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Past Topics by Janet Hackert, Nutrition Specialist:

Planting a Vegetable Garden (March 31, 2000)

Eat When You’re Hungry (March 24, 2000)

Something Fishy Here? (March 17, 2000)

Eggs for Breakfast – Again? (March 10, 2000)

Your Body - a Race Car or a Clunker? (March 3, 2000)

Cutting the Fat (February 25, 2000)

Fitting Fitness In (February 18, 2000)

Chocolate (February 11, 2000)

Recognizing Heart Attacks (February 4, 2000)

Goal Setting (January 28, 2000)

Folic Acid (January 21, 2000)

Stretching the Food Dollar (January 7, 2000)

Extension Connections - Fall, 1999

 Previous Extension Connections

Planting a Vegetable Garden (March 31, 2000)

Eating vegetables adds Vitamins A and C to the diet, as well as fiber, and potassium. But some vegetables are better sources than others are. University of Missouri Extension has a guide sheet called, the Vegetable Planting Calendar, G 6201, that can help in the planning process. It lists various vegetables that are high in Vitamin A, high in Vitamin C or high in both.

Vegetables high in both Vitamins include spinach, turnip greens, Kale, collards, mustard greens, cantaloupe, and broccoli. (Yes, mother was right when she said "Eat your greens, they’re good for you!) Vegetables that are particularly high in Vitamin A include carrots (of course), swiss chard, sweet potato and winter squash. Notice that these are the ones that will also add a beautiful orange or dark green to the plate when served. Those that are especially high in Vitamin C include pepper, kohlrabi, cabbage, chinese cabbage, cauliflower and tomato.

The planting calendar also gives information on how much seed is needed for planting, how much space to leave between rows, how deep to plant the various vegetables and how many days from the time the seed goes in the soil till the vegetables are ready to go on the plate. The guide sheet gives information about different varieties of vegetables, some descriptions about those varieties and when to start planting them in the Spring and late Summer in Northern, Central and Southern Missouri. The guide sheet is dated 1997 though. For more information on the latest varieties of tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers (and muskmelon and watermelon, too), you can check out the results of the 1999 variety trials conducted by our own Horticulture Specialist, Keith Hawxby, in St Joseph. This information is found in the January issue of Taste of Harvest, available from your local University of Missouri Extension Center.

Eat When You’re Hungry (March 24, 2000)

March and National Nutrition Month is almost over and we haven’t addressed perhaps a most basic thing about nutrition and wellness – why do we eat? Sometimes we eat because the clock says it’s time to - the noon whistle blows and so we eat. Sometimes we eat because it’s the sociable thing to do, especially at parties or family gatherings. And sometimes we eat because we’re hungry.

Now, in talking about hunger, there’s a whole range of what "hungry" can mean. Listening to those signals the body gives can help to feed the body and nourished it without going overboard. Let’s say there’s a scale from 0 to 10. Let’s call it a hunger/fullness scale. O would be starving and 10 would be so full you feel like you’re going to pop! Where were you on that scale the last time you ate a meal or a snack?

Maybe it would help to describe each number:

0 is starving and beyond – for me this would mean feeling weak and dehydrated too

1 is when you’re so hungry you want to eat everything in sight

2 is when everything looks good to you and you’re preoccupied with your hunger

3 is when you’re hungry and the urge to eat is strong

4 is when you’re a little hungry; you can wait to eat but you know you’ll be getting hungrier soon.

5 is neutral. You’re not hungry and you’re not full either

6 is when you’re no longer hungry and you can tell there’s food in you, but you’re still interested in eating more

7 is when you’re satisfied; hunger is definitely gone; if you stop here, you may be hungry in 3 or 4 hours again

8 is when you feel full but not uncomfortable.

9 is when you begin to feel stuffed and a bit uncomfortable

10 is when it becomes uncomfortable, maybe even painful, like the tummy-ache I’d get as a kid after Thanksgiving dinner.

Sometimes when people don’t listen to their bodies’ signals and start eating at a 2 or 3, they keep eating and eating till they’re overfull and uncomfortable. Sometimes starting eating before hunger signals begin means eating just out of habit, not because you really need or want to eat. Using this guide and paying attention to when the signals to start and stop eating, instead of depending on what our eyes and head tell us, can help make eating a more pleasurable experience.

