Wait, Diet Foods are Junk?
Yeah. I know, hard to believe. New research has determined that low-calorie diet foods and drinks can actually contribute to obesity in children. Robert Preidt of HealthDay News reports:
The study found that animals learn to associate the taste of food with the amount of caloric energy it provides. The researchers speculate that children who eat low-calorie versions of foods that normally have a high calorie content may develop distorted connections between taste and calorie content, resulting in overeating as the children grow up.You mean the standard American definition of low-calorie and all the misinformation it entails doesn’t work? No way! That was heavy sarcasm folks. Skip the low-cal junk food and try making your kids healthy snacks like these. From DiseaseProof’s recipe category:
"The use of diet food and drinks from an early age into adulthood may induce overeating and gradual weight gain through the taste conditioning process that we have described," lead author and sociologist Dr. David Pierce, of the University of Alberta, said in a prepared statement.
In a series of experiments published Aug. 8 in the journal Obesity, the researchers found that young rats started to overeat when they received low-calorie food and drink. Adolescent rats did not overeat when given low-calorie items.
Pita Apple Bake
2 apples, choppedHeat the apples, raisins (if desired), and water or juice over a low flame for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and mix in flaxseed and cinnamon. Cut pita in half and fill with apple mixture. Toast in the toaster oven on high for 3 minutes. Try it with other fruits, like pears or peaches, too.
¼ cup raisins (optional)
2 tbsp. water or apple juice
1 tbsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 whole-wheat pita, split and separated
Blueberry and Flax Yogurt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberriesBlend until smooth. Chill and serve. Great for school lunches too.
½ cup regular soy milk
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 medjool or 6 Deglet Noor dates
Fuhrman Fudgsicles
2 ripe bananasBlend ingredients together in blender or food processor. Spoon out into ice pop tray and freeze. Rinse outside of popsicle outside of popsicle tray with hot water to pull the pops out of the tray easily.
1 cup cashew nuts
2 tablespoons carob powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
