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Meals For A Healthy Weight
Meals For A Healthy Weight
Meals For A Healthy Weight
on Editi ed Revis
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Portion Size: 12 The Forgotten Factor Final Message 21 Recipes 22 Need More Help? 35
Studies show that nearly twothirds of the adults in this country are overweight. Almost one-third are classied as obese and at special health risk. And this problem continues to grow, even though as many as 22 percent of American men and 32 percent of American women are on a diet at any given time. Its become apparent that diets dont work. Whats worse, they distract us from the larger issue of overall health.
5. Select foods low in fat and salt. 6. Prepare and store food safely.
And always remember...
your ve or more goal, but most of your servings should come from solid fruits and vegetables.
Make sure to include whole grains in your meal choices each day. They are higher in ber and phytochemicals than rened grains like white bread and white rice.
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Serving
1 2
Looks Like
1 baseball or 2 rounded handful for average adult.
cup
Raw Leafy 1 cup Vegetables (such as lettuce) Fresh Fruit 1 medium piece
1 2
1 baseball
1 2
cup chopped
Dried Fruit
1 4
cup
1 2
cup
Ready-to-eat Cereal
1 oz., which varies from 14 cup to 1 14 cups (check labels) 3 oz. (boneless cooked weight from 4 oz. raw)
1 2
Deck of cards
cup cooked
1 2
Nuts
1 3
cup
Cheese
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The chart on page 13 lists standard serving sizes for a variety of foods. One look makes it clear that these servings are smaller than most people usually eat. For example, AICR recommends seven or more servings of whole grains, beans and other starches per day. If this sounds like a great deal of food to you, consider the following: The two cups of spaghetti covering your dinner plate equals not one, but four grain servings. Those small bagels found in grocery store freezer aisles equal about two grain servings. The jumbo bagels commonly served in shops and cafs are closer to four or ve. The full bowl of whole grain cereal you pour yourself in the morning may amount to two or three grain servings.
measure once or twice, and in no time youll develop a real-world sense for serving sizes. Why is this helpful? Once you know how a standard serving is supposed to look on your plate, you can use this information at future meals. Youll also know exactly how many servings of certain foods youve been eating and can consider whether your portion sizes have grown too large. This knowledge can help you make important changes for health.
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Italian Restaurant
Veal Parmigiana Pasta Salad Large bowl of minestrone soup
1 2 portion pasta with marinara sauce
Salad
Cookout
2 hamburgers or hotdogs
1 2
1 burger (preferably lean meat or veggie) 1 cup marinated vegetable salad 2 melon slices or 1 2 cup fruit salad 1 brownie, if desired
Chips Brownies
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Start reshaping your diet by looking at your plate. Is the greater proportion of your meal plantbased? (See page 5.) Are your portion sizes appropriate to your activity level? (See page 12.)
seem to maintain a healthy weight. There may be many factors at play here, but consider the obvious one rst. Are your portion sizes too large? It may be time to eyeball those standard servings once again. Pour out your usual portion of a favorite food on a plate. Then using the chart on page 13, take a moment to measure out a standard serving of the same food on the same size plate. Compare. How many standard servings go into the portions you eat regularly? Are you eating three standard servings of potatoes when youre full after only two? Are you pouring two standard servings of cereal when your activity level requires only one? Gradually cut back on the number of servings you include in your regular portions. Reducing your portion of mashed potatoes from two cups to one will save you 230 calories. Cutting back that bowl of cereal from two standard servings to one means 100 calories less. Consistently eating smaller portions can make a substantial difference. Dont forget to watch your portion size when eating away from home as well. Choosing a regular burger instead of a quarter-pounder saves you about 160 calories. Stopping after one cup of pasta on a three-cup platter saves almost 300 calories. In eateries where portions are absurdly large, divide the plate of food in half and ask for a doggie bag for the extra half. Eating a plant-based diet and reducing your portions are two important strategies in any weight loss plan. The third strategy is, of course, increasing your physical activity. AICR recommends one hour a day of brisk physical activity and one hour a week of
more vigorous exercise. Thats the recommendation for reducing cancer risk. But any exercise you do is better than none at all. In working toward this activity level, you will burn more calories, which will help lower your weight. Always check with your doctor before starting or changing your exercise program. A fad diet that has not stood up to rigorous scientic testing is not the way to go. Obesity became an epidemic at the same time portion sizes grew enormous. It is likely that you can reach a healthy weight on your own by simply increasing the proportion of plant foods on your plate, reducing the size of the portions you eat and exercising more. If you still do not see your weight gradually moving in a healthy direction, contact your doctor or a registered dietitian for a more individualized plan.
