Skip the Pumpkin Pie?

It finally feels like fall with the golden brown leaves on the ground and the cold, crispy air blowing all around us. The best things about this season can be found in the produce section in the grocery stores. There are many varieties of locally grown, in-season produce such as apples, pomegranates, persimmons and gourds. And who could forget the pumpkins? Better yet, pumpkin pie!

In my line of work as a health educator, it was quite amusing to hear 3rd grade students asking, “Is pumpkin pie a fruit or a vegetable?” How exciting would that be, if pies were part of the fruit and vegetable food group? Many of us would probably eat the recommended 5 or more servings very easily.

Pumpkins are a great source of Vitamin A, which is good for your eyes. When selecting a pumpkin, look for one that is firm and heavy. Prepare them by baking, roasting and pureeing them for soups or pies! Because it is fall, fresh pumpkins are in-season. Otherwise the canned varieties will do just fine.

Pumpkins are great fruits that can be made into pies, cakes, cookies, and other desserts, but be careful of the other ingredients that are added to the pumpkin to make pie filling. The use of heavy whipping cream and butter in piecrust may add onto those unwanted pounds during holiday feasts. Have no fear; you can still have your pumpkin dessert so look at the recipe included below for a heart healthy treat!

CRUNCHY PUMPKIN PIE
Recipe provided by: National Institute of Health (NIH) Nutrition
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
This pie uses only a small amount of oil in the crust and skim milk in the filling to make it heart-healthy.
For the piecrust:
1 C
quick cooking oats
1/4 C
whole wheat flour
1/4 C
ground almonds
2 Tbsp
brown sugar
1/4 tsp
salt
3 Tbsp
vegetable oil
1 Tbsp
water

For the pie filling:
1/4 C
packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp
ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp
ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp
salt
1
egg, beaten
4 tsp
vanilla
1 C
canned pumpkin
2/3 C
evaporated skim milk

Preheat oven to 425º F.
Mix oats, flour, almonds, sugar, and salt together in small mixing bowl.
Blend oil and water together in measuring cup with fork or small wire whisk until emulsified.
Add oil mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. If needed, add small amount of water to hold mixture together.
Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown.
Turn down oven to 350º F.
Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix to blend ingredients.
Add pumpkin and milk and stir to combine.
Pour into prepared pie shells.
Bake 45 minutes at 350º F or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Yield: 9 servings--Serving Size: 1/9 of a 9-inch pie
Each serving provides: Calories: 177 Total fat: 8 g Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 24 mg Sodium: 153 mg

Remember, there are healthy alternatives you can eat during the holidays. Also, remember to stop eating before you get too full and besides, holiday leftovers such as turkey always taste better the next day. Last, but not least, get up and go play with your family and friends for at least 60 minutes on most days! Can’t decide on what activity to do first? Take everyone to the shopping mall and park far away from the entrance. This is a great way to add some brisk walking into your holiday festivities.

Ask Crystal!

Do you have a nutrition or health - related question? Feel free to send me a question. Click on the "comments" below.

Soda, Coffee, Caffeine....Oh My!

Do you think 193 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, equal to 8 ounces of coffee too much for children to consume? If only caffeine was a nutrient, having high amounts of it would be good, but not in this case. Consuming high amounts of caffeine at a young age or even as an adult can have some negative effects depending on one’s body weight, genetics and level of tolerance. Having too much caffeine can cause cramps, muscle twitching, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Previous studies including one conducted in 2004 at the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University have shown that caffeine can interfere with calcium absorption, which can lead to bone loss over time if there is not already enough calcium in the body. Studies suggest children with a 5% to 10% deficit of calcium in their bone mass may have a 50% risk of hip fractures when they become older adults.

These are serious health threats and until now, there are no federal recommendations in the U.S. regarding the intake of caffeine. 193 mg is a high amount when compared to the Canadian government’s recommendation on caffeine. Based on these guidelines, it recommends less than 45 mg per day for children ages 4 to 6, children ages 7 to 9, less than 62.5 mg per day and ages 10 to 12, less than 85 mg per day. As for teens, they should have less than 100 mg per day, almost half of what U.S. children are consuming.

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Caffeine Chart

Drink/Food/Supplement ~~~ Amt. of Drink/Food ~~~ Amt. of Caffeine

Brewed coffee (drip method) ~~~ 5 ounces ~~~ 115 mg*

Iced tea ~~~ 12 ounces ~~~ 70 mg*

Coca-Cola ~~~ 12 ounces ~~~ 34 mg

Diet Coke ~~~12 ounces ~~~ 45 mg

Pepsi ~~~ 12 ounces ~~~38 mg

7-Up ~~~ 12 ounces ~~~ 0 mg

Mountain Dew ~~~12 ounces ~~~ 55 mg

Jolt cola ~~~ 12 ounces ~~~ 72 mg

SoBe No Fear ~~~ 8 ounces ~~~ 83 mg

Monster energy drink ~~~ 16 ounces ~~~ 160 mg

Rockstar energy drink ~~~ 8 ounces ~~~ 80 mg

Red Bull energy drink ~~~ 8.3 ounces ~~~80 mg

Cocoa beverage ~~~ 5 ounces ~~~ 4 mg*

Chocolate milk beverage ~~~ 8 ounces ~~~ 5 mg*

Dark chocolate ~~~ 1 ounce ~~~20 mg*

Milk chocolate ~~~ 1 ounce ~~~6 mg*

Cold relief medication ~~~ 1 tablet ~~~ 30 mg*

Excedrin extra strength ~~~ 2 tablets ~~~ 130 mg

*denotes average amount of caffeineSources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration & National Soft Drink Association, Center for Science in the Public Interest.
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As adults, we can help children make healthy decisions about beverages in order to avoid excessive amounts of caffeine. However, this is may be easier said than done. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires manufacturers to list caffeine in the ingredient list only if it has been added to the product, but not the amount of mg on the nutrition label. This makes it hard for consumers to know exactly how much caffeine is actually in the product.

