Healthy Holiday Eating

The holidays can be a tricky time of year to make healthy food choices, but maintaining a healthy diet during the holidays is possible! Here are some tips on how to eat healthy during the holiday season: 

1.  Don’t arrive on an empty stomach

• You may be tempted to skip lunch because you know you will be eating a lot at the holiday party later. However, depriving yourself of food the whole day may cause you to splurge and choose less healthy food items.

• Eat small portions throughout the day to curb your hunger. Try to choose healthy items if you don’t think there will be healthy options available for you later at the party.

2.  Bring a healthy dish

• If you are worried that there won’t be healthy options at the party, bring your own dish (like a fruit salad or veggie plate) to ensure there is something you can eat without feeling guilty. When preparing recipes, try low-fat alternatives for some ingredients. 

3.  Balance out your calories with water

• Drinking water before and with your meal can help you feel full sooner. Alcoholic drinks, punch, and eggnog are packed with calories that will really add up throughout the course of the night, so choose water or diet beverages instead.

4.  Keep your distance from the food table

• Try not to hang out near the food so you aren’t tempted to grab a handful of chips every few minutes.

5.  Check out all the food options before loading up your plate

• Decide on what foods are worth eating and which you can pass up. It’s okay to have some treats you enjoy, just plan out your calories and enjoy the foods you choose!
• Remember: Moderation is key. Instead of loading up your plate with all of the food items that look good to you, take small portions of some. From there, you can decide which items are worth the calories and you can go for seconds, if needed.

6.  Embrace the food, but pace yourself.

• Take your time and enjoy your meal. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain telling it that you are full.  So if you eat slowly, you are more likely to notice that you are full before you get over-stuffed.

Happy Holidays!

Vending Machines: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

It happens to everyone: the vending machine is calling your name! Whether you skipped breakfast or are just dying for a sweet or salty fix the vending machine doesn’t need to be off limits.  Armed with a little snacking knowledge you can be confident in knowing that you can make a smart choice and you won’t be pushing the wrong buttons walking right into a nutritional nightmare.

Compare Your Breakfast Options
Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Bar  (1 Bar)
	140	Calories
	35	Calories from fat
	4g	Fat  (6% DV)
	1.5g	Saturated Fat  (9% DV)
	9g	Fiber  (35% DV)
	10g	Sugar  (2.5 teaspoons)
Hostess Breakfast Classic Honey Bun Iced (1 Pastry)
	410	Calories
	200	Calories from fat
	22g	Fat  (34% DV)
	12g	Saturated Fat  (60% DV)
	28g	Sugar  (7 teaspoons)
Hostess Mini Muffins, Chocolate Chip (1 Package)
	250	Calories
	130	Calories from fat
	15g	Fat  (23% DV)
	4g	Saturated Fat  (20% DV)
	35mg	Cholesterol  (12% DV)
	18g	Sugar  (4.5 teaspoons)
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon  (2 Pastries)
	420	Calories
	120	Calories from fat
	14g	Fat  (22% DV)
	4g	Saturated Fat  (20% DV)
	30g	Sugar  (7.5 teaspoons)
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Bar Strawberry (1 Bar)
	120	Calories
	30	Calories from fat
	3g	Fat  (5% DV)
	0.5g	Saturated Fat  (3% DV)
	3g	Fiber  (10% DV)
	11g	Sugar  (less than 3 teaspoons)
Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Granola Bar (1 Bar)
	190	Calories
	60	Calories from fat
	6g	Fat  (9% DV)
	0.5g	Saturated Fat  (3% DV)
	2g	Fiber  (8% DV)
	12g	Sugar  (3 teaspoons)