Final Message
Whats new about the New American Plate? Its the idea that eating for a healthy life can also mean eating for a healthy weight. There is no need to follow the latest diet trend. You just need to keep an eye on the proportion of foods on your plate, and the size of the portions you eat. A diet based mostly on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans can help prevent cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It can also keep your weight in a healthy range. And because eating from the New American Plate is as pleasurable as it is benecial, you will soon nd it becomes a permanent part of your life.
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VEGETABLES
Since vegetables and fruit take center stage in the New American Plate, they should be served in exciting, innovative combinations. A salad full of surprises attracts a lot of interest, and vegetables and vegetable-based soups with herbs and spices become the focus of a meal.
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1 ripe Bosc pear, seeded, cored and quartered 8 dried gs, cut into 4 slices each Freshly ground black pepper, to taste In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and salt. Stir in shallot and set aside. To prepare salad, arrange lettuce on serving platter. Sprinkle mint over lettuce. Cut each pear quarter into 4 slices and arrange over mint. Sprinkle with dried gs. Stir dressing and pour over salad. Toss to coat. Serve garnished with freshly ground black pepper. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 197 calories, 7 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 6 g dietary ber, 78 mg sodium.
Steam broccoli 2 to 3 minutes, or until bright green and just tender. Transfer to medium bowl. Add onion, yellow pepper, and pimento. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, garlic, parsley, marjoram, salt, pepper and cayenne. Toss with broccoli. Serve at room temperature or cold. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 57 calories, 4 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 1 g dietary ber, 11 mg sodium.
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1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut in quarters 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. salt 4 2 large cloves garlic, minced 3 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves 2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, slivered Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup grated Parmesan or Parano cheese, 4 garnish Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, place tomatoes, red pepper and onion. In small bowl, whisk oil with salt and garlic. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat well. Place vegetables on baking sheet and roast in oven for 35- 45 minutes until tender and lightly browned. In soup pot, combine roasted vegetables with chicken broth. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Add oregano and basil. Simmer 2 minutes more. In blender, carefully pure and return to soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into individual soup bowls and garnish with cheese. Serve. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 105 calories, 7 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2 g dietary ber, 584 mg sodium.
Bring water to a boil. Add brown rice, bring to boil again, then cover and reduce heat to low simmer. Cook rice for 45 minutes or until all water is absorbed. While rice is cooking, saut red pepper and shiitake mushrooms in canola oil for 3 minutes. Add green onion and pineapple. Continue to saut for 1 more minute. Using fork, add rice to vegetables in pan. Cook, breaking up rice and stirring, until well combined and hot. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 166 calories, 4 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 30 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 3 g dietary ber, 12 mg sodium.
GRAINS
Whole grains are an essential part of your diet and the New American Plate. Here are two recipes that complement the nutty avor of rice or quinoa with other plant foods. These dishes offer both multiple health benets and multiple layers of avors.
Like brown rice, kasha or bulgur, quinoa (keen-wa) is tasty and loaded with dietary ber and nutrients. Quinoa is available in most supermarkets or health food stores and offers an impressive nutritional prole.
