St. Lucie Public Schools is proud to be participating in Wellness Wednesdays serving healthy foods & promoting nutrition education.
Bell peppers are technically fruits - they are grown from a flower & contain seeds.
Bell peppers can be 2 to 6 inches long.
Bell peppers are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes.
Capsaicin is the chemical that makes other peppers
The bell pepper is the ONLY member of the pepper family that does not produce
Red bell peppers are also known as sweet peppers.
long they ripen.
Bell peppers get sweeter the longer they ripen.
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 60% water.
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 it its cells.
Many runners eat foods high in potassium before a run to prevent muscle cramps
Kiwifruit is a type of true berry – a type of berry that grows from one singular flower
98% of all kiwifruit grown in the U.S. comes from California.
1 MILLION TONS of kiwifruit
a very long growing season of 240 days.
ALL is harvested by hand.
400+ varieties.
Kiwifruits grow
Kiwifruit vines can produce fruit for up to 30 years.
Bees are the main pollinators for kiwifruit.
Vitamin K supports proper blood function, bone growth & kidney health.
2 main forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2.
soluble which means…
The body has the ability to create vitamin K on its own.
Vitamin K helps the body heal from wounds.
It absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like olive oil
Vitamin K helps produce proteins that bind themselves to calcium - this helps build strong bones.
Vitamin K supports heart health.
Vitamin K is found throughout the body in the liver, brain, heart, pancreas & bones.
Vitamin K plays a role in proper blood function- specifically with clotting.
Celery is a crunchy, green vegetable that grows in stalks.
The darker the celery stalks are, the more nutrients they contain.
1 bunch of celery consists of 10 - 12 individual stalks.
Celery prefers to grown 6 hours of full sun and afternoon shade.
Celery is biennial plant.
Celery
95%
Celery is a longseason crop that takes up to 140 days to be ready to harvest after planting.
Celery stalks grow to be 12 - 18 inches tall
Fiber supports movement through the digestive system
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate body doesn’t digest, it simply passes through.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water…it helps regulate blood sugar levels and removes cholesterol form the blood stream.
2 types of fiber:
Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage. ”
1. Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.
Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.
found in plant foods.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water…it helps food move throughout the digestive system.
BOTH forms of fiber are important & beneficial to overall health.
Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit.
Strawberries are a part of the rose family.
1 acre of land can produce 50,000 pounds of strawberries.
Strawberries are the FIRST fruit to ripen in the spring.
Peak strawberry harvesting season is Feb - Mar.
1. June-bearing
2. Ever-bearing
3. Day-neutral
Main Types of Strawberries: 3 strawberry has 200 seeds.
Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.
Vitamin C supports the immune systemthe body’s defense against infections.
ENERGY booster!
Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”
Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy!
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.
What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?
A Vitamin C!
Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.
Milk is a type of dairy product –most commonly made from cows.
1 serving milk contains
13 essential nutrients
1. Ayrshire
2. Brown Swiss
3. Guernsey
4. Holstein
5. Jersey
1 cow produces around 6 gallons of milk/day.
Milking Shorthorn
Holstein cows all have a unique pattern of spots!
The reason milk is white is because it contains “casein”
- a type of protein.
The U.S. produces ~227 BILLION pounds of milk each year.
Milk is the source of ALL dairy products!
Calcium supports healthy bones & teeth as well as proper blood & muscle function
Calcium is the 5th most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust.
Calcium helps keep muscles
99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the bones.
Calcium also supports 1% is found in the blood, muscles & other tissues.
Calcium helps form bones and teeth and keep them healthy.
Calcium helps to heal cuts & wounds.
Calcium is the MOST abundant mineral in the human body.
