Who Knows Best About Nutrition?
So who do you think would know more about nutrition, fast-food fans or health nuts?
In an informal survey of some 400 customers at health food stores and fast-food restaurants, Reader’s Digest discovered that the burgerand-fries crowd came out on top.
Fast-food customers were more likely to know that foods with “reduced fat” labels don’t necessarily have less fat than competing products; apples are relatively low in nutrients; caffeine may abort asthma attacks; drinking more than three cups of coffee a day can make women less fertile; olive oil does not raise cholesterol levels, and drinking wine may protect against viruses and inhibit the formation of dental plaque.
Health food shoppers did better in only two areas, with more of them answering correctly that saturated fat is worse than unsaturated fat, and improperly handled tofu can cause food poisoning (not that the Big Mac bunch probably needs to worry about that too much).
To test your own nutritional knowledge and check out some of the latest information, visit the Web site for the new Reader’s Digest book, “Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal: An A-Z Guide to Safe and Healthy Eating,” at www.foodsthatharm.com
On the tubers
If you want your youngsters to know more about where their food comes from, it can be as easy as turning on the television.
“Fresh From the Family Farm” is a half-hour video, geared to children aged 3 through 10, that shows how fruits and vegetables are grown, with musical accompaniment by popular kids’ artist John McCutcheon. A majority of the proceeds benefits Farm Aid, a nonprofit organization that supports family farmers.
Cost is $12, including shipping and handling. Write to Farm Aid, 334 Broadway, Suite 5, Cambridge, MA, or call (800) 327-6243.
Bargain bites
Looking for free recipes? For a sixpage list of 115 food manufacturers and organizations that offer them (many of which have toll-free telephone numbers), send $2 to: Cookbooks, 3002 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston, WV 25302.
Hail to the cheese
In preparation for President Clinton’s re-inauguration on Monday, The Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., ordered 150 dozen oysters, 400 pounds of shrimp, 1,000 pounds of lobster, 10,000 strawberries, 300 cases of beer and 3,000 bottles of wine for visiting dignitaries. Said a hotel spokesman: “If a guest wants crab cakes and imported champagne at 4 a.m., we will be ready to meet their expectations.”
, DataTimes MEMO: We’re always looking for fresh food news. Write to: The Fresh Sheet, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5446; fax 459-5098.