Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

enhancers. Unfortunately, in too many cases the results can be detrimental to our

efforts to retain as much nutritional value as possible.

The senses are so easily seduced by adding, for example, salt, fats, sugars,

alcohol, and well-textured wrappings made from refined starch. The results can

be pleasing enough to become addictive and, if consumed frequently in unwise

quantities, can turn a treat into an eventual threat. Note that only the letter H

separates the words treat and threat—and both end in eat. For me, this H factor

is the harm done by high volume and high repetition.

When dealing with grown foods, the imbalance comes largely from the added

fats from butter, cheese, cream, bacon, and, to a lesser extent, oils. This does not

mean that any of these should be eliminated (unless you’re a vegan and eschew

animal products). However, it does mean that each of us needs to have a very fi rm

idea of how much to add and when.

To some degree, the how much will be determined by your individual risk fac­

tors. However, it has been well proven for decades that it is unwise to exceed 10

percent of our daily calories from saturated fat, or 200 calories out of an average

2,000-calorie daily diet. In fact, we may see this recommendation move to less

than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat (this recommendation is being con­

sidered for the upcoming U.S. Dietary Guidelines to be posted late in 2010).

Given that there are 9 calories in every gram of fat, the 200-calorie limit on

saturated fat per day translates to about 20 grams (or less) each day. Not all fatty

foods are pure fat (only oil is 100 percent fat), so compare the following “fat-rich

enhancers,” which are often added to vegetables to boost their fl avor:

Fat Source Common Measurement Saturated Fat Amount

(Grams)

Butter 1 Tbs (~½ oz) 7.2 grams

Heavy Whipping Cream 2 Tbs (~1 oz) 7 grams

Cheese* 1 oz. 4.15 grams

*Changes by cheese type

Source: Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 18th Edition, copyright © 2005 by Jean T. A. Pennington;

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD

48 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE