Dear Dr. Carrot

Ashley Students talk about Dr. Carrot . . .

. . . and Dr. Carrot’s representative, Miss Max, talks with Ashley students, staff and teachers!

Music thanks to Lynn Patrick This video broadcast at a statewide meeting that featured the Integrated Nutrition Education Project.

Here is an extended version of the conversation with Dr. Carrot:

Dr. Carrot: Hi, I’m Dr. Carrot, and I am a nutrition expert. I m excited to hear questions about health and nutrition from the students and teachers of Ashley Elementary School. Let s start with a question from a 5th grade teacher…

Question 1#: Hi, I m Ms Coburn a 5th grade teacher here at Ashley School and I have a question for Dr Carrot. Dr Carrot, I am concerned about artery blockage because of genetics in my family- what healthy foods can I eat so that I don t have clogged arteries? Dr. Carrot: Ms. Coburn its great that you are interested in keeping your body healthy! There are a lot of foods that are good for your heart. Fish and nuts have low amounts of saturated fat and higher amounts of unsaturated fats, which are better for your brain and your circulatory system. Foods that have little or no cholesterol and more fiber are important to eat too. Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains match that perfectly. But remember to be careful how much salt you eat and try to limit the table salt you use!

Questions #2: Dr. Carrot, I have a question.. are oranges good for you? (1st grader)

Dr. Carrot: Oranges are GREAT for you! They have so much Vitamin C that by eating an orange your body is ready to fight off any germ that comes its way. Also when you eat an orange you get a lot of fiber and water that helps your digestive system work wonders.

Question #3: Dr. Carrot, I like miracle whip mayonnaise– is it the best mayonnaise for me? (1st grader)

Dr. Carrot: Miracle Whip Mayonnaise has a little less fat then regular Mayonnaise and also has sugar. Regular Mayonnaise is not typically made with sugar. Both types are classified as a fat and shouldn t be used to much. So eat and enjoy but eat only a little bit.

Question #4: Dr Carrot I have a question– how much sugar is in Fruity Pebbles cereal? (1st grader)

Dr. Carrot: According to Fruity Pebbles website each serving of fruity pebbles has 11 grams of sugar, which is almost two and half teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Question #6: Hey, this is Mr. Walters Dr. Carrot. I am a teacher at Ashley Elementary School, and I have a question… I heard that high fructose corn syrup is good for you because it s made out of corn– Is that true?

Dr. Carrot: Mr. Walters, I have to be honest. In my humble opinion High Fructose Corn Syrup is the worst ingredient in most processed food. It resembles very little of its original corn form including its nutrient levels. Quite a few studies have shown links between the consumption of high fructose corn syrup and obesity.

Question # 7: This question for Dr. Carrot and my name is Jose Cruz. Do you know is it true that granola bars are healthy?

Dr. Carrot: Hey there, Jose. The best way to see a granola bar is healthy is to read the label. Check the serving size, calories, percent fat, sugar and the ingredients. Compare Granola bars to each while your at the store and pick the one with lowest numbers.

Question #9: Hi my name is Guadalupe and these are my questions for Dr. Carrot. My first questions is– how healthy is white bread?

Dr. Carrot: Hi Guadalupe – White Bread is made from wheat flour just like whole wheat bread. But in order to make white bread you have to remove the bran and germ from the wheat kernel. Unfortunately, almost all of the good nutrients are stored in the bran and the germ of the wheat kernel and by removing those parts you loose a lot of the nutrients! So I would say that the HEALTHIER choice is to select whole wheat bread.

Question # 10: And my second question is, what is the healthiest junk food?

Dr. Carrot: I would say that eating junk food is eating junk food and that the healthiest junk food doesn t exist. Well, it s been so much fun answering your questions. I love that you are all spending the time to think about how to keep your bodies healthy!

This is Dr. Carrot….. signing off.

