More Big Game Ideas

We are only 2 days from the big game on Sunday, so I am sure you are deep into planning your menus. I have a few suggestions, of course. Make sure you read my number one suggestion from my post earlier this week about guacamole.

Nuts
Did you know that we eat 2.5 million pounds of nuts during the Super Bowl? The nuts I like are pistachios because they are a mindful snack. The shells make a serving appear larger, slows down how fast you can eat them, and acts as a reminder of how much you've eaten. Research shows that you eat 50% fewer calories with in-shell nuts vs shelled nuts.

Veggie Tray
Get a nice assortment of raw veggies like baby carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, and broccoli. If you are feeling crazy, throw in some sliced red pepper. Pair it with low fat dip.

Crackers
You need to get some crackers, and my pick is Wheat Thins Fiber Selects. They taste great and are surprisingly crunchy. They have whole grains and 5 grams of fiber per serving. That fiber helps you manage your hunger and is good for digestive health.

Chips
Instead of traditional potato chips, I love potato Popchips! They are not baked (dry) or fried (high fat), but rather popped (sort of like popcorn!). They are so tasty that I can't keep my hands out of the bag! They have less than half the fat of regular fried chips with no trans or saturated fat.

Brats
Everyone wants a good brat while watching football, but who wants all of that fat? Shadybrook Farms has a lean turkey sausage that is 2/3 less fat than traditional pork or beef bratwurst varieties. More than half the fat is from unsaturated sources, too!

Lasagna
Michael Angelo's has a few great family sized entrees for your Super Bowl party. They have a regular meat lasagna (310 calories, 13 grams of fat) or veggie lasagna (260 calories, 10 grams of fat) or my personal fave eggplant parmesan (250 calories, 15 grams of fat).

Beer
Of course you need beer, so why not get one that is as light as it gets? MGD64 is only 64 calories! Perfect for anyone who wants to watch calories but still indulge in the festivities.

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Super Bowl Pick

You thought I would have a prediction of who would win, huh? I am talking about FOOD picks, of course. It is, after all, all about the food.

Some people actually watch the Superbowl for the football. But many others (like people of the female variety) go to Super Bowl parties for 3 reasons:

1. Commercials
2. Half Time Show
3. FOOD!!!!
   

Superbowl Sunday should be dubbed Pig Out Sunday (instead of pigskin sunday...wow and I full of them today!).

Did you know that Superbowl Sunday is the the biggest day for avocado consumption of all the year? Why? GUACAMOLE! It is estimated that 46 million pounds of Hass avocados will be devoured on February 1. That's enough avocados to cover Tampa's Raymond James Stadium football field end zone to end zone, nearly 18 feet deep.

Avocados are good food that is good for you. There are over 20 nutrients in avocados, including more potassium than in bananas! Who knew? So definitely dig into some guac this weekend. I know you are wondering about the fat. Yes, avocados have fat, but it is monounsaturated fat which is the good kind.

Don't want to make it yourself? I love the premade stuff...my favorite brand is the Wholly Guacamole because it is all natural with no preservatives. They use a unique cold pasteurization technology to keep it fresh for at least 45 days. That beats buying an avocado the day of the big game only to try to cut into it and it is not even close to being ripe.

Avocado fun facts (courtesy of www.avocadocentral.com):

• One-fifth of a medium avocado, or about one ounce, has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 beneficial nutrients to the diet.
• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.
• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
• Avocados act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to the nutrient quality of your diet.
• Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are a healthy substitution for foods rich in saturated fat.
• Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3 oz. serving. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol, which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Tune in the rest of this week for more healthy but TASTY Superbowl ideas!

For avocado recipes visit www.avocadocentral.com

Oh, and if you must know....my pick is the Steelers.

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Packing a Lunch for Small Kids

Do you pack a lunch for your preschooler? Or do you rely on the food provided at child care? Because of the economy, more and more child care centers are requiring parents to provide food for their children. In the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association researchers at the University of Texas at Austin studied sack lunches sent from home for pre-schoolers aged 3-5 years old.

I hear parents complain all the time about the quality and lack of nutrition of the food served to our children in schools and in childcare. But this study may change your mind. Researchers found that the sack lunches sent from home did not regularly provide adequate nutrients for the growth and development of young children.

They found that more than 50% of the lunches provided less than minimum amounts of calories, carbs, Vitamin A, calcium, iron, and zinc, and 96% of the lunches provided less than the minimum recommended amounts of dietary fiber. The lunches did contain 114% of the recommended amount of sodium.

Most parents understand the importance of lunch, but they struggle with packing nutritious foods that their children will eat. This underlies the importance of offering new foods on a regular basis to our children so they will accept a variety of foods. I realize that all of this is "easier said than done" and I personally struggle introducing new foods to my 19 month old son. The more exposures the child gets, the better. Encourage a "thank you" bite so they can taste that new food without refusing it untouched.

Let me know how you are able to introduce new foods to your kids and what nutritious foods you pack into your children's lunches.

