I’m always excited when a category on the “Jeopardy” television game show is about food.
A previous clue on the show: “Yes, we have dishes made with cloud ears and wood ears types of these.”
Correct response: “What are mushrooms?”
But, there are many important questions about food, nutrition and farming that require more than one-word answers.
Is snacking between meals unhealthy?
In 2008, the average American snacked 1.8 times per day; now, 25 percent of us snack three to four times per day. However, “snacking can be an opportunity to eat foods that fill in nutrient gaps in the diet,” said Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington.
For instance, yogurt provides calcium, and almonds provide fiber and potassium. The problem occurs when snacking becomes mindless munching. Planned snacks can be part of a healthy eating pattern and help prevent overeating.
Do farm animals impact the environment?
The methane gases produced from farm animal waste are believed to contribute to greenhouse gases linked to global climate change. Today, producers have reduced the size of their herds, but they’re more efficient due to breeding and animal care.
“There are 16 million fewer cows in the U.S. since the 1950s and milk production is up 60 percent,” said Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist at the Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis. “With cattle, there are 50 million fewer head than 1970, and we are producing the same amount of beef.”
Are saturated fats always bad for your heart?
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats in foods (such as bacon, butter and cheese) to less than 6 percent of total calories. But, the source seems to make a difference. Butter has a stronger impact on raising the LDL (bad) cholesterol than milk, cheese and cream.
“Perhaps it’s not the fat, but the other components such as calcium in dairy foods that makes the difference,” said Julie Lovegrove of the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading in the U.K.
“We think that calcium in cheese creates a soap with saturated fat in the gut, so there’s less impact on blood lipids,” said Mickey Rubin of the National Dairy Council. He said phospholipids in cream emulsify fats to blunt the cholesterol-raising effect.
To return to our game of “Jeopardy,” perhaps she was right all along when she said, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
Correct response: Who is Julia Child?
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