Ingredients for a Healthy Tomorrow: Helping ourselves, helping our community.

Did you know that this is the 40^th year for Nutrition month? 

Every year nutrition month is used to encourage meaningful conversations about food and nutrition. This year’s theme “Ingredients for a Healthy Tomorrow” focusses on creating change for yourself, for the community and for the planet at large to encourage a healthier future for everyone.

The relationship between food and health can be very complex and there are numerous “ingredients” that affect both. Learning about these “ingredients” helps us to understand their impact. Once we understand their impact and how they are inter-related, then we can make educated decisions that can help us to not only create healthy change for ourselves, but healthy changes for our communities at large.

Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow

Food Security

Food security exists when there is:

• the availability of food in the quantity and quality sufficient to satisfy the dietary needs of individuals,
• physical and economic accessibility to adequate food for everyone, including vulnerable groups, and the food is free from unsafe substances and is acceptable within a given culture; and
• the means to purchase food.

Household food insecurity is when there inadequate or inconsistent access to adequate food due to the lack of or inconsistent income.

Food is only one of the expenditures for a family, and other necessary household expenditures will affect how much money is available for food. Pre-pandemic approximately 1 in 8 Canadians were food insecure and now it is thought to be 1 in 7. However for particular groups within our populations (i.e. indigenous communities) this rate can be significantly higher.

Studies have examined food insecurity in Canada and have found that food insecure households:

• shop on a budget more than food secure households;
• have the same cooking abilities and food preparations skills as those in food secure households;
• adjust recipes to make them healthier just as much as food secure households; and
• growing your own food does not  protect households from food insecurity.

While community food programs such as food banks, soup kitchens, food buying clubs, or community gardens may assist, most food insecure households rely more on personal coping strategies such as postponing bills, buying cheaper foods, buying food on credit, skipping meals or eating less.

As the root cause of household insecurity is inadequate or insecure income, this needs to be considered when proposing solutions.

Food Sovereignty

Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agricultural systems.

Food Sovereignty:

1. Focuses on food for people—People become the focus instead of food being a product to be sold.
2. Builds knowledge and skills—It builds on traditional knowledge and supports this knowledge being passed on to future generations.
3. Works with nature—Optimizes the contributions of ecosystems and resiliency.
4. Values food providers—Supports sustainable livelihoods and respects the work of food providers.
5. Localizes food systems—Reduces the distance between food providers and consumers, resists dependency on remote corporations, and rejects inappropriate food aid.
6. Puts control locally—Includes the input from citizens and producers.
7. Recognizes that food is sacred—Food is part of life and is not just something that is to be sold.

Food sovereignty is critical to how food security can be achieved.

Sustainable Food Choices

A sustainable diet is one with low environment impact and that contributes to food and nutrition security and health of present and future generations.

Sustainability requires long term protection and respect of the environment, consideration of cultural appropriateness, continued accessibility and affordability, nutritionally adequate and safe food supply, and at the same time make the best use of natural and human resources.

As you may notice, sustainable food choices are closely tied to food security and food sovereignty.

Nutrition Care and Prevention

Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining health, treating health conditions, and recovering health.  Supporting behavior change is important aspect of creating new habits to order for a person to experience healthier outcomes and well-being.

Nutrition guidance, whether this is for an individual or a population, should be based on evidence grounded in scientific research. However, we must also remain aware that there is no one solution or plan.

For a plan to be beneficial it must take into account people’s individual situations, their cultures, their experiences, and perhaps most important their right to decide what is the most appropriate action for them at that point into time.

Food Literacy

Literacy is the competency or knowledge in a specified area.

Food literacy is the competency and knowledge with regard to food, but it also includes attitudes and values that promote health and wellbeing.

Simply having knowledge about food and nutrition doesn’t always lead to better choices. Our food literacy must also include an understanding how the environment affects our eating:

• Economic environment—how the lack of financial resources and food pricing can affect food choices, food availability and overall diet;
• Social environment—how the impact of family, friends and cultural food habits guide our eating behaviors and food skills;
• Communication environment—how food marketing and the media can influence food decision and knowledge; and
• Physical environment—how our retail environment influences the access and availability of types of foods.