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First Lunch

Wonder what Barack Obama's first meal was as the new President of the United States?

Here is the menu for the Inaugural Luncheon:
First Course
Seafood Stew
2207 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
Second Course
A Brace of American Birds (pheasant and duck)
with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes
2005 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
Third Course
Cinnamon Sponge Cake and Sweet Cream Glace
Korbel Natural "Special Inaugural Cuvee" California Champagne

The tradition of the Inaugural Luncheon dates back to 1897 when the Senate Committee on Arrangements first gave a luncheon for President McKinley and several other guests at the U.S. Capitol, it did not begin in its current form until 1953.

I hope he sipped his wine because he has a long night ahead of him. He is scheduled for 10 parties tonight, arriving at the last one at 2:35 AM. What a great first day in office!

The picture is of the china. The first course will be served on replicas of the china from the Lincoln Presidency, which was selected by Mary Todd Lincoln at the beginning of her husband's term in office. The china features the American bald eagle standing above the U. S. Coat of Arms, surrounded by a wide border of "solferino," a purple-red hue popular among the fashionable hosts of the day.

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Peanut Butter Recalls

Many of you have likely heard by now about the peanut butter recalls. I have been getting so many questions about it that I decided to post some information to make it easier to sort out.

Salmonella can cause vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection with the bacteria. It can be mild or very serious and even lead to death in some individuals. Almost 500 people have gotten sick and six people are thought to have died from this infection. The source of this contamination seems to have been found to be in peanut butter made by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA).

The FDA is saying that normal brands of jarred peanut butter on the grocery shelves are not affected. PCA supplies peanut butter to institutions like nursing homes in large containers under the brand name of King Nut. They also supply peanut paste to numerous companies who use that paste in their snack crackers, bars, cakes, cookies, candies, cereal, and ice creams.

People started to get ill back in September 2008, but the FDA has finally been able to trace it back to the peanut products at the PCA. You may very well have something in your pantry that has been there for several months that could be contaminated.

Kellogg's Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter is the first product (besides the institutional peanut butter) sold to consumers that's known to have tested positive for the salmonella strain. For a list of foods that have been recalled and foods that are considered safe, check out this link.

Hershey and Mars say their products are safe, as does Peter Pan peanut butter and Lance snack cookies. Kellog's, Generall Mills, Little Debbie, Hy-Vee, and several grocery brands have listed potentially contaminated products.

For Frequently Asked Questions about Salmonella and this particular peanut butter outbreak, visit this link to the FDA's FAQ section.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention's advice to consumers:

• Do not eat products that have been recalled and throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them.
• Postpone eating other peanut butter containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream) until information becomes available about whether that product may be affected.
• Persons who think they may have become ill from eating peanut butter are advised to consult their health care providers.

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Putting on Recession Pounds?

I read a story the other day about the terrible economy and recession that is going on in America and the impact on health. The thought and fear is that people are going to start gaining weight due to the recession, dubbed "Recession Pounds."

Why would we gain weight during a recession?

• People are cutting back on how much they spend on food. You may think that means less food, but instead it means unhealthier food.
• Foods high in fat, sugar, and refined grains are cheaper than healthy fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Fattier cuts of meat are often also more expensive.
• Studies have shown that obesity and unhealthy eating habits are tied to low incomes.
• People eat more and make poor choices when they are stressed. Nothing will stress you out more than not knowing whether you can pay the electric bill this month.
• Stores like Whole Foods are hurting and McDonald's dollar menu is thriving.

Eating Healthy on a Budget
It is still possible to eat healthy on a budget. Choose foods like ground beef (drain it well to remove excess fat), canned tomatoes, potatoes, rice, milk, beans, cheese, soups, etc. Cook at home and eat at home to save on restaurant eating. And eat leftovers instead of wasting them!

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Cheap, Healthy Foods on a Budget

This is part 3 of 3 about an article in the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports. Today is about the sections on price vs. nutrition and healthy foods on a budget.

Take a look at these cheap eats that are also very nutritious:

Cooked black beans
114 calories per serving
7 cents per serving
Nutritional benefit: High in fiber, B Vitamins, and protein

Hard-boiled egg
78 calories per egg
9 cents per egg
Nutritional benefit: High in protein, iron, B12, and choline

Cooked noodles
166 calories per 3/4 cup
13 cents per serving
Nutritional benefit: complex carbs, B vitamins

Cooked broccoli
27 calories per 1/2 cup
33 cents per serving
Nutritional benefits: Vitamin C, A, fiber, phytochemicals

Chicken breast
142 calories per 4 oz
50 cents per serving
Nutritional benefit: protein, iron

Glazed donut
239 calories per donut
32 cents per serving
Nutritional benefit: Not much!

The moral of the story is that some of the cheapest foods are really nutritious and some of the most unhealthy foods are actually quite low in nutritional value. Broccoli is quite nutritious, but is costly. Choose your food dollars wisely--healthier foods are well worth it!

