Green Child Magazine Back-to-School 2012 | Page 52

Nutritional Nuggets
|by Louise Goldberg

I’ve been hearing about the health benefits of coconut oil. Should we start
using it instead of vegetable oils?
Some believe that coconut oil can help in a
variety of health issues from weight loss to
Alzheimer’s to hypothyroidism; however at
this time, there are no well executed studies
to prove this. Coconut oil is predominately
saturated fat and contains approximately 115
calories per tablespoon, like other oils. If you
choose to incorporate it into your diet, do so in
moderation, as you would with any other fat.

How do I find a healthy cereal that my
kids will like?
First, ignore the claims on the front of the
package and head straight for the nutrition
facts label. Then look for no more than 10
grams of sugar and at least 3 grams of fiber per
serving. When you check out the ingredient
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list, avoid products that contain refined flours
and artificial colors. If your kids can read, tell
them what you are looking for and ask them to
help you find a cereal that meets the criteria.

How can I make organic food fit into
our family’s budget?
What you want to feed your family and what
you can afford may not always line up so you
want to consider where your dollar is most
effective. Start with the Environmental Working Group’s list of fruits and vegetables that
contain the highest level of pesticides when
grown conventionally. If your family eats a lot
of one or more of the foods listed there, choose
organic. Another area where your dollar is
best spent would be animal products, such as
meat and dairy. In order for these foods to be
organic, no growth hormones are used and
the animals are fed from pastures that contain
no pesticides. Consider heading to your lo-