Tucson Unified School District
Teaching Kids the Importance of Nutrition Education
TM 2024 EDITION D I G I T A L M A G A Z I N E
E N R I C H M E N T Arizona
Tucson Unified School District is proud to be participating in Wellness Wednesdays serving healthy foods & promoting nutrition education.
Tucson Unified School District’s Wellness Policy
Teaching Kids the Importance of Nutrition
Hydration
Potassium
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
A very special thank you to these TUSD schools for supplying vegetables to our district for student tasting & culinary classes.
Lettuce
Lettuce is a type of leafy green vegetable.
Darker green lettuce leaves are MORE LEAST
4
MOST Lettuce prefers to grow in colder climates.
Main Types of Lettuce:
1. Butterhead
2. Crisphead
3. Looseleaf
4. Romaine
popular type of lettuce in the U.S.
Lettuce is a part of the sunflower family.
Arizona & California grow the most lettuce in the U.S.
Lettuce is 95%
Lettuce must always be eaten FRESH.
Hydration
Hydration is the process of replacing fluids
Being hydrated helps convert food into energy
Water is the body’s main source of hydration.
The body’s 6 essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals & WATER!
Hydration helps regulate body’s temperature
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.
Carrots
Carrots are a type of root vegetable underground
Carrots are 88% water.
WINTERS underground!
, which year life cycle. for the longest carrot is over 19 feet!
Vitamin A
more vivid colors during the day
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
How far can you read down this eye chart?
speed up the healing process of cuts & scraps.
How do you know carrots are good for the eyes?
You never see a rabbit wearing glasses!
Vitamin A supports the immune system to fight off infections.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a related to cabbage, kale, cauliflower & others.
2
1. Sprouting
2. Heading
Pronounced · fr· uhs
Arizona is 2nd largest broccoli producing state in the U.S.
The word broccoli means “the flowering top of a cabbage. ”
Broccoli grows during the fall &
Broccoli is a part of the brassica family.
All broccoli
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.
Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral in the body.
Potassium helps promote bone health.
FUN FACT:
The body is made up of approximately
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
Cabbage
Cabbage is closely related to other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale & cauliflower.
Cabbage is a type of cruciferous vegetable. in season all year!
Cabbage has been harvested for over 6,000 years making it one of the OLDEST vegetables in existence.
1. Early
2. Late
Early cabbage takes 45 days to mature. Late cabbage takes 87 days to mature.
The most popular varieties of cabbage: Green, Red & Savoy.
Cabbage grows best in a lot of sunlight.
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 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
Milk is one of natures most nutrient-rich
Milk is one of the worlds oldest foods
1. Ayrshire
2. Brown Swiss
3. Guernsey
4. Holstein
5. Jersey
1 serving of milk contains 13 essential nutrients.
of milk per 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.
ALL 50 states have dairy farms!
The U.S. produces ~227 BILLION pounds of milk each year.
Milk is the source of ALL dairy products!
Protein
Protein builds, maintains and replaces the tissues in the body.
Protein helps to transport & store nutrients throughout the body.
18-20% of the body is protein.
EVERY cell in the human body contains protein.
The body cannot store protein long term… which is why protein needs to be consumed daily.
Protein plays a big role in building and repairing muscles.
Protein is a MACRONURIENT. A macronutrient is a nutrient that the body needs in LARGE
Protein helps maintain fluid balance throughout the body.
“building blocks