Something Fishy Here? (March 17, 2000)

If you answered, ‘Yes, my diet’ you’re probably on the right track for reducing the risk of a fatal heart attack, according to Dr. Kevin L. Fritsche, Ph.D., professor of Animal Science at University of Missouri, Columbia. A healthy fishy diet means 1-2 meals of fatty fish each week. For fatty fish choose from salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, mackerel, bass or trout. Catfish, perch and cod also contain a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids but not as much,. It’s these omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce blood triglycerides, reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks and reduce inflammation.

Not all fats are created equal and omega-3 fatty acids fall into the category of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as opposed to the artery-clogging saturated fatty acids. There are two kinds of PUFA: omega-6 fatty acids, primarily from vegetable sources; and omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Although their names sound very similar the numbers indicate the difference in their structures. Likewise they have very different affects on the human body.

In a nutshell, here’s how omega-3 fatty acids help heart health. When a person has a heart attack, it’s typically not the heart attack itself that kills, but the heart going wild afterward (the arrhythmia) because of the trauma of the attack. The omega-3 fatty acids in the person’s system may help control that wildness (the arrhythmia) or reduce it, making the attack less fatal.

Eggs for Breakfast – Again? (March 10, 2000)

Dr. Flynn’s basic premise is that even though eggs, and more specifically egg yolks, contain high levels of cholesterol, there’s no reason to ban eggs from our diets completely. Her studies over the last 22 years cast doubt on the hypothesis that eggs raise cholesterol levels in the blood. In a study of 114 healthy men with no history of heart disease, neither adding an egg a day to their regular diet nor eliminating eggs altogether had any significant effect on their serum cholesterol level. She also studied eggs in conjunction with butter versus margarine and eggs with red meat versus chicken or fish and again found no significant changes in serum cholesterol levels. More research needs to be done before the body of evidence is conclusive, but even the American Heart Association is saying that it’s o.k. to eat up to 3 egg yolks per week.

Maybe eggs don’t deserve the bad rap they sometimes get. In fact, research indicates that the egg yolk is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These two carotenoids help protect against age-related macular degeneration, an eye problem affecting many elderly people. And because of the chemical context they are eaten in, the body can better absorb these important nutrients from egg yolks than from the typical plant sources, like spinach and corn.

Your Body  - a Race Car or a Clunker (March 3, 2000)

To get us started looking at how we approach nutrition let’s look at the March edition of Food Reflections (http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftmar00.htm) by Alice Henneman, Extension Educator with University Of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County. She writes:

If you treated your car like you treat your body, would you own a RACE CAR or a CLUNKER? If you cared for your car like you care for yourself, what type of miles per gallon would you get? Or, would your auto move at all?

Take this 10-questions Car Care Test and then compare the human equivalent (HEQ) for your body.

1. Do you recharge your car's battery if it runs low?
HEQ: Do you get enough sleep?

2. Do you refill your car's gas tank when it's empty?
HEQ: Do you eat meals/snacks at regularly-spaced times throughout the day?

3. Do you use the right type of fuel for your car?
HEQ: Do you eat the right variety of foods from each Food Guide Pyramid group?

4. Do you make sure your car's radiator has enough water?
HEQ: Do you drink about 8 cups of liquid a day-mostly from water, juice and milk?

5. Do you read the owner's manual to get the best performance from your car?
HEQ: Do you take advantage of opportunities to learn more about healthy eating and other healthy lifestyle choices?

6. Do you clean your car's body so it doesn't rust out?
HEQ: Do you brush and floss your teeth daily?

7. Do you limit passengers to a number your car's structure can handle?
HEQ: Do you keep your weight at a healthy level?

8. If smoke poured from your car, would it concern you?
HEQ: Do YOU smoke?

9. Do you give your car regular tune-ups?
HEQ: Do you participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity most days?

10. Do you keep the proper pressure in your tires?
HEQ: Do you keep your stress at a healthy level?

Sometimes there seem to be a lot of similarities between our cars and our bodies. There are, however, two major differences:

• It's easier to replace damaged parts on our cars.
• We trade our cars in for a newer model every few years. We have to live with our bodies forever!

Cutting the Fat (February 25, 2000)

To cut down on fat and calories, try these tips from the Family Nutrition Program:

Cut fat by ¼ in baked products, especially in quick breads, muffins and cookies

Cut back or even eliminate added fat in casseroles and main dishes.

