Energy drinks and sports drinks

Energy drinks and sports drinks are two popular beverages that are sometimes confused. They can be distinguished by a few things:

• caffeine content (energy drinks have caffeine while sports drinks typically do not)
• carbohydrate content (both have carbohydrates, but energy drinks usually have more)
• other ingredients (sports drinks may have electrolytes, protein, or vitamins added, whereas energy drinks have ingredients such as taurine, guarana, and others)

Energy drinks are those brands like Red Bull and Monster, whereas sports drinks are those things like Gatorade and Powerade.

Because of the high caffeine content of energy drinks, they are dangerous for adults to consume and not recommended at all for children. Energy drinks can be like a regular soda, but with a lot more caffeine and some other extra ingredients. Some of those extra ingredients add caffeine too. The labels on energy drinks do not always specify the amount of caffeine in those products, so they can be dangerously high. 

Most energy drinks are also high in sugar. Adults and children already consume more than enough sugar and this added amount is not needed. 

Soda is a "food" and must not have more than 71 mg of caffeine per 12 oz serving. Energy drinks are different and are "dietary supplements" and do not have to list the amount of caffeine. Coffee is labeled different too because the caffeine is natural and also does not have to be listed on the label .

A regular mountain dew has about 35 mg of caffeine. The amount of caffeine in coffee varies greatly, anywhere from 30-300 mg. Energy drinks range from 80-300 mg, with some brands even unknown. 

It might not seem that energy drinks are too bad when compared to the caffeine in coffee, but there are differences. For one, energy drinks not only have caffeine but other substances that are herbal sources of caffeine too, and lots of sugar. The safety of those other ingredients is not quite known. Energy drinks are sometimes marketed for kids and they can be very dangerous for children. Energy drinks are usually consumed faster than coffee too. Research has also shown the benefits of moderate coffee consumption, whereas research has presented some adverse effects of energy drinks.

Moderate caffeine consumption is not harmful, but the amount of caffeine in energy drinks is not a moderate amount. 

Sports drinks are only necessary for those exercising for over an hour, exercising or working in very hot conditions, or someone who is sick. They have too much sugar for casual exercisers. For activities lasting under an hour, plain water is best. For longer exercisers, those who are exercising or working outside, or someone who is sick, sports drinks can help replace lost electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Children typically do not need sports drinks except for those reasons listed above, otherwise plain water is fine. 

References from:
Energy Drinks, Stan Reents, rev. 2012
Sports Drinks and Recovery Drinks, Stan Reents, rev. 2012

For the two detailed articles on sports drinks and energy drinks, use the links below:

Energy drinks

Sports drinks

November Cook It Quick newsletter and Thanksgiving food preparation tips

Wondering what to do with those turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving on Thursday? Need some help with food preparation for Thanksgiving?

The November Cook It Quick newsletter from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension has Thanksgiving food preparation tips, a few recipes for turkey leftovers, as well as:

• Cranberry oatmeal cookie mix
• Cheesy broccoli baked potatoes
• Slow cooker pot roast soup
• French bread pizza
• And more!

The Thanksgiving food preparation tips 2012 from University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a comprehensive page of resources to help prepare your meal. It includes:

• Planning ahead
• Where to call for help
• How to prepare a turkey
• Food safety
• Carving a turkey
• How to make turkey gravy
• Stuffing
• Pumpkin pie
• Kids corner
• More turkey leftover recipes
• And more!

Enjoy the holiday and time with friends and family!

World Kindness Day

A lot of the blog topics relate to taking care of our physical health by eating well and being physically active. While those are very important, it is also important to take care of other areas of health. Social, mental, and emotional health are also facets of our health and wellness that are vital to our well-being.

Tuesday, November 13, was World Kindness Day. Sometimes it is overwhelming in the world of technology and social media to focus on the bad things that are happening. World Kindness Day can serve as a reminder to focus on the good and do something to help someone else.

Think about how you have helped someone recently. It does not have to be something that involves money or tangible things. Think about:

Did you smile at a stranger when you passed them at the grocery store? Maybe they were having a rough day and your smile was the bright spot that day.

Did you listen to a co-worker talk about some struggle they are having right now? If all they needed was someone to talk to, you provided that opportunity.

Did you thank a friend or family member or compliment them for something they did recently? It may have only taken you 10 seconds to say this, but they felt good about it for 10 hours.

It is the season of giving and there are many worthwhile causes to donate your money or time to. There are many opportunities for volunteering or charitable donations right now. We all know that helping others makes us feel better in the process.

Challenge yourself to do one kind thing today. Then, do something different tomorrow. Remember, it can be as simple as a smile, hug, or pat on the back.

The Examiner online had an article about World Kindness Day. They reminded everyone to remember to acronym CAG - Compliment, Appreciate, Give. Make a note of this next to your computer to help remind you to do this everyday, to help yourself and others.

November 15 - Clean out your refrigerator day

November 15 is "clean out your refrigerator day."

Now is a great time of your to clean out your refrigerator to make room for leftovers and extras from holiday meals. Here are some tips to help you do that.

• Check the use by and sell by dates. Things that are past the use by date can be thrown away. If there is a sell by date, that just means you should purchase it before that date and it is still good quality and safe to eat, so refer to a food storage chart.
• Use a food storage chart. MU Extension has one available online at http://extension.missouri.edu/p/N358.
• After purchase, eggs will last about 3-5 weeks; most meats (hamburger, etc) are 1-2 days; lunch meat, bacon, and hot dogs are 2 weeks unopened and 1 week once opened.
• Leftovers are good for a few days. Make sure you heat to steaming (165 degrees F) before serving.
• If you can’t remember when you purchased something, it should probably be thrown away.
• Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or lower and freezer at 0 degrees F or lower.
• Clean any spills with hot, soapy water.
• Trays, crispers, and shelves can then be rinsed with a sanitizing solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water).
• Doors and gaskets can be washed with hot soapy water and baking soda then rinsed with sanitizing solution.
• Make sure to leave the door open or let the surfaces dry completely. Bacteria love moisture.
• For tough odors, wipe with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. The acid also helps with mildew.
• Other options for odors include: fresh coffee grounds or baking soda in a large open container, rolled newspapers, or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla.
• To make things easier the next time, consider dating items. A piece of masking tape on a package or container can be quick and easy.
• After cleaning out the fridge, it would also be a good idea to clean out the icemaker in your freezer. This can be full of bacteria from people reaching in with their hands. Empty, clean out with the sanitizing solution, dry, and put back into place.
• Don’t forget to clean the outside and the top of the refrigerator as well. It is probably well overdue.
• Stay on top of cleaning out your refrigerator and it won’t seem like such a huge job all at once.

This article was also posted online in the Greenfield Vedette.

Cook it Quick newsletter - Sept/Oct 2012

The September/October 2012 Cook it Quick newsletter is now available from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In the newsletter, you will recipes and helpful tips on:

• BBQ chicken and cheddar foil packet dinner
• Walnut trail mix (remember walnuts as one of the foods you should be eating?)
• The perfect hard cooked egg
• Egg and cheddar quesadillas
• How to avoid lumpy white sauces
• And more!

Are you looking for some new recipes to try this fall? University of Nebraska-Lincoln also has a website called Recipe Central.

Here are some of the sample recipes:

• Tomato basil brushetta
• Pumpkin ice cream pie
• Deviled eggs
• Spinach lasagna
• And more! 

 Take the time to check out these resources, they are worth it!