Approaching food literacy from all these areas, for both individual efforts or population interventions and policy, can improve the impact for healthful future changes.

So as you can see…..

The relationship between food and health can be very complex.

While these ingredients can be described individually, we shouldn’t think about them in isolation of one another.

These ingredients are very inter-dependent, but when considered together, they can really influence the effectiveness of our efforts for a healthier tomorrow…as an individual and as a community.

References:

• Dietitians of Canada (2016) Prevalence, Severity and Impact of Household Food Insecurity: A Serious Public Health Issue. A Background Paper.
• Dietitians of Canada (2022). Unlock the Potential of Food. Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow.
• Fernandez M. et al (2020). Food Literacy: 4 Initiatives in Canada. Food Studies: An Inderdisciplinary Journal. 10. 43-60.
• PROOF(2018). The Spending Patterns of Food Insecure Households.
• What is Food Sovereignty?

Chat Soon!

Lynda, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Holy Chicken! With a side of Smoke and Mirrors.

Anytime I come across a documentary about food or nutrition on a streaming service, it causes me to pause and take a second look.  Lately, I’ve avoided watching these types of programs because they often raise my frustration level, particularly ones that rely on fear rather than facts or are extremely one sided.

On this particular Sunday morning, I wasn’t in control of the TV remote, my husband was. When he asked if I minded watching this documentary “Holy Chicken!”, I sat myself down on the couch with my breakfast and coffee to join him, fully expecting to hear about chicken bashing and the evils of eating animals…but I was pleasantly surprised.

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!”

This 2019 movie is the sequel to the 2004 movie “Super Size Me”. In “Super size Me”, the creator Morgan Spurlock focused on the influence of the fast food industry and what happened to his health when he ate a diet of only McDonald’s for an entire month. In “Holy Chicken!” he takes a farm to table look at the fast food chicken industry.  He takes the viewer along for the ride as he looks into whether fast food is healthier than before, learns about the fast food business, and tries to put all this together to open his own successful fast food restaurant.

Now I am by no means a chicken expert; I’ve never visited a chicken farm, or talked to chicken farmers here in Canada so I have no idea if the experiences in this US based movie are the same as in Canada. My main interest was how the movie illustrated how the restaurant industry uses various strategies to get you to buy their products.

Fast food restaurants have been around for-ev-er. And like any business, they want to make money. In the movie, they show how many potential owners hire consultants to perform trend analysis, menu development and marketing to maximize the chances that you, the consumer, will choose them for your next meal.

Customers want to feel good about their food choices.

With so much focus on health these days, many customers want to feel good about their food choices. In response, restaurants need to make changes to keep your business. Does this translate into healthier menu items? Not necessarily. So how do they convince you to buy their product and eat out more?

They latch on to the customer’s desire to “feel better about their food choices” with carefully developed marketing strategies to influence customer purchases, sometimes without them even knowing it. One of these strategies is using Health Halos as part of their marketing.

What are Health Halos?

When you think of a halo, you think of something being good. The halo effect is when a positive impression formed from a single trait or characteristic is permitted to influence the judgement of unrelated factors. For example, assuming someone who is likeable is also smart and competent.

With a health halo, a consumer is drawn to a positive characteristic of a product, and forms an overall healthful impression for that product, even though there is little or no evidence to back this up.

There are various types of health halos.

Food-related Health Halos

Think of the way food is presented in a fast food restaurant.

 “Freshly Made”, “Crisp” lettuce. “Garden fresh” vegetables, “Hand-cut!”, “All natural!”, “Artisanal style!”,  “Freshly cracked” eggs, “without artificial colors and flavors”.

All of these bring up thoughts of foods that are simple, healthy, not overly processed that may be a better choice nutrition wise. These words, while very enticing, provide you with no factual information about the nutrient content of that menu item.

In terms of food related health halos, studies suggest that health halo marketing often leads a customer to overestimate the nutrient quality of their food as well as encourage them to eat more.

What about “chicken raised without antibiotics”?

This descriptor means that the chicken was not treated in any way with antibiotics. However, if chicken doesn’t have this description, this doesn’t necessarily mean that antibiotics were used in raising them and it doesn’t mean the meat is any less safe to eat. Even if antibiotics were used, there are strict regulations which dictate how much time must pass between when the animal was last treated with antibiotics and when it is sent to the processing plant to ensure there aren’t residues in the meat.