Sauté or stir-fry vegetables with very little fat, or use water or broth instead of fat.

To thicken sauces and gravies without lumping, omit the fat and mix cornstarch or flour with a small amount of cold liquid. Stir this mixture slowly into the hot liquid you want to thicken. Bring to a boil and stir until thick.

Remove hardened fat from soups, gravies or stews that have been refrigerated.

Trim fat off meat. Take skin off poultry. Bake, broil, grill, poach or microwave meat, poultry and fish instead of frying in fat.

Use skim or low fat milk instead of whole milk.

Perhaps the most practical suggestion is to make any changes you wish to gradually. Let’s say you drink a lot of milk. If you like whole milk and go directly to skim, it’s just not going to cut it. But making small changes – to half whole and half 2%, then 2% and so on- you may get down as far as skim and just decide that doesn’t work. Fine. Go back to 1% and you’ve lowered you fat intake quite a bit.

Fitting Fitness In (February 18, 2000)

The heart is a muscle and like any muscle needs exercise to be kept fit.

There are three categories of physical activity: flexibility, strengthening and aerobic activity. Flexibility activities help to stretch muscles and keep them elastic. Muscles throughout the body can be stretched for greater mobility.

Strengthening activities are those that work the muscles against resistance. That resistance may be light to heavy added weights or it may be the natural resistance on the muscles or the weight of the body. Strengthening activities can improve muscle size, strength and endurance that are needed for quick reaction time and reduced risk for back problems. Both these two types of physical activity help in maintaining good balance into the later years.

Aerobic activities are those that increase the rate of oxygen intake. What level of activity is aerobic depends on the individual’s fitness status. Basically, if an activity makes a person’s heart beat faster and breathe harder, it’s aerobic. Common forms of aerobic exercise include brisk walking or jogging, dancing, biking or playing a sport. Other, everyday activities can be aerobic too, like shoveling snow or digging a garden, climbing stairs, heavy housework or keeping up with kids. For those who require low-impact exercise, water aerobics provides resistance while reducing impact. Many aerobic, strengthening and flexibility exercises can be done from a sitting position if need be. Of course, it’s best to check with a medical professional before starting an exercise regime, especially for anyone with a medical condition.

Chocolate (February 11, 2000)

Chocolate’s unique ingredient is cocoa which comes from the cacao tree. It’s cultivation and use began in Mexico where Mayas, Incas and Aztecs considered this a very special food indeed. In fact, its scientific name, Theobroma cacao, meaning "gift of the gods," indicates its special significance in their culture. Early Spanish explorers brought this delicacy back to their homeland where it continued to be reserved primarily for royalty and the wealthy. Later, however it became a favorite food for many people, and is today quite accessible in most parts of the world.

Today chocolate is the top ranking food that is listed as a food craving. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that chocolate may help provide a balance of neurotransmitters that affect mood. The appeal may be these chemical compounds found in the chocolate, or it may the rich, luxurious flavor or it may even be the nutrient content of the sweet treat.

Although chocolate may be a calorie-dense food, with anywhere in the neighborhood of 40-100 calories for a small, snack size candy bar, the fat found in chocolate is stearic acid. According to Kris-Etherton, in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1997, the stearic acid can increase levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol) and people who eat milk chocolate had lower than expected levels of LDL (the "bad" cholestrol). And according to research from the University of California-Davis, chololate contains high amounts of phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants and so may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Source: Journal of the American Dietetics Association, Volume 99, Number 10, p. 1249 ff

Recognizing Heart Attacks (February 4, 2000)

Heart disease comes in many forms and affects the heart and blood vessels. Heart attack, high blood pressure, poor circulation, stroke, angina (or chest pain) and abnormal heartbeats all fall under the problem of heart disease. Heart attacks are the number one leading cause of death in this country. So, this week let’s look at recognizing a heart attack.

Symptoms may vary but the American Heart Association lists three of the most common warning signs for a heart attack:

• "Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain spreading across the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes;
• ""Pain that spreads down the left shoulder, arm or up into the neck and jaw; or
• "Severe pain, dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea, shortness of breath.

A person having a heart attack might not experience all of these. If he experiences any of these, especially if he is at high risk for heart disease, he or someone with him should act immediately to get him medical help. As the AHA says, "Take these symptoms seriously… Get medical help immediately."

