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 A HEALTHY HALLOWEEN
Celebrate Without Sanctioning
Excessive Consumption
At a time when obesity rivals
tooth decay as the No. 1 health challenge confronting U.S. children,
pushing bowls of candy in their faces makes about as much sense as
sending young asthmatics into cigar bars.
Childhood obesity
rates have skyrocketed in recent years, threatening an epidemic of
weight-related health ailments as this generation of children grows
up. For starters, an estimated one in three children born in 2000
will contract type 2 diabetes -- and potentially the heart disease,
blindness, asthma, sleep apnea, gall bladder disease and depression
that can accompany it. Indeed, obesity makes this generation the
first in recent history to have a lower life expectancy than that of
their parents.
What's at stake is more than one night of too
many sweets. The larger issue is what kind of habits children learn
when we teach them to equate celebration with stuffing themselves
silly with sugar-loaded, fat-laden foods. The challenge is how to
teach children a healthy approach to food -- without coming across
as a scowling witch.
Here are just four tips we've found that
can help you keep the "happy" in Halloween -- while keeping an eye
on health and nutrition as well:
#1 Try handing out nonfood
treats like stickers, crayons/chalk, rubber creepy crawlers or
finger puppets. A study published in last year's Journal of
Nutrition Education and Behavior found that when children were given a choice between comparably
sized toys and candies, they were just as likely to choose the
former as the latter.
#2 Add healthy items to your
trick-or-treat tray -- such as baby bananas, boxes of raisins,
apples, bottled water, mini-packs of baby carrots or even
snack-sized fruit bowls. For something more festive make your own
little colored bags of Halloween trail mix -- with a balance of
candy, nuts and dried fruit -- and tie with orange and black
ribbons.
#3 Make a party-pact with other parents to trade off
hosting a Halloween bash at a different home each year. Include
activities that don't involve candy and junk food. Decorate
pumpkins, bob for apples, paint your own Halloween masks or hand out
costume prizes in different categories so everyone goes home a
winner. Click here for more ideas.
#4 Serve supper
before making the rounds -- trick-or-treating on an empty stomach
may set children up to gorge on sweets and skip dinner. And
throughout the season, keep healthy snacks like big bowls of fall
apples within reach. Teach post-holiday portion control by letting
children pick one item from their leftover loot to eat each day.
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 PUMP(KIN) IT UP!
Unsung SuperFood Lowers Lung Cancer
Risk, Improves Eye Health
Halloween isn't the only
holiday you should celebrate by carving up a pumpkin -- National Lung Health Day on Oct. 27 shares a
connection as well. In addition to serving as an excellent source of
eye-healthy vitamin A, pumpkin provides one of the best
sources of alpha-carotene, an antioxidant carotenoid linked to lower lung cancer risk in
several studies. Beta-cryptoxanthin, another carotenoid present in
pumpkin, was found to have potentially protective benefits against
lung cancer in a recent analysis of data by the Harvard School of
Public Health.
A cup of freshly cut pumpkin also provides a
good source of potassium (for lower blood pressure) and a good
source of vitamin C (to stimulate collagen formation and scavenge
free radicals). A half-cup of canned pumpkin provides an excellent
source of vitamin K and a good source of fiber. With just 42
calories per half-cup of canned and 30 calories per cup of fresh,
pumpkin lets you pump up your nutrition without plumping up your
figure. But if you're watching your weight, keep in mind what else
you put in the mix! Our featured recipe, at right, is a little
decadent (though oh so delicious).
If a calorie splurge isn't
in your dietary budget then do what I do by starting the day with a
pumpkin smoothie: 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 ripe
banana, skim milk (or soy milk if you prefer), vanilla protein
powder, a dash of pumpkin pie spice and a few drops of vanilla.
Copious amounts of ice added to the blender gives your smoothie an
ice-cream like texture while keeping you full.
KIWI THERAPY
The Cute Lil' Fruit that Lowers Blood
Clot Risk
Good things grow in New Zealand -- my
adorable surf instructor and kiwis. But while the former may make
the blood quicken the latter makes sure it won't thicken, at least
according to a late breaking research report just published by the
University of Oslo.
Eating two to three kiwis a day can significantly
lower blood clot risk and reduce blood lipids, according to
Norwegian researchers. Best of all, the fuzz-ball fruit tastes a lot
better than that daily dose of aspirin. While aspirin is frequently
recommended as a means of protecting against cardiovascular disease,
it belongs to a class of drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs or NSAID) that can aggravate gastrointestinal ulcers and have
other side effects. One hundred thousand people are hospitalized and
as many as 20,000 die annually as a result of NSAID-related
complications.
No known ER admissions due to kiwi-overdose,
nor kiwi-related casualties as of publication time.
