Food: Junk Food in the Summertime

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Junk Food in the Summertime
Monday, September 12, 2005

There is something about the summer months that cause less than healthy foods to taste simply wonderful. What is it about junk food that appeals to us so much when the weather is warm? Is it the added salt and sugar that our bodies crave after spending time in the heat and losing precious fluids and salt? Is it the extra energy we need for doing all the fun outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, playing tennis, or simply lying in the sun on the beach? Or is it all just reminiscent of simpler times when we were kids; times when we played outside all day and then came inside and our mom gave us chips, cookies and Kool-Aid. For those of us who grew up in the 1970s and before, we didn't worry much about healthy foods then like we do now. We didn't know about salt intake, trans fats, and the evils of carbs. We ate what we wanted, we stayed active and only watched TV on Saturday mornings, and weight and diet weren't an issue.

So here we are today, several years into the 21st century. We know the facts about junk food like we know the back of our hand. We know that the only things we should be eating are fruit, vegetables, whole grains, Omega-3 fats, and lean meat - in moderation. Many of us do pretty well at sticking to this diet of health and nutrition. We take our vitamins, we exercise, and we truly feel better when we eat the healthy way. But come summer with its heat, sunshine and water in which to swim, and suddenly we crave bags of BBQ or sour cream and onion chips. Suddenly, a Snickers Bar or a milk shake is what piques or appetite. The sky is the limit with these foods: ice cream, chocolate, hard candies, cookies of all flavors, Slurpees, and of course, ice cold soda pop. Sure we could drink iced green tea with herbal sweeteners, but does that really give us the taste we want when sitting on the beach? Do unsalted rice cakes quench our summer appetites on a sweaty hike?

The key is to keep a healthy balance. Life is meant to be enjoyed, within reason. Many people actually enjoy iced green tea and rice cakes; aren't they the lucky ones? But for those of us who crave junk food on summer days, we can indulge - once in a while. If you go to the beach a few times each month, save the junk food just for those days. If you hike every weekend in the summer, pack the healthy stuff - dried fruit, granola, cheese, water and rice cakes - but bring along a candy bar and bottle of soda if you like, for later in the day or as a reward at the end of the hike. We have learned that we can't eat like that all the time, but, as the food pyramids tell us, we can eat those things in moderation.

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