MEATLESS MONDAYS

Portion Size Matters; Can Starting Young Cure Obesity?

The statistics are jaw dropping. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.
• In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

Perhaps we can all agree that something or things needs to shift. Why is this happening? Have you eaten out or watched a food commercial recently? Our obsession with fast foods, packaged foods and outright non-foods has taken its toll on our health as individuals and as a society.

Going through a drive through and tossing a kids meal into the back seat while on the way to various appointment has become an all to common occurrence in the U.S.  What are we teaching our children?

The CDC states…

  Most U.S. youth

• Do not meet the recommendations for eating 2½ cups to 6½ cups of fruits and vegetables each day
• Do not eat the minimum recommended amounts of whole grains (2–3 ounces each day)
• Eat more than the recommended maximum daily intake of sodium (1,500–2,300 mg each day) .

Empty calories from added sugars and solid fats (found most often in processed foods) contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents aged 2–18 years, affecting the overall quality of their diets. Approximately half of these empty calories come from six sources: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk.

So what do we do about it? How do we reinforce positive eating patterns that last a lifetime? The consequences if we do not are nothing short of devastating.

Long-term health effects:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults^11-14 and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.⁶ One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.
• Being overweight or obese is associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• 1 Can of soda/fizzy pop needs 32 glasses (same size volume as the can) of water to neutralize the acid content.
  If you do not remove the acidity in ones body the weight will not go anywhere. 
  If people just change a few simple habits, the benefits are amazing! We
  actually designed to live to 120 years young!

Always remember, meals don’t need to be elaborate to be nutritious. If you have only a few minutes to prepare a meal, try a turkey sandwich, a serving of green beans, an apple, and a glass of 1% or nonfat milk. A simple lunch or dinner like this takes less time to prepare than driving through a fast-food restaurant, and it is much healthier.

Portion Size Matters (http://portionsizematters.com/index.shtml) was started by Mrs. Deane Peck (MS,RD,LDN). Deane has worked in children’s obesity clinics, held positions on the Healthy Tomorrows grant that supported outreach obesity clinics specifically for children, earned her ADA (American Dietetic Association) certifications for Child and Adolescent Weight Management and Adult Weight Management training. Deane also owns and operates her own business, Weight2Go. 

If we can instill a visual in the minds of our children that fruits and lots of multi-colored vegetables are the main attraction of their meals followed by some dairy, meat or beans and grains, then just a small amount of sweets or condiments; they can have a better understanding of what constitutes a healthy meal. Then perhaps when presented with a burger and fries in the future, they will recognize that it in no way represents what they are used to eating and perhaps make a better choice.

Meatless Monday Recipe: ( excerpted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi )

A most delicious main course for any occasion, formal or casual.  Eggplants under the broiler can explode with a thunderous boom, the flesh spouting everywhere, rather than deflate gradually as the skin burns and breaks. So please make sure to pierce the eggplants!

Lentils with Broiled Eggplant

Serves 4

2 medium eggplants
2 tbsp top-quality red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
1 cup small dark lentils (such as Puy or Castelluccio), rinsed
3 small carrots, peeled
2 celery stalks
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
1/2 white onion
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp each roughly chopped parsley, cilantro and dill
2 tbsp crème fraîche (or natural yogurt, if you prefer)

To cook the eggplants on a gas stovetop, which is the most effective way, start by lining the area around the burners with foil to protect them. Put the eggplants directly on two moderate flames and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently with metal tongs, until the flesh is soft and smoky and the skin is burnt all over. Keep an eye on them the whole time so they don’t catch fire. For an electric stove, pierce the eggplants with a sharp knife in a few places. Put them on a foil-lined tray and place directly under a hot broiler for 1 hour, turning them a few times. The eggplants need to deflate completely and their skin should burn and break.

Remove the eggplants from the heat. If you used an oven broiler, change the oven to its normal setting. Heat the oven to 275°F. Cut a slit down the center of the eggplants and scoop out the flesh into a colander, avoiding the black skin. Leave to drain for at least 15 minutes and only then season with plenty of salt and pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of the vinegar.

While the eggplants are broiling, place the lentils in a medium saucepan. Cut one carrot and half a celery stalk into large chunks and throw them in. Add the bay leaf, thyme and onion, cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil. Simmer on a low heat for up to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, skimming away the froth from the surface from time to time. Drain in a sieve. Remove and discard the carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme and onion and transfer the lentils to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper; stir and set aside somewhere warm.

Cut the remaining carrot and celery into 3/8-inch dice and mix with the tomatoes, the remaining oil, the sugar and some salt. Spread in an ovenproof dish and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the carrot is tender but still firm.

Add the cooked vegetables to the warm lentils, followed by the chopped herbs and stir gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the lentils onto serving plates. Pile some eggplant in the center of each portion and top it with a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt. Finish with a trickle of oil.

Enjoy!

Healthy Weekly Motivator: Vary Your Vitamins

It can be tempting to focus on just one variable when deciding if a food is healthy, but even calories don't tell all. It’s important to also choose nutrient-dense foods: a high fiber, vitamin rich meal will keep you fuller, longer and help you eat less overall. Nutrition labels list how much of each nutrient is in a serving.
Use nutritional labels this week and see if you're getting the most bang for your bite! Try replacing some of your empty calories with nutrient-dense foods.

Have a wonderful, healthy week. Remember to email me with your favorite "meatless" recipes.

If you need a "Transfer Bridge" to move from Dis-Ease to Ultimate Wellness call or email me.

Eat Well, Eat Healthy, Enjoy Life,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

973-383-0955

"When you discover it's your choice and your attitude, things start to happen!  ~ Author Unknown ~