Healthy Holidays. Holiday Pounds?

Healthy Holidays H E A L T H Y E A T I N G T I P O F T H E M O N T H D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 Holiday Pounds? Do you feel like you gain 10 poun...
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Healthy Holidays H E A L T H Y

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Holiday Pounds? Do you feel like you gain 10 pounds every year around the Holidays? Relax! It’s probably more like 1 or 2. Although it has been asserted that the average person gains at least 5 pounds from the time period ranging from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, there is no credible research to support this. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that fewer than one tenth of people gained 5 pounds or more during the holidays. In fact the average weight gain during this period was slightly less than 1 pound. The problem comes when the holiday pound hangs on for the rest of the year. Often people do not lose the weight after the holiday season and it can add up year after year.

This month’s healthy suggestions can make it easier to prevent that weight gain and give you a healthy and festive Holiday Season!

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Healthy Holiday Cooking Substitutions Try using sliced or slivered almonds as a crunchy topping for green beans or other vegetables instead of french-fried onions.

Replace a whole egg with two egg whites in a cake. This will result in a fluffier cake with less fat and cholesterol.

Use fresh fruit as a topping for desserts instead of frostings, syrups, or jams.

Substitute applesauce for some of the oil in baked goods. Although this may slightly alter the flavor and texture of the food, it usually yields a delicious result that is often sweeter and moister. Lower-fat dairy options have significantly fewer calories than regular. Look for low fat versions such as low-fat cheese and fat-free sweetened condensed milk. Use plain, fat-free yogurt instead of sour cream in dips, or sauces or as a topping for soups, or in potato dishes.

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Smart Eating at Holiday Parties Plan ahead: If you are going to a party later in the day, make sure your other meals during the day are light and nutritious.

Set priorities: Instead of eating everything, pick the foods you like the best, the foods that you do not normally have, or the host or hostess’s specialties. For example, pretzels are easily accessible at any time of the year, while your host’s Secret-FamilyRecipe dish is only available at special times of the year. Sip wisely: Just have one serving of a festive beverage and stick with water for the rest of the party to avoid drinking too many calories. Distract yourself: Socialize with friends at a significant distance from the food.

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Healthy Christmas Cookies I have been making this Christmas cookie recipe for my family for years, and we prefer it over traditional cut-out cookie recipes. The original recipe was made with all white flour and 1 cup of oil. I replaced half of the white flour with whole wheat flour and half of the oil with unsweetened applesauce and the result was magical. 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda ½ cup oil ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 1 cup sugar 2 eggs ¼ cup milk Mix all ingredients together. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness on a generously floured surface. Cut into holiday themed shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer to a baking sheet that has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350ºF for 6-10 minutes. Frost and decorate as desired.

Frosting 1 tbsp. soft butter or margarine 4 cups powdered sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. milk (or enough to make frosting easily spreadable) Mix butter or margarine with powdered sugar and milk. Add vanilla and blend well. Add milk as needed until frosting is easy to spread, but not runny.

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Honey Roasted Root Vegetables The holiday season is a great time to enjoy in-season winter vegetables in fun and festive ways. The following recipe includes sweet potatoes and turnips, which are in season during the winter months. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A as well as a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Turnips are a source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Both sweet potatoes and turnips are naturally low in sodium and fat free.

2 cups coarsely chopped peeled sweet potato (about 1 large) 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped peeled turnip (about 2) 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped parsnip (about 2) 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped carrot (about 2) ¼ cup honey 2 tbsp. olive oil ½ tsp salt 3 shallots, halved Lightly coat a large shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to coat all vegetables. Bake at 450ºF for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and starting to brown.

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Hanukkah Hanukkah is another Holiday traditionally celebrated in the winter months. Hanukkah rejoices in the triumph of the Maccabees in regaining the temple in Jerusalem from the Greeks. Although they had only one night’s worth of ceremonially clean oil left, the oil lasted and kept a light burning for eight days. For this reason, many traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil that lasted eight times longer than was thought possible. Traditional foods can still be enjoyed as a part of a healthy Hanukkah celebration. Try using less oil and pan frying instead of deep frying. These Cauliflower Latkes are a lighter version of the traditional dish made with potatoes.

Cauliflower Latkes 1 head fresh cauliflower, washed and cut into florets 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. white or black pepper oil, for frying Fill a large pot with water to a depth of 3 to 4 inches and heat to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cover. Turn heat down to low and HEALTHY

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simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the florets are soft enough to be easily mashed. (Or microwave florets in a large bowl of water, 5 minutes at a time until soft enough to mash). Drain the cauliflower in a colander and transfer to a medium bowl. Mash lightly with a fork, leaving some texture rather than making a purée. Let cool slightly. Add eggs, flour, salt, and

pepper. On mediumhigh heat, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, drop batter by tablespoonfuls into pan. Flatten the pancakes slightly so they will cook through without burning. Fry about 3 minutes on each side, until browned on both sides and firm in the middle. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot.

