Flavor is the key to the attractiveness of fast food. It is not just the blend of salt, sugar and fat, but the combination of taste and smell that is now engineered by the big food corporations’ scientists. Smell is a powerful sensation that helps to shape our psychology, and is strongly linked to memory, so from early infancy we swiftly learn what is pleasant or unpleasant about food. The flavors of childhood leave their indelible mark and adults often return to these sensations when they feel the need for ‘comfort food’. Fast food companies have been happy to capitalize on this by adding color additives to make it look good and chemical flavoring to make it taste right. Food engineering enables manufacturers to adjust almost any aspect of the food they make, from crunchiness and chewiness to density and dryness, using a range starches, gums, fats, emulsifiers and stabilizers — in fact all the things that a mother would never think of adding to one of her recipes.
We live in an addictive society and one of our addictions is to fast food. America was the first country to latch onto fast food and now nearly two thirds of all Americans are overweight. As fast food chains spread through Europe, Asia and the Middle East on a rising tide of affluence, people got fatter in those countries.
How We Can Combat Fast Food
• Educate children about healthy eating and show them a good example by taking care of yourself.
• Don’t ban fast food completely as children will then really want it. Let them have it once a week as a treat.
• Use fruit as fast food. Keep apples, tangerines or grapes for healthy snacks to see you through the day.
• Don’t buy huge cartons of snacks and biscuits — they will just get eaten.
• Take time to cook and use it as family time. Let the children help you so that family meal times are quality time for all the family
Recipe of the Week
Beef Kebabs
Serves 6
Ingredients
40 g brown sugar, packed
2-1/4 tbsp soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
340 g boneless beef top sirloin steaks, cut into 6 mm thick slices
4 — 5 green onions cut into 4 cm pieces
12 mini bamboo skewers, 15 cm
Method
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Place beef and half of marinade in a plastic bag, turning to coat. Close securely and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes. Reserve remaining marinade. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes and drain. Remove beef from marinade and discard marinade. Alternately thread beef, weaving back and forth, and green onion onto skewers. Arrange on broiler pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat source 3 minutes and turn. Broil another 2-3 minutes, basting with reserved marinade.
Ask Alva
I have heard about your Mini-Morning Workout and would like to receive a copy. But why do you recommend exercising first thing in the morning? Alia
Everyone has a very low Resting Metabolic Rate, which is what keeps our organs working and our bodies ticking over when we are sleeping. Our metabolism increases when we are active and when we eat. If you do a good bout of exercise before breakfast, the increase in metabolic rate will last for a few hours after you stop — you’ll be burning fat throughout the morning. Your normal daily activity will increase your metabolism, which will then wane in the evening when you begin to relax at home. Therefore it is good to exercise in the morning because it kick-starts your metabolism for the day, as exercise in the evening will counteract a lazy evening. Not skipping breakfast also helps you to be more successful in managing our weight — not in a scientific metabolism way but because it will help prevent you from becoming hungry and snacking before lunchtime. Anyone who would like a free copy of my Mini-Morning Workout can email to [email protected]
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
Selected letters will be replied to in this column.
