Do teens like to cook? Some do. Thanks to Michael P. for creating this section of Teen Mountain.
Some notes about fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. Most teens usually don't give much thought to the amount of fat or "carbs" they eat. However, even teens can benefit from cutting back on these items. You will see notes about fat and sugar with some of the recipes featured here. Here is some basic information:
FAT Taking in too much fat, even in the teen years, can lead to problems. However, I cannot tell you how much is too much for you. The good news is that reducing fat without losing flavor in baked items is not difficult. When a recipe calls for shortening, thee are many good substitutes, including applesauce, bananas, and yogurt. The book Secrets of Fat-Free Baking by Sandra Woodruff is a good starting place for learning about these substitutions. The book also is filled with non-fat recipes. Since I have found that non-fat baked goods just don't offer the kind of flavor that I want, I often make a simple low-fat addition when I use one of her recipes. The most common change I make is to add 1/4 to 1/2 cube of butter. This adds just a modest amount of fat and give a great flavor boost.
SUGAR AND OTHER CARBOHYDRATES While sugar is a significant source of carbohydrates, you may be surprised to learn that many grains are also a major source. So virtually all breads, including hamburger buns, are big-time contributors. Who cares? Why does it matter? Well, again, most teens will not be severly affected by taking in lots of barbs. But this can contribute to being overweight. Also, as the years go by, one of the common problems encountered in our society is diabetes. Diabetes can be a devastating desease. It appears that the high-carb diets of many Americans is linked to the increase we have experienced in diabetes. What can you do about it when cooking? This is very challenging. It is much easier to cut out fat than to cut out carbs. And, unfortunately, even good cookbooks like the Secrets of Fat-Free Baking mentioned above, may not tell you the carbohydrate content of what you are making.
The most that I can offer at this time is this: If you want to cut down on sugar, try just reducing the amount in a recipe. Also, there are at least three sugar substitutes that contribute almost no carbs. They are. Splenda, Sweet & Low, and Aspartame. Aspartame is the popular one in commercial products. Most diet soft drinks and other sugar-free products I have checked have aspartame. Personally I don't like it, and it leaves an unpleasant after-taste in my mouth.
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This page last modified on 11/30/03