Eating Healthy During the Game of the Year

By Crystal Petrello

Contributing Writer

It is around this time every year, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) releases the “Five Amazingly Unhealthy Super Bowl Fast Foods.” It can be a fun topic of conversation with our family and friends as we guzzle down our light beer and pound our slider hamburgers as though every bite seems to help the team we bet on. The reality of it is, the Super Bowl is just another excuse every year to eat poorly.  On average, Americans gain about 1 pound between November and February (Yanovski JA, Yanovski SZ, Sovik KN, et al, 2000). You might say, “It’s only one pound,” but the problem is the weight does not go away. Most of us chalk it up to the inherent collateral damage of the holidays. After 10 years and 10 pounds, we still tell ourselves “it’s only 10 pounds.” How does it stop? With a lemon and cayenne pepper “cleansing crash diet?” With a diagnosis of diabetes or high cholesterol? Or even worse, with your first heart surgery? 

It is the small choices we make along the endless path of parties and reasons to celebrate throughout the year and the moderation of the not-so-healthy foods that will help us enjoy a healthy and tasty life. Yes, healthy can be delicious. Here is the unhealthy list from the PCRM and some healthier-yet-still-delicious comparisons that will quench the party palette, but not make you bigger than an offensive lineman. 

Type of Food	Unhealthy	Nutrition Comparison		Healthy	Calories Saved
Sub Sandwich	Quiznos- Large Classic Italian Sub	1190 kcal, 68 g/fat, 3550 mg Na	400 kcal, 9 g/fat, 1280 mg Na	Grilled Vegetable Sub (see below)	790
Chicken Wings	Pizza Hut- Crispy Bone-In Garlic Parmesan Wings with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce	2 wings and 2 Tbsp dipping sauce		Unbelievable Buffalo Wings with Light Ranch Dressing (omit salt from recipe)	250
		530 kcal, 49 g/fat, 1150 mg Na	280 kcal, 21 g/fat, 990 mg Na
Pizza	Papa John’s- The Meats Pizza for One	960 kcal, 44 g/fat, 2760 mg Na	500 kcal, 28 g/fat, 1480 mg Na	Grilled Vegetable Pizza (2 slices)	460
Nacho’s	Taco Bell- Volcano Nachos	980 kcal, 60 g/fat, 1590 mg Na	290 kcal, 9 g/fat, 960 mg Na	Pita Nachos (see below)	690
Soup/Chili	Panera- New England Clam Chowder	630 kcal, 54 g/fat, 890 mg Na	394 kcal, 11.5 g/fat, 534 mg Na	Chicken Corn Chowder	236

Pita Nacho’s

• 4 servings of multi-grain pita chips (I use Stacy’s)
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• ½ cups low fat shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chunky salsa
• ¼ cup avocado mashed to dip or cubed on the side

1. Place pita chips on a microwave safe plate.
2. Evenly sprinkle black beans on chips.
3. Sprinkle cheese over-top of bean and chips.
4. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Just enough to melt cheese.
5. Serve aside chunky salsa and fresh avocado for healthy fat and flavor.

Grilled Vegetable Sub

• Medium whole wheat hoagie roll
• 2 tbsp Roasted Eggplant Hummus (from Athenos)
• 3 slices tomato
• ½ cup arugula greens
• 3 ounces oven roasted turkey breast
• 3 slices of yellow Summer squash

1. Grill summer squash to bring out flavor from natural sugar in this delightful vegetable.
2. If desired, lightly spray inside of hoagie roll with canola oil and grill to toast.
3. Create sandwich by first spreading hummus on both sides of roll.
4. Pile on tomato, arugula, squash and turkey.

Crystal Petrello

Crystal Petrello, MS, RD, completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Dietetics and internship program at The Ohio State University. She served in the Air National Guard while completing her Bachelor’s degree. She earned her Master’s Degree in Community Nutrition and Health at Ohio University where she conducted research in the associations with fruit and vegetable consumption, perception of health and food security.

Crystal is the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine’s spokesperson for Las Vegas and the Nevada Dietetic Association. She co-authored, But I’m Hungry, a book about the body’s response to hunger and how to lose weight without depriving yourself.  She is also the expert nutrition writer for Element Fitness Magazine, Las Vegas’ premier fitness and MMA magazine. Crystal blogs about health and wellness in Las Vegas at Vegas Vitality Nutrition. She owns Crystal Clear Wellness and Nutrition (www.CrystalClearNutrition.com) a private consulting firm specializing in helping small businesses with wellness programs, private dietary consultations, nutrition evaluation of recipes and menus, and product development.

With her love for the community and passion for food security, Crystal volunteers her time at Las Vegas Rescue Mission. Crystal has created a training and menu guidance system.  The system has assisted volunteers and residents offer optimal nutrition in an ever changing food pantry supply.