Serving Sizes Reveal Excesses
Several years ago after a gorgeous horseback ride into the Sierra Madre mountains of central coastal Mexico, my husband and I enjoyed a traditional meal at the home of our tour guides.
We were starving to say the least, and the simple chicken in red sauce served with tortillas and beans satisfied our big appetites without making us feel stuffed, as we so often did after finishing meals served in Mexican restaurants in the states.
Now, the American Institute for Cancer Research tells us one of the reasons more than half of Americans are overweight is our tendency to double or triple the traditional portion sizes of many ethnic dishes.
“A major reason people are getting bigger is that their servings have gotten larger, and commercial food portions are a major culprit,” says Melanie Polk, director of nutrition education for the institute.
The institute compared the size of croissants, bagels and quesadillas in their home countries with their American counterparts.
The average croissant of a Parisian bakery weighs 34 grams and measured 15 inches in circumference. By contrast, an American croissant made by the Au Bon Pain chain of cafes and bakeries weighs 59 grams and measures 18.5 inches.
According to Murray Lender, whose name is synonymous with frozen bagels, today’s bagels are about 25 percent larger than they were 25 years ago, and three times as large as when his father immigrated here from Poland in the early 1900s.
The institute found that the typical American quesadilla is nearly double the size of its Mexican counterpart. And, Americans tend to overstuff their quesadillas with fat-rich meats and cheeses.
The institute is encouraging people to “size up” what they’re eating and take note of actual serving sizes.
Preschool food
Your kids may be having fun in preschool, but are they eating well? Nutritionists with the Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston say parents need to look closely at a preschool’s nutrition program.
Day-care center menus often lack variety in meals and snacks. And they tend to be low in calories, iron and zinc, and high in fat and sodium, center officials say.
Day-care centers should offer children food at least every three hours. The menus should include foods that fit with the recommendations in the USDA’s food pyramid. Healthy diets feature plenty of whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
New market
The new Cheney Farmers Market opened Sunday and plans to operate every Sunday on College Street between First and Second. In addition to selling locally grown produce, the market plans to have musicians, authors and artists on hand. The market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check it out.