USF's Department of Wellness recommendations

USF's department of Wellness recommends their students to drink at least 64 oz every day.  Sugary drinks like soda, juices, and sweet tea are not recommended.  Skim and soy milk are a great alternative.  Calcium and vitamin d are very important for a healthy diet.  Since up to 20% of your fluid intake comes from the food you eat, vegetables and fruits are highly recommended.  Drinking water between each meal is an easy way to stay hydrated. 

Healthy bones are the first step to having a healthy body.  Having healthy bones is impossible without consuming enough calcium.  Milk and cheese are widely known for their calcium but there are many non- dairy foods that contain calcium.  Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale, and collard greens contain calcium.  Black eyed peas, breads, certain cereals, and canned sardines with bones are a good source of calcium.

Vitamin D is just as important as calcium when putting your plate together.  Without sufficient vitamin D, calcium cannot be absorbed into the body.  Foods like salmon, tuna, breads, breakfast cereals, and oranges contain large amounts of vitamin D. A healthy serving for students under 50 is at least 200 international units (IU).  Adults over 50 are advised to consume between 400 and 600 IU. 

These foods can be found throughout the USF campus.  Jamba juice offers drinks that include strawberries, bananas, pineapples, blueberries, oranges, peaches and more.  Calcium can be found at Subway through vegetables such as green peppers, lettuce, and spinach.  A good source of vitamin D can be found in the shrimp at Panda Express, in the tuna at Subway, and in the Oranges at Jamba Juice.