Mark your calendar for this Thursday, as our Pathfinder Produce market returns from 2 to 5 p.m. at our Village Commons Building, bringing our friends and neighbors great produce at great prices. Also, that evening, we’ll continue our Pathfinder celebration of the season with our traditional Residents’ Holiday Show and Tree Lighting, which starts at the Village Gym at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to join in the fun!
J
Following our Thanksgiving feasts, many of us grow drowsy, and the chemical compound tryptophan, which is found in turkey, historically has been named as the culprit for our post-feasting naps. But news articles this past week indicated that tryptophan isn’t necessarily to blame … it’s the carbohydrates we consume with the turkey that puts us into snooze mode.
And I suppose when one thinks about the mounds of potatoes, the luscious rolls, the stuffing, and all those delicious desserts, etc. there are certainly sufficient carbs in a traditional Thanksgiving meal to back that theory. Plus, if one considers how sleepy one becomes following other carb laden meals (pasta) you can see the pattern.
So when we talk carbs and their role in our diets, what are we talking about? According to Wikipedia, the term carbohydrate in chemistry refers to a large molecule chain consisting of one carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically with an empirical formula of Cm(H2O)n, (m and n can be different numbers). Nutritionally, the term carbohydrate has come to mean foods that are rich in the complex starches or simple sugars, like fructose or sucrose. A simple explanation of good carbs vs. bad carbs is found on the website: http://engine2diet.com/question/do-carbohydrates-really-make-us-fat/. Essentially, simple carbs (sugars, highly refined foods) are the “bad guys” as they cause blood sugar spikes and are converted into extra body fat.
According to a new blog I’ve found, “A Veggie Venture” by Alanna Kellogg, http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com , net carbs are used to measure total carbohydrates, a net carb equaling the total amount of starches and sugars, minus the grams of fiber, in a single serving. Alanna defines ‘low carb veggies’ as those with 10 or fewer net carbs.
So if you’re looking to cut down on carbs (and stay awake), there are ample veggies you can select. Many of these are offered each week at our Pathfinder Produce market. Alanna’s list of veggies with low
to high net carbs is as follows, and there are some recipe, portion and serving suggestions on her blog, which is well worth visiting:
· One Net Carb: Bok Choy, Broccoli Raab, Celery
· Two Net Carbs: Arugula, Asparagus, Chard, Chayote, Eggplant, Hearts of Palm, Jicama, Lettuce, Radishes, Spinach
· Three Net Carbs: Green Peppers, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Daikon, Kohlrabi, Mushrooms (Button), Pumpkin Puree, Rhubarb (with little added sugar, I assume), Summer Squash, Zucchini
· Four Net Carbs: Avocado (California), Fennel, Green Beans, Mushrooms (Crimini & Oyster), Okra, Radicchio, Tomatoes
· Five Net Carbs: Avocado (Florida), Red Peppers, Broccoli, Edamame, Mushrooms (Enoki), Tomatillo,
Turnips
Turnips
· Six Net Carbs: Artichoke, Yellow Peppers, Brussels Sprouts, Red Cabbage, Corn, Snow Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Pumpkin, Rutabagas
· 11-15 Net Carbs: Butternut Squash, Leeks, Parsnips, Lima Beans, White Potatoes
· 16-20 Net Carbs: Red Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Packaged Sweet Corn, Jerusalem Artichokes, Russet Potatoes
· 21 Net Carbs: Garbanzo Beans, Baby Lima Beans
We hope you will join us for this week’s Pathfinder Produce, and we are looking forward to our residents’ wonderful celebration the evening of Dec. 5. Thank you for supporting our market, the residents and Pathfinder.
All the best!
Lori
