FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas-grown tomatoes are selling five to eight dollars above this usual price for a 20-pound box this time of year because of an outbreak of Salmonella in 17 states, according to John Gavin, Bradley County extension chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Arkansas is among 24 states on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of approved tomato-shipping states. Stores nationwide have been…[more]

Can you feel that grease dripping from the corner of your mouth onto your hands as you take a bite? You try to slurp in that gooey oil before it trickles down to your hands but instead you are forced to lick your fingers. How about those greasy fries layered in fat waiting to clog up your arteries. The juicy hamburger oozing with creamy mayonnaise intertwined with the thick sweet…[more]

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - Nuts are high in calories and fat, but those calories are loaded with nutrition. “Nuts in moderate amounts daily can make a huge difference in your health,” said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health specialist.

Studies have consistently linked nuts to a significantly reduced risk of heart disease, mostly because they lower total cholesterol and LDL ("bad" cholesterol), said Susan Mills-Gray. Some…[more]

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - Asparagus is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. “If you haven’t tried asparagus in a while, you may want to reconsider because asparagus is loaded with healthy nutrients,” said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.

Asparagus is a good source of folate (folic acid), a powerful nutrient that helps prevent birth defects and heart disease, said…[more]

We’ve all seen the term “super food” used to describe those nutrition-loaded edibles that promote health and discourage disease. Powerhouse foods high in antioxidants and phytochemicals that block the development of cancer cells have been touted as nature’s way to fight off the potentially devastating disease.

When it comes to familiar super foods, strawberries rank among the best. These tasty red berries are known to be a significant…[more]

Nothing perks up a meal like the taste of sun dried tomatoes. What many people do not realize is just how easy it is to make your own sun dried tomatoes in the comfort of your own kitchen. With summer time and tomato season just around the corner, now is the time to plan for making enough sun dried tomatoes to last the entire year.

Go to your…[more]

Americans want to be healthy and they are looking for foods that can help achieve that goal.

“More and more, we are purchasing foods which we understand are not only nutritious but also provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains. We call them functional foods,” said Tammy Roberts, nutrition and health education specialist, University of Missouri Extension.

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TEXARKANA, Ark. - Buying organic is becoming more and more popular as some worry about the health and safety of the foods they eat. But what does it mean for a food to be organic?

According to the National Organic Program of the USDA, organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Organic food is produced…[more]

Long before consumers had the option of buying foods and products at local supermarkets, farmers’ markets of all sizes and locales were providing healthy, locally grown food to consumers. Missouri is now home to more than 140 farmers’ markets located in communities across the state providing a rich variety of homegrown fruits and vegetables as well as locally produced goods such as dairy, eggs and meats. Markets across Missouri offer…[more]

Shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables at a local farmers market or growing your own in a backyard garden is a great way to add flavor to your meals and improve your health, according to a nutrition expert with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants – that can help prevent a number…[more]