And then there are words not used.….

How often do you see words like “crispy” instead of “deep-fried”? Why is that?

That’s because “deep fried” brings you thoughts of fat and greasiness. 

“Crispy” appeals to ours senses and thoughts of texture and glosses over the fact it still deep fried. Sometimes with chicken burgers they completely skip over “crispy” and just call in a chicken sandwich even though it you can easily see it is crispy and fried.

Value-based Health Halos

With the value-based halo, a consumer uses ethical base claims such as organic, local, and fair trade as a positive attribute for the item and infers that is better choice.  Studies suggest that while customers may make choices for ethical reasons, they also may infer the choice is overall more healthy or safe even though there is no objective evidence to support this.  For this reason, it’s important to understand exactly what these terms mean.

Organic: The principle goal is to develop operations that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment. Neither this standard, nor the organic products produced in accordance with this standard, represent specific claims about the healthiness, safety and nutrition of such organic products.

Fair trade: Means it supports sustainable development in the developing world by setting standards that ensure that the conditions of production of all certified products are socially and economically fair, environmental responsible and promote the improvement of the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers.

Local:  Is defined as food produced in the province or territory in which it is sold or food sold across provincial borders within 50 km of the originating province or territory. Buying local has the benefit of supporting local businesses and farms, but the nutritional content is not necessarily higher.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Health Halos

This is when businesses engage in activities to enhance their corporate reputations with stakeholders and consumers. The company develops a reputation that they are committed to stakeholder/consumer interests and prioritize a range of issues beyond profit. This caring and compassionate image, donations to charity, motivation to enhance the welfare of others and preserve the environment can lead to consumers perceiving their food products as more healthful than a company with a more neutral reputation.

Research has demonstrated that corporate reputation for CSR can lead to an underestimation of calorie content and overconsumption, even in the presence of nutritional information. Consumers, believing they are choosing healthy and safe products, may eat more under the false assumption they are making healthy choices.

So how are these health halos used to influence my choices?

You will notice “Healthy” or “Value-based” wording used on menus as well as websites, and advertising.

Ever take a look what is written on your food wrappers or bags?

How about the art murals on the wall of your favorite fast-food restaurant? Their website?

They may use words to induce a “feeling” about eating in their restaurant or how they want you to “feel” about your food choices.  It may not relate to the nutrition quality of your choices.

They may “tell you about their corporate story” to showcase how they differ from their competitors and contribute to the community. Does this give you a warm and fuzzy about the company? It’s meant to.

All of this is meant make you feel good about your eating experience …right down to your food choices.

Balance and Moderation is the key.

For health reasons, we encourage people to prepare foods with healthy ingredients and choose healthier menu options more often in order to limit highly processed foods. Highly processed foods add a lot of excess sodium, sugar, and fat to the diet. 

We like to go to fast food restaurants for various reasons. It can be quick and convenient; we may have a craving or we may just decide that’s what we want to choose for that meal.

So in order to limit highly processed food, like fast food, might I suggest that you try to:

• Eat them less often
• Eat them in small amounts
• Or replace them with healthier options.

If you do decide to go to a fast food restaurant, try to recognize the difference between healthy choices and when foods are “being marketed to you”. Decide whether a food is healthy by using nutritional content info instead of relying on marketing messaging alone.

By learning about food marketing strategies and how they affect your decisions, you can at least make your food choice an informed one.

For more information, check out the following websites:

• Prime Video: Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!

• Marketing can influence your food choices – Canada’s Food Guide

• Chicken and Chicken Farming in Canada:

Chicken.ca | Raised by a Canadian Farmer

Chickenfarmers.ca

Chat Soon!

Lynda, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Nutrition month recipe 2021 (Yup, I tried them!) : Oatmeal Chocolate Lentil Bites

One of the things I like to do to “find my healthy” is to try out new recipes, particularly recipes that have a bit of a twist to improve the nutrient content.