Additional Questions to Dr. Carrot

dr carrot do youi awalys eat healy or junk food did you see us in tv it was cool. Jennifer

Hi, Jennifer. I try to eat healthy most of the time because then, the food tastes especially good, and I FEEL especially good. I’ve noticed that if I eat junk food, then my taste buds kind of fall asleep, and it’s harder for me to taste the wonderful flavors in foods such as celery, lettuce, tomatoes, brocolli, cucumbers, plus foods such as chicken and fish. I love the taste of these natural foods, and especially when my taste buds aren’t sleepy and sluggish because of junk food. Yes, I did see you on CBS Channel 4. All of you in the Ashley reporting team did great, explaining what you’re learning about nutrition and how you’re helping the Eatyourradio project. I’m sure your teachers are very proud of the wonderful job you did. I know I am!

hi dr. carrot this is ismail and i stoped eating candy because i tasted carrots

Hi, Ismail, That’s very exciting that you’ve stopped eating as much candy and are now eating more carrots. I’d like to hear more about how that’s going. For instance, some people report that when they eat less candy, they get fewer cavities, they feel like they have more energy, and they feel more peaceful and content. Plus, healthy foods such as carrots and apples and brocolli and lettuce all taste better. How does eating less candy and eating more carrots feel to you? — Dr. Carrot

Dear Dr. Carrot — My brothers always find my Halloween candy and eat it, even if I hide it in my most secret cubbyholes. So, what do you think? Should I eat ALL the Halloween Candy I get as soon as I get home?

Dear Ashley Reporting Team, I understand your problem completely and it’s quite a dilemma you are in! No matter how hard it may be to hide your candy it wouldn’t be good to eat all of your candy in one sitting. All of the sugar isn’t good for your body (or your teeth!) and it’s much more enjoyable to have a small treat every once and a while than to eat it all at once. But – how to deal with a brother who knows all of you secret hiding spots?!?!? What I recommend is getting your whole family together for a talk. When you’ve got everyone together you should explain that this year you want the whole family to plit up their Halloween candy so everyone gets the same amount. Let them know that you like to eat your candy in small amounts and that the goal is if everyone gets the same amount then it’s fair for everyone and no one should need to steal from others. If your family does not like the plan of splitting up the candy then talk to them about the best way to keep your candy safe from hungry eyes. I bet your mom and dad could also come up with a good idea to keep it safe! Thanks for your post! Have a safe and fun Halloween. Dr. Carrot

here is a pome from jennifer:

food is the best i get my food in the west

i like junk food some times is funk

people well be starving at time

when i was small i ate lime

that was my favite thing at that time

I’m glad you share your poems. – Dr. Carrot.

what do you think of gold fish?i mean the cracker? are they healthy? jennifer ashley

‘Hi i am a diffrent student and i want to know why do you like veggies jaleah ashley denver school

Hi i am a deffrent stundent and i wanted to know what kind of veggies do you like

My cousin wanted to know why you are called DR. corrot’

Do you think hot cheetetos are good for you and if you don’t please explain why

When Mr.Heard was talking I feel like I want to cook

I agree! When someone shares what they love to do, it makes me want to try it, too. And what can be better than sharing a love of cooking. It’s great to know how to cook, and it’s great for your friends and family, too. — Dr. Carrot

Hi Dr.corrot did you eat candy when you was little.When my socail studies teacher aet candy when she was little and she aet it and her teeth fell out and now she has million dalaors teeth and she has fake teeth in the back of her mouth.

Thank you, Ashley Reporter for the follow up question from my Halloween candy post. I did eat candy when I was little and I still do now – I just eat with moderation. Candy has a lot of sugar in it and too much sugar can be unhealthy for your teeth and your body. If you eat candy remember to brush your teeth afterwards and also remember to run around a little bit longer. Its important to burn off the extra sugar you ate and brush your teeth to keep those sparking whites in good condition. Have a great weekend! Dr. Carrot

dear dr carrot,is chicken health or non health.my opingit is how the chicking is made.

Hi, Jennifer, I agree with you, it depends on how chicken is made. When chicken or any meat is fried, the oils get so hot that it can make chemicals that are hard on your body. So frying is often not the healthiest way to cook a chicken. That’s especially true when chicken is battered with flour before it’s fried. The flour batter soaks up a lot of that hot oil, which is not a healthy kind of fat. Another way of making chicken that is not so healthy is to use lots of barbecue sauce for cooking, because barbecue sauce often has lots of sugar in it, and it’s healthier to limit sugar. If you like this kind of chicken, it’s probably best to save it for special times, and not have it this way, every day. Any meal with chicken becomes healthier when you eat the chicken with vegetables, such as a salad, or brocolli or tomatoes or other bright-colored plant foods. That’s a great way to make food especially healthy. And for the chicken itself, two healthier ways to cook it are to have it in a stew, or else baked. For instance, chicken at the school lunches is usually baked. That’s a healthy way to make it, and it often tastes delicious. Dr. Carrot

Dear Doctor Carrot, Why do papayas only grow if it is warm all year long?

