Kids Prefer Less Sugary Breakfast Cereal, Study FindsDecember 19th, 2010 - Jill Ettinger
A new study conducted by Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity revealed something startling about kids: they’re not as prone to choosing sugar as we may think. At least when it comes to breakfast cereals. Read More:Kids Prefer Less Sugary Breakfast Cereal, Study FindsKeeping Kids CoolJuly 26th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
Did you know that children lose proportionally more fluids through sweat than adults do? As a parent who embraces organic living, one of your top health priorities this summer is proper hydration, which affects children both physically and mentally. The following hydration tips have been provided by Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, a board-certified pediatrician in New York City and clinical instructor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine:
Photo courtesy of Nestlé Waters North America Read More:Keeping Kids CoolA Mountain of Meat & CheeseJuly 6th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
The release promotes the new BK Stacker Sandwich (above): two, three or four hamburger patties “stacked high between a sesame seed bun with equal slices of melted American cheese and up to eight slices of crispy bacon, smothered in original creamy, savory BK Stacker Sauce for the ultimate sandwich helping. The bigger the burger ordered, the more layers of bacon and cheese.” Customers can order the:
“The BK Stacker is simple and built with the very ingredients our restaurant guests love best—meat, cheese and bacon,” notes Denny Marie Post, Burger King’s senior vice president and chief concept officer, in the release. “We’re satisfying the serious meat lovers by leaving off the produce and letting them decide exactly how much meat and cheese they can handle.” Of course, Burger King is enticing kids to order this “produce-free” behemoth through a series of TV ads featuring a crew of miniature construction workers that “diligently stacks meat, cheese, bacon and BK Stacker Sauce.” If that’s not enough, “2.5″ collectible figurines of some of the most memorable characters from the BK Stackers television ads can be purchased online…Fans can purchase a set of three figurines, including Vin the Foreman, the Kid and the Cheese Welder.” For parents who promote organic living and healthy eating, this is yet another example of how fast-food companies and advertising agencies pander to kids without any regard for their health. It’s irresponsible at a time when childhood obesity is epidemic. Read More:A Mountain of Meat & CheeseOrganic Flavored Milks: Pros and ConsNovember 8th, 2005 - Barbara Feiner
As discussed yesterday, organic flavored milks are one of the newest food trends aimed specifically at parents and children. But nutrition experts have mixed views on the subject. “Moms can feel good about giving their kids flavored milk, such as chocolate and strawberry,” says Molly Pelzer, a registered dietitian with the National Dairy Council and mother of two. “Kids not only savor the flavor, but it provides them with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and build a solid bone bank.” “Milk is a critical part of kids’ diets, yet it’s competing against some less healthy, but very flashy, beverages,” adds Grant Prentice, executive vice president of marketing for Dairy Management Inc., an organization that helps build demand for dairy on behalf of its producers—including the much-publicized 3-a-Day campaign. “Serving milk to kids in colorful plastic bottles and giving them a choice of flavors—whether it’s at school or their favorite restaurants—catches their attention and motivates them to drink more milk, which helps build stronger bones and better bodies,” he adds. But not everyone is buying into this marketing message. “I strongly disagree with sugared flavored milk,” says Chef Ann Cooper, former executive chef and director of wellness and nutrition at The Ross School in East Hampton, New York. She’s also the author of In Mother’s Kitchen: Celebrated Women Chefs Share Beloved Family Recipes and Bitter Harvest: A Chef’s Perspective on the Hidden Danger in the Foods We Eat and What You Can Do About It. “They’re really no better than soda—except for the calcium,” Chef Cooper asserts. “Many have a sugar and calorie content that equals or exceeds that of soda, and they become just another way that we’re teaching our children to drink sweets.” Chef Cooper believes children and teenagers can meet their calcium needs from other sources and outlines the following daily requirements:
“While calcium is the most important component of dairy, it is possible to get it—minus the fat—in other ways,” she tells Organic Authority. “Many plant sources contain calcium that is more readily absorbed by the body than the calcium found in dairy. Some examples include nuts, broccoli, dark leafy greens [add some lemon to help free up the calcium], tofu, soy milk, sardines, beans, sunflower seeds and molasses.” Read More:Organic Flavored Milks: Pros and Cons |
If you’re wondering why Americans are overweight, check out the press release I received this morning from the folks at Burger King. The headline reads: “Guests Invited to Pile on Meat, Cheese & Bacon—Hold the Produce.”