Lead
researcher, Professor Asim Duttaroy, refrained from telling folks to
take two kiwis and call him in the morning, but he did say: "The
results of our study are quite promising and are an indication that
kiwifruit is an excellent choice for people trying to improve heart
health through diet."
Just how kiwis keep clots at bay
remains a mystery -- though Dr. Duttaroy said the mechanism appears
to be quite different than the way aspirin works. It's possible that
the incredible nutrient density, including high antioxidant content,
of kiwis could be behind the benefit. Indeed, in one study, kiwis
were found to contain more vitamins and minerals than 27 other
commonly consumed fruits.
With over twice the RDI of vitamin C, two medium kiwis (148 g) serve as an
excellent source of vitamin K and provide a good source of fiber and
potassium. Kiwis also contain the enzyme actinidin, making pureed
kiwi an excellent ingredient in fruity marinades.
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 INTRODUCING: THE DOLE POLL
50% Say Diet Not Worth
Health Risks
The Dole Poll is a brand new feature of
the Dole Nutrition News, bringing you public opinion data harvested
through telephone surveys as well as online polls. Below, we bring
you the results of our first survey. Make your vote count in the
next one by going to the Dole Poll in the lower right-hand corner of
this brief.
Our inaugural Dole Poll found that half of all
Americans reported that no amount of weight loss from a
low-carbohydrate diet would be worth the potential negative health
impact. According to our national survey of 801 adults, the
possible side effects of a low-carbohydrate diet such as high
cholesterol, constipation, kidney stones and increased risk of some
cancers, "tip the scales" against following such a diet for a full
50% of Americans.
In contrast, more than one-third (36%)
say they are willing to take the chance to realize some
weight loss, with 4% reporting any amount of pounds shed
would be "worth it."
Such findings suggest we may have turned
a corner in public awareness. With bad press on Atkins Nutritionals'
bid to underwrite a nutrition-education Web site for the nation's
largest teachers union -- and new findings about the negative side
effects of low-carb regimens, it looks like folks may be losing
their appetite for such dangerous fad diets.
This backlash is
already affecting the grocery industry, with less than half the
numbers of low-carb products introduced in 2004 than in 2003, and
sales figures showing that many of these products are discounted or
off the shelves weeks after introduction. Some industry experts even
project that two-thirds of the products introduced this year will be
off the shelves by 2006.
Other questions and results
included:
Question:
As you may be aware,
some Americans are trying to lose weight by eating fewer
carbohydrates. This is often referred to as the "Atkins" diet. Which
of the following aspects of a low-carbohydrate diet do you find most
appealing?
27% SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT LOSS
18% FACT
THAT YOU CAN EAT BIG PORTIONS OF MEAT, CHEESE AND CREAM AND STILL
LOSE WEIGHT
13% SIMPLICITY OF THE DIET/EASY TO FOLLOW
2% THE
POPULARITY OF THE PROGRAM/OTHER PEOPLE DOING IT
25%
DEPENDS/UNSURE/DON'T KNOW (VOLUNTEERED)
7% TOTAL OTHER
(VOLUNTEERED)
7% REFUSED
(VOLUNTEERED)
Question:
Which of the following
aspects of a low-carbohydrate diet do you find to be least
appealing?
39% SIDE EFFECTS LIKE KIDNEY STONES, HIGH
CHOLESTEROL AND INCREASED RISK OF HEART DISEASE
17%
DIFFICULTY TO KEEP WEIGHT OFF OVER THE LONG TERM
13% BOREDOM WITH
THE SAME ROUTINE IN THE FOODS EATEN
8% SIDE EFFECTS LIKE
CONSTIPATION, BAD BREATH OR DEPRESSED MOOD
15%
DEPENDS/UNSURE/DON'T KNOW (VOLUNTEERED)
3% TOTAL OTHER
(VOLUNTEERED)
4% REFUSED (VOLUNTEERED)
Key
Demographic Findings:
Men and women alike were most
swayed by the number of pounds shed, an aspect that especially
appealed to the women surveyed (29% women, 24% men). Women were also
more likely than men to enjoy the simplicity of the diet itself (15%
women, 11% men), while in contrast, men were more receptive than
women to the fact that portions of such fatty foods as meat and
cheese are virtually unrestricted (22% men, 15% women) -- a
previously noted cause or effect that has lead some observers to
bill Atkins the "man's diet."
Notably, a full 25% of those
surveyed said they were "unsure," "lacked information" or simply
"did not know enough" to respond to this question and choose among
the four aspects. This suggests the limited popularity of low-carb
diets, which have achieved "mainstream" status (available and known
to a majority of Americans), but which have failed to realize
critical "mass" in their subscribership (actually followed by a
majority of Americans).
