As you plan your Thanksgiving Day shopping list, keep in mind healthy ingredients make favorite family recipes tasty and good for you, too.
* For dips, sauces and pie toppings, use non-fat yogurt, fat-free sour cream or non-fat whipped topping. Non-fat yogurt is best in dishes that don’t require heating.
* Use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs.
* Try evaporated skim milk instead of whole milk.
* Use low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth in your mashed potatoes to add flavor and lighten holiday fat content.
* Top casseroles with almonds instead of fried onion rings.
* Choose reduced-fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.
* Use whole-grain bread for stuffing or wild rice as a side dish.
Pack your shopping cart with plenty of fresh vegetables like sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, carrots and green beans. Apples, cranberries and pears combine easily for a tasty salad, fruit crisp or topping for the turkey.
Fats and oils are important parts of a healthful diet, but the type of fat you choose can make a big difference for the health of your heart.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the majority of dietary fat come from two sources: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, which are mostly derived from oils in plants. Common examples of monounsaturated fats are canola, olive and peanut oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include corn and soybean oils as well as many seeds, nuts and their oils.
For your heart’s sake, keep your fat intake between 20 percent and 35 percent of your total calories. Make sure most of your fats come from sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids like plant protein, nuts, vegetable oils and vegetable oil products like trans fat-free spreads, mayonnaise, salad dressings and peanut butter.
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With Halloween now three days past, if leftover candy is still sitting on your counter, consider creative options for rationing the amount your children are eating:
* Portion out a few more days worth and freeze the rest. It will last for months and can be eaten after defrosting.
* Chop candy into small pieces and freeze to use as toppings for ice cream and other frozen treats.
* Dried fruit like raisins make tasty additions to hot cereal, a homemade trail mix or puddings.
Candy and sweets are okay for children when eaten in moderation. Get creative and find fun and appropriate ways to allow your children to reap the rewards of their trick-or-treating adventure.
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Parents and care givers supply the three W’s of children’s meals
and snacks: What, When and Where. Here are some ideas to make sure
your young child eats well and develops a positive relationship with
food that will last a lifetime:
* Children learn from role
models. Eat together as a family and set a good example yourself by
eating a variety of healthful foods.
* Respect your child’s food preferences. Give kids the freedom to choose and reject foods. Everyone has different tastes, including small children.
* Avoid treating any foods as forbidden. That may cause your child to want to eat them even more.
* Get your child involved in making the
meal. Even young kids can help make salads or shake seasoning on
vegetables. Children may be more excited to try something new if they
helped prepare it.
You can do much to ensure your child
learns the importance of good nutrition from an early age.
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While hamburgers may still be the favorite when eating fast food,
many restaurants offer alternatives like chicken and fish. However,
many of these chicken and fish alternatives are fried, significantly
increasing their calorie and fat content.
Here are some
tips to get the most nutrients from your fast-food meal:
*
Remove the crispy crust, or order regular instead of extra crispy,
which soaks up more oil when cooked.
* Many restaurants offer
baked, broiled or grilled options, rather than fried.
* Any
variety of sandwich can get a nutrient boost with the addition of
tomatoes and other vegetables. For an added fiber boost, ask for a
whole-wheat bun.
* Special sauces like tartar often include
mayonnaise. Choose lower-fat options like ketchup, mustard or
relish.
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Birthdays and holidays are often celebrated with classroom parties
at school. If your child wants to bring treats to share with
classmates, instead of cupcakes and cookies, consider these healthful
and fun treats. Note: Always check with your child’s teacher to see if
any students have food allergies.
* Celery stalks filled
with reduced-fat peanut butter and raisins. Kids call these "ants on a
log."
* Fruit kebobs with low-fat whipped topping.*
* Fruit
snacks made with 100-percent juice.
* Mini peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches made with cookie cutters.
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You go to the refrigerator for some cheese, and there it is: mold.
But is mold on cheese dangerous? The answer is, not usually.
Few molds on hard cheese produce toxins or poisons. But just to be
on the safe side, discard one inch deep of the cheese on all sides
where the mold is visible. Re-cover the food with fresh, clean
wrap.
However, soft cheeses such as cream cheese, Brie and
cottage cheese should be discarded if they develop mold. Exceptions
are mold-ripened cheeses such as bleu, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and
Stilton. For these, check the pattern of the mold. If it’s different
from the usual blue or green veins and you see furry spots or white,
pink, blue, green, gray or black flecks, discard the cheese, as mold
spores may have spread throughout.
