Eat For Your Teeth

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How to Read Labels

All of the information you've learned from this blog will be useless if you cannot put it to use. So today let's learn how to read labels and find out what's in your food. Here are some easy steps to follow: 1. Look at the serving size. The nutrition facts apply to the serving size, so if you ate more than 1 cup of this item you would be getting more than 280 calories and 850 mg of sodium. Sometimes we may pour ourselves a bowl of cereal or grab a handful of something and not realize we are getting way more than 1 serving. It's especially important to pay attention to the serving size, and maybe even measure your food, if you are sticking to a strict diet. 2. Look at the calories Calories are a measure of energy. They determine how much weight you loose or gain. Check out MyPlate to determine how many calories you need a day in order to maintain, loose, or gain weight. 3. Look at the nutrients The nutrients that you want to get le

Roasted Chickpeas

This is an amazing snack that is so good for you. Chickpeas are high in many nutrients, including fiber, protein, and phosphorus. All of these nutrients are essential for the health of your teeth. They also contain no sugar, which means snacking on them won't harm your teeth and cause cavities. Ingredients: 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin 3/4 tsp paprika 3/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper sea salt to taste Preheat oven to 425F. Empty chickpeas into a paper towel lined strainer. Let air dry for 10-15 minutes. Place chickpeas on parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt, stir to combine. Place in oven, cook for 20-25 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until chickpeas are golden brown. As chickpeas cook they will pop. As chickpeas are cooking, mix remaining spices. Remove chickpeas from oven, and mix hot chickpeas with spice

Salmon Tacos With Citrus Salsa

These tacos are delicious, and are packed with nutrients that your body and your teeth need. You get your Omega 3 and protein from the salmon, health fat from the avocado, and vitamin C from the oranges. Salmon Taco Ingredients: 1 1/2 pound boneless salmon filets 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil small corn or flour tortillas Citrus Salsa Ingredients: 2 medium oranges, peeled and diced 1 large avocado, diced 1 jalapeño, cored and finely diced half of a small red onion, finely diced 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juice (plus extra for serving) Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or grease with cooking spray. Whisk together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Lightly pat the salmon filets dry with paper towels. Place the filets in a single layer on the baking sheet, brush all

The Nutrients Your Teeth Need

Let's get a little more scientific today. Let's talk about what nutrients your teeth need, why they need them, and how you can get those. Vitamin A Vitamin A is important because it keeps your oral mucosa healthy, and assists in the formation of the cells that form your teeth. Foods that contain vitamin A: carrots red bell peppers spinach liver sweet potatoes Vitamin B Deficiencies in the different B vitamins can cause glossitis, a condition that means inflammation of the tongue. Foods that contain vitamin B: whole grains eggs legumes meat yogurt nuts and seeds Vitamin C Vitamin C is essential for wound healing, so it is important to keep your gums and the other tissues in your mouth healthy. Foods that contain vitamin C: citrus kale broccoli strawberries kiwi Vitamin D Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, and therefore needed to strengthen your teeth and bones. Sources of vitamin D:

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Here's another recipe to help you get your superfoods and do your teeth some good! Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and vitamin C, kale has lots of calcium and folic acid, and quinoa is high in protein and fiber. Salad Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1/3 cup dried quinoa 1 cup water or stock 1 cup finely chopped kale 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup fresh parsley 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 2-3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds Dressing Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey (can substitute maple syrup or agave) 1/8 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground cumin, ground cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon sea salt Preheat the oven to 400F. Drizzle chopped sweet potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the sweet potatoes loosely with a piece of foil and bake for 20 minutes, or u

Water: The Best Drink for Your Teeth

Water is the best thing you could possibly drink for your teeth. There are several reasons why water is so good for your teeth: 1. It washes out your mouth with no negative side-effects. Drinking water washes away any food debris and sugar left behind. Soda, juice, and sport drinks do the same, but they also leave behind sugar. They also contain high amounts of acid, which help the bacteria in destroying the teeth and causing cavities. If you cannot give up these sugary drinks, swishing with water will help remove the sugar that these drinks leave behind. 2. It can strengthen your teeth. A lot of water has fluoride, a mineral that strengthens your teeth and fights off the acid caused by bacteria. Whether or not the water has fluoride and how much it has depends on your local government. Check out this site to see whether or not your water has fluoride. 3. It can raise the pH in your mouth. Swishing with water after eating acidic foods, like sugar, carbs, and soda, can h