WARNING! FRIES MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH

Exercise classes are back in business. Everyone’s trying to lose that post pandemic weight. Yes, we social distance, but people can still carry on conversations which can be heard by others in the locker room or gymnasium. One thing I’ve noticed is that many people enjoy talking about food and exchanging recipes. From there, the subject matter may turn to favorite restaurants. Last week, I heard two weight watchers comparing the merits of French fries served in different places around town. To me, this was like hearing smokers compare the nicotine content of different cigarette brands. Warning! Fries may be hazardous to health.

If someone is investing the time, and making the effort to participate in an exercise class, why concentrate on food at all? Much less admit to eating French fries on a regular basis?

Hopefully, I won’t be getting a text from McDonald’s or Wendy’s corporate headquarters. Although, it wouldn’t surprise me, considering the ease with which strangers are able to find my cell phone number. If so, they might hasten to assure me that potatoes are good source of nutrients. This is true. Plain old potatoes are pretty good for you. The problem occurs when we doctor them up with butter , sour cream and cheese. And worst of all, deep fry them in fat.

As an example, one small baked potato (100 grams) contains 93 calories and 0 grams of fat, while the same amount (100 grams) of French fries contain 319 calories and 17 grams of fat.

Warning! Fries May Be Hazardous to your health and sabotage your diet. — Warning! Fries may be hazardous to your health. French fried potatoes are loaded with salt and saturated fat.

If you’re scarfing down a bag of fries that have been heavily fried in oil, they are dripping in saturated fats. Taking in too much saturated fat can raise your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and can potentially lead to heart disease and stroke.

If you long for the taste of fries, you can make roast potatoes in the oven at home. Just cut the potatoes in cubes, sprinkle them with spices like chili powder, thyme or paprika. Then lightly roll them in olive oil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Roasted potatoes contain less than half the calories of French fries, and they don’t have any saturated fat.

Do I ever eat French Fries? Yes, every once in awhile. But there’s one thing I can never forget: Warning! Fries may be hazardous to your health.

March 26, 2021March 26, 2021

DG MARKET RESCUED THE FOOD DESERT

Our city has one of the highest poverty rates in the state of Indiana. A disproportionate number of low income people live in the inner city, in old, deteriorating houses and apartments. At one time, there was an A&P within walking distance, but that disappeared long ago. It was never replaced. Nowhere to shop but the Dollar Store. Which meant that you often saw people buying unhealthy foods. Bacon, sugary snacks, processed meat . Because nothing fresh was available. But this week , DG Market rescued the food desert.

dg MARKET has rescued the inner city food desert with fresh produce. — DG Market rescued the food desert in our inner city last week.

Imagine my surprise yesterday, when I stopped for my usual supply of bargains like mouthwash and vitamins. It’s on the way home from the YMCA and the library, so I often pull in there, even though it used to be one of the dingiest Dollar Stores in town: piles of jumbled up merchandise. aisles of packaged food full of salt, carbohydrates, and fat. (Potato chips, lunch meat, cupcakes, etc.)

A lot of their clientele suffer from diabetes and obesity, due to poor diets. Many folks don’t drive. Can’t afford a car, and all that it entails—insurance, license plates, etc. Breaks your heart to see them trudging along in inclement weather with heavy bags. But yesterday, a bright light appeared. A great big yellow sign that read, DG Market. I really didn’t need anything, but when I saw a grand opening sign, I had to stop.

First thing I noticed was the neatly stocked shelves. No tables and racks piled with merchandise. Plenty of room. A fresh smell. And then, as I approached the new self-serve checkout, my heart soared. Just inside the door, bananas! Baskets of apples, oranges, fresh vegetables and fruits. And then, believe it or not, a whole refrigerated section with fresh, unprocessed meats.

As a dietitian, I felt like jumping for joy. At last, disadvantaged kids can have an orange for breakfast, a fresh salad for dinner. And a pork chop or chicken leg that isn’t full of sodium and preservatives. Patients with high blood pressure can buy low sodium meat and fresh fruits to provide the potassium they need to keep their fluids under control. Kudus to Dollar General for rescuing our city’s food desert.

May 20, 2020May 20, 2020

Pelosi body shames Trump

As a dietitian, I had to agree with Nancy Pelosi when she went on TV saying that Trump is overweight. But is she qualified to say he’s “morbidly obese?” That’s the term for a medical condition, and I don’t think she has a license to practice. Anyway, I thought that body shaming was verboten in our modern society. Popular magazines like “People,” frequently interview overweight celebrities who describe the trauma when they were teased about their weight. Peloisi hit below the belt( as my Mother used to say) when body shaming Trump. Has he mentioned how many face lifts and botox treatments she’s had?

I suspect no one feels sorry for Trump, because he’s brought it on himself. He’s a master at putting down his critics with childish nicknames like “Crooked Hillary,” “Sleepy Joe.” Anyone who disagrees with him is fair game. But I never thought Nancy Pelosi would get caught up in the madness.

She gleefully celebrated his impeachment, but still tried to appear somewhat dignified. She’s always taken the stance of moral superiority when it comes to Trump. Why, then, would she stoop to his level? 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese. I’m wondering how those voters will react to a privileged, California Congresswoman body shaming the president during the covid-19 outbreak.

I never knew much about Trump until he ran for president, so I don’t know when his weight got out of control. He should probably hire a nutritionist to plan his menus. But he’d probably fire her after a week. She would undoubtedly cancel the hamburger and fries. Would he go for a fruit smoothie or grilled chicken salad for lunch? I doubt it. On the other hand, he looks and acts very healthy. (Hopefully the Hydroxychloroquine he’s taking won’t give him a heart attack.) It probably helps that he doesn’t drink or smoke. Apparently, he gets plenty of exercise on the golf course. Maybe it’s just his metabolism. Or perhaps he’s a “stress eater.” If so, he’s had plenty of stressful triggers.

Meanwhile, there are other obese people running their countries. Like England’s Boris Johnson & North Korea’s Kim Jong Um. In fact, I think Winston Churchill was kind of chubby. Most of us are acquainted with “heavies,” who are capable and sharp. She’ll probably never admit it, but I think Nancy Pelosi is going to regret body shaming Trump. I just wish that both of them would act like grown-ups.