Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

It's hard to fathom that the average BBQ meal contains 3,500 calories, nearly double the calories an average person should consume in an entire day. Dietitians at Structure House, a residential weight loss program, offer some different options to try on the grill that won't break the weight bank. Think kabobs, pork chops, salmon, jerk chicken, even hamburgers made with lean meat. Other tips include:

— Choose fresh, local ingredients. Look for fresh tomatoes, peppers and berries when in season. Use fresh seasonal fruits to make a refreshing fruit salad to satisfy guests' sweet tooths.

— Set up a kabob-station where guests can choose from healthy proteins like shrimp and chicken, and combine them with seasonal fruits and veggies like tomatoes, pineapple, peppers, squash and onions.

— Make healthier burgers using lean ground beef, venison, ostrich meat or even fish. Serve it on a whole-wheat bun, and provide healthy condiments and vegetable toppings.

— Mix it up. Try refreshing salads like chilled cucumber or tomato instead of the typical tossed salad.

— Use chicken or turkey hot dogs, which are lower in saturated fat.

— Skip the alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is high in empty calories and has no nutritional value.

— When purchasing red meat, choose leaner cuts with less fat marbling. The leaner cuts may seem less appealing, but with a simple marinade they can taste just as good as a steak higher in fat.

— Substitute whole grains whenever possible, including hot dog rolls, hamburger buns, pasta, rice and other items. Whole grains contribute more nutritional value and make you feel fuller faster.

Q & A

Q: Is eating raw meat really safe?

A: Because of the potential for illness from bacteria or parasites, it is really not safe, but the risk is especially great for anyone with a weakened immune system. Even undercooked meats have caused serious infections, such as E. coli, that can lead to death. Traditional raw meat or fish dishes all present a risk. Dishes include steak tartare (particularly risky as it contains raw ground beef and raw egg), beef carpaccio (raw thinly sliced beef filet), sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish), ceviche (raw marinated fish), and raw seafood such as oysters, clams or mussels. Beef carpaccio is now labeled a high-risk food since it was discovered that it was the source of an outbreak of salmonella highly resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Experts say that for those who choose to eat raw meat or fish dishes, it's vital to choose sources that are scrupulous about sanitation. For anyone with a weakened immune system — which includes the very young, elderly, pregnant women (an unborn child does not have a developed immune system) and those with illnesses such as HIV or cancer — the advice is clear: Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or seafood. And that is the safest advice for all of us. - American Institute for Cancer Research.

POWER FRUIT

Ounce for ounce, kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than an orange and more potassium than a banana. It also supplies some folate, vitamin E and lutein, a carotenoid that may keep eyes healthy. The kiwi fruit is actually a large berry, and like other berries, high in fiber. — University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter.

RECIPE

Summer beckons us to start the grill. This recipe for Apricot-Glazed Grilled Chicken, from Cooking Light's June 2009 issue, is low in fat but full of flavor. The chicken is best if it can stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

Apricot-Glazed Grilled Chicken

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned

2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

2 chicken drumsticks, skinned

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. If using a gas grill, heat one side to medium-high, and leave one side with no heat. If using a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals on one side of charcoal grate, leaving the other side empty. Let chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Place chicken, meaty sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray over direct heat; grill 5 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; baste with apricot mixture. Grill 5 minutes over direct heat or until browned. Turn chicken over, moving it over indirect heat; baste with apricot mixture. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste again. Cook 20 minutes or until done. Yield: 4 servings: (serving size: 1 chicken breast half or 1 thigh and 1 drumstick).

Per serving: 247 calories, 26.5 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 10.7 g fat, 82 mg cholesterol, .1 g fiber, 370 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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