Hi, Jennifer, Papayas come from plants that are used to warm weather. Those plants die when the weather grows too cold. So I guess we can be glad that some places stay warm, so that there can be papayas. Dr. Carrot

Dear Dr Carrot did you know that if you eat candy evry day that you will get really sick? onother thing that can happen to you is that if you keeep eating candy you can also get diabeaties. if you eat healthy you wiil fell good and that you can get vitamin c in your body. i just want you to be safe ok bey

DearDocter carrot,is steak healthy from,unique

Dear Unique, Steak can be healthy IF you don’t eat it all the time, and you don’t eat a lot of it when you do. Just a few ounces at a meal is probably enough protein for helping your body be healthy. After that, even health experts disagree about how much steak is okay, what kind is healthy, and what kind might be less healthy. I’m curious, how much steak do you think might be good to eat, and how often? If you can share your opinion, I would really appreciate it. – Dr. Carrot

dear dr carrot stop eating candy is not good for you. if you keep doing that you will get sick okay

Dear Ashley Reporter, I’m grateful that you want me to be healthy, just as I want you to be healthy, too. So I don’t eat candy very often at all. Not every day. Not even every week. It’s only a special treat now and then, and only a little when I eat it. As long as I don’t eat it very often, and I don’t eat very much when I do, it’s probably okay. But if I ate it every day, or if I ate a lot when I did eat it, I’d probably think it was a habit that was not good for me. What do you think? Dr. Carrot.

Dear Dr.Carrot, Are carrots good for your eyesight? From, Diana

Hello, Diana, Carrots contain some natural ingredients that the body can use for making Vitamin A, and Vitamin A does help eyesight. Dark green, leafy vegetables and other dark green vegetables contain lots of vitamins that are good for eyesight, too. These are great choices for helping your eyes stay strong. Dr. Carrot

‘Dear Dr.Carrot, Why are some tomatos named “Romon tomatos?” From, Diana

Hey Diana, There are a lot of different kinds of tomatoes and they all have different names. Roma tomatoes are also called plum tomatoes. These tomatoes are egg shaped and can be found in a lot of grocery stores. I’m not sure exactly how they got their name but my best guess is that they originated in Rome, Italy. Dr. Carrot

Hi, I’m Ms Coburn a 5th grade teacher here at Ashley School and I have a question for Dr Carrot. Dr Carro,t I am concerned about artery blockage because of genetics in my family- what healthy foods can I eat so that I don’t have clogged arteries?

Ms. Coburn its great that you are interested in keeping your body healthy! There are a lot of foods that are good for your heart. Fish and nuts have low amounts of saturated fat and higher amounts of unsaturated fats, which are better for your brain and your circulatory system. Foods that have little or no cholesterol and more fiber are important to eat too. Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains match that perfectly. But remember to be careful how much salt you eat and try to limit the table salt you use! Dr. Carrot

Dr. Carrot, I have a question.. are oranges good for you? (1st grader)

Oranges are GREAT for you! They have so much Vitamin C that by eating an orange your body is ready to fight off any germ that comes its way. Also when you eat an orange you get a lot of fiber and water that helps your digestive system work wonders. Dr. Carrot

Dr. Carrot, I like miracle whip mayonnaise– is it the best mayonnaise for me? (1st grader)

Miracle Whip Mayonnaise has a little less fat then regular Mayonnaise and also has sugar. Regular Mayonnaise is not typically made with sugar. Both types are classified as a fat and shouldn’t be used to much. So eat and enjoy but eat only a little bit. Dr. Carrot

Dr Carrot I have a question– how much sugar is in Fruity Pebbles cereal? (1st grader)

According to Fruity Pebbles website each serving of fruity pebbles has 11 grams of sugar, which is almost two and half teaspoons of sugar per serving. Dr. Carrot’

Dear Dr.Carrot, Does chocolate contain milk? If so how much? Your friends, Guadalupe and Diana

Hi, Guadalupe and Diana. That’s a question worth some detective work! Often, chocolate products, especially candy kinds, do contain a little milk. One clue is when a label says, “Milk Chocolate.” “Dark Chocolate” usually doesn’t contain milk. To see if there’s milk in a chocolate product, check the ingredient label. The ingredient label can also give you clues about how MUCH milk is in a chocolate product. That’s because government rules for food labels require the most common ingredient in the food to be listed first, followed by the second most common ingredient, then the third, and so forth. So if milk is not the first ingredient in a chocolate product, there’s probably not very much milk in it. Dr. Carrot

