Keeping off the 'freshman 15'

By Allison Sundaram

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to eat at Benson Memorial Center and maintain a healthy diet, Wellness Center representatives told students in recent tours of Market Square.

The tours, offered in conjunction with Bon Appetit, aimed to give students eating tips to stay healthy and avoid the "freshman 15."

"Nutrition is a big area of interest for college students," Nick Johnson, health education and recreation assistant, said. "It's an issue that some students struggle with and some students just want to know more about."

Portion sizes are a big issue. "It's not so much what we eat, but how much," dietician Mary Mahoney said. "Wait on desserts, or share something with another person."

Mahoney recommends fruit instead of pastries, or sweets after dinner. Additionally, Bon Appetit provides a selection of different fruit depending on the season, mainly organic from local farmers. The fresh-cut fruit in the Express section are not organic.

While Bon Appetit provides meals with appropriate portion sizes, Mahoney offered several ways to cut down on unwanted calories or fats, while still getting the appropriate nutritional requirements.

Salads made with darker greens have higher nutritional content, versus iceberg lettuce, which provides crunch. A salad from The Wall or the Express stations, made with spinach or spring mix and plenty of vegetables, can be even healthier by leaving the dressing on the side, to control calories.

A sandwich made with half the mayonnaise, or with one slice of cheese instead of two, will be healthier, but still taste good, said Mahoney. She also suggested mixing up ingredients and using lower fat spreads such as hummus.

Bon Appetit management also tries to keep a range of different foods available to students, during the week, and seasonally. "Just by offering a variety we try to ensure that there's always healthy options to choose from," General Manager Lori Flashner said.

Soda also acts to deliver an unhealthy amount of sugars, and calories. Mahoney advised students to substitute soda with water or order small sizes.

Approximately 15 students toured the Benson cafeteria. "I just wanted to make sure that I'm eating healthy, and get some inside information about Benson," freshman Janna Goebel said.

During the tour, students were mainly concerned with what foods can be healthy, but don't require a lot of effort to obtain. Questions ranged from the best kinds of cereal to the choices between muffins and scones.

Flashner felt the tour information could help students make balanced decisions. "Maybe the only thing you see at the grill is a hamburger, but now you know that you can order just a grilled chicken breast for example," she said.

For breakfasts, Mahoney said to avoid the sugar cereals, such as Lucky Charms, or make them a special once-a-week type treat. Also, the low-fat muffins provided a better nutritional package than scones, since they have less sugar.

According to Wellness Center handouts, healthy eating goes beyond the worry about gaining the "freshman 15." Conact Allison Sundaram at (408) 554-4546 or asundaram@scu.edu.