4beans4me
Wed, Dec-22-04, 06:50
Nutrition news: Told ya' so: Americans head back to bread for 2005
Dayle Hayes
NUTRITION NEWS
I received an early Christmas present last week. One morning when I logged onto to my computer, a Web news page featured the "hot trends" of 2005. One of them immediately caught my eye - carbohydrates.
It was just a brief bullet in a list of what-to-watch-for-in-2005, but it made my heart sing. It suggested that Americans were going to back to carbohydrates - and with great gusto, mentioned bread, pasta and potatoes.
Trying hard to resist the temptation to say, "I told you so" - I am not the least bit surprised to read an increasing number of reports that the low-carb boom has gone bust.
As a nutrition professional, I could not be happier.
The back-to-bread trend was confirmed in an Associated Press article earlier this week. While the Atkins nutritional folks continued to defend their position, virtually all the other experts and consumers told the same story:
<LI>The percentage of Americans following low-carb diets had peaked and fallen dramatically.
<LI>"Virtually none" of the people surveyed were following the strict recommendations of the "popular" low-carb diets.
<LI>The basic problem, as with any extreme diet, is that eating becomes monotonous and boring, and people couldn't stick to the low-carb plans over the long term.
OK, OK, I can't resist a little gloating, I did tell you so - over and over again. My mantra about successful weight management has been the same forever: The only "diet" that works is finding a way to eat and be active that you can do for the rest of your life.
Forever is the key word. If you want a healthy weight, you have to develop habits that will last the rest of your life. And, as the news stories document, very few people can live without carbohydrates for the rest of their lives.
So, as America moves back towards carbo-sanity, I have some suggestions about ways to celebrate. Pick one - or pick several - and bon appetit.
Enjoy carbs with nutrition-power.
Get your carbs in foods packed with nutrition - protein, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Skip the king-size candy bars and the super-sized drinks and stick with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and delicious, nutritious dried beans and peas, such as chickpeas, pinto beans and spilt peas.
Support your local bakery.
We're lucky to have a growing list of local bakers using Montana-grown grains to produce some tasty breads, rolls, cereals and carbo-treats. Stop in at long-time favorites like Stella's Kitchen and Bakery, Poet Street Market, Great Harvest Bakery or Grand Bagel. Or visit some of the newer kids on Billings' blocks: The Hearth Bakery downtown or Wheat Montana on the west end.
Cook up some homemade carbs.
Upcoming winter vacation days are the perfect time to practice your carbohydrate culinary skills. Fill the house with the always-popular smell of baking bread. Simmer some chili or black bean soup to warm your family's hearts and bellies after a hard day of skiing or snowshoeing.
Need more information on whole grain goodness - or some new recipes for your holiday feasts? Want to try an exotic grain, like teff - but don't know how to prepare it? One of these Web sites is bound to have what you are looking for:
Whole Grains Council
www.wholegrainscouncil.org/ (http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/)
The goal of this organization is "to close the whole-grain gap" and make sure all Americans are eating at least three whole grains a day. This site, packed with nutrition details on every page, features a list of grains from A to Z, as well as holiday recipes for many uncommon grains.
National Pasta Association
www.ilovepasta.org/ (http://www.ilovepasta.org/)
The URL says it all. The site has plenty of pasta tips and information. It features recipes galore, including two extremely useful sections: Pasta Pronto features hundreds of recipes in categories from 30-minutes to super low-fat - while Pasta Improv has ideas for using whatever you have on hand.
Potato Board
www.healthypotato.com/ (http://www.healthypotato.com/)
As accurately promoted on this site, potatoes are "naturally nutritious, always delicious." Did you know that a medium potato has almost twice the potassium of a banana? Visit this site for more nutrition trivia and all sorts of potato recipes. The "Chipotle Mashed Potatoes" look pretty good to me.
USA Rice Federation
www.usarice.com/consumer/index.html (http://www.usarice.com/consumer/index.html)
If you'd like to get out of the plain white rice rut, this site is for you. Just go to the "Rice to the Rescue" contest section and check out several years of winning recipes such as Cremini Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Rice Soup (Best Whole Grain Recipe Winner for 2004, from Gloria Pleasants in Williamsburg, Va).
Wheat Foods Council
www.wheatfoods.org/ (http://www.wheatfoods.org/)
Last, but not least in any way, the Wheat Food Council site has been a voice of reason in the carbohydrate wars for years. You can trust the accuracy of its nutrition information and the flavor of the recipes. You can also order a copy of "It's the Calories, Not the Carbs," an excellent guide for healthy weight management strategies
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/12/22/build/health/40-nutri-news.inc
Dayle Hayes
NUTRITION NEWS
I received an early Christmas present last week. One morning when I logged onto to my computer, a Web news page featured the "hot trends" of 2005. One of them immediately caught my eye - carbohydrates.
