ON THE
Light Side
A free monthly publication from Skiff Medical Center, Newton, IA
Issue No. 185
Summer's Most Fattening Foods
Ahhh, the lazy days of summer: backyard
barbecues, baseball games, and fried
chicken, hot dogs, ice cream and beer.
Summertime living may be easy, but if
you're not careful, summer's fattening
foods can pack on the pounds. While
most people are more active during the
summer, it may not be enough to burn off
the extra calories from summer treats.
High-Fat Meats on the Barbecue
The bad news: barbecue can sabotage
your waistline. A 20
ounce T-bone can
weigh in at 1,540
calories and 124 g
fat; and pork or beef ribs come from the
fattiest part of the animal. The good
news: You can go lean with cuts like pork
tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, and
lean ground beef.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Hot dogs and brats are favorite summer
treats for many, but you might want to
save them for baseball games. It's not
just about fat and
calories these items
are also high in sodium. A typical hot
dog has 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 1,250 mg of
sodium, while a 6-ounce kielbasa has
330 calories, 24 grams of fat, and 1,590
mg sodium.
Mayonnaise-Based Salads
A small half-cup portion of potato salad
has 180 calories and 12 grams of fat; the
same amount of coleslaw has about 150
calories and 8 grams of fat. To cut calories, make your salads with light mayonnaise; or mix mayo with low-fat yogurt or
light sour cream. Or try a German-style
potato salad, using more
vinegar than oil? Then
toss lots of veggies in to
increase the fiber and
nutrients.
Frozen Concoctions
Sweet, fruity drinks (the
kind often served with an
umbrella) may go down
easy, but the calories add
up in a hurry. A piña colada
can range from 245-490 calories, a daiquiri from 300-800 calories, and a Long
Island iced tea can set you back 520
calories or more. Try wine, a wine
spritzer, or a mixed drink with seltzer
and a splash of 100% fruit juice.
Satisfying Thirst Quenchers
Staying hydrated is essential in summer,
but some drinks can wreak havoc with
your waistline. Be careful what you
choose - if you're drinking 12-ounces of
sweet tea, regular soda, energy drinks,
juice drinks, or beer, you're taking in
about 150 calories a pop. Smoothies,
milkshakes and cold coffee concoctions
can go much higher. Keep liquids in
check and drink water or light versions
of your favorite quenchers.
Cooling Down With Frozen Treats
A cup of soft-serve ice cream can have
380 calories and 22 grams of fat. A
Dairy Queen chocolate chip cookie
dough blizzard has 720 calories, with 28
grams of fat! You don't need to give up
treats, just pass on the giant portions
and high fat toppings. Look for frozen
desserts like sherbet, fudge bars, fruit
bars, or other treats under 150 calories
per serving.
Frighteningly
Fattening Fair
Food
Fairs and festivals
serve up some of
the most fattening deep-fried diet disasters. From fried cheesecake (around 500
calories) to gigantic turkey legs (1,136
calories and 54 g fat), most fair foods
will give you calorie overload. Limit the
fried foods and choose caramel apples
or a simple grilled meat or share your
treat with a friend.
What Not To Freeze
You may have figured
out already that certain
foods just don't handle
the whole "freeze and
thaw" thing very well.
According to the Food
Marketing Institute's
Food Storage Information report, these are the
foods that "do not freeze
well" or freezing is "not
recommended":
apricots
artichokes, whole
avocados
bacon (once opened)
processed cheese slices
citrus fruit
cottage cheese
cream cheese (once
opened)
cucumbers
dips (sour cream based)
egg substitutes (although
you can buy some
brands frozen)
eggs in the shell
kiwi fruit
light heavy cream
miso
olives
papaya, mango
pears
pudding
radishes
ricotta cheese
salads containing meat,
fish, poultry or eggs
sour cream
soy or rice beverage
Source: Food Marketing Institute's
Food Storage Information.
What if you FOUND a pill that would:
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•
•
•
•
•
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Increase both the span and quality of your life
Cut in half your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer
Alleviate mental anxiety and depression
Decrease your blood pressure
Increase your immunity
Increase your mental clarity (which, of course, makes you smarter)
Increase your stamina
Increase your body's ability to metabolize cell-damaging stress hormones
Increase overall productivity and decrease overall medical costs for you
How much would you be willing to invest in such a pill? What if the investment was time and not money?
The Cost of Physical Inactivity: $330 per year.
$330 per year is the estimated average cost in direct medical expenses per each inactive employee.
Big deal, your daily latte costs more, right? Not so fast. The $330 doesn't include:
Indirect medical costs (such as workers compensation claims) and the cost of a myriad of chronic diseases attributable to physical inactivity (heart disease, multiple cancers, diabetes, etc.).
Who would have guessed that rising from your desk to go for a walk at lunch----might be one of your
most fiscally responsible business decisions?
Citation: Pratt, Michael, M.D., et al. "Higher Direct Medical Costs Associated With Physical Inactivity." The Physician and Sports Medicine 28(10). Oct
2000.
Grilled Zucchini
4 medium zucchini
nonstick cooking spray
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
cheese
Cut zucchini lengthways into 2 x 4–inch
slices. Coat zucchini with non-stick cooking spray. Place zucchini slices directly
on grill grate and sprinkle with spices.
Cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes or
until zucchini has grate marks and is
translucent. Flip and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove
and serve. Watch closely as zucchini can
burn quickly.
4 servings
Calories: 70 Fat: 5g Sat Fat: 1.5g
Carbohydrates: 4g Fiber: 1g
Sodium: 50mg
Green Bean Salad
1 pound fresh green beans
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 hard boiled egg, shelled and
finely chopped
Dressing
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
Cook the beans in boiling water for 5-6
minutes, until tender. Drain, run under
cold water and place in serving bowl.
Whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, and mustard
together. Pour the dressing over the beans
and toss. Heat the oil in a pan. Stir in the
breadcrumbs and garlic, and stir over
moderate heat for 3-4 minutes or until
golden brown. Remove pan from the heat
and stir in chopped parsley, and hard
boiled egg. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over green beans. Serve warm or
room temperature.
5 servings
Calories: 190 Fat: 12g Sat Fat: 1g
Sodium: 85mg Carbs: 16g Fiber: 4g
Jalapeno Burn
After handling jalapenos, your fingers may
be tingling or burning.
To lessen this, pour
baking soda into a sink
with water. Soak your
hands in this soothing
bath - until the burning
goes away. Next time
wear rubber gloves.
On the Light Side is written by
Registered Dietitian Jenny
Thompson.
Interested in Skiff Medical
Center Wellness programs?
Contact 791-4303.