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 Family Nutrition Program Logo FNP Newsletter:  December 2003

What is a healthy diet, anyway?

     Most of us know someone who is on a weight-loss diet.  It seems there's a popular new "diet" being promoted all the time.
     Some diets are a little unusual.  Maybe you know someone who has tried a popcorn diet or a cabbage soup diet or another diet that only allows certain foods.
     Some diets work - for a short time.  Unfortunately, most weight loss diets don't work over time and people gain back the weight they lost.

Are High-Protein Diets Healthier?
The Atkins Diet and similar diets promote eating lots of protein-rich, high-fat foods and few carbohydrate-rich gains, fruits and vegetables.  Some research studies show that people can lose weight on these diets for a while, but no long-term studies have been made.

Most nutrition experts caution against diets that cut out certain foods or entire food groups.  The National Cancer Institute and American Heart Association advise that we eat more carbohydrate-rich fruits, vegetables, dry edible beans and whole grains. 
  • Skipping food groups means you're skipping important nutrients.  Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are high in vitamins, minerals and other plant chemicals ("phytochemicals") needed for good health.
  • High-protein diets are often low in fiber.  Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains can lower our chances for getting cancer, heart disease and other diseases.
  • High-protein diets may stress the kidneys.  People with kidney trouble or diabetes often are cautioned against eating too much protein.
  • High-protein diets are often high in fat - especially saturated fat.  Saturated fat is linked with heart disease, the leading cause of death among U.S. men and women.
So, How Can I Lose Weight?
Reaching and staying at a healthy weight usually means changing your daily habits.  Remember ALL foods in moderation can fit in a healthy diet.  To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you eat.   Consider these tips:
  • Start with a healthy breakfast every day.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Eat smaller portions.
  • Enjoy at least five servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day.
  • Enjoy at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily.
  • Get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (like walking) five days a week.

For more information about food safety issues,
contact your local office of the NDSU Extension Service.
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Did You Know?     
Eating at least three daily servings of calcium-rich dairy foods (like lowfat milk, yogurt and cheese) may help with weight loss and keep our bones strong too!  A serving is one cup milk, one cup yogurt or 1.5 ounces of cheese.

Question:  I'd like to mail some cookies to my son who can't make it home for the holidays.  How should I pack them?     
Cookies are a good item to ship because they aren't perishable.  Many types of cookies are fragile, though.  Here's how to help prevent your cookies from becoming crumbs during mailing:

  1. Pack cookies back-to-back and wrap in plastic wrap.

  2. Place wrapped pairs between two small plastic foam plates.

  3. Tape the plates around the cookies.

  4. Place in a cardboard box with bubble wrap, foam or crumpled newspaper.

  5. Mark the box "fragile" and ship!

Joke of the Month  
  It's not the minutes spent at the table that put on weight, it's the seconds.

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Here's a quick and easy recipe.
More recipes can be found at www.3aday.org

Cheesy Pull-apart Party Sticks
  • 1  11-ounce can refrigerated soft breadsticks
  • 1� cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • � tsp. dried basil or oregano
  • 2 cups warmed prepared spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove breadsticks from can and arrange in a single layer lengthwise on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Do not separate breadsticks.  You should have a rectangle about 13 inches long and 6 inches wide.  Sprinkle cheese down center of dough leaving a border of about � inch.  Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.  Remove from oven and transfer to a board or platter.  Let cool 3 to 4 minutes.  While breadsticks are baking, warm the sauce in a saucepan on the stove or in a microwave oven.  Serve warm breadsticks with sauce. 

Makes about 12 servings/snacks.
Each serving contains 98 calories, 5.4 grams fat and 5 grams carbohydrates and 200 milligrams of calcium

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