Nutr1Digest

Goodness gracious… kayong two ang may birthday this May?! 🤩🔥

Warmest birthday wishes to our dear classmates born this month.
May your year be filled with good health, continued success, and moments worth celebrating—kahit gaano kainit ang panahon, stay shining pa rin ☀️😌

Here’s to more achievements, meaningful memories, and a smoother journey ahead sa acads 📚🙏

Happy Birthday to our May celebrants! Dahil jan kayo ang may hawak ng beat! 🎶🎉

✒: A. Perez
🎨: F. Mangubat

As someone who loves to snack, I know how easy it is to reach for chips, biscuits, and soft drinks—but sometimes, it’s worth rethinking our snack game. So I’m sharing one of my favorite snacks: 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥 🥕✨

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:Carrots, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, sesame seeds

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼: Peel carrots into ribbons and place in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together grated garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, and lemon juice. Pour over the carrots, toss to coat, then top with sesame seeds. Chill and enjoy!

But wait… can carrots actually turn you 𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆? 😱⚠️
Eating too many carotene–rich foods can, in fact, turn your skin an orangey color. This condition is called carotenemia, the medical terminology describing yellow-orange skin pigmentation due to high carotene levels in the blood. Take note that this only happens with 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲—eating a few carrots or other carotene–rich foods won’t immediately make you orange. You would need to consume 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 30 𝙢𝙜 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙮 of carotene for a prolonged period to notice any skin discoloration.

So enjoying a carrot salad like this won’t turn you orange 😉

And if it ever does.... dont worry! It is a benign condition. 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯🧡

Reference:

Edigin, E., Asemota, I. R., Olisa, E., & Nwaichi, C. (2019). Carotenemia: a case report. Cureus, 11(7), e5218. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5218

Nasser, Y. A., Jamal, Z., & Albugeaey, M. (2023). Carotenemia. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534878/

✒: K. Salvador
🎨: K. Salvador

𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲! 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 🌅

Today is the day that changed everything, where the mourning of Good Friday has given way to uncontainable joy, and the silence of Black Saturday now explodes into praise.

As we rejoice on 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, let the journey we went through this week remind us all that this is not just a moment in time, but the beginning of a new and everlasting life, which we live here and now and hope to live for all eternity. 🌸

𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

On this solemn Black Saturday, we stand in silence and reflection.
It is a day of waiting—a space between sorrow and hope. In this stillness, we are reminded that not all journeys are filled with clarity. Some require patience, faith, and trust in what is yet to come.

May this day teach us the value of quiet strength, of holding on even in uncertainty, and of trusting that after the darkness, light will come. 🕯️

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

As we take a moment to slow down this 𝑴𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒚, we are reminded of the power of humility, service, and unconditional love. In the midst of our busy lives, Holy Week calls us to step back, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters—our faith, our relationships, and our purpose.

This day reflects the quiet strength found in selfless acts—choosing to serve others, to forgive, and to love even without expecting anything in return. May we carry this spirit in our daily lives, extending compassion and kindness to those around us.

As we reflect, may we also remember to care for ourselves—nourishing our bodies with proper food and mindful choices, recognizing that taking care of our health is also a way of honoring the life we have been given.

“𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙, 𝙜𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢, 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜, ‘𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪; 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚.’” — 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 22:19

Let us take this moment to pause, reflect, and follow the example of love in action—not just today, but throughout this Holy Week and beyond. 🤍

| Rice, Rice, Baby: The Cold Rice Secret 🍚🤫

Ever heard the advice “Eat your rice cold” ? It might sound counterintuitive, but that 'leftover rice' could actually be healthier than a fresh, steaming bowl. Studies suggests that the temperature of your rice can greatly change how your body processes it.

The secret lies in a process called 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. When white rice is cooked and then cooled, its chemical structure transforms, increasing the amount of 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 (𝐑𝐒).

Unlike regular starch, resistant starch isn't fully broken down in your small intestine. Instead, it ‘resists’ digestion and travels to the large intestine, where it acts more like fiber. Because it is harder to digest, it doesn't cause the sharp sugar spike usually associated with white rice.

Studies by Sonia et al. (2015) and Hodges et al. (2020) found that cooling cooked white rice or even pasta for 𝟐𝟒 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟒°𝐂 (and then reheating it) increased the resistant starch content.

The Glycemic Response: People who ate this cooled rice experienced a much lower rise in blood sugar compared to those eating freshly cooked rice.

The Transformation: By simply chilling your rice overnight, you turn a high-glycemic "simple carb" into a "slower-burning" fuel source.

Since rice is a dietary foundation in the Philippines, understanding these preparation methods is a vital part of nutrition education and managing metabolic health. Many people struggle with blood sugar management while eating traditional meals, but these studies show that the goal isn't necessarily to cut out rice entirely—it's to 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫.

By using ‘yesterday's rice,’ you get to enjoy your favorite meals! Sometimes the healthiest way to eat your favorite food isn't to change the ingredient, but to 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!