Compare Your Salty Options
Cheetos Crunchy  (2 ounce bag)
	320	Calories
	180	Calories from fat
	20g	Fat  (32% DV)
	4g	Saturated Fat  (20% DV)
	580mg	Sodium  (24% DV)
Chex Mix Traditional  (1.75 ounce bag)
	210	Calories
	60	Calories from fat
	7g	Fat  (11% DV)
	1.5g	Saturated Fat  (6% DV)
	350mg	Sodium  (15% DV)
	2g	Fiber  (10% DV)
Doritos Nacho Cheese (1¾ ounce bag)
	262	Calories
	122	Calories from fat
	14g	Fat  (21% DV)
	2.6g	Saturated Fat  (10.5% DV)
	367mg	Sodium (15.75% DV)
Fritos The Original  ( 2 ounce bag)
	320	Calories
	180	Calories from fat
	20g	Fat  (32% DV)
	3g	Saturated Fat  (14% DV)
	340mg	Sodium  (14% DV)
Rold Gold Tiny Twists  (2 ounce bag)
	220	Calories
	20	Calories from fat
	2g	Fat  (4% DV)
	0g	Saturated Fat
	900mg	Sodium  (38% DV)
Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar  (1.5 ounce bag)
	210	Calories
	90	Calories from fat
	9g	Fat  (15% DV)
	1.5g	Saturated Fat  (6% DV)
	300mg	Sodium  (12% DV)
	4.5g	Fiber  (15% DV)

Compare Your Sweet Options
Hostess Cup Cakes, Chocolate with Creamy Filling  (2 Cakes)
	360	Calories
	100	Calories from fat
	12g	Fat  (18% DV)
	5g	Saturated Fat  (26% DV)
	34g	Sugar  (8.5 teaspoons)
Hostess Ho Hos  (3 Cakes)
	370	Calories
	150	Calories from fat
	17g	Fat  (26% DV)
	13g	Saturated Fat  (65% DV)
	42g	Sugar  (10.5 teaspoons)
Hostess Zingers, Vanilla (3 Cakes)
	480	Calories
	135	Calories from fat
	15g	Fat  (25% DV)
	7.5g	Saturated Fat  (39% DV)
	30mg	Cholesterol  (9% DV)
	63g	Sugar (almost 16 teaspoons)
Kellogg's Fruity Snacks  (9 ounce bag)
	80	Calories
	0	Calories from fat
	0g	Fat
	0g	Saturated Fat
	13g	Sugar  (a little over 3 teaspoons)
Pretzel M&M's  (1 Package)
	150	Calories
	45	Calories from fat
	5g	Fat  (8% DV)
	3g	Saturated Fat  (15% DV)
	16g	Sugar (4 teaspoons)
Starburst Original  (1 Pack)
	240	Calories
	45	Calories from fat
	5g	Fat  (8% DV)
	4.5g	Saturated Fat  (23% DV)
	33g	Sugar  (a little over 8 teaspoons)

UB Healthy~
Rachel, Nutrition Intern

Autumn Zeals

Please do not glimmer your eyes like that. We are not talking about the diamond store®. However! Let us look at what will be coming soon as Summer waves goodbye and allows us to welcome Autumn and her lot of seasonal prize. Below you will find a precious fruit and a sweet vegetable that will surely bring a marvelous delight to your taste buds and to your health.

Share the Pears

The Greek poet Homer described pears in his epic, “The Odyssey”, as a gift of the gods. And what a gift you’ll find the moment you bite into their yielding yet minor coarse texture and take in the distinct sweetness that only pears offer. Produced for the entire world mostly in Washington and Oregon, the season for pears runs from August through October although there are over 3000 varieties of pears that make them available year round.

Pears provide 6g of dietary fiber which equates to 24% of the recommended daily intake which plays a crucial role to protect you from chronic diseases along with aiding glucose metabolism and managing diabetes. They are a good source of vitamin C and copper which are antioxidants necessary to slow or prevent oxidative damage to the cells that over time may lead to onset of chronic diseases; antioxidants may also improve immune function and lower your risk for infection and cancer. Consumption of each pear will net you 100 calories, an easy and attractive number which may aid those striving for weight loss and weight management.