Women can also suffer from heart attacks. The November, 1999 issue of UMKC Aging Bulletin looked at a study reported in Harvard Women’s Health Watch and concluded that "nausea and vomiting –certainly if accompanied by pain or pressure in the chest, arm or neck – can signal a heart attack, regardless of age, in women at risk for heart disease."

Risk factors for anyone include increasing age, being male and family history, none of which can be changed. Risk factors that we do have control over include smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity.

Goal Setting (January 28, 2000)

There’s an art to setting goals that can be met. Some hints come from how we give directions. The easiest directions to get to a certain location include specific step-by-step details. Each step is identifiable and the final location is clearly described For example, take exit 92 off I35, turn west. Go to the second traffic light and turn north on 69 highway Take the second left there at the fire station and continue west on Main for 9 blocks. The Extension office is on the west side of the Court House. Clear, detailed directions get us to our destination.

The same is true when setting directions for lifestyle changes. Environmental Nutrition, in their January issue, suggests setting out stepping stones throughout the year to move toward a lifestyle of making healthy food choices. They suggest setting a different, smaller goal each month in order to make it to the greater goal of healthy eating by the end of the year. For January, try eating less saturated fat. For February, serve a meal of fish at least twice a week. In March, discover the inexpensive, nutrient-packed dried bean as an entrée. In April, work toward getting enough fiber by enjoying whole grain foods. For May they suggest lowering trans-fat intake. June is a good time to look at fresh vegetables, especially ones that are deep yellow or orange or dark green to get the Vitamin A we need. The year will only be half over at this point, but slowly easing changes in can help make them into eating habits.

Which changes are most important and the time it takes to make them habits is totally individual. A change could affect just one aspect of one’s diet, like drinking more water in general or drinking water instead of pop. It may affect many aspects, like cutting back on fat might mean eating less meat or less fatty cuts or preparation styles of meat or lower fat milk and other dairy products or using less salad dressing. Making oodles of changes at once can be overwhelming, but as the Swahili proverb says, step by step gets you there.

Folic Acid (January 21, 2000)

Women in childbearing years need to get 400 micrograms (mcg) per day. If this level is gotten before conception or in the first months of pregnancy the rate of neural tube birth defects can be reduced by 70%. Infants need 25 mcg/day and young teens need 100 mcg/day. As one of the B vitamins, folic acid is necessary for making new cells, a must for growing, developing children. Adults in general need 400 mcg/day. Not only is folic acid and folate an important factor in keeping kids healthy, it’s also been shown in research to help lower the risk of heart disease and colon cancer.

Folic acid or folate is found in many food sources. Here are just a few good sources that not only have this nutrient, but are packed with other important nutrients as well.

Totally fortified cereal, ½ cup 100%
Lentils, ½ cup cooked 45% of adult’s daily requirement
Chickpeas, ½ cup cooked 35%
Spinach, ½ cup cooked 33%
Asparagus, ½ cup cooked 30%
Orange juice, 1 cup 27%
Peanuts (dry-roast), 1/3 cup 25%
Strawberries, 8 medium, raw 20%
Enriched bread, 1 slice 10%

 Stretching the Food Dollar (January 7, 2000)

• Stretch high cost protein foods with lower cost foods
• Plan safely for leftovers for quick meals later
• Wrap and store food carefully to avoid waste
• Eat out only once in a while
• Make convenience foods at home inexpensively
• Buy cheaper cuts of meat and prepare flavorfully
• Take snacks to work/school to avoid vending machines

• Plan what I will cook before going to the store
• Shop with a list
• Try to shop after eating, not when hungry
• Check to see what’s on sale before shopping
• Shop for several days’ groceries in one trip
• Try to shop at a supermarket or discount food store for most groceries
• Shop at convenience stores infrequently, only in emergencies

• Compare prices between different brands
• Try generic and store brands of foods
• Use unit pricing to compare sizes or brands
• Take advantage of ‘day-old’ and discounted items

Reduce Extra Costs

In 1997, only 21¢ of the food dollar went to the farmer and the rest went toward marketing (that is, labor, packaging, transportation and so on). Here are some other possibilities for stretching that food dollar.

These are but a few of the many ways to shop and save. Talk with family and friends to brainstorm other ideas that will help reduce your food bill.