[890] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
more interesting stuff
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (elsiedee@MIT.EDU)
Fri Apr 5 01:11:27 1996
From: elsiedee@MIT.EDU
Date: Fri, 5 Apr 96 01:10:56 -0500
To: vsg@MIT.EDU
Here's something else of some interest that I found while goofing off
on the WWW.
-Laura
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NUTRITION Q.& A.: VEGGIE BURGERS A GOOD
LOW-FAT CHOICE? (4/4)
BY KAREN COLLINS, M.S., R.D.
c.1996 American Institute for Cancer Research
Have a question about the fat content of your favorite food? Looking
for advice on following a heart-healthy diet? Curious about how foods
may help lower your risk of cancer? Answers to these questions and
more are provided each week in Nutrition Wise, written by a registered
dietician from the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Q: Are the ``veggie burgers'' I've seen at many restaurants a good
low-fat choice?
A: ``Veggie burgers'' can be made from a variety of ingredients with
very different nutritional compositions. They are now available not
only in restaurants and health food stores, but in the freezer and
health food sections of many grocery stores. The main ingredients in
these patties may be soy, rice or chopped vegetables.
Fat content can vary from about three grams of fat per patty to about
12 grams. That makes them definitely lower in fat than burgers made
from regular and most ``lean'' (such as ground chuck) ground beef, but
they may or may not be lower in fat than extra-lean meat
burgers. Veggie burgers made from soy products offer another
advantage, however. If research continues to show that soybeans are
likely to reduce blood cholesterol and lower cancer risk, we may all
be looking for more ways to be working soybeans into our diets.
Flavor varies considerably, so if you're interested in veggie burgers,
sample a variety.
Q: How much difference in fat content is there between a hamburger and
a cheeseburger?
A: The biggest effect on burgers' fat content is the type of meat they
are made with. A plain three-ounce burger (a quarter-pound uncooked)
may contain nine to 18 grams of fat. Adding cheese to the burger
usually adds about eight or nine grams of fat (and about 100
calories). One more thing that influences the burger's fat content is
your choice of topping; ketchup adds no fat, but the mayonnaise-type
toppings in some fast food burgers can add another 10 or more grams of
fat to the total. Even lean burgers topped with cheese and ``sauce''
can add up to about half a day's fat allowance.
Q: I heard that phosphorus is important for strong bones. How can I be
sure I'm getting enough?
A: Lack of the mineral phosphorus is not a problem for most of us. It
is found in almost all foods, though it is most concentrated in
protein-rich foods (meat, poultry, fish and dairy products) and grain
products. Average phosphorus consumption is well above the
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). In fact, some researchers suggest
that many people may be getting too much phosphorus. The balance
between calcium and phosphorus in our diets may be important to the
balance of these minerals in our bodies. Those whose diets are heavy
on meats, processed foods and soda pop (and lighter on vegetables and
dairy products) may be shifting the balance the wrong way. Eating a
diet based on the American Institute for Cancer Research guidelines to
center our diets around fruits, vegetables, and grain products, with
lesser amounts of low-fat meats and dairy products, is a good way to
get the right amount of phosphorus.
