[Speed Gibson,
Thursday March 13, 2008 at 11:06am]
Busted! For Skittles?
Mark Levin is ranting the way only he can on this story, via the Associated Press:
A vending machine size bag of Skittles is 240 calories, with 2.5 grams of fat and 54 carbohydrate grams. It has a minimal 10 mg of sodium. And, it has 50% of your daily Vitamin C. Oh, but they're empty calories! No protein! No fiber! And the carbs are mostly simple sugar, not the superior complex carbs!
Well, let's compare that to something I'm sure the New Haven food police would approve, a 2 ounce serving of Barilla PLUS Multigrain Spaghetti topped with half a cup of Prego Heart Smart Italian Sauce. That has 300 calories, 60 more than the Skittles. It has 4 grams of fat, and unlike the Skittles, some of it is saturated fat. It has 53 carbohydrate grams, almost the same, admitted mostly complex carbs. It has 455 mg of sodium vs 10 for the Skittles. The only significant nutrient is a 35% thiamine (vitamin B1) dose.
True, the pasta dish has 12 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. A little tuna and shredded wheat with other meals covers that easily. Yes, Skittles can be part of a nutritious diet, especially if one serving of Skittles keeps you from ravenously eating multiple servings of something else, even the entree I described here.
But that's not what this is really all about.
Contraband candy has led to trouble for an eighth-grade honors student in Connecticut.I didn't know that Skittles were a threat to student safety. Maybe if they spill on the floor someone might slip and fall. It's certainly not because any nutritional danger.
Michael Sheridan was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate.
School spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo said the New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy.
Michael's suspension was reduced from three days to one, but he has not been reinstated as class vice president.
Superintendent Reginald Mayo said Wednesday the principal was just trying to keep students safe, but he would review the decision to suspend Michael.
Michael says he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he did notice the student selling the Skittles February 26 was being secretive.
A vending machine size bag of Skittles is 240 calories, with 2.5 grams of fat and 54 carbohydrate grams. It has a minimal 10 mg of sodium. And, it has 50% of your daily Vitamin C. Oh, but they're empty calories! No protein! No fiber! And the carbs are mostly simple sugar, not the superior complex carbs!
Well, let's compare that to something I'm sure the New Haven food police would approve, a 2 ounce serving of Barilla PLUS Multigrain Spaghetti topped with half a cup of Prego Heart Smart Italian Sauce. That has 300 calories, 60 more than the Skittles. It has 4 grams of fat, and unlike the Skittles, some of it is saturated fat. It has 53 carbohydrate grams, almost the same, admitted mostly complex carbs. It has 455 mg of sodium vs 10 for the Skittles. The only significant nutrient is a 35% thiamine (vitamin B1) dose.
True, the pasta dish has 12 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. A little tuna and shredded wheat with other meals covers that easily. Yes, Skittles can be part of a nutritious diet, especially if one serving of Skittles keeps you from ravenously eating multiple servings of something else, even the entree I described here.
But that's not what this is really all about.