Pumpkin Spice...not so nice?

A few weeks ago, I was indulging my caffeine addiction by going through the Starbucks drive through. I was drooling over the pumpkin spice latte to a friend on the phone, but ordered regular coffee instead. My friend asked why I hadn't ordered the latte, which inspired this post.

For Starbucks lovers everywhere, the beginning of fall officially begins with the return of the pumpkin spice latte. In fact, it has gotten so popular that many stores have been running out of the drink due to popular demand. So what's in this drink that makes it so beloved? The latte itself is no different than any other latte... so what is in the pumpkin spice syrup that makes it so irresistible? Pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves... right? Wrong.

Ingredients in Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
Sugar, Condensed Nonfat Milk, Sweetened Condensed Nonfat Milk, Annatto (E160b, Colour), Natural and Artificial Flavours, Caramel Colour (E150D), Salt, Potassium Sorbate (E202, a preservative).

Hmm. I don't see pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg in there anywhere. So what does that mean for you?

Artificial Flavors
A blanket term referring to over 100 possible chemical additives.
Potential side effects: Allergic and behavioral reactions

Artificial Colors
Potential side effects: Allergies, sinus congestion, hyperactivity in children, worsens symptoms of ADD and ADHD

Aside from basically being coffee mixed with chemicals, the nutritional information for a pumpkin spice latte leaves something to be desired:

Nutrition Facts

Size	Calories	Fat (grams)	Sugar (grams)
Short	210	8	25
Tall	300	11	38
Grande	380	13	49
Venti	470	15	62

To put this into perspective:
Drinking a grande pumpkin spice latte is the same as eating a piece of pumpkin pie. To work off that grande latte, you would need to walk 4 miles. Drink one every day, and you will gain a pound every 9 days.

For those of you who are like me and would rather eat your calories in the form of pumpkin pie than drink them in coffee, Trader Joe's makes an amazing Pumpkin Spice ground coffee that is naturally flavored, and sugar and calorie free! (Thanks to my mom for this find!)

 



There is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a pumpkin spice latte on occasion. After all, healthy eating is all about moderation. Try to think of sweet coffee drinks as a dessert rather than a drink. When you do choose to indulge, opt for the tall size with skim milk and skip the whipped cream for a reasonable 200 calorie treat. 

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

When did fall get here? I noticed yesterday after taking my final midterm exam that all the leaves have changed colors. I guess I need to pull my head out of my books more often!

Fall is my favorite season, so in honor of it I thought I would share this fall-inspired chili recipe with you. My mom brought me this recipe for dinner a couple of years ago when I was sick, and it has been one of my favorites ever since. It's healthy, delicious, and the crockpot does most of the work for you... which is my favorite kind of cooking.

I don't eat meat, so when I make this I leave out the turkey. The orginal recipe is below, and my notes on how I make it are off to the side. Pair this with some cornbread for the perfect healthy fall meal.

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili



Photo from Taste of Home 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth (I use vegetable broth)
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey (I add another can of beans instead. You can use more black beans, but I like to put in a can of white beans, like Great Northern).
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (If you can find fire roasted canned tomatoes, they really add to the flavor!)
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes (I double all of the spices)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts 1 cup equals 192 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 658 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 16 g protein. 

 

We Don't Taste Our Food!

One of the classes I am taking right now is Food Science. In lab yesterday, we were dealing with taste and aroma. For one of our experiments, we were given 4 samples of juice: 1 red, 1 blue, 1 green, and 1 orange. We were instructed to taste the samples and figure out what flavor each juice was, and then rank it in sweetness from most sweet to least sweet.

My lab partner and I tasted the green juice first, and decided it tasted like lemon lime. We tasted the orange one next, and decided it was orange. But we got stuck on blue and red... we just couldn't figure out what the flavors were. As I sat there and tried each sample again and again, letting it run over each part of my tongue to make sure I wasn't missing any taste sensations... I realized they were all the same. We went and asked our professor, who confirmed that each of the samples was generic Kroger Lemonade with food coloring added.

The point of this experiment was to show us how certain colors are associated with certain flavors. If you are given an orange colored Popsicle, juice, or candy... you expect it to be orange flavored. What struck me most was that we don't really think about what we are consuming and how it tastes.

We live in a world that is fast paced. Meals are often consumed in our cars, over a 30 minute lunch break, in front of the TV, or at the end of a busy day when we are so hungry we don't care what it is, we just want food in our stomach. By not eating mindfully, we are missing out on all of the things that make our food amazing... and probably eating too much in the process.

At your next meal, I challenge you to resist the urge to plow through your meal like it's the last one you will ever have. Let's say you're eating pasta. We all know what pasta tastes like. Take a bite, put your fork on the table, stop talking, and chew slowly. Focus on the bright red color of the sauce, the texture of the spaghetti, the aroma of the garlic, and the flavor of the cheese. Pay attention to the sensation the spaghetti creates in different parts of your mouth and the minute flavor differences in the sauce.

Savoring each bite of food is going to slow your eating down significantly, which will allow your body to actually recognize when it's full. (Which takes about 20 minutes, by the way). Relishing each morsel as you eat is also much more satisfying than downing whatever you're eating without tasting it, which just leaves you wanting something else to eat.

Mindful eating is not about dieting, but experiencing the food you eat. So, I challenge you to ENJOY your food this weekend.

To make this easier:
1. Don't eat in front of the TV or while reading a book.
2. Give yourself enough time to enjoy your food. Don't rush.
3. Don't wait until you're starving to eat a meal.

Good luck! I think you will be amazed at what you have been missing once you slow down and ENJOY. After all, isn't that what good food is all about?

I hope everyone has a great weekend!