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Since summertime is here, consider adding seasonal fruit to your meals and snacks. In June, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon are all in season. In July, apples, peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon are in season. 

There are plenty of tasty options to choose from during the summer, but these fruits are also great for you! Generally speaking, fruits are an important source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium and dietary fiber.  Vitamins A and C support a healthy immune system while potassium helps promote a healthy blood pressure. Diets rich in fiber have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, can help control blood sugar levels, and may help with weight management.  

Depending on age, gender, and activity level, the amount of fruit recommended ranges from ½ a cup per day (for Toddlers) to 2 ½ cups for men.  Individuals watching their carbohydrate intake may need less.  All types of fruit count, including fresh, frozen, dried and canned.  If choosing canned fruit, select options that are packed in water or 100% fruit juice.  Fruit canned in syrup might taste sweeter, but it will also add unnecessary calories and added sugars. 

With warm summer days approaching quickly,  many of us will be spending time on the beach! What better food to eat on the beach other than crab! Crab is a very tasty, healthy meal. An average blue crab contains around two ounces of meat. Crab meat is an excellent source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals that are needed for good nutrition. Blue crab includes phosphorus, zinc, copper, calcium, iron, and it is very low in fat. Three ounces of canned crab includes 15 grams of protein and only point zero five grams of fat! 

Crab varieties that are harvested from Texas bays and the Gulf of Mexico are the blue crab and the stone crab. The blue crab can either be hard or soft- shelled, and it is harvested year round. Soft-shell crabs are crabs that have molted. The meat is sweet and tender. Stone crabs are harvested almost year round. The claw meat is tender, sweet and close to lobster. In Texas, only the right claw of the stone crab can be kept and the crab must be returned to the water.

Soft-shell crabs have an exoskeleton, which is on the outside of the body. For a crab to grow, it molts, shedding the hard shell. When the crab has molted, it is then called a “soft- shell” crab. A female crab molts until it is old enough to mate. She will molt one last time, and then mate while the shell is still soft. The male protects the female crab by holding her, this is known as “Doubling.” The male will stay with her until her shell hardens. Male crabs can molt about 25 times throughout their lifetime. 

A “sponge” crab is a female crab that carries eggs and cannot be harvested. An adult female blue crab is known as a “sook”. A young female crab is called a “she-crab” or “Jenny.” The male crab is called “Jimmy.” 

The external anatomy of the blue crab includes walking legs, claws, and back (paddle) legs. The visual difference between the female and male blue crabs is that the females have pinchers with red tips and a wider apron than the male blue crab. All crabs are decapods, which means that they have 10 legs. Blue crabs move mainly by swimming, while stone crabs are walkers. Crabs can regenerate a lost limb. 

All crabs eaten in Texas are harvested from coastal waters by either commercial or recreational fishermen. The more common crab caught in Texas coastal water is the wild-caught blue crab. They are harvested traditionally using crab traps. Next time you are craving crab, try local crab that was caught in Texas!

Whether you like it boiled, steamed, or grilled shrimp is one of the most popular types of seafood and for good reason.  A 3 ounce portion is packed with 20 grams of protein and only 85 calories.  Other nutrients present include zinc, selenium, and potassium.  

Americans consume more shrimp than any other seafood. 

Most of the shrimp in the United States is imported from other countries. Many shrimp are farm raised, primarily in Asia, Ecuador and India. In an average year, the Texas commercial shrimp harvest generates $371 million of economic activity and supports 5,400 jobs in Texas. The USDA recently announced that they are going to purchase thirty-million dollars worth of seafood, specifically aimed at shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico to aid the Gulf seafood industry. 

Shrimp is also very beneficial for many other products besides food. The shells on shrimp contain three primary chemicals that can be used in various products. Their shells can be used for making animal feeds and fertilizers. Shrimp products can also be used to make cosmetics, textiles, household cleaners and skin-friendly soaps. The calcium carbonate found in shrimp can be used in the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture industry, construction industry and the paper industry. 

Shrimp can be prepared in different ways. It can be grilled, boiled, sauteed, baked, or fried. It is always healthier to bake, boil, sautee, or grill any type of food rather than frying it. When selecting shrimp, the flesh should be clear with a pearl-like color and there should be no odor or very little odor. Look to see if the package includes the time or temperature that the shrimp was harvested and stored in. If there are any broken or cracked shrimp, discard them. All of the seafood processors in the United States are required to operate under a HACCP program (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) by the FDA.   

Shrimp offers many benefits for our diet and for other uses. The shrimp industry also helps keep many Texans in the work field, and is a vital part of our economy. Next time you are at the grocery store looking for a healthy and tasty option to cook, consider shrimp! 

For recipes including shrimp, visit https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.

Shrimp and Slaw Street Tacos

Shrimp & Broccoli Alfredo

Do you want to add value to your meals, while staying within your budget? If so, pork may be a less expensive option compared to other protein sources. Pork is a nutritious source of protein and it contains other nutrients including thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus. Each of these nutrients play an important role in maintaining our health.  Protein, in particular, plays an important role in the growth and maintenance of muscle and other body tissues.  

MyPlate recommends five to six ounces per day of lean protein. The leanest cuts of pork include the tenderloin, sirloin pork chop, boneless top loin pork chop, ground pork (96% lean), boneless top loin pork roast, bone-in center cut pork chop, and bone-in rib pork chop.  For example, three ounces of roasted pork tenderloin includes 22 grams of protein and approximately three grams of fat. 

There are many different ways to prepare pork. Dry-heat methods include grilling, broiling, stir frying, pan broiling, and roasting. You may also prepare pork using a moist-heat method, such as stewing or braising. 

Pork contributes to more than just food for human consumption. The most common by-products of pork include suede, gelatin, chalk, soap, rubber, fertilizer, and makeup. The United States is the third top ranking pork producing country in the world. The pork industry supports more than 80,000 jobs across the country! 

Next time you are at the grocery store and are looking for something new to cook, try pork! 

Visit https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu/  for great recipes including pork!

Pork Tenderloin with Cayenne Cherry Sauce

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

Looking for a sweet, low calorie snack for this summer? Cantaloupe is delicious, and it is healthy! Cantaloupes are high in nutrients, and are easy to grow in home gardens! One cup of sliced cantaloupe contains 60.2 calories and only .336 grams of fat. Cantaloupes are also rich in vitamin A, and vitamin C!

Cantaloupes are grown in home gardens across the state, but the only commercial plantings are in the Wintergarden region. Cantaloupes need to be grown when temperatures are 70 degrees Fahrenheit or above. The ideal temperature for cantaloupe is 75-89 degrees Fahrenheit. There should be at least 110-140 frost-free days for cantaloupes to fully mature. It is best to plant about four to five months in advance to the first frost to have production in early fall. As mentioned earlier, cantaloupes grow very well in home gardens, and they are great producers. 

When picking a cantaloupe from the store, you should look for a cantaloupe where the stem has slipped from the fruit, has yellowish skin, a fresh aroma, and a healthy outer rind that is mostly free of cuts. You should avoid cantaloupes that are mushy or leaking juice, have a damaged outer rind with lots of cuts, and that are damaged where the stem was attached. 

Next time you are out of healthy snack options and are craving something sweet, try a cantaloupe! Cantaloupes are packed full of nutrients, all while still tasting amazing!

Visit https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu/ for snack suggestions, including ones with cantaloupe!

Healthy Summer Days and Nights