The other night my husband and I went on a date to our favorite Thai restaurant…possibly our last date as a married couple with no children as I’m due to have a baby sometime in the next couple weeks!  The fan in the restaurant kitchen was broken, which caused waves of smoke to billow out into the eating area.  I thought something was on fire, but then realized that the smoke is a normal occurrence in many restaurants because the frying areas are at such high heat that the cooking oil is constantly smoking so the fan is an absolute necessity.  Yikes!!! 

When an oil is heated to its smoke point, that means it is highly damaged and full of free radicals (molecules that cause aging and disease).  Below is a link to a list of oils and their smoke points, apparently compiled by an engineer that also likes to cook.  I don’t completely agree with his definition of refined oils (he defines them as oils with impurities removed, where in actuality refined oils also have nutrients and healthy fats removed and may be rancid prior to processing) but it is still very interesting info.  Enjoy reading, and happy new year!

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/50/Smoke-Points-of-Various-Fats

We’re halfway through December, a notorious month for weight gain due to all the holiday parties and other food-related gatherings.  Here are five tips to help prevent weight gain during these festivities:

1. Bring an afternoon snack to work to prevent overindulging at the holiday goodies table mid-afternoon.  Ideas include cheese and crackers, hard boiled eggs, raw vegetables and hummus, or a protein shake.

2. Stay hydrated – it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger.  Even though it’s cold outside, your body still needs plenty of water to keep from getting dehydrated due to dry winter air. 

3. Eat something containing protein alongside anything sweet or alcoholic.  This prevents your blood sugar from “spiking and crashing” which contributes to weight gain.  There are usually protein choices at most holiday parties in the form of cheese, meat, and dips.  Be sure to put a portion of these items on your party plate alongside any desserts or alcoholic drinks.

4. Eat a light snack before going to evening holiday parties.  It may seem counterintuitive to eat before going to a party, but if you have something very light containing protein (half a protein shake, 1 hard boiled eggs, 2” piece of cheese) then you will arrive at the party with stable blood sugar and will be more likely to stay in control of portion sizes when it’s time to eat.

5. If it’s a potluck, bring something healthy to share that you know you will eat and enjoy.  Ideas include fruit, a veggie tray with dip, a cold cut platter, cheese and crackers, or deviled eggs.

We’re full swing into winter with a blizzard blowing through Marilyn Farms in Iowa and, here in Hawaii where I am…a warm sunny day and 50 foot waves on the North Shore of Oahu.  No matter where you live and what kind of winter weather is happening around you, I’m sure that the holiday season of eating has already begun with Thanksgiving and won’t end until we get through all the holiday parties and New Year celebrations. 

I know that this time of year is when people become concerned about weight gain due to all of the holiday food fests and may try to make up for it by cutting calories elsewhere.  That’s not a terrible idea, but I did want to share with you an article on artificial sweeteners to make sure that you don’t try to make up for the 7 slices of pie your co-workers force fed  you last week by switching over to foods labeled “sugar-free” or “diet” without knowing the potential risks.  Here’s the article:

http://drbenkim.com/articles-artificialsweeteners.html

Stay tuned to upcoming blogs for more on my favorite subject – food!  I’m going to use the next couple of entries to share some ideas for healthy holiday eating, as well as fun facts about winter seasonal foods.