Would you like Type 2 Diabetes With That?

Growing up, my mom would take my brother and I to eat at McDonald's on Fridays before we went to watch my dad coach basketball at Colerain High School. We would each get happy meals, and then we would get to run around in the play place. This was a big deal, because we didn't eat a lot of fast food in my house. Going to McDonald's was always a special treat that we looked forward to.

Perhaps it's because of how I was raised... or because I am a health food freak... but to me fast food is still a special treat. Every once in a while there is nothing better than McDonald's french fries dipped in a chocolate shake. Or a mighty kids meal to cure a hangover. I mean... wait. I'm never hungover, mom. Just joking. 

Somewhere along the line, fast food became a staple for Americans. Did you know that most children in America can recognize McDonald's before they learn to speak? There are 31,000 McDonald's in North America, and we spend about 148.6 BILLION dollars on fast food every year. That averages out to about $492 PER PERSON every year on fast food.

What exactly are we getting for our $492?

Weight Gain

•  Eating more than twice per week at fast food restaurants is linked to significantly more weight gain over time than occasional visits.
• In 2009, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that living near a fast food restaurant is linked to a 5.2 percent greater risk of obesity.
• If you eat a Big Mac, large fries, and large Coke, you will have to walk non-stop for six hours to burn off the calories you have gained.

Type 2 Diabetes

• A 2004 study noted that regularly eating fast food doubles your chance of developing insulin resistance, which heightens risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular Disease

• In a 2005 study published in the "Canadian Journal of Public Health," found that regions with high concentrations of fast food restaurants are 2.62 times more likely to have extremely high levels of hospitalization for coronary problems.

Death

• Fast food is associated with an increased risk of death even after ruling out deaths due to cardiovascular conditions. 

So, what do you do when life is crazy and you are short on time, but you would like to pass on the side order of death?

Keep easy items on hand at home
Yesterday, I was in Chemistry class from 10-3:30, went to the gym, went to the store, and still had to go home and study for a huge Anatomy and Physiology exam. By the time I finished my run, I was starving. I wanted a healthy meal but didn't have a ton of time to prepare something. This is what I came up with:

Italian soy sausage, brown rice blend, asparagus, mushroom, and onion with reduced fat Parmesan cheese.

Know how long this took me? 6 minutes. The sausage is made by Trader Joe's and takes 1:10 in the microwave. The rice is a frozen organic blend that heats up in the microwave in 3 minutes. While the sausage and rice microwaved, I popped the veggies (which were already cut up) into a skillet with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Making a healthy meal does not have to be a big production, and keeping easy staples like this on hand can help you avoid a nutritional nightmare.

Here is how this meal breaks down:
Calories: 387.5
Fat: 9g
Sodium: 27.5g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sugar: 3.1g

Just to compare...

McDonald's double cheeseburger, large fries, large coke.

Calories: 1250
Fat: 48g
Sodium: 1520g
Cholesterol: 80g
Sugar: 93g


If you find yourself in a situation where avoiding the drive thru is impossible, try to order wisely. Opt for grilled instead of fried, skip the sauces, stay away from the cheese and bacon, only order a single hamburger patty, and replace the fries with a baked potato or side salad. Skip the coke and get a water or an unsweetened iced tea. Sweet tooth? Go for the fruit and yogurt parfait instead of the milkshake.

I know that many times the drive thru is unavoidable, so in my next post, I will show you how to make healthy choices at some of America's most popular fast food restaurants. If you have a favorite fast food restaurant or fast food choice, let me know in the comments section and I will include some healthy swaps just for you!

Guilt Free Mac N' Cheese

I love nutrition. Enough that I am studying to make a career out of helping people make food choices that will allow them to live long and healthy lives. I am a healthy eater who loves fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and real organic food. I don't drink soda, I don't eat meat, and I try to avoid processed foods. But we all have our weaknesses... and I happen to love macaroni and cheese. And pizza. And brownies. And chips and dip. But hey, I am getting off track and drooling all over my keyboard. So let's get back to what this blog is really about, and focus on the macaroni and cheese.

Mac n' cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It's warm... creamy... cheesy... and it's pasta- so it speaks to my Italian genes. Unfortunately, the calories and fat that come along with this traditional dish aren't so comforting. So sadly (but wisely), I have only ever indulged my love for mac n' cheese on special occasions.

That is until my mom found this Weight Watcher's recipe for butternut squash macaroni and cheese. I can feel you being skeptical from here... but don't stop reading now. I promise you won't be sorry.

This recipe uses butternut squash as a base for the cheese sauce, which significantly cuts down on the fat and calories without losing any flavor or creaminess. I was expecting it to be really squashy (which is fine with me because I love butternut squash) but it wasn't. It was thick, creamy, and cheesy, while delivering a healthy dose of nutrients, protein, and fiber. I literally had to restrain myself from licking the plate. There may or may not have been tears when I discovered the leftovers were gone.

So. Whether you are a butternut squash lover or not, you should try this dish. Of course, like I always say, it's all about moderation. Though it's tempting, you shouldn't eat the whole casserole dish in one sitting. Pair this with a vegetable and a side salad for a well balanced and filling meal.

Healthy eating is all about finding healthy ways to enjoy the things that you love, and this recipe is a perfect example of that!

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
• 12oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Macaroni Noodles (mom used fusilli, which held onto the sauce better)
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 ½ cups fat free vegetable broth (Use an organic brand to cut down on sodium. I like Pacific Foods or Imagine Foods)
• 1 cups fat free milk
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded (mom replaced this with 2% cheddar)
• 1 cup fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Place the warm squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in cheeses and mix until combined.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with non-fat cooking spray.
5. Sprinkle panko evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve immediately.

Number of servings (yield): 8

 

PER SERVING:285 calories; 8g fat; 42g carbohydrates; 8g protein; 6g fiber. 5 Weight Watcher's points.