1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 medium carrot, diced 1 tsp. canola oil 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 2
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1 cup reduced sodium vegetable broth 1 tsp. ground cumin 2 1 -1 tsp. ne herbs 2 2 Tbsp. lightly toasted walnuts, nely chopped* Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, garnish In medium nonstick saucepan, saut onion and carrot in oil 3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add quinoa, broth, cumin and herbs. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer over low heat, covered, until broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley. *To lightly toast walnuts, place in small dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 140 calories, 5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 21 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 3 g dietary ber, 266 mg sodium.
4 cup diced green peppers 2- 4 Tbsp. low fat mayonnaise 1 tsp. dried parsley 4 1 tsp. celery seed 8 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste A few drops of Tabasco sauce (optional) Finely chopped parsley, garnish
Cut tomatoes in quarters without cutting all the way through, so tomato can lay open but not be completely separated. Place each tomato on serving plate. Sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar and set aside. Combine 2 all remaining ingredients. Add a few drops of Tabasco, if desired. Mound even amounts of shrimp salad over each tomato. Garnish with nely chopped parsley, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 114 calories, 3 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrate, 13 g protein, 2 g dietary ber, 167 mg sodium.
LIGHT LUNCH
Here are two recipes that offer an interesting use of vegetables with a protein source to enjoy for lunch or a light dinner.
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In medium bowl, coarsely mash yams with fork. Mix in salmon, scallions, mustard, zest and juice of 1 2 lime, plus salt and pepper to taste. Blend until well combined. Shape mixture into 8 cakes, about one-third cup each. Arrange shcakes on plate, cover and refrigerate 1- 4 hours. Spread cornmeal over small plate. Coat large non-stick skillet generously with cooking spray and heat until hot on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dredge shcakes in cornmeal, coating them well. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, rosemary and lime juice. Serve with shcakes. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 287 calories, 10 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 20 g protein, 4 g dietary ber, 374 mg sodium.
1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained 2 rm apples, such as Fuji or Gala, cut into one-inch pieces 1 cup scallions, thinly sliced 2 Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cups steamed brown rice or whole wheat angel hair pasta In small bowl, combine jam, soy sauce, water and cornstarch. Set aside. In large non-stick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Add pork and ginger and stir-fry until pork is browned and just cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer pork and ginger to bowl with slotted spoon. Add canola oil to skillet. Stir-fry peppers, water chestnuts, and apples until peppers are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add pork back to skillet along with scallions. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add jam mixture. Continue to stir-fry 30 seconds to one minute, or until sauce thickens. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 355 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 10 g dietary ber, 345 mg sodium.
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1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 cup frozen cut green beans, thawed 1 large carrot, sliced into -inch pieces 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 2 8 ounces diced cooked chicken breast (about 1 1 2 cups) 2 cups cooked at noodles, preferably whole wheat 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 1 tsp. garlic powder 2 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs 3 3 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2-quart casserole dish or 7 11 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together our, milk, and chicken broth. Set aside. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. olive oil and saut mushrooms, onions, green beans, carrots, and corn over medium heat, 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until carrots are just tender. Add our and milk mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken and bubble. Stir in chicken, cooked noodles, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. In small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with remaining 2 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top of casserole and continue to bake an additional 5 minutes until hot and bubbly. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 281 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 3 g dietary ber, 246 mg sodium.
DESSERT
Fruit desserts make the perfect nish to your meal. They deliver delicious tastes and a load of phytochemicals that protect against cancer and other chronic diseases.
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How You Can Support Cancer Research and Education Through Your Will
You can help provide for future cancer research and education through a simple bequest in your will to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Consult with your attorney when first writing your will, or to add a simple paragraph to your existing will. Your bequest to help in the war against cancer can be a cash amount, a gift of the remainder of your estate or a portion of the remainder, after obligations to your family and loved ones are met. Your attorney will need to know: American Institute for Cancer Research 1759 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
AICRs identification:
About AICR
The American Institute for Cancer Research is one of the largest cancer charities in the U.S. and focuses exclusively on the link between diet and cancer. The Institute provides a wide range of education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided $70 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International. Prepared by the American Institute for Cancer Research, April 2000. Latest Revision, November 2004 Copyright 2000
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