One of the highlights of Nutrition month is there are always a few new recipes to explore.  The oatmeal chocolate lentil bite recipe is something easy to try with no complicated ingredients, and also is an introduction to how you can use lentils in a recipe in an unconventional way.

What are lentils?

Lentils are called pulses or edible seeds of legumes.  Other types of pulses you may have heard of include beans, chickpeas, field peas and faba beans. They can be part of a healthy eating plan, particularly if you are vegetarian. Lentils are high in protein, fibre, complex carbohydrates and a good source of folate, potassium and iron and low in fat.

In the grocery store you might find them dried (which require some cooking) or canned (already cooked). Split lentils lose their shape and become mushy, practically dissolving in recipes, when they are cooked. This type is frequently used in curries and as a thickener in soups. Brown and green lentils hold their shape. While they are also good in curries and soups, they are also great in salads, side dishes or as a plant protein in main dishes.

Lentils and baked goods?

A more unconventional way to use lentils is in baked goods. Lentils can be included as either a puree or a flour. Pulse flours such as chickpea flour, can be found in many grocery and bulk stores. Pulse purees can easily be made using either dried or canned lentils.

How to make a pulse puree:

• Put canned or cooked pulses in a food processor or blender.
• Add ¼ c of water for every cup of pulse. Puree until smooth.
• Not going to use it right away? It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

How to adjust your own recipes:

• Pulse puree:
  • add ½ c of pulse puree into cookie, muffin or other baked good recipes. 
  • Combine the wet ingredients with the puree pulse first, then add to your mixture of dry ingredients.
  • Try replacing ½ the butter, margarine, or oil in a recipe with an equal amount of pulse puree to lower the fat of the recipe.

• Pulse flour:
  • Substitute up to half of whole wheat or all-purpose flour in your baked good recipe with an equal amount of chickpea flour.

I took the easy way out and used a Nutrition Month recipe that already included lentils: oatmeal chocolate lentil bites.  I had never used lentils in cookies before, but I’m always up for trying a new recipe at home. To be honest I was bit skeptical. Would they taste beany? How would they compare to other cookie recipes?  More important…would they taste good? Well my teenage son ate them up, so that answers those questions.

I’ll definitely make them again. If you like a less sweet cookie, you’ll really like this recipe. The oatmeal really gave it a nice texture. If you are vegan or have an egg allergy, there are even directions for substituting with a “flax egg”.  For the original recipe (and other Nutrition month recipes) go to www.nutritionmonth21.ca.

Oatmeal Chocolate Lentil Bites

The ingredients you will need are:

• 1 c of cooked brown lentils…I used canned, drained and rinsed.
• 2 T water
• 1/2 c margarine…I used tub margarine
• 1/2 c  brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2/3 c flour
• 1 c oats
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your cookie sheet.  I used a silicone liner on mine instead. Puree the lentils and water in a food processor or blender. I found my smoothie container blender worked perfect. Don’t worry if there are still a few chunks; the next step will solve this.  Add your margarine, sugar, vanilla and egg to your blender container and blend again until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine your flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon. I like to whisk it a bit to make sure there are no lumps. Add your blenderized lentil mixture and mix until combined. Stir in your chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by tablespoons onto your cookie sheet. I did 12 to a sheet; they don’t spread much when they’re cooked. Cook for 12-14 minutes. Mine took about 13 minutes until they were golden brown on the bottom.

Lynda Hinch, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

For more information and recipes on lentils:

Lentils.org

Lentils. Cooking made easy with lentils.

Alberta Pulse Growers

Baking with Pulses (Albertapulse.com)

All about Lentils (Unlockfood.ca)

Nutrition Month 2021—Find your healthy!!

What does this

mean to you?

It’s March again…Nutrition month! This year’s theme is “Good for you! Dietitians help you find your healthy”. It focusses on the idea that healthy eating looks different for everyone. When it comes to eating there is no one size fits all. There is not just one definition of what makes a healthy meal or a specific set of rules that determines what is considered healthy eating.

Despite what some people think, dietitians are not the food police.

We are not waiting to tell you what you should not be eating. In fact, if you know any dietitians they are probably the ones who have the most balanced and easy going attitude about food.