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Relations Team
The H1N1 virus continues to spread throughout the country. However, extraordinary measures for preventing infection do not seem to be necessary. The main route of transmission of the new H1N1 virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza.
If it’s available, the H1N1 vaccine is recommended especially for pregnant women, infants and young children. Other preventive measures include:
* Avoid close
contact with people who show flu-like symptoms.
* Avoid touching
your mouth and nose.
* Clean hands thoroughly with soap and water
or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis
(especially if touching the mouth and nose or surfaces that are
potentially contaminated).
* Reduce time spent in crowded
settings if possible.
* Improve airflow in your living space by
opening windows.
* Practice good health habits including adequate
sleep, eating nutritious food and keeping physically active.
If you do feel ill, have a high fever, cough or sore throat, avoid contact with others, rest and call your doctor.
Information courtesy of the World Health Organization
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A newly released study, America's Phytonutrient Report, found eight in 10 Americans are missing out on the health benefits of a diet rich in colorful fruits and veggies, resulting in a phytonutrient gap. The report looked at fruit and vegetable consumption in five color categories, specifically green, red, white, blue/purple and yellow/orange, and the phytonutrients found in each color category.
Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is one way to help keep you and your family healthy. Foods in the red category are particularly helpful to our immune systems, in addition to supporting heart health. Tomatoes, pomegranate, red cabbage, cranberries, even pink grapefruit provide the phytonutrients lycopene and ellagic acid.
Fall weekends are a great time for physical activity: a brisk run,
a nature hike, a game of touch football. Weekend athletes may not have
the same nutritional demands of full-time athletes, but you still need
to fuel your body for outdoor activities.
If you're
planning some physical fun over the weekends, power up beforehand. Eat
a meal three to four hours before a workout and a small snack about an
hour prior. This helps ensure the energy is in your muscles when you
need it.
Plan meals with protein and carbohydrates: a lean deli-meat sandwich, cereal with fruit and milk or pasta with meat sauce. For your pre-activity snack, eat something low-fat and low-fiber, like a cup of low-fat yogurt or a piece of fruit.
Refuel afterward with similar food combinations, in portions that are right for your body size. And of course, remember to drink plenty of fluids.
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The most common cancer among North American women, breast cancer
strikes more than 180,000 women and men annually. October is National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the perfect time to take action and
reduce your risk.
The causes of breast cancer are not
well-understood, but research indicates the following may help reduce
your risk:
Eating a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and
vegetables may offer protection. The complex composition of fruits,
vegetables and whole grains may lower your breast cancer risk,
especially the dietary fiber, beta carotene and vitamin C found in
those foods. So enjoy a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans and whole
grains daily.
Research shows obesity may also be linked to
breast cancer, so maintain a healthy weight and stay physically
active.
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Are salt substitutes good for monitoring sodium in food choices?
That depends. Salt substitutes aren't appropriate—and may not be
healthful—for everyone.
Many salt substitutes contain
potassium in place of all or some sodium. For some people, potassium
consumed in excess can be harmful. For example, those with kidney
problems may not be able to rid their bodies of excess levels of
potassium.
If you're under medical care—especially with a
kidney problem—check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before
using salt substitutes.
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Team
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October is National Dental Hygiene Month, a good time to reinforce
the role nutrition plays in healthy teeth and gums. While teeth
require much of the same good nutrition the rest of your body needs,
some nutrients play a more specific role in oral health.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium is
vital to building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, and vitamin
D is essential to absorbing calcium and regulating how much of it
remains in your blood. Dairy foods provide the calcium and vitamin D
you need for strong teeth; some aged cheeses may help protect your
teeth from cavities by increasing saliva flow which lowers acid levels
in the mouth.
B-Vitamins and
Iron
Whole-grains are a good source of B vitamins
for growth and iron for a rich blood supply to keep teeth and gums
healthy.
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One of the highlights of fall and winter weekends is the football
tailgate party. Whether for high school, college or the pros,
tailgating is as much of a tradition as foam fingers and face
paint.
Tailgate food tends to mean snacks and desserts. Try
these ideas for a tailgate that’s easy on the waistline:
*
Start with fruit skewers and yogurt dip along with vegetables and
hummus.
* For the meal, serve deli sandwiches on whole-grain
bread loaded with sliced veggies and low-fat cheese.
* Another
option is a pot of vegetarian chili and whole wheat bread.
* If
you like to grill, choose leaner cuts of meat or poultry.
* For
dessert, serve angel food cake chunks mixed with fruit and yogurt,
chocolate brownies or even fruit skewers with melted chocolate.
May the best team, and meal, win!
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