‘March Madness’ nutrition bracket: ‘Real foods take the win’
Registered dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre presents a nutrition bracket inspired by March Madness, highlighting the benefits of real foods over processed options.
FORECAST FROM GULF COAST WITH. MARCH MADNESS ISN’T JUST FOR HOOPS. TODAY WE’RE WHIPPING UP A FULL-ON NUTRITION BRACKET. >> REGISTERED DIETICIAN. JAMIE LEE MCINTYRE IS HERE. WALKING US THROUGH WHICH FOODS SCORE BIG ON YOUR PLATE. JAILING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. APPRECIATE WHEN YOU COME IN. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. OKAY. THIS IS YEAH. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS MATCHUP. YEAH. THE MATCHUP THINK THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THINGS THAT AREN’T. WE’RE STARTING WITH PROTEIN START WITH COCAINE OVER HERE. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WHOLE FOOD PROTEIN SOURCES ULCERS PURGING FOR SAYS PROCESS PROTEIN. OKAY. THINGS LIKE OBVIOUSLY APPROACHING POTTER’S PROTEIN BARS. THERE’S EVEN PROTEIN POPCORN, PROTEIN. PRETZELS. NOW. >> AND WHILE THESE FORTIFIED PROTEIN SNACKS CAN BE USEFUL AND CONVENIENT TO HELP MEET YOUR NEEDS, THEY SHOULDN’T REALLY MAJORITY OF YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE. SO BECAUSE WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO IS REALLY MIMICKED THE NUTRITION THAT’S ALREADY IN OUR WHOLE STORES, PROTEIN PRODUCTS, THINGS LIKE FISH MOULTRIE AIG’S. WE BEEF HERE AS WELL. AND THESE THINGS HAVE ALL THE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID YOUR BODY NEEDS MUST OTHER FOR EXAMPLE, JUST THIS 3 OUNCE SERVING OF LEAN FLANK STEAK IS GOING TO BE EXCELLENT SOURCE IRON SLIDE. THE VITAMINS, ZINC AND THAT HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN. AND WE’RE LUCKY HERE IN FLORIDA, WE HAVE FARMING FROM COAST TO COAST NORTH TO SOUTH REALLY SUSTAINABLE CATTLE RANCHING PRACTICES. SO WE HAVE GREAT ACCESS TO THIS SHOULD BE ON ALL OUR PLATES. SO LIMITED RED MEAT IS OKAY BECAUSE GOOD AND BAD. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I SAID, THESE ARE THIS IS OUR CARD. IT IS OUR CAR YES. SO WE HAVE WHOLE GRAINS AND WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS MATCHING UP HERE WHEN THIS COMES DOWN TO 5 OR RIGHT, WE NEED 25 TO 35 GRAMS OF FIBER A DAY. AND WE’RE GONNA DO THAT WHEN WE CHOOSE WHOLE GRAIN PRODUCTS AND WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR FOODS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT INCLUDES MORE PART OF THE PLAN WHERE THAT FIBER AND ADDITIONAL VITAMINS AND MINERALS LIVE. SO SWAT THAT YOU’RE WHITE BREAD FOR WHOLE GRAIN BREAD, YOU COULD DO SO ABOUT WHITE RICE OR MAYBE SORGHUM OR KEY NOIR, BULGUR WHEAT BARLEY. ACTUAL WHOLE GRAINS. GREAT. AND HE LAUGHS AND SOUPS AND SALADS ARE AND YOU CAN ALWAYS DROP YOUR WHITE POSTURE FOR SOME WHOLE WHEAT PASTA AS WELL. AND MY COOKING IT WRONG BECAUSE MY KIDS HATE WHEN I DO THE WHOLE WHEAT PASTA CHECK THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BATTLE. BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE PRODUCTS GONNA KNOW HOW TO BEST PRODUCE THEIR GOODS. AND SOMETIMES THEY WANT YOU TO BOIL THE WATER ALL THE WAY FOR SOME DANCE AND THROAT AND RIGHT AWAY, I NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN TEXTURE. YEAH, THAT’S GOOD TO SPEAKING OF GOOD. MY GOSH. THIS LOOKS WONDERFUL. YES. SO OUR LINEUP HERE IS THESE GREEN POWDERS, WHICH SOUNDS REALLY CONVENIENT IN THEORY VERSUS THE REAL DEAL, RIGHT? OUR WHOLE FRUITS. AND THAT’S ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITION WE REALLY WANT OUR WHOLE FOOD FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SOURCES. THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US HYDRATION FIBER VITAMINS AND MINERALS. BUT WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IS WE’RE GETTING ANTIOXIDANTS FROM HERE THAT ARE ACTUALLY FOUND AND PLANS AND WHOLE FOODS, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN A FORM THAT OUR BODY IS DESIGNED TO USE WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO MIMIC THAT YET IN SUPPLEMENT FORM WHEN IT COMES TO ANY