Click here to get their tips on eating on a budget!

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Six Keys to a Healthy Weight

I hope you read my last post about the Consumer Reports article on weight in the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.

They surveyed over 21,000 readers to find out about their nutrition and exercise habits as well as their weight. Consumer Reports found 6 key behaviors that correlated most strongly with having a healthy body mass index (BMI):

1. Watch portions. Of all of the behaviors asked about, being very careful about portions was the most strongly correlated with having a lower BMI.
2. Limit fat. 53% of the successful losers and 47% of the always thin limit their fat to less than one-third of their daily calories.
3. Fruits and veggies. The more days someone ate 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables, the lower their average BMI.
4. Whole grains. Choosing whole grains over refined grains was consistent with people with lower BMIs.
5. Eating at home. This is really interesting: Weight increased as the number of days per week the respondent ate out at a restaurant (or had take-out). Eating at home can also save you money!
6. Exercise. Doing at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise (more than just walking the dog!) was strongly linked to a lower BMI.

This part is really interesting:
People who limited carbs.....actually had a higher BMI than people who didn't. So much for the low carb diets! They did point out that people who are overweight reported restricting carbs which could lead to future weight loss. But we all know that it is total calories in and out that matter.

Tune in tomorrow for tips on how to eat healthy on a budget (more tips from this Consumer Reports article---it was just chock full of good stuff!)

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Successful Dieters

A new article on successful dieters in the February issue of Consumer Reports piqued my interest. Make sure you click on all of the sections on the left if you go to the hyperlink I provided here.

I am always interested when I see articles like this. They surveyed subscribers to Consumer Reports about their eating, dieting, and exercising habits. So...what do people who maintain a healthy weight have in common? I don't think the answers will shock you.

• 3% of people who have never been overweight reported that they never exercised and ate whatever they wanted. Do the math: that means that 97% of the people have or do exercise and watch what they eat.
• Those same people (healthy weight) eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and stay away from excessive dietary fat
• Portion control is top of the list for how they manage their weight

People who have never had a weight problem seem to come by these habits more naturally, but they do admit that they work hard at maintaining a healthy weight.

Of those over 21,000 readers who responded to the survey, here is how they looked:

• 66% were overweight as assessed by their body mass index (BMI)
• 22% of the overall sample and one-third of the overweight group was obese
  
• 16% were always thin (or normal weight, not overweight)
• 15% were successful losers (weighed at least 10% less than at their heaviest and been there for 3 years)
• 42% were failed dieters (at or near their lifetime highest weight)
• 27% didn't fit into any of the categories because they reported losing weight recently

Of those people who were successful losers, more than half lost the weight themselves without medical treatment, a book, pills, or a commercial program.

Tune in tomorrow for tips from this article on how to lose weight on a budget and exactly which are the top 6 behaviors that were correlated with healthy BMI.

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Sharpen Your Mind, Defeat Depression

I just finished reading a new book that I thought I would tell you all about. It is called The UltraMind Solution by Mark Hyman, MD. The book is about the connection of the body's health to the mind. We are seeing more and more attention and behavior problems such as ADHD and autism as well as more dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. Are we doomed to lose our focus, concentration, and memory while at the same time becoming depressed, anxious, and tired all the time? Dr. Hyman thinks he has found a solution.

He says that the seemingly separate problems you may have with your brain (focus, memory, anxiety, etc) and even these chronic problems of ADHD and dementia are all the same problem coming from a broken brain. He says the solution is not in your brain, but rather in your body. You can fix your body by fixing the imbalances in the 7 core biological systems at the root of health and most diseases.

The UltraMind Solution is full of fascinating case studies of children with autism and adults with dementia who have seen their problems improve greatly or disappear with his treatment.

His treatment plan is based on toxins and chemicals that we put into our bodies mainly through different foods. He offers a 6 week brain-boosting program to cleanse, heal and strengthen your brain, leading to what he calls an UltraMind.

Check out The UltraMind Solution and let me know what you think!

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Apple Peel: Sports Boost?

Apples are the iconic symbol of health. Remember, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away?" Researchers at Cornell University are taking this to the bank. They have developed a dried apple peel powder into organic applesauce to create a product called AppleBoost. The AppleBoost comes in the applesauce or in capsule form.

I first heard about AppleBoost when some US Olympians were given the tubes of applesauce for their flight to China last summer. Now the Oklahoma Sooners are snacking on the tubes while they get ready to play the Florida Gators in the college football national championship. IN fact, they shipped in 3,000 AppleBoost tubes!

Why apples?
They contain a wide variety of beneficial ingredients in the form of various phytochemicals and antioxidants. Most of the nutrition is found in or right below the skin. It is thought that apples have anti-cancer and anit-inflammatory properties

Intense exercise creates free radicals which lead to cellular damage. Antioxidants and phytochemicals help to protect the cells. However, most athletes at the college and professional level do not get the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

A convenient pouch of applesauce is just the answer!

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Weight Loss New Year's Resolution

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