Nutrition is constantly changing. Below you’ll read about both changes and some new research information.
Simplified food safety temperatures for meat. Food poisoning is a major concern, so it’s important to cook meat to the correct temperature.
If you undercook meat, salmonella may still be lurking and you will become ill.
With pork there is no need to worry about trichinosis anymore. This parasitic roundworm has not been a problem in commercially produce pork for years.
The USDA has now simplified the government’s recommendations for safe cooking temperatures.
Previously pork was to be cooked to 160 degrees, and it is OK to see a little pink in the pork.
Safe cooking temperatures for meat are as follows.
The important part is to use an instant-read meat thermometer to make sure. (This could be a gift idea!)
145 degrees……………all whole cuts of red meat, beef and pork
160 degrees……………ground red meat
165 degrees……………all poultry
Coffee not linked to high blood pressure. How much coffee do you drink? Is it harmful?
New information has shown that the morning cup of coffee, or even 3-5 cups a day does not increase your risk for developing hypertension (high blood pressure). The study followed people for 33 years.
For coffee lovers with high blood pressure another study states that 1-2 cups of coffee a day are OK if you are managing your high blood pressure well.
However, do remember that coffee does spike the blood pressure in the short term, so if you want a good blood pressure reading at the doctor’s office, don’t drink any coffee at least 3 hours before you go to the clinic.
Sedentary jobs contribute to obesity. Dietitians and doctors all over the U.S. have been studying why our population is becoming more overweight, with many people being obese.
A new review of energy expenditure in U.S. private employment showed that men now burn an average of 140 fewer calories per day on the job than is 1960; and women are burning an average of 124 fewer calories a day.
Meanwhile the U.S. population is eating on the average 150-300 more calories a day.
And liquid calories are responsible for a shocking 21 percent of our daily calorie intake which has resulted in the fact that sugar-sweetened beverages account for at least 20 perccent of the weight gained in the last 30 years.
Less on-the-job-exercise and eating more food has led to more chronic disease which increases our personal and nation-wide health care costs.
Sharon Buhr is a licensed registered dietitian at Sanford Health Valley City and the director of the Young People’s Healthy Heart Program at Mercy Hospital in Valley City.
Your Health is coordinated by Mercy Hospital.