You Say Potato, I Say Sweet Potato

Only decades ago were orange-fleshed sweet potatoes introduced in the southern United States—now mostly all of the sweet potatoes and yams found in the US are really all sweet potatoes; they are in season in November and December.

A medium size sweet potato provides twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene (Necessary for strong immune functions, healthy eyes/skin, strong bones/teeth, and helps prevent cancer through its antioxidant effects) more than a third of the requirements for vitamin C. With skin, the dietary fiber count is 4 g (almost a fifth of the recommended daily intake). The sweet potato also provides vital vitamins and minerals needed to ensure proper bodily functions (% daily value): vitamin B6 (12.5%), folate (5%), calcium (3%), manganese (26%), copper (13%), potassium (10%), and even iron (8%). As you can see, it is clear that a sweet potato is a nutrient-jamboree that can find its place easily in a healthy diet. Sweet potatoes can be used in almost all recipes that call for regular potatoes. What’s more is that one medium sweet potato only contains 100-150 calories. Please, no need for applause.

For more nutritional information:

http://www.eatright.org/public/

http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

UB Healthy~

Ton, Nutrition Intern

Healthy Summer Grilling Tips

Nothing says summer like backyard grilling. Grilling can be a simple way to add bold flavor without the extra fat and calories. Grilling lean meats and veggies is not only healthy, it’s also delicious! 

Here are some healthful tips for your summer grilling:

1.      Marinate leaner cuts of meat

o   Forget the traditional grilling items like hamburgers and hot dogs and choose affordable, leaner cuts of meat. Using marinades or rubs will add flavor and reduce the need for high-fat condiments.

o   Not only do marinades prevent the meat from drying out, they also protect the meat from carcinogens created by smoke and high heat cooking.

o   Cuts that are leaner than 95% ground beef include:

o   Eye of round roast, top round steak, bottom round roast, top sirloin steak, round tip roast

o   Skinless chicken breast and turkey breast are also good options

2.     Build a better burger

o   When using 95% lean meat (beef or turkey) try adding a variety of different ingredients to add more flavor and moisture, and to “stretch” the meat.

o   Some ideas include:

o   Ground up cherries or prunes, tomato products, mashed avocado, egg whites with some bread crumbs, and grated or chopped veggies (bell peppers, chiles, garlic, mushrooms, or onions)

o   You can add almost any spice like pepper or rosemary.

o   Meat alternatives

o   Try a portobello mushroom burger or a veggie burger.

o   Choose whole wheat or whole grain buns and rolls.

3.     Healthier burger toppings

o   Fresh vegetables

o   Tomatoes, lettuce, red onion

o   Add some spice

o   Mustard, jalapenos, salsa

o   Avocado slices add some healthy fat and a creamy consistency similar to cheese or mayo.

o   Skip the bacon or replace it with Canadian style bacon to save on calories and fat.

4.      Grill baskets

o   These are great for foods that can easily fall through grill racks like shrimp, fish, tofu and veggies.

o   Don’t have a grill basket? Wrap it up in tin foil!

5.     Go for grilled fish

o   You can cook heartier fish steaks, like salmon and tuna, directly on the grill

o   More tender fish, such as catfish, perch, snapper, sole, and tilapia, can be cooked with a rub or with lots of herbs and lemon in an aluminum foil packet or in a grill basket.

6.      Don’t forget the veggies!

o   Some great vegetables to cook on the grill include asparagus spears, broccoli, corn on the cob, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sliced sweet potatoes, squash, or zucchini.

o   Brush your veggies with a light coat of olive oil (to add flavor and prevent them from sticking to the metal) and sprinkle them with minced garlic, rosemary, or salt and pepper.

           

7.      Kabobs

o   Load up skewers with your choice of meat, pineapple, onions, mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or yellow squash.

o   Cut all the kabob fixings to equal-sized pieces. Assemble the kabobs and spray or brush with olive oil.

Check out this website for some healthy grilling recipes!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/grilling