My name is Ms. Taylor I am a first grade teacher here at Ashley Elementary, Dr. Carrot, is eating ice cream every day good for you or not?.. because I eat ice cream every day and I love ice cream! Ms. Taylor

I love ice cream too! But the key is moderation. Try eating ice cream every other day. But if you really don’t want to miss out on that dessert there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Make sure you have a small portion of ice cream and then take a long walk outside to burn off some of the extra sugars and fat. OR, try and eat different types of ice cream. Sorbets and frozen yogurt tend to be lower in fat and healthier choices. Dr. Carrot’

This question for Dr. Carrot and my name is Jose Cruz. Do you know is it true that granola bars are healthy?

Hey there, Jose. The best way to see a granola bar is healthy is to read the label. Check the serving size, calories, percent fat, sugar and the ingredients. Compare Granola bars to each while your at the store and pick the one with lowest numbers. Dr. Carrot

Hey, this is Mr. Walters Dr. Carrot. I am a teacher at Ashley Elementary School, and I have a question… I heard that high fructose corn syrup is good for you because it’s made out of corn– Is that true?

Mr. Walters, I have to be honest. In my humble opinion High Fructose Corn Syrup is the worst ingredient in most processed food. It resembles very little of its original corn form including its nutrient levels. Quite a few studies have shown links between the consumption of high fructose corn syrup and obesity. Dr. Carrot

I have a question for Dr. Carrot and my question is what kind of food should my teenagers eat since they are breaking out– are there any foods that contribute to acne?

Wow great question Francis. It wonderful that you are looking for the connections between our bodies health and the foods we eat. A lot of teenagers get acne because their hormone levels are changing. But diet certainly plays a big role. A study I recently read showed a direct link between your glucose level (ie blood sugar levels) and the development of acne. In the study, when a persons diet consisted more of white bread, potatoes and sugary drinks and snacks they were more likely to develop acne. My advice is to try and eat less processed food and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein. Dr. Carrot’

Hi my name is Guadalupe and these are my questions for Dr. Carrot. My first questions is– how healthy is white bread? And my second question is, what is the healthiest junk food?

Hi Guadalupe – White Bread is made from wheat flour just like whole wheat bread. But in order to make white bread you have to remove the bran and germ from the wheat kernel. Unfortunately, almost all of the good nutrients are stored in the bran and the germ of the wheat kernel and by removing those parts you loose a lot of the nutrients! So I would say that the HEALTHIER choice is to select whole wheat bread. As for the healthiest junk food . . . I would say that eating junk food is eating junk food and that the healthiest junk food doesn’t exist. Dr. Carrot

Dear Dr.Carrot, We are going to have a after school class about Eat your radio and we have a problem.Our problem is that the student will be hungry in the class and we have no way to bring the snacks.Do you have ideas on how to pay for snacks?Do you have ideas on healthy after school snacks? Thanks very much, Diana (I’m helping Ms.Shelley in the eat your radio program in Ashley)

Hi Diana, That’s a good question! Afterschool is a time where we all want a snack to eat before dinner. Its important to make healthy choices so some ideas could be eating fruit like pineapple, mangos or apples. One of my favorite snacks is celery with peanut butter and raisins, its called Ants on a Log. Have you ever tried that? I know finding money to pay for the snacks can be hard. I would start by talking to your mom or dad and see if they have any ideas. But, in the mean time I will talk with Nurse Broccoli and see if we can think of any ideas for you too. Take Care Diana – thanks for all your help! Dr. Carrot.

Are fried foods such as french fries and chips bad for acne?

Dear Nikki, You’re wise to seek out food choices that help your skin be fresh and healthy. Yes, french fries and chips can increase the chance of acne, but maybe not just for the reasons you think. They’re cooked at very high temperatures, which makes the fats less healthy for our bodies, including our skin. But there’s ANOTHER problem. French fries and chips are made of potato and corn starches that have very little natural fiber in them. This means they turn into sugars in our bodies very fast, and this increases the risk of acne, EVEN IF THAT FOOD DOESN’T HAVE FAT IN IT!!! So, candy, sodas and starchy snacks without a lot of fiber ALL can make acne worse. –Dr. Carrot.

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