New diet?

MIAMI (Reuters) – The two U.S. and Russian astronauts on the International Space Station (news – web sites) had to rely on a candy-laden diet for five weeks because their predecessors raided the pantry.

"Both of us ended up losing a few pounds," U.S. astronaut Leroy Chiao said in a news conference from the station on Wednesday. "We looked at it as kind of a challenge, kind of a camping adventure, roughing it I guess."

Chiao and Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov, who arrived at the station in October, had to cut calories because the previous crew got into their food rations.

They had permission to do that but did not record how much they had eaten and "It was not until we got well into the mission, we started seeing on board we weren’t going to have enough," Chiao said.

He and Sharipov inventoried the remaining food, which was heavy on candy and desserts, and worked out a diet to stretch their supplies until a new shipment of food arrived aboard a Russian cargo carrier on Saturday.

Carmelite Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity was also on a candy diet. She suffered from Addison’s disease (which JFK also had) and eventuality died at the age of 26 from stomach cancer. Because she was unable to hold down most foods the nuns would give her expensive chocolates that were donated to them. This of course was a great trial for her since a diet of chocolate does not normally fit into a discalced Carmelite charism. So in her case her need to subsist on chocolate was actually purgative as she came in her humility to accept this special treatment.

And speaking of candy I reprint a recent post by SoDakMonk on the "Hierarchy of Candy."

All candy is not created equal. This should be self-evident. When one lives in a community, and said community receives large quantities of various candies at Christmastime, a clear rating system for candy quickly emerges. The first candies to disappear from common areas are the chocolates, the most expensive first. This could be related to the relatively small amount of gourmet chocolate that comes in each decorator package. The mid-range brands of chocolate perhaps offer the best value for the price. Beware the low-priced chocolate flavored waxy stuff – very bad! Just below chocolate in the hierarchy we find other rich, soft candy e.g. buttercreme mints, bonbons etc. These disappear at a slightly slower rate than the chocolate itself. As the high-quality candy becomes scarce, lower quality items such as mellowcremes, candy canes, etc show the first signs of numerical decline. By early January, the only items remaining are usually the lowest forms of candy: plain hard candy such as Lifesavers, sourballs etc. These items have a long shelf life, and sometimes need it. Keep in mind that Lent comes very early this year. Let’s get eating out there! But be warned that excessive candy consumption correlates with tooth decay, tightening pants and sore spots on the tongue. It would appear there are no victimless sweets.