Avoiding caffeine completely may be hard since some foods naturally have caffeine in it like coffee beans, tea leaves and chocolate. Yet taking small steps to reduce the intake of caffeine is a great way to start. Serve less caffeinated beverages and slowly replace them with non-caffeinated drinks. Try diluting caffeinated beverages with carbonated water, also known as club soda, seltzer, or sparkling mineral water. Offer milk, 100% fruit juice and water. Eating a well-balanced diet, staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, playing and being active will give them plenty of energy the more natural way.


Also, check out my article about caffeine.....it got published Friday September 19 in La Prensa!
http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/current/Caffeinated.091908.htm

Photos from the Farmer's Market

Photos taken by David Martin

Grapes

Asian Pears, Pears, Plums, Nectarines

Tomatoes, Chili Peppers, Zucchini, Ahaheim Peppers

Bell Peppers, Cucumbers

Plums, Peaches


For more information about the Farmer's Market, go to

http://sdfarmbureau.org/

"We Grow it Fresh, You Buy it Fresh"

At City Heights Farmer's Market, this is a place to get your fresh local produce! Open every Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm on Fairmount Ave, between 43rd and Wightman, you can find peaches, nectarines, zucchini, tomatoes and so much more! When I was there, there between 10-15 vendors, a drum circle, a bouncy house and a dance performance.



As I was walking around the market, in the corner of my eye I saw a huge avocado. The Reed avocado can weigh in between 8 to 18 ounces. It was quite large, almost the size of my hand. The shape is more round unlike the familiar pear-shaped variety of avocados! It would make a pretty cool present for someone who loves avocados and it would only cost you $2!
For more information about Avocados, go to http://www.avocado.org/

After being distracted by the size of the Reed avocado, I went to the Nutrition Link booth (where I needed to be at). We played trivia games where the contestants had to guess the fruit or vegetable based on the clues. If they answered 2 out of 3 questions correctly, the prize was a hat or an apron. Or they could win a prize by spinning the wheel!

FRIAR FIT!

Ever thought about getting some physical activity in before a baseball game?



Well now you can! Come join the Pad Squad for a quick 15 minute Instant Recess! (It started one hour before the scheduled game).




Kids of all ages meet at Park at the Park and move their bodies! My favorite movement is when we did the "umpire call." We put our right arm in front of our bodies and pulled back...making the call, "You're out!"

The game was exciting! The Padres won 4-1! Plus, there was a home run too!

Another exciting part of this baseball game outing was seeing three of my students there with their friends and family. (Pictured above is one my 3rd grade students)! Nutrition Link able to give the Logo Contest Finalists tickets, courtesy from the Padres Charity Ticket Program.

For more information about Friar Fit, please go to...
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/community/friarfit.jsp

Wanna be a Rock Star!

Want to have the best of both worlds?

Start your day off right!

EAT BREAKFAST!

My fun trip to the grocery store inspired me to write a story about cereal.

Cereal Hype!
Pretty Packaging at the Grocery Store

Walking down the cereal aisle, I caught myself running towards an orange and blue colored box of cereal bars that featured a musical pop star on the package. The cereal bars had edible magenta colored music notes on it and I could get free bonus stickers. It may seem silly and strange for a 25-year-old female to jump for joy over a box, but that was when I realized that the marketing team did their job. They got me!

Since this food item was in the cereal aisle, it must mean that it is good for me right? It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the front of the box declared “good source of fiber” in bold letters. Yes, fiber that good nutrient we need in our bodies for digestion. Then my brain switched over into health educator mode and my conscience yelled at me, “It’s just good advertising, put it back on the shelf!”

Now imagine you are grocery shopping with your child and (s)he reacts to the flashy packaging of the product. How do you respond? Would you buy it before reading the nutrition label? Or would unit price or total cost be your first thought? Or, would you buy it in response to your child’s urging? Before you decide, it is important to remember that besides being a parent, you are also a consumer and companies are very interested in the choices that you make. Corporations spend an estimated $60 billion a year to market food specifically to children, while the federal government budgets less than 1% of that to fight obesity annually.

The main outlet for this kind of marketing is television programming. A recent study conducted in 2007 focused on food advertisements shown during Saturday morning programming from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Of the 907 food commercials, 72% were for foods high in fats, oils and sugar. Of the 17% of advertisements for fast foods, only 2% could be considered healthy foods. Lastly, cereal commercials accounted for 44% of all food advertisements seen on television. It seems corporations agree with the idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!