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What’s in the News Food Nutrition Ratings Guiding Stars is a rating system used in grocery stores that gives a food product a rating using gold stars on price labels to help customers make healthier food choices. These gold stars are used in Hannaford Supermarkets, which are headquartered in Maine. A study published in the journal, Food Policy, found that this rating system helped consumers to purchase healthier foods. The study focused on sales of breakfast cereals and found that after the gold star ratings were implemented sales of healthier cereals increased while sales of less nutritious cereals decreased. It can be difficult to sort through the health claims and interpret the nutrition facts labels. The star rating system helps to simplify the decision making process by allowing shoppers to see which foods are truly healthy choices and to compare different products. Rating systems like Guiding Stars also encourage food production companies to make healthier products as customer demand for more nutritious foods increases.

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What’s in the News Healthy Snacking Most of us snack throughout the day, perhaps more than we should, but making wiser snack choices can help prevent weight gain. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that people who added a snack of about 1 ½ ounces of almonds daily reduced hunger pangs and ate less at other meals, so that the added snack did not increase their total daily calorie intake. After a month of eating a daily snack of almonds, research participants had experienced no weight gain. Almonds are high in protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat, but they are low in carbohydrates. This combination promotes feelings of fullness. This knowledge may be helpful for people who like to snack but have found that this habit causes them to eat too much. A healthy snack, like almonds can help make it easier not to overeat.

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Enter to Win! Holiday Secrets Cookbook Any time during December stop by the Healthy Eating Tip of the Month bulletin board in the University Hospital Cafeteria. Fill out your name and contact information on a provided paper and you will be entered into the drawing to win the Holiday Secrets: Healthy Holiday Cookbook. This cookbook includes healthy recipes for festive holidays for the whole year. The recipes have been tested by Food and Health Communications, so they are sure to be a success!

If you would like to take a look at the cookbook online before you enter, or if you are not fortunate enough to win, you can purchase the cookbook for yourself or for a friend: http://nutritioneducationstore.com/ products/Holiday_Secrets-387-101.html

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But Wait, There’s More… For

more information about food safety and healthy eating visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website: http://www.eatright.org/Public/list.aspx?TaxID=6442452017 The

Mayoclinic provides tips to help make favorite holiday dishes healthier http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-holiday-eating/MY01046 Find

tips for healthy strategies for parties, cooking modifications, activities and gift ideas: http://www.dining.ucla.edu/housing_site/dining/SNAC_pdf/ GiftOfGoodHealth.pdf For healthy seasonal recipes and menu ideas visit: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/healthy-menu-ideas-winter 

To see additional healthier Hannukah recipes visit: http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/recipes/healthy-hanukkah-the-triumph-ofquality-over 

For directions to make this cute, healthy, and kid friendly Christmas craft go to: http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Healthy-HolidayTree.html 

References Aubrey, Allison. “Almonds for Skinny Snackers? Yes They Help Curb your Appetite.” npr.org. (Oct. 24 2013). Web. 28 Oct. 2013. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Helpful Tips for Healthy Holiday Parties”. (2012). Eatright.org. Web. 15 October, 2013. Hannaford Bros Co. “Guiding Stars”. (2013). Hannaford. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. Nelson, Jennifer, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky. “Healthy Holiday Eating: Remakes of Favorite Recipes”. Mayo Clinic. 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. Nolan-Clark, Deborah, PhD., et. al. “Dietary Consequences of Recommending ReducedFat Dairy Products in the Weight Loss Context: A Secondary Analysis with Practical Implications for Registered Dietitians”. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 113.3 (2013): 452-8. Elsevier. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine. “Healthy Hanukkah: The Triumph of Quality over Quantity”. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. The Associated Press. “Study: Gold Star Nutrition Ratings Appear to Work”. npr.org. (Oct. 24 2013). Web. 24 Oct. 2013. Shimoni, Giora. “Cauliflower Latkes (Parve)”. About.com. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. United States Department of Agriculture. “Sweet Potatoes, Fresh”. Household Commodity Fact Sheet. April 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. Retrieved from http:// www.fns.usda.gov/ fdd/facts/hhpfacts/New_HHPFacts/Veges/ HHFS_SWEET_POTATOES_FRESH_F160-F163_Final.pdf. United States Department of Agriculture. “Turnips, Fresh”. Household Commodity Fact Sheet. April 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.fns.usda.gov/ fdd/facts/hhpfacts/New_HHPFacts/Veges/HHFS_TURNIPS_FRESH_F170F172_Final.pdf. Whyte Smart, Marcia. “Honey Roasted Root Vegetables”. Cooking Light. Dec. 2005. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. Yanovski, Jack A., et. al. “A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain”. The New England Journal of Medicine. 342.12 (2000): 861-867. Pubmed. Web. Sept. 13, 2013.

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