References:

Sonia, S., Witjaksono, F., & Ridwan, R. (2015). Effect of cooling of cooked white rice on resistant starch content and glycemic response. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 24(4), 620–625. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.2015.24.4.13

Hodges, C., Archer, F., Chowdhury, M., Evans, B. L., Gilder, D. J., Mortimore, M., & Gee, F. M. (2020). Method of food preparation influences blood glucose response to a high-carbohydrate meal: A randomised cross-over trial. Foods, 9(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9010023

✒: A. Barbachano
🎨: A. Barbachano

#𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 | 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗥𝗨𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗩𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛𝗬? 🧊🍓

Many people think frozen fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than fresh ones. In reality, frozen produce can be just as nutritious and sometimes even better depending on how the fresh produce was handled. Fruits and vegetables start to lose some nutrients soon after they are harvested, especially when they spend several days in transportation, storage, and grocery displays before being eaten. 🛒

Frozen produce, on the other hand, is typically harvested at peak ripeness when nutrients are at their highest. It is then quickly washed and flash frozen, a process that helps lock in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Because of this, studies have found that frozen fruits can contain nutrient levels similar to or even higher than fresh fruits that have been stored for several days.

𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀. 🍓🫐 Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are delicate fruits that spoil quickly and are often picked slightly early so they can survive transport. Frozen berries are usually harvested when fully ripe and frozen soon after picking, which helps preserve antioxidants, vitamin C, and flavor.

Other produce that are often great to buy frozen include 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙞𝙭𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨, especially when they are out of season. Frozen versions can retain strong antioxidant levels and remain nutritious even after months in the freezer.

Frozen fruits and vegetables also have practical advantages. They last much longer, reduce food waste, and are available year-round. Whether you choose fresh or frozen, both options can be part of a healthy diet. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨. 🍅🥦🥕🥬🍆🌽

References:

LD, L. M. M. R. (2025, December 31). Fresh vs. frozen fruit: Dietitians explain Which has more health benefits. Prevention. https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a69860408/fresh-vs-frozen-fruit/

Weiss, L. (2025, March 10). Rethink your freezer: The benefits of frozen foods. Lizs Healthy Table. https://www.lizshealthytable.com/2025/03/07/the-benefits-of-frozen-foods/

✒: Y. Puno
🎨: Y. Puno

The Coffee Nap Paradox

Ever heard of the weird advice “Drink coffee, then go to sleep”? Sounds wrong, right? But science actually explains why the coffee nap works better than just drinking coffee alone. When we stay awake for a long time, our brain builds up a chemical called adenosine, which makes us feel sleepy. Caffeine does not give energy directly, it only blocks adenosine receptors so we don’t feel tired. The catch is, if your brain already has too much adenosine, coffee alone will not work as well. That’s why some students drink coffee but still feel sleepy. Since caffeine is one of the most commonly consumed dietary stimulants, understanding how to use it properly is also part of nutrition education and healthy lifestyle practices.

Here’s where the trick happens. Studies show that caffeine takes about 20 minutes before it reaches the brain, while a short nap naturally reduces adenosine levels. If you drink coffee and immediately take a 15–20 minute nap, the nap clears some adenosine first, and when caffeine finally kicks in, it finds more empty receptors to block. Because of this, the brain becomes more alert compared to just sleeping or just drinking coffee alone. This is why researchers call it a double boost effect. It is especially useful during long study hours, night shifts, or exam season when students experience mental fatigue.

Even local studies in the Philippines show that students frequently use caffeine to stay awake during academic demands, but sleep quality and alertness still depend on proper rest, not caffeine alone. This means the goal is not to drink more coffee, but to use it smarter. The coffee nap shows that sometimes, the best way to stay awake is actually to sleep first, just not for too long.

Sometimes the smartest way to stay awake is not to fight sleep, but to use it at the right time! ☕

References:

Centofanti, S., Banks, S., Coussens, S., Gray, D., Munro, E., Nielsen, J., & Dorrian, J. (2020). A pilot study investigating the impact of a caffeine-nap on alertness during a simulated night shift. Chronobiology International, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2020.1804922

Clark, I., & Landolt, H. P. (2017). Coffee, caffeine, and sleep: A systematic review of epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 31, 70–78. ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.01.006

‌Pydych, C. (2022, October 4). What Is a Coffee Nap? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/coffee-nap

✒: K. Dayrit
🎨: K. Dayrit

Hindi ito April Fools like lejhet 😊🤟 Totoo 'to anoba 🎉 — Kaya naman, mayroon kayong 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 💃💃💃💃💃

You’ve proven that April isn’t just for April Fools—because your 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 are absolutely real, and more than enough to conquer every endeavor that comes your way. Eyy kayo dyan eyy

Happy birthday April Princesses 🌸 May this month be full of 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚 💜 You all deserved it.

✒️: J. Marquez
🎨: F. Mangubat

𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑬 !

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the excellence, strength, and courage of women in society.

From BSND 3-1D, we stand in solidarity in honoring and recognizing the invaluable contributions of women from home to community 💜.

🖊️: J. Marquez
🎨: L. Mercado