If they want a cookie, they’ll eat a cookie, but they might also share their new oatmeal chocolate lentil bite recipe too because it’s a new way to use lentils. If they are invited to your potluck they will bring tasty food, but it won’t necessarily be a fruit and vegetable tray….unless of course it was the only thing left to sign up for.

What we do love to do is talk about nutrition and food and help others reach their goals. Sometime these goals may be to help improve health or performance with food. Other times it can be just to help people understand nutrition information to so they can make more confident choices about their food.

Confidence in food choices can be a huge issue for many people.

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the numerous opinions and sometimes it’s difficult to tell fact from latest fad. Healthy eating can take many forms; there is no one best way. But you’d never know it from a quick google. Keto, low-fat, dairy-free, gluten-free…the choices are endless and every “expert” believes theirs is the best for health. People can be very passionate about their eating; it’s can be part of who they are, part of how they portray their values to others. They research it, they live it, they bond with others over it….and sometimes they argue over it.

Which foods are healthy? Which foods prevent disease? Which foods cause disease?  What is the best diet? What is best for our environment?

It’s enough to make your head spin. And so much pressure over what to eat!!

We need to remember that eating and food choices are a personal thing.

Personal…it doesn’t just mean belonging to a particular individual. It also refers to the elements of one’s private life. Eating and food choices are affected by culture, health, personal circumstances, preferences and nutritional needs. All of these will influence what healthy eating looks like for a particular person. It doesn’t just mean belonging to a particular individual. It also refers to the elements of one’s private life.

Eating and food choices are affected by culture, health, personal circumstances, preferences and nutritional needs. All of these will influence what healthy eating looks like for a particular person.

So find your healthy!

Find what works for you and your family. And if you need a bit of help, think of us dietitians who can help you cut through the clutter of nutrition misinformation. We can help and work with you to guide your nutrition goals in a way that’s “Good for you”!

Lynda Hinch, RD

IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at http://www.NutritionMonth2021.ca

Tips for Grocery Shopping…. during this time of Social Distancing

Photo credit: Alexas_Fotos at Pixibay.com

Last week, I never would have never thought that I wouldn’t be able to just pop into the grocery for a few things anytime I wanted. Funny how life changes in 1 week due to COVID-19.

Last Wednesday after work, I decided to pick up a few things as we were getting low. I picked up my usual milk, eggs, bread, hamburger, chicken; garbage bags and paper towel as we were down to our last couple of rolls. As I was walking past the canned goods, I was thinking about the news reports of the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 overseas and what would happen if a pandemic was declared. How would people react? Would the grocery stores be affected? Just in case, I threw a few extra cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta and canned beans into my cart. I even threw in some yeast and baking soda, feeling a bit silly…it’s not like we’re going to run out bread, but I do have a bread machine.

Flash forward to Friday, after the Pandemic was declared. I stopped at the grocery store again on my home from work and I was shocked. No bread, no vegetables, no frozen veg or fruit, much of the frozen food section was empty. No milk, no cheese, no eggs. Shelves that had been previously stocked full of dried pasta, rice, canned vegetables, soups, sauces, and meats held nothing but empty boxes. No toilet paper, no paper towel. But hey, if you were in the mood for cookies, candy, or yogurt (apparently not very popular) you were good to go.

Now that we’re in full blown pandemic, social distancing is the new reality to prevent or at least slow down the spread of the virus. Schools have been temporarily closed, and now many public spaces as well as restaurants have been ordered to shut down. Lucky for us, grocery stores are deemed essential services, however we are still being asked to stay at home unless it’s essential to purchase food or for medical reasons to limit your chance of exposure.

In this new time of social distancing, what can we do to make grocery shopping easier?

Before you go:

1. Take stock of what you have in your cupboards and fridge. Look for ways to use the perishable stuff before it goes to waste. Look for ways to use what you already have so you can delay going for groceries as long as you can.

2. Make a list of “go to meals” that you know you and your family will like in the upcoming weeks. Don’t forget…while food is fuel, food is also morale. It’s important to keep people’s spirits up, and a good familiar meal can do that.

