What is Nourish?

By Hannah Squire, UC Davis Healthy Aggies Coordinator

Do you get overwhelmed with all of the ‘healthy’ food options around campus? Buzz words like ‘superfood’, ‘full of antioxidants’, and ‘whole food’ on labels can be confusing. Luckily, Healthy UC Davis has your back to     discern what foods are really full of the nutrients you need to function well, and contain less of the components that don’t really serve you! Do you recall the orange Nourish symbol around the dining commons, ASUCD Coffee House, or any of the markets? The Nourish guidelines are the ‘holy grail’ of nutrition information at UC Davis!

The orange symbol is about the Nourish Campaign which was developed by nutrition professionals as a funded project by Healthy UC Davis. The intent is to make it easier to identify and choose foods that are most nourishing to you. How so? This symbol is an indicator that the product you are selecting has….

• MORE:
  • Fruit & Veggies
  • Fiber
  • Whole Grains
  • Healthy Fats
• LESS:
  • Added Sugar
  • Sodium
  • Saturated Fats

For example, if you are looking for a granola bar at the Memorial Union Market, you could see the Nourish Symbol on the display indicating that the item has more of the recommended nutrients and less of the other stuff. This is one piece of information you can use to meet your goals.

Next time you walk into a food establishment on campus or at UC Davis Health, consider choosing a product that has the Nourish symbol next to it. You’ll gain more of the nutrients needed in order for your body to maintain its peak performance! For more information about Nourish, check out the Healthy UC Davis website!