Test Your Nutritional Know-How
In honor of National Nutrition Month, here’s a little quiz (courtesy of The American Dietetic Association) to test your nutritional knowledge. Answers are at the end of the column; if you get them all right, treat yourself to a Twinkie.
* True or false: Snacking may keep you from becoming overly hungry and overeating.
* Fat and cholesterol are found in:
a. foods of animal origin.
b. both plant and animal foods.
c. the largest quantities in seafood.
d. none of the above.
* True or false: Vitamins are a good source of energy.
* According to the Food Guide Pyramid, a serving of meat is approximately the size of:
a. a deck of cards.
b. a paperback book.
c. a matchbox.
d. a softball.
* True or false: Fat-free milk has as much calcium as whole milk.
Best-sheller list
March is not only National Nutrition Month, it’s also National Peanut Month. (If you’re planning a party, it’s probably OK to combine them as National Peanutrition Month.)
The Texas Peanut Producers Board is offering a free brochure, “Dang Crunchy Plumb Good Texas Peanuts - Volume II.” It includes recipes for everything from Southwestern Peanut Shrimp to Peanut Carrot Soup, as well as the typical cookies and candies.
For a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to Dang Crunchy Plumb Good Texas Peanuts, Texas Peanut Producers Board, P.O. Box 398, Gorman, TX 76454.
Spamigo trip
And speaking of nutrition, congratulations to Richard Mikesell, a Los Angeles lawyer whose Spamigo Green Chili Stew was the winner in this year’s Best Spam Recipe Competition.
Mikesell’s concoction of green chilies, tomatillos, jalapenos, corn, potatoes, spices and Spam topped 76 other first-place recipes from fairs around the country (including Spokane). He receives a $2,500 shopping spree at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
Cheat sheet
As promised, answers to the above quiz (no peeking!):
* True. Healthy snacks will make you less inclined to overeat at your next meal.
* a. Cholesterol is found only in animal foods, and many seafoods are low in fat and cholesterol.
* False. Vitamins are not a source of calories, but instead help convert food into energy.
* a. Two to three ounces of cooked lean beef, poultry without skin or fish constitutes one serving.
* True. Got calcium?