ACCIDENTS. WE REALLY WANT TO EAT OUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. SO THERE’S GREEN DRINK SOME AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE. SARAH LEE REPLACEMENTS ARE NOT REPLACED SINCE YOU STILL WANT TO FOCUS ON GETTING IN THOSE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND PUTTING THAT COLOR AT EVERY SINGLE DISH THROUGHOUT THE DAY IS GOING TO HELP YOU GET THERE. YOU NOTICE THERE’S NOT ICEBERG HERE. THAT’S WHAT’S PATCHES IS OUR BABY SPINACH. SOME KALE IN THERE AS WELL. BUT ICEBERG COUNTS AS WELL, REALLY OFF ROUTES. AND THAT’S BECAUSE, THAT’S GOOD. THIS IS THE WINNER OVER HIS ARMY. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER FOR A WINNING PLAY. SO WHAT I HAVE HERE IS A KALE AND BE FALLEN A’S RECIPE FROM FLORIDA BEEF DOT ORG. I LOVE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT’S EQUAL PARTS. LEAN GROUND BEEF WITH A VEGETABLE. SO CARROTS, CELERY, ONION, TOMATOES AND THEN CAL, GREAT WAY FOR MY KIDS TO GET KILLED SERVE LIKE AND THEN I SERVE IT OVERNIGHT. WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI AND AND ADDITIONAL SIDE OF A FRESH TOSS GARDEN SALAD FOR SOME EXTRA VEGETABLES. THERE. BUT THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW. WINNING. PLAY THAT LEAN PROTEIN. A HIGH-FIBER CONTAINING CARBOHYDRATE OR WHOLE GRAIN AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL COLOR FROM FRUITS OR VEGETABLES, ANY DRESSINGS THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO STAY AWAY FROM OR RECOMMEND FOR YOUR CELL? AND I LIKE SOME OIL, ALL LIKE OLIVE OIL OR AVOCADO OIL BEES, VINAIGRETTE DRESSING. YOU KNOW, CERTAIN VITAMINS ARE FAT-SOLUBLE. AND SO THAT FACT CAN ACTUALLY HELP US. YOU KNOW, ABSORB VITAMINS THAT ARE IN SOME OF THESE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. WHAT ALEX SO THANK YOU. SO IT’S DEFINITELY A WINNER WINNER. CAN WE GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU CAN FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM AT JAMIE LEE. THE RD. AN AWESOME. THANK YOU, JAMIE. APPRECIATED. THERE’S OPERATION THERE ON YOUR SCREEN AND ALSO PUT THAT ON OUR GULF COAST NEWS WEBSITE AND OUR GU
‘March Madness’ nutrition bracket: ‘Real foods take the win’
Registered dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre presents a nutrition bracket inspired by March Madness, highlighting the benefits of real foods over processed options.
Updated: 11:02 AM EDT Mar 24, 2026
In the spirit of March Madness, “Good Morning Gulf Coast” teamed up with registered dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre to present a “March Madness Nutrition Bracket”. The theme, “March Madness Nutrition Bracket: Real Foods Take the Win,” featured matchups between real and processed foods, showcasing why fresh makes a difference. McIntyre guided viewers through a protein showdown, a carb clash, the green powder face-off, and set up the main event: a matchup between superfood drinks.The main event is McIntyre’s version of a championship-winning plate. To get more tips on how to make sure your family can eat tasty but stay healthy, check out Registered Dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre’s website.WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ABOVE DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
In the spirit of March Madness, “Good Morning Gulf Coast” teamed up with registered dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre to present a “March Madness Nutrition Bracket”.
The theme, “March Madness Nutrition Bracket: Real Foods Take the Win,” featured matchups between real and processed foods, showcasing why fresh makes a difference.
McIntyre guided viewers through a protein showdown, a carb clash, the green powder face-off, and set up the main event: a matchup between superfood drinks.
The main event is McIntyre’s version of a championship-winning plate.
To get more tips on how to make sure your family can eat tasty but stay healthy, check out Registered Dietitian Jamie Lee McIntyre’s website.
WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ABOVE
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
