Tasteful Tip Tuesday: October 2020

Get Ahead of the Flu

Flu season typically runs from October to May. However, most flu cases occur between December and February. That’s why the CDC is strongly recommending that you get vaccinated as early as possible.

Each year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) works with the WHO to create a vaccination that contains three or four different strains of the flu. Most of the shots available provide protection against four different flu strains. The CDC recommends that everyone older than 6 months should get the flu vaccine.

You can get vaccinated against the flu at your doctor’s office, in a clinic or pharmacy, and maybe even your employer. Some urgent care clinics or local health departments will provide flu vaccines as well. Visit the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to locate where you can get a flu vaccine.

The Truth About Sugar Substitutes

With obesity rates skyrocketing and excess sugar in diets blamed as a major culprit, many people have turned to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their sweet tooth instead. Remember, just because a product contains a sugar substitute does not necessarily mean it is calorie-free or even healthy.

A sugar substitute is a low-calorie sweetener or artificial sweetener. Sugar substitutes provide a sweet taste without the calories or carbohydrates that accompany sugar and other sweeteners. They are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so it takes much less of them to create the same sweetness. Therefore, the resulting calorie count is insignificant. This is why many dieters choose artificial sweeteners over sugar.

There has been much controversy surrounding the safety of sugar substitutes. Some contend that sugar substitutes may cause cancer or brain tumors. However, the FDA dismisses these claims, insisting that there have been extensive studies done to alleviate any concern. There are even some organizations endorsing sugar substitutes, such as the American Diabetes Association, which refers to foods with artificial sweeteners as “free foods” because they make foods taste sweet, yet have essentially no calories and do not raise blood sugar levels.

	Broccoli Potato Soup			Corn and Pepper Cups