Spring Break
Spring Fair food: a dieter's worst nightmare
Issue date: 4/24/08
Among the many vendors listed to appear at this year's Spring Fair are Hoffman's Funnel Cakes, Big Fat Daddy's, Yum It Up, South Carolina BBQ and MacBrand Foods.
I realize that the names are tantalizing, and the smells even more so, but the crackling fat and airborne calories should remind you that there are a few guidelines you should seriously consider adhering to as you walk the terrifying aisles of food transaction.
If you plan to enjoy Spring Fair's food vending services, I suggest you move on to the nearby stress column (and for the record, at every Spring Fair I ingest a grease-load of pizza, fried Oreos and funnel cakes - one funnel cake per meal.)
First, avoid the grease. It's the stuff that soaks your napkin from off the chicken, the fries and the fried Oreos.
Deep-frying is bad for you. Deep frying is what you see when you go into McDonalds and the fries-makers lift the crispy golden sticks out of the grease in the metal basket. Food is literally dipped in a hot vat of lard and cooked so that fat is absorbed, making the outside crispy and brown. So deep frying is a great way to feed you extra fat.
But also, trans-fat vegetable oil is often chosen for deep-frying process. Trans fats should sound familiar. They are linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease because they increase the proportion of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, which helps plug the arteries.
Trans fat may also lower levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, whose presence helps protect against cardiovascular diseases.
Try instead to get foods that are grilled or steamed instead of fried. Try the grilled chicken on a stick, corn on the cob or my friend Laura's favorite: gyros. They're Greek, can be made vegetarian and are uber-healthy.
Make sure to go for sweets with nutritional value. Instead of funnel cake, go for the banana or strawberry dipped in chocolate.
A funnel cake is about 800 empty calories. A strawberry dipped in chocolate is only 50 calories, and includes tons of vitamin C and antioxidants. Even the chocolate has some antioxidants, which make up for the calories. Plus, a funnel cake will fill you up, and you'll have no more room for pad Thai.
I realize that the names are tantalizing, and the smells even more so, but the crackling fat and airborne calories should remind you that there are a few guidelines you should seriously consider adhering to as you walk the terrifying aisles of food transaction.
If you plan to enjoy Spring Fair's food vending services, I suggest you move on to the nearby stress column (and for the record, at every Spring Fair I ingest a grease-load of pizza, fried Oreos and funnel cakes - one funnel cake per meal.)
First, avoid the grease. It's the stuff that soaks your napkin from off the chicken, the fries and the fried Oreos.
Deep-frying is bad for you. Deep frying is what you see when you go into McDonalds and the fries-makers lift the crispy golden sticks out of the grease in the metal basket. Food is literally dipped in a hot vat of lard and cooked so that fat is absorbed, making the outside crispy and brown. So deep frying is a great way to feed you extra fat.
But also, trans-fat vegetable oil is often chosen for deep-frying process. Trans fats should sound familiar. They are linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease because they increase the proportion of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, which helps plug the arteries.
Trans fat may also lower levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, whose presence helps protect against cardiovascular diseases.
Try instead to get foods that are grilled or steamed instead of fried. Try the grilled chicken on a stick, corn on the cob or my friend Laura's favorite: gyros. They're Greek, can be made vegetarian and are uber-healthy.
Make sure to go for sweets with nutritional value. Instead of funnel cake, go for the banana or strawberry dipped in chocolate.
A funnel cake is about 800 empty calories. A strawberry dipped in chocolate is only 50 calories, and includes tons of vitamin C and antioxidants. Even the chocolate has some antioxidants, which make up for the calories. Plus, a funnel cake will fill you up, and you'll have no more room for pad Thai.
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