CCNI RC: The Best of Ask Carol

"Carol, one of the first safety tips my mother taught me is to put butter on a burn. Is that still a good recommendation?"

No! Putting butter or mayonnaise on a burn can do more harm than good. You should immerse the burn in ice water for 15 minutes. Cold water, which eases the pain as it cleanses, is the most effective first-aid treatment for a first-degree burn (defined as a burn involving only the outer skin layer). Use ice wrapped in a towel if it is not practical to immerse the burned area. Butter or mayo will not relieve pain, but they will trap the heat of a burn, slow down healing, and increase the risk of infection. Burn ointments, which are usually oil-based, have similar drawbacks. So for a burn, "hold the butter, hold the mayo." (November, 1996)

"Carol, we hear so much about the importance of reducing saturated fat in our diets. It just doesn't seem like a very big deal to me. Am I off base?"

Yes you are! The consumption of saturated fats is a major health issue. If Americans reduced the average amount of saturated fat in their diets from the current level of about 12 percent of total calories to 9 percent, about 100,000 first-time coronary events such as heart attacks (costing some $13 billion in health care) could be prevented by the year 2005, according to a recent study published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association." Some of main sources of saturated fat are: ground beef, whole milk, cheese, steaks, roasts, luncheon meats, and desserts. (June, 1996)

"Carol, do antibacterial kitchen sprays help prevent food-borne illness?"

Yes they do. But so will wiping kitchen surfaces with any cleaner and routinely washing your hands. A recent comparison of commercial kitchen cleaners found new antibacterial products killed four common bacteria better than regular disinfectant sprays. Antibacterial cleaners contain some of the same chemicals and detergents in antibacterial soaps and surgical scrubs. But you can adequately reduce your exposure to bacteria in the kitchen by wiping surfaces with dishwashing liquids, cleansers, or disinfectant sprays. Using a disposable paper towel instead of a dishcloth or sponge further reduces the spread of bacteria. Even after rinsing, some bacteria remain in a cloth or sponge, and multiply there. If you prefer a dishcloth, you should change it daily. Run a sponge or scouring pad through the dishwasher with each load of dishes. (March, 1996)

"Carol, I keep looking on the labels of baby food for information on cholesterol, saturated fat, and calories. I thought all that stuff was supposed to be there?"

Not for baby food. The law purposely eliminates that information from baby food labels so adults won't try to reduce fat and cholesterol in an infant's diet. Babies' nutritional needs are totally different from adults'. Choosing low-fat foods (which are appropriate for grown-ups) may rob a child of important nutrients and calories the child needs for proper growth and development. So how much fat does an infant need in his/her diet? That depends on the baby. So while total grams of fat are still listed on baby food labels, "daily values" or recommended amounts of fat and cholesterol are not shown on the labels because babies grow at different rates and have different nutritional needs. Doctors do, however, recommend that infants get a variety of nutrients (such as iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin C) from a wide range of food sources, and that low-fat and reduced fat products, like skim or 2 percent milk, be bypassed. (February, 1996)

"Carol, I have a child who is starting to talk. It's really exciting, but it seems like a complete mystery to me how a child learns their own language. Does it just come naturally?"

It is wonderful to see (and hear) a child develop right before your eyes (and ears). Long before speech has meaning as words, its patterns and rhythm are recognized by infants. Researchers have found that children become sensitive to the patterns of their native language between 6 and 9 months of age. In one study, it was found that nine-month-old American infants listened longer to English words than to Dutch words, even though they could not know the meaning of the words, while nine-month-old Dutch infants listened longer to Dutch words than to English words. Even at that young age, they could tell there was a difference! (September, 1995)

"Carol, some of my day care children are newborns. Boy, are they a challenge and a half! I need some tips on calming down those children!"

Whenever a newborn baby is distressed, try giving the child something hospitals have been using for years: a few drops of sweet water. A new study confirms the usefulness of this age-old practice. Suckling and the taste of sweetness produce a calmer state in infants. Here's the formula: Mix one-half teaspoon of granulated sugar in one cup of water, then dip a pacifier into the liquid or place just a few drops directly into the baby's mouth. The calming effect is quick and powerful and can last up to five minutes. (July, 1995)

Carol, I enjoy using a slow cooker at home. But sometimes I wonder if it cooks foods safely. Do you have some information on this?

Yes, indeed. You can rest assured that your slow cooker is safe. The appliance cooks food slowly at a low temperature, generally between 170 and 280 degrees F. The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less. The direct heat from the pot, the lengthy cooking time, and the steam created inside the tightly-covered container all combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods. (May, 1995)

"Carol, sometimes my day care friends and I find ourselves wondering just what it is that parents are looking for when they select one day care over another. What do you think?"

Believe it or not, a study was conducted on this very topic in 1992. The study showed that, in general, a parent's satisfaction with day care depends on:

The child's happiness and opportunity to learn.
Good adult supervision.
Convenience in terms of hours, cost, and location.

