March 8, 2001

Prairie Fare: Feeling Lucky?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

"Uncle John lived to be 95, and he ate bacon, eggs, butter and cream every day." "Aunt Jane never ate a vegetable in her life and she’s 89." Do these quotes ring a bell? Do nutrition and physical activity really make a difference, or is good health a matter of luck?

While "Uncle John" and "Aunt Jane" aren’t real people in this case, it may seem that certain people defy the odds, eating whatever they want, rarely exercising and yet appearing fairly healthy. But remember that our lifestyles have changed drastically in the last 100 years. The Uncle Johns of the world were probably engaged in labor-intense occupations and needed the energy from a high-fat diet. Chances are he didn’t have a cell phone, remote control or automatic garage door opener. And who was monitoring Aunt Jane’s plate, anyway?

Good genes certainly play a role in good health, but it’s too late for any of us to change our biological parents. If "Cousin Bob" died of a heart attack at 45 and you happen to look just like him, is it time to give up when you turn 44?

As scientific research has shown again and again, lifestyle choices and good medical care play a major role in keeping us healthy. It’s never too late to make some changes. In recognition of March, National Nutrition Month, take this short quiz to see what you know about nutrition and physical activity.

1. According to the Surgeon General’s report, how many minutes of physical activity should you accumulate daily on most days of the week?

1. 30
2. 45
3. 60
4. 90

2. What’s the minimum number of total servings of fruits and vegetables we should aim for each day?

1. 5
2. 7
3. 9
4. 11

3. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron better. Which beverage would be the best choice with iron-fortified cereal?

1. orange juice
2. apple juice
3. grape juice
4. milk

4. Most of the food energy you take in should be in the form of :

1. complex carbohydrates
2. protein
3. fat
4. candy

5. Weight-bearing exercises help keep our bones strong. Which of these is NOT a weight bearing exercise?

1. swimming
2. walking
3. running
4. dancing

6. Your chance for heart disease is greater if excess weight is carried on:

1. waist/abdomen
2. hips
3. thighs
4. doesn’t matter

7. Which type of fat is considered least "heart-healthy"?

1. saturated
2. polyunsaturated
3. monounsaturated
4. none of these

8. Which of these is a good source of the substance our bodies use to make vitamin A?

1. sweet potatoes
2. corn
3. radishes
4. hotdogs

9. To lose a pound of body fat, how many calories do you have cut from your diet or use up through additional physical activity?

1. 3500
2. 5000
3. 7500
4. 10,000

10. How large is a serving from the meat group according to the Food Guide Pyramid?

1. 3 oz
2. 5 oz
3. 7 oz
4. 9 oz

How did you do? If you answered "a" to every question, you earned a perfect score. Lifestyle choices can make a difference. Choose a diet that’s rich in complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads and cereals. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Choose lean meats, poultry and fish. Go easy on fat and sodium. And add some physical activity to your life. Walk the dog – don’t watch the dog walk. With food and fitness, we can build a healthy lifestyle. For more information about nutrition, visit the NDSU Extension Service website: http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm

Not only is March National Nutrition Month, but it also brings to mind the "luck of the Irish" and St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s a lower calorie version of an Irish favorite, Colcannon, from Berkeley’s searchable archive of thousands of recipes available at http://soar.berkeley.edu/recipes/. This mixture of potatoes and cabbage (or kale) is also known as "Thump" or "Champ."

Irish Colcannon – Lite

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tablespoon margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped cabbage
1/3 cup skim milk
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1 green onion, chopped

Procedure:
Combine water, margarine and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling and add cabbage; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 4-6 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Remove from heat, stir in milk and potato flakes with fork. Stir in onion. Cover and let stand about 3 minutes. (Add additional warmed milk, if needed) Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each. Each serving contains about 90 calories and 3 grams of fat.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu