When you head to the Iowa State Fair, you've better bring your walking shoes, light comfortable clothes, but leave your healthy salad and water at home. Because the Iowa State Fair doesn't want any stinky, East Coast liberals with their tofu and sprout sandwiches. In fact, the DesMoinesRegister.com reports no beverages, food or coolers may be brought into the fair. The exception is baby food. OK, your baby can eat healthy, lady. You can't.
The Iowa State University Cooperative Extension has estimated the calories of fair favorites.
- Cotton candy: 100 calories.
- Caramel apple: 200 calories.
- Chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick: 300 calories.
- Plain hamburger: 450 calories.
- Fried candy bar on a stick: 550 calories.
- 64-ounce soda: 800 calories.
- Fried turkey leg: 1,100 calories.
There are more than 220 foodstands at the fair with dozens of items. What healthy foods does the website suggest?
- Baked potato (278 calories with nothing on it)
- Corn on the cob (155 calories with butter)
- Salads (watch out for the dressings at sometimes 500 calories)
- Mixed fruit cups
- Shish kebabs (who knows what's in those)
- Veggie corn dog (Cotton candy might have less calories and taste better)
- Turkey tenderloins
- Pork chop on a stick (154 calories for 3 oz.)
That's it. A thousand food items in the breadbasket of the nation, at the show place for agriculture and food in America, and the website can find less than 10 healthy food items.
I'd suggest you'd bring your own food and water to the fair. But that's illegal in Iowa.
2 comments:
I'm wondering if you've read "The China Study" (and you should if you haven't), or "Eat to Live" (Joel Fuhrman) and if you have any comments about it and a whole foods/plant based/vegan way of eating (for health in general and for weight loss.)
That sounds like I should read The China Story. I do read Joel Fuhrman's blog every day, and I agree with him nearly all the time.
I can definitely vouch for the plant based way of eating. I've lost 100 pounds in one year by nearly eliminating meat, milk products, and sugar and increasing every kind of vegetable (and just a little fruit...I like vegetables better than most fruits, except for strawberries and bananas.)
[And I really like supporting my farmer's markets and local farms by buying nearly everything I can there in the summer. I'm not a "booster", but if you live in a good community, I like supporting the good local businesses.]
But I also believe in moderation and correctly sized portions of calories, fat, etc. I like saving some calories once a month for a little filet mignon or two slices of homemade pizza.
Good luck and I'll give you my opinion of The China Study after I read it.
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