EQ of The Week

I was excited to get back to work and see some of the creative ideas that our scholars had about this weeks EQ's.  We gave out a few Purple Paw Awards this week.  The first went out to a scholar in Mrs. Cross class and to two scholars in Mrs. Riggs class for their research on organic foods. The other Purple Paw Award goes to a pair of scholars in Mrs. Darby's class and a pair of scholars in Mrs. Erickson's class for their interview and video about organic foods.


Essential Questions of the week January, 13 2014

1. What is the most nutritious fruit & vegetable? 

Base on the ANDI scale Kale is the most nutritious rich food.  Posted in the photo above you can see the ANDI score for various foods.  Now remember balance is the key.  Eat the rainbow and you must eat a variety of foods for a healthy diet and not just the ones with the highest ANDI score.

ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.

2. How many fruits & vegetables should you eat each day?

This answer is a little different for everyone.  How many fruits & vegetables you need to eat each day depends on how big you are, how old, if your a boy or girl, and how much exercise you get.  

Most kids should eat between 1½ cups and 2½ cups of vegetables a day and 1 and 1½ cups of fruit a day. A serving is about 1/2 cup, so most kids should eat between 5-7 servings of fruit & vegetables a day. Take a look at this link if you want more detailed information Fruits & Vegetables  

In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group. The chart lists specific amounts that count as 1 cup of vegetables (in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are also shown) towards your recommended intake.

Chart of specific vegetables

In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group. The following specific amounts count as 1 cup of fruit (in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are also shown) towards your daily recommended intake:

Chart of specific fruits

Source: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/