Having a family significantly raises
concern about the negative health effects of a low-carb lifestyle.
Married folks were much more likely than their single counterparts
to select side effects like kidney stones, high cholesterol and
increased risk of heart disease as least appealing (married 44%,
singles 30%, separated, divorced or widowed 36%). Parents were also
more likely than nonparents to be most concerned about these
possible negative health consequences (47% v. 34%).
Younger
Americans demonstrated a degree of fickleness in the necessary
number of pounds that must be shed to outweigh the risky side
effects. These 18- to 34-year olds said losing either a few pounds
(1-20) or a few spare tires (40 pounds or more) would justify the
risk. In comparison, 45- to 64-year olds were most consistent
compared with other age groups in their weight-loss
requirements.
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PUMPKIN LASAGNA
Serves 6
The mascarpone
is a special triple-cream Italian cheese sold at well-stocked
markets and cheese shops.
10 sugar pumpkins, about 5 to 6
inches round, or 10 small acorn squash
1/4 cup unsalted
butter
1 Spanish onion, sliced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2
to 3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups toasted almonds, finely
chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black
pepper
25 5x5-inch sheets fresh lasagna
1 cup Amaretti
cookies, ground
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup
mascarpone
2 cups apple cider
2 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs.
unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground
black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut tops off
pumpkins and set aside. Scrape out seeds and discard. Place pumpkins
on a baking sheet, and roast them until tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove them from oven, scrape out all flesh from 4 pumpkins and
transfer flesh to a bowl. Discard shells. Remove most of flesh from
remaining 6 pumpkins, and transfer to a bowl, reserving shells for
further baking.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat,
and when it is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion, and saute it
for 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, and cook for 2 minutes more,
stirring occasionally.
4. Add pumpkin flesh, and stir it well.
Add broth, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and
cook until pumpkin starts to fall apart, for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup almonds, transfer to a blender or food processor and
puree. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper.
Return mixture to skillet, and reheat it.
5. Bring a large pot of
water to a boil over high heat, add lasagna sheets and cook them
until al dente, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove lasagna from heat, and
drain. Place sheets in skillet with pumpkin sauce, and toss. Using
tongs, remove sheets, and place them in bottom of shells. Spoon
sauce over lasagna, and sprinkle one-quarter of remaining almonds
and one-quarter of Amaretti, Parmesan cheese and mascarpone over
top. Repeat until pumpkins are filled, or all ingredients are used
up, with a final layer of almonds, Amaretti, Parmesan cheese and
mascarpone.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place cider
and maple syrup in saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, and cook until mixture has reduced to
one-third and has a sticky, syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes.
Add butter, salt and pepper, and set aside.
7. Drizzle
cider-maple syrup sauce over individual pumpkins, and
serve.
Per serving:
770 calories, 22 g protein, 54 g total
fat (16 g sat. fat), 58 g carb, 90 mg chol, 1,020 mg sodium, 3 g
fiber, 32 g sugars
Recipe by Sarah Belk King with Todd
English (January 2004).
Photo by Renee Comet. Copyright Vegetarian Times, LLC.
Reprinted with
permission.
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JACK-O'-LANTERN BODY MASK
Courtesy of Janice
Cox, Natural Beauty from the Garden: More Than 200
Do-It-Yourself Beauty Recipes & Garden Ideas
(March
1999).
Reprinted with permission.
"My daughters love to
grow pumpkins for Halloween. They delight in imagining the funny,
scary "jack-o'-lanterns" they will make. I tend to appreciate
pumpkins as beneficial beauty ingredients. So, every October as we
hollow out our large, orange gourds, I save the insides for making
this skin-beautifying body mask.
"Pumpkin contains fruit acid
enzymes that work like alpha hydroxy acid. The real plus is that
these enzymes remove dead skin cells with less irritation than
commercial products. The lovely orange pulp also has
anti-inflammatory properties, making it naturally soothing. This
treatment is well suited for all skin types, especially sensitive
ones."
3-4 cups fresh pumpkin flesh with seeds
In a
food processor, process the pumpkin flesh for 1 to 2 minutes until
you have a smooth, grainy puree.
To use: Standing in the tub
or on an old bath towel, massage the pumpkin mixture into your skin
starting at your feet and working your way up. This mask is mild
enough to be used on your face. Let the mask rest on your skin for 5
minutes. Then, rinse your skin in a warm bath or shower and pat dry.
You may keep any leftover mask in the refrigerator or frozen for
future use.
Yield: 16 ounces, enough for two body masks.
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 WHO IS FATTER? DEMS OR
GOP?
Let us know what you think! Generally
speaking, who is fatter, Republicans or
Democrats?
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