Behavior Change and Health News
Enjoy Fall Fruits and Vegetables
Buying fruits and vegetables in season can be fun, economical, and a great way to add variety to a healthy, balanced diet. Wonder what makes pumpkins and squash good for you, or what to do with a pumpkin other than carve it up for Halloween? The following article and recipe will give you some great ideas. They are reprinted with permission from the Wellness Insider newsletter, produced by The Cooper Aerobics Center. Active Living Partners worked with The Cooper Institute, the nonprofit research arm of The Cooper Aerobics Center, to develop our behavior change programs Active Living Every Day and Healthy Eating Every Day.
During this fall season incorporate beta-carotene powerhouse foods, such as carrots, yams, acorn squash, and the great pumpkin, into your favorite meals. Phytochemicals, the naturally occurring disease fighters in plants, are also the pigments responsible for giving plants their distinctive colors.
The orange color found in many fruits and vegetables is naturally occurring beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A, which is essential for efficient functioning of the immune system and cancer prevention (rectal and bladder). This substance also maintains the health of the eyes (i.e., decreasing risk of age-related macular degeneration), skin, teeth, bones, and mucous membranes.
Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
2/3 cup nonfat dry powdered milk
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute or 4 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 tablespoons raisins
1/2 cup carrots, grated
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients; mix together. Divide batter into a 12-muffin tin that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Optional
Glaze cooled muffins with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk.
Yield: 12 servings
Per Serving: (1 muffin without glaze)
80 calories
0 gm fat
4 gm protein
12 gm carbohydrate
1 mg cholesterol
121 mg sodium
1 gm dietary fiber
From What's Cooking at the Cooper Clinic, by the nutrition department of the Cooper Clinic.
Sources
Copyright 2005 The Cooper Aerobics Center. No portion may be reprinted without prior approval. More information about The Cooper Aerobics Center and the Wellness Insider e-newsletter may be found at www.cooperaerobics.com.
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