Feature Column

Keeping Your Hometown Healthy

Leaving the Fat Out and Loving It 

Turkey and dressing with giblet gravy, mashed potatoes with real butter, fried okra, candied sweet potatoes piled high, and pecan pie--a Thanksgiving dinner filled with tradition and the promise of heavenly delight, right? Right, but such menus are also filled with fat and a greater risk of deadly disease.

Many of us know and love those foods. If you grew up in the South, chances are you know your way around a plate of fried chicken, corn bread, and boiled vegetables seasoned with salt pork or ham hocks. All of these foods are high in fat.

Concern about fat-laden food isn't just an empty scare tactic. High-fat eating is linked to obesity, heart disease, and some types of cancer--Arkansas' biggest killers.

• In 1996, 31 percent of the deaths in this state were caused by heart disease and 23 percent by cancer.

• It is estimated that 35 percent of all cancer deaths and 20 to 30 percent of all heart disease deaths are related to diet, especially fat.

• An estimated 3,700 Arkansans die each year as a result of poor eating. And the bad news keeps coming. Arkansas men, women, and children are getting fatter. Between 1991 and 1997, the number of overweight Arkansans jumped from 28 percent to 32 percent. Thirty-one percent of Arkansas men are considered obese, as are 33 percent of Arkansas women.

Does this mean we have to give up fried chicken and spend a big part of our lives scouring grocery stores for fat-free products? Certainly not. There are smart ways we can get rid of the excess fat and keep the foods we love. And they don't have to taste like cardboard.

Let's start with chicken, mashed potatoes, pinto beans, and cornbread. We know how these foods are usually cooked, but here's a healthier way. Remove the skin from the chicken and fry it in canola or olive oil. Use skim milk and reduced-fat margarine in the potatoes. Instead of seasoning the pinto beans (which are naturally low fat, tasty and full of vitamins and minerals) with salt pork or bacon, try fat-free beef broth or onions, peppers and herbs. A good cornbread can be made with skim milk instead of whole milk and two egg whites instead of one whole egg. Hold the grease or oil in the cornbread and spray the pan with a non-stick spray. Voila!

So, we can have our fried chicken and eat it too. Just modify the preparation methods to lower the fat content. If there is a relatively high-fat item on the menu, the rest of the meal should be low-fat.

Are you a big meat eater? You are if you eat more than six ounces of meat a day according to David Rath, a nutritionist with the Nutrition Services Division of the Arkansas Department of Health. A six-ounce serving is about the size of two decks of cards. Rath says, "Fatty meats contain more cholesterol and saturated fats, which can raise your blood cholesterol level, putting you at higher risk for heart attack and strokes."

What about dessert? Try lower-fat versions and fruit. If that doesn't work for your sweet tooth, go ahead and have what you crave, but in smaller amounts and less often.

Now, what about the foods you should eat? Remember the "Five-a-day" campaign slogan? You should. We’ve been preaching it for years--five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. A serving of fruit is 3/4 cup of 100% juice, a piece of fruit or ¼ cup dry fruit. A vegetable serving is 1/2 cup of cooked or raw vegetables or one cup leafy greens. You should also eat at least six servings of breads, cereals or pasta a day. One slice of bread is a serving and about 1/2 cup of the others is a serving. Milk is always a winner. It's high in calcium and is needed daily, but if you now drink whole milk, try switching to 2%, then 1%, then on to skim milk. What kind of oil is healthier? Experts say canola, peanut and olive oil are better than the other vegetable oils. With all the choices in margarines, liquid margarine is considered best for blood cholesterol control.

Begin to plan. Eat cereal with low-fat or skim milk and a banana for breakfast. Choose a grilled chicken or turkey sandwich with a garden salad and frozen yogurt for lunch. Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's, but don't stuff yourself either.

Fat should account for one-third or less of the calories we consume. Compare food labels and buy the product that gives the lowest percentage of fat. Making the effort to cut fat and live healthier may be easier than you think. For more information or recipes on eating smart, contact David Rath at the Arkansas Department of Health (501) 661-2186.

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