Chews Wisely

The pizza looks yummy, but those burgers smell amazing, maybe the chicken or some pasta; no I should just get a sandwich…but those tacos! Mmm! Ooh, chocolate chip cookies, no, those brownies, maybe just some Ruffles. Okay, what to drink? A Coke, some raspberry iced tea? Maybe a Vitamin Water, or a smoothie, no some coffee, wait… I WANT IT ALL!'

Ever felt this way after entering the cafeteria? You are not alone. The food in the cafeteria is provided through Sodexo Inc., whose products appeal to ?college students because they customize their menus to fit the tastes of their customers.

"Student surveys were done and local restaurants were researched before the cafeteria opened last year," says General Manager of Fullerton College's cafeteria Thomas Bonikowski. Sodexo provides a wide variety of choices in the ?cafeteria including a salad bar, a sandwich counter and a Smart Market section with fresh fruits and vegetables. Yet, since the food sold is based predominately on popular demand, some of the most popular foods aren't very healthy.

The most popular food sold in the cafeteria is from the 155° Grill and La Vincita counters, according to Bonikowski. The items sold in these sections have a total calorie count and fat content similar to like products sold at fast food restaurants such as Carl's Jr., McDonald's or Pizza Hut.

The food prepared at the counters in the ?cafeteria is freshly made, which means that the rice, the soups, sandwich rolls, some of the beans and most of the sauces and dressings are made from scratch. Conversely, all the muffins, cakes, cookies, brownies, pastries, puddings and ?gelatin are from a mix. The loaves of sandwich breads, ?tortillas, meats, cheeses, and the other half of the beans, sauces, and dressings come from bags, boxes, or cans, similar to what you would buy from a grocery store. Bonikowski assures that the cafeteria "uses high-end products."

The produce sold in the Smart Market, salad bar, and sandwich counter is restocked daily and new deliveries come two to three times a week. Students have been eating healthier, according to Bonikowski, because the Smart Market's ready-made salads, sandwiches, fruit, veggies and sushi are constantly being restocked throughout the day.

It is easy and convenient to eat healthy on campus, students just need to be more aware of what to avoid. Any food sold in a vending ?machine and most of what is sold along the walls in the cafeteria is packaged and processed.

Most food sold from a bag or a box has been modified from its original state for convenience. Processed foods contain ingredients similar to those listed in a can of paint. Often, consumers can't pronounce these ingredients. Can you say ethyl methylphenylglycidate? Chances are it's in your favorite fast food milkshake!

The childhood obesity rate (ages 6-11) has more than doubled since 1980 and nearly tripled in adolescents and teens (ages 12-19), according to an article by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

"Causes for this rise in obesity include a more sedentary lifestyle. We drive instead of walking, and watch TV or play video games instead of playing sports," says Deanna Farsakh, a health educator who works in the campus Health Center.

Also we consume fast food or comfort foods on a regular basis which are high in calories, fat, sugars and carbs, writes author Terry Schierer on her Web site, healthfood-guide.com. A significant weight gain is common in first-year college students, coined 'The Freshman Fifteen.' The cause is not only the added stresses of college, but also a new-found freedom and change in lifestyle.

Many college students lead very hectic and stressful lives, which only fuels the vicious cycle of weight gain. Students are so busy they don't always have time to eat a full meal. Instead they grab a bag of chips, cookies, candy, French fries or a soda because they're ?satisfying, according to a 2006 USA Today article. Foods high in sugar and fat are comforting. So ?when you're stressed and need a 'pick-me-up,' you reach for the junk food to get your blood sugar up, ?according to Farsakh.

Unfortunately, that means that this generation of college-aged students is in trouble heath wise.

"Nutrition is linked to every disease ever conceived," Farsakh says.

If you don't start making good choices now, a decade down the road (or even sooner) you may be faced with health problems linked to obesity and malnutrition, such as: Type II Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or cancer, Farsakh claims. You are also more likely to have cardiovascular or respiratory problems and a shorter life expectancy, reports Astronutrition.com.

The next time you are in the school cafeteria do yourself a favor and pick a sandwich wrap or a salad over a burger. Or when that king-sized Twix bar is ?calling your name from the vending machine, just keep walking. When that bottle of Coke looks ?refreshing, choose the Dasani water instead. You'll be glad you did. T