It was just a brief bullet in a list of what-to-watch-for-in-2005, but it made my heart sing. It suggested that Americans were going to back to carbohydrates - and with great gusto, mentioned bread, pasta and potatoes.
Trying hard to resist the temptation to say, "I told you so" - I am not the least bit surprised to read an increasing number of reports that the low-carb boom has gone bust.
As a nutrition professional, I could not be happier.
The back-to-bread trend was confirmed in an Associated Press article earlier this week. While the Atkins nutritional folks continued to defend their position, virtually all the other experts and consumers told the same story:
<LI>The percentage of Americans following low-carb diets had peaked and fallen dramatically.
<LI>"Virtually none" of the people surveyed were following the strict recommendations of the "popular" low-carb diets.
<LI>The basic problem, as with any extreme diet, is that eating becomes monotonous and boring, and people couldn't stick to the low-carb plans over the long term.
OK, OK, I can't resist a little gloating, I did tell you so - over and over again. My mantra about successful weight management has been the same forever: The only "diet" that works is finding a way to eat and be active that you can do for the rest of your life.
Forever is the key word. If you want a healthy weight, you have to develop habits that will last the rest of your life. And, as the news stories document, very few people can live without carbohydrates for the rest of their lives.
So, as America moves back towards carbo-sanity, I have some suggestions about ways to celebrate. Pick one - or pick several - and bon appetit.
Enjoy carbs with nutrition-power.
Get your carbs in foods packed with nutrition - protein, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Skip the king-size candy bars and the super-sized drinks and stick with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and delicious, nutritious dried beans and peas, such as chickpeas, pinto beans and spilt peas.
Support your local bakery.
We're lucky to have a growing list of local bakers using Montana-grown grains to produce some tasty breads, rolls, cereals and carbo-treats. Stop in at long-time favorites like Stella's Kitchen and Bakery, Poet Street Market, Great Harvest Bakery or Grand Bagel. Or visit some of the newer kids on Billings' blocks: The Hearth Bakery downtown or Wheat Montana on the west end.
Cook up some homemade carbs.
Upcoming winter vacation days are the perfect time to practice your carbohydrate culinary skills. Fill the house with the always-popular smell of baking bread. Simmer some chili or black bean soup to warm your family's hearts and bellies after a hard day of skiing or snowshoeing.
Need more information on whole grain goodness - or some new recipes for your holiday feasts? Want to try an exotic grain, like teff - but don't know how to prepare it? One of these Web sites is bound to have what you are looking for:
Whole Grains Council
www.wholegrainscouncil.org/ (http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/)
The goal of this organization is "to close the whole-grain gap" and make sure all Americans are eating at least three whole grains a day. This site, packed with nutrition details on every page, features a list of grains from A to Z, as well as holiday recipes for many uncommon grains.
National Pasta Association
www.ilovepasta.org/ (http://www.ilovepasta.org/)
The URL says it all. The site has plenty of pasta tips and information. It features recipes galore, including two extremely useful sections: Pasta Pronto features hundreds of recipes in categories from 30-minutes to super low-fat - while Pasta Improv has ideas for using whatever you have on hand.
Potato Board
www.healthypotato.com/ (http://www.healthypotato.com/)
As accurately promoted on this site, potatoes are "naturally nutritious, always delicious." Did you know that a medium potato has almost twice the potassium of a banana? Visit this site for more nutrition trivia and all sorts of potato recipes. The "Chipotle Mashed Potatoes" look pretty good to me.
USA Rice Federation
www.usarice.com/consumer/index.html (http://www.usarice.com/consumer/index.html)
If you'd like to get out of the plain white rice rut, this site is for you. Just go to the "Rice to the Rescue" contest section and check out several years of winning recipes such as Cremini Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Rice Soup (Best Whole Grain Recipe Winner for 2004, from Gloria Pleasants in Williamsburg, Va).
Wheat Foods Council
www.wheatfoods.org/ (http://www.wheatfoods.org/)
Last, but not least in any way, the Wheat Food Council site has been a voice of reason in the carbohydrate wars for years. You can trust the accuracy of its nutrition information and the flavor of the recipes. You can also order a copy of "It's the Calories, Not the Carbs," an excellent guide for healthy weight management strategies
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/12/22/build/health/40-nutri-news.inc