fluids Water is the body’s main source of hydration.
Being hydrated helps convert food into energy
Hydration helps regulate body’s temperature
The body’s 6 essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals & WATER !
Water helps carry nutrients & oxygen to all the cells in the body.
Proper hydration can help to improve moods.
The body is better at fighting off when properly hydrated.
Sleep quality can improve when the body is hydrated.
Many fruits & vegetables have a high water content, making them hydrating to eat.
Word Scramble
SRYBDTAHEROCA
EMIUNM HTAHEL
ZNCI CIMUALC ORNI
AOIDXTAITNN
TVIINM C
BEIRF ENPRTOI
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are technically fruits since they & contain seeds.
There are cucumbers.
1 vine can produce 25 - 125 cucumbers. of cucumbers seeds.
World Cucumber Day is June 14th!
Cucumbers grow on
B Vitamins
B Vitamins help support the body’s energy levels, brain function & cell metabolism In-Vitamin!
essential B vitamins:
Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B9 & Vitamin B12.
Water is needed to help the body absorb B vitamins.
B5, B12, C and E knock on your door…what do you do? blood cells.
B vitamins helps the body make energy from food.
cannot store most B vitamins, so they need to be regularly consumed.
B vitamins plays a role in serotonin production.
Serotonin makes us feel happy
Mangoes
Mangoes are a type of stone fruit - a fleshy fruit that contains a hard “pit” inside.
Mangoes were 1st grown in India
In India, mangoes are a symbol of LOVE .
Mangoes take around 4 months to grow from a flower to fruit.
20 MILLION TONS of mangoes are grown & consumed around the world each year.
All mangoes are harvested by hand.
Wild and uncultivated mango trees can be up to 100 feet tall!
Mango trees are evergreen.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A supports good vision, growth & immunity
more vivid colors during the day
How far can you read down this eye chart?
Vitamin A has antioxidant properties.
Vitamin A can help speed up the healing process of cuts & scrapes.
Vitamin A supports immune system to fight off infections.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin – which means it absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like avocados!
Milk is a type of dairy product –most commonly made from cows. essential nutrients
Milk is made up of 85-95% water with the rest being fats, proteins, carbohydrates & vitamins
Breeds of Dairy Cows: 6
1. Ayrshire
2. Brown Swiss
3. Guernsey
4. Holstein
5. Jersey
6. Milking Shorthorn
Holstein cows all have a unique pattern of spots!
1 cow produces around 6 gallons of milk per day. Cows can SEE almost 360 degrees and SMELL up to 6 miles away!
dairy farms!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports the development & maintenance of bones, teeth & muscles.
Vitamin D is the ONLY vitamin that the body can make on its own.
Vitamin D helps prevent cavities.
Vitamin D is known as “The Sunshine Vitamin. ”
Only a few foods naturally contain vitamin D.
Most people get the majority of their vitamin D when their skin is exposed to the sun.
Vitamin D supports the immune system. Don’t
Vitamin D can help boost happy moods!
Vitamin D helps the body phosphate from food.
Calcium and phosphate are essential for strong bones.
