June 7, 2002

Prairie Fare: Chewing the Fat

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

In the early 1990’s, low-fat food products were everywhere and people were buying lots of them. By the mid-1990s about one out of every three newly introduced food products was low- or non-fat.

Recently consumers have turned their backs on low-fat foods. They’re dipping into premium ice creams. They’re munching on regular chips. Perhaps creamy or crunchy foods provide a little comfort in today’s unpredictable society. Overall sales of low-fat cookies, ice cream, salad dressings and sausage have fallen.

What happened to all those low-fat products? The ones that didn’t sell well were discontinued. Some non-fat products were re-formulated to low-fat products.

While the low-fat food products gave the idea that you could indulge without bulging, the dial on the collective bathroom scale for Americans continued to creep upwards.

Why didn’t all these low-fat, lower-calorie foods help with weight control? Researchers found that people were eating more of the low-fat products than the regular ones. Eating half a bag of low-fat cookies instead of a couple regular cookies adds up to more calories. Calories make the difference in weight management. Plus, maybe those cookies and snacks were being enjoyed while lounging on the couch watching TV.

Lower-fat foods can help with weight management if portion control is exercised. In fact, all foods in moderation can fit into a healthful diet.

It’s important to think about portion size. If you like ice cream, eat a little less. Use a smaller plate and your smaller portions will look larger.

Nutrition professionals still recommend we moderate our fat intake for the sake of our health. The type of fat is also important. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are more heart healthy than saturated fats. Read food labels to know more about your choices.

Sometimes it helps to "picture" a serving. Serving sizes are usually smaller than we might think.

• A 3-ounce serving of cooked meat is about the same size as a deck of cards.
• A "medium" piece of fruit, like an apple or an orange, is about the same size as a tennis ball.
• A serving size for a potato is about the size of a computer mouse.
• 1 1/2 oz. of cheese is about the same size as a 9-volt battery.
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter is about the same size as a golf ball.
• A serving of grapes is about the same size as a lightbulb.

Picture yourself eating a tasty and easy summer recipe. Save some time in meal preparation next time you grill chicken. Grill an extra piece, chill quickly and use in this salad within a couple days.

Grilled Chicken-Rotini Salad

4 oz (about 1 1/2 c.) dry rotini pasta
3/4 c. broccoli flowerets
3/4 c. sliced carrots
1 1/2 c. cooked/grilled chicken
3 Tbsp. low-fat or non-fat Italian dressing

Grill or cook chicken to an internal temperature of 170 degrees; cube, and chill quickly in shallow pan in the refrigerator. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and cool. Add vegetables and chicken. Toss gently with dressing.

Makes 5 servings. Each serving contains 170 calories, 2 grams of fat and 22 grams of carbohydrate.

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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