Often mothers respond to the "warmth" of the provider-child and provider-parent relationship. In seeking day care, most parents start with an informal network of family members, friends, and colleagues, gradually educating themselves about what to look for in day care and how to find it. (May, 1994)

"Carol, I've always thought that potato skins were nutritious. Now I hear that they contain some kind of toxic chemical. Should I start peeling my potatoes?"

Only if the skin has a green tinge, which indicates high levels of "solanine," a natural toxin. When exposed to bright light or otherwise mishandled, potatoes produce excess solanine, which can cause such symptoms as headache, fever, cramps, and diarrhea. However, so long as you avoid bad potatoes, it's wise to eat the skin, which contains most of the fiber, calcium, and iron. To safeguard yourself, buy only unblemished potatoes and handle them gently to prevent bruises. Store them in a cool, dark place and use them within a few weeks. Trim or peel away any visible blemishes, green spots, or sprouts. And don't eat a potato which tastes bitter. (January, 1994)

"Carol, I've found that dried fruit is lots of fun to make, such as dried apples, apricots, peaches, and raisins. Is dried fruit just as nutritious as fresh fruit?"

Yes, with one exception: The drying process eliminates most of the vitamin C along with the water. Since a person would typically eat more pieces of dried fruit than fresh fruit at one sitting, a serving of dried fruit is likely to provide more of fruit's many other nutrients: notably copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and fiber. (December, 1993)

"Carol, I try to read all the labels on the food products I buy. But I am confused about how long after the 'sell by' date has passed is food safe to eat?"

That's sometimes hard to say, since there are no federal regulations on dating food. However, most foods are probably safe for a week or so beyond the 'sell by' date, because manufacturers allow for some home-storage time. The 'best if used by' date, on the other hand, merely indicates when peak freshness has passed. The food will still be safe to eat, although it may have lost something in taste or texture. (August, 1993)

"Carol, I am concerned about my teenage daughter's macrobiotic diet. Are such diets safe and nutritious?"

Those high-carbohydrate, low-protein, low-fat, vegetarian diets can be harmless, if they're not too restrictive. Macrobiotic diets which allow for a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains can provide all nutrients except vitamin B-12, which can be taken in pill form. However, the more extreme macrobiotic diets (some allowing only herb teas and rice) lack adequate amounts of many other nutrients, including calcium, iron, the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), vitamin C, and essential amino acids. That can cause serious nutritional deficiencies after just a few months. (August, 1993)

"Carol, I seem to be in a rut with some of my day care meals. Can you give me any tips on spicing things up?"

Well, you were right to use the word "spice." Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and this applies to children's diets also. Young children master many skills during their first six years of life and learning to eat a variety of foods is one of the most important. We often do get in a rut and it's hard to climb back out. An example of this is serving milk, juice, and cereal at breakfast all month. Try serving other fruits or vegetables including bananas, applesauce, apples, plums, hash browns, etc. Pancakes, toast, muffins, and waffles are part of the variety of bread/bread alternates which can be served for breakfast. And when it comes to snacks, it is often hard to find "new" ideas besides crackers. For snacks, try serving fresh fruits, sandwiches, muffins, meat chunks, etc. Good luck! And remember, variety can be lots of fun! (September, 1992)

"Carol, my infant doesn't drink all the formula in her bottle at one feeding. Can I reheat the remainder of the bottle and then serve it later?"

Discard any formula that remains in the bottle after a feeding. When a baby drinks from a bottle, some of the formula which comes in contact with the baby's mouth is reintroduced into the remaining formula. As a result, the remaining formula is no longer sterile. Neither reheating nor refrigeration will re-sterilize the formula. (June, 1992)

"Carol, I need some good ideas for some 'alternative' types of snacks for my day care kids. Can you help me?"

You bet! It's important to remember that a 'snack' is much more than just a 'light lunch.' As a result, snacks are not to be taken lightly. According to the American Heart Association, snacks seriously impact a child's nutrition and heart health. And it is also important to prepare snacks which will appeal to a child so that healthy eating habits can be developed. Here are a few snack ideas which you might want to try:

Crinkle cut carrot and celery sticks.
Cucumber slices or sticks.
Whole wheat crackers.
Rice cakes topped with vanilla yogurt or jelly.
Toasted bread cut into fun shapes.
English muffins topped with light cream cheese.
Baked apples.
Honey topping on bagels or English muffins.
Dried fruits or raisins.

(April, 1992)

"Carol, here's an awkward problem. I have children in my care who want to eat nothing but spaghetti and peanut butter sandwiches! This is driving me crazy! Is there any way I can get them to try other foods?"

And here I thought children were never picky about what they eat! (Just kidding. I'm a mother, too, so I know what you mean!) Try not to make an issue out of the situation. Making "a big deal" of it could only make the child all the more determined. Instead, offer new foods together with the foods you know they already like. New foods should also be offered in different forms, such as raw or cooked. Lastly, set a good example yourself and eat with the children. Remember, every child is different and has their own likes and dislikes, just like us adults! (November, 1991)