3. Make a grocery list. The last thing you want to do is forget something you need and having a list gets you in and out of the store quicker.
   • Write down all the ingredients, including spices you need for the meals you’ve chosen.
   • Include some of your family’s or your favorite foods including treats.
   • Don’t forget about the items you frequently use, perishable and non-perishable.
   • Keep a running list of things you are low on.

When you go:

1. Avoid crowded times at the grocery store. Social distancing only works if you’re keeping your distance from others.

2. Shelf stable items can provide you with options for extended periods of time and still provide good nutrients.
   • Canned beans and lentils can be added to casseroles for protein if you want to use less meat, and can make soups heartier. 
   • Pastas and rice are good options if you are looking for something if you don’t have potatoes.
   • Canned fruit can be used instead fresh fruit. Packed in juice is a better choice that packed in syrup but don’t stress about it.
   • Fresh vegetables such as potatoes, squash, turnips, can last a while. Other shelf stable options are canned vegetables. While they may have a bit more salt, they are still a better option than no vegetables at all.

3. Keep in mind your available storage space. For perishable foods, ensure they are safely stored, in fridges or freezers if appropriate and according to instructions to avoid food borne illness.

Be kind and remember that everyone is in the same boat.

We’ve been advised that our food supply is not in jeopardy so don’t stock pile items unnecessarily.  Clearing shelves by bulk buying will prevent other from meeting their day to day needs. Don’t forget that many people may be on fixed incomes and may only be able to purchase what they need now. Others may not have transportation available to make larger purchases. Take what you need for 14 days and then come back when you need more.

One final note….

Please, follow public health direction regarding reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As per a notice put out by Dietitians of Canada, while there are many nutrients that are involved with normal functioning of the immune and we encourage people to eat a variety of healthy foods each day to support immunity, there is no…I repeat…no…specific food, supplement, or natural health product that will prevent you from catching COVID-19 or protect you from it.

Please don’t spread misinformation. Please get your health information from a regulated health professional. Spend your hard earned money on regular food not celery juice, immunity-boosting supplements or whatever the next trend is going to be on Facebook.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find a use for the bottle of mincemeat that I found in the back of my cupboard…using up what I already have before the next grocery run.

P.S. Found a great recipe for mincemeat squares. Yum!!

Lynda, RD

Why is water being pushed as the healthier choice?

Last week we discussed some of the basics of Canada’s new Food Guide. This week we’re going to touch on beverages.

Our new Canada food guide visual focusses on a plate with a colorful array of foods….draws your eye right in there. One thing that you may miss is that little glass up to the right which is promoting water as the drink of choice.

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/publications/food-nutrition/educational-poster/26-18-2158-Poster-ENG-web-final.pdf

Why is water important?

Our body is made up of 60-70 % water and we need it for our body to work properly. It helps us control our body temperature, helps our digestion, carries nutrients in our body and helps prevent constipation.

Every day we lose water through our sweat, our breathing and when our body gets rid of waste (who knew there would be toilet talk, eh?). If we don’t replace the water that we lose, we get dehydrated. Fluid helps to replace water, and this fluid can come from beverages we drink and foods we eat.

 

So with so many food and beverage options out there, why is water getting all the attention?

While there are lots of beverages and foods out there that can provide fluid, drinking water is one of the best options to replace body water. It quenches your thirst, and can easily provide fluid without added sugar, salt or calories.

Studies have found that beverages that contain free sugars (i.e. sugars added as well as sugars naturally found in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates) have been associated with a higher risk of dental decay, weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Vegetable juices, while they may have less free sugar, often have a lot of sodium.

Water is an easy and convenient way to hydrate!

 

Ways to increase your water intake…and enjoy it!

You’re probably doing a lot of great things already.

• Try setting you dinner table with glasses of water or a pitcher of cold water. Restaurants do it, why not you?
• Carry a reusable water bottle when you’re at work or when you travel. Water bottles….they’re not just for working out.
• Not into plain water? Try infusing it with fruit or herbs. You can buy individual water bottles or even water pitchers that have a strainer to hold your favorite flavor. Or try just adding a slice of lemon. Check out the Canada Food Guide site for some interesting flavor combo suggestions.
• Remember to stop for water breaks when you’re working out or playing sports.  Dehydration can affect your performance, put you at risk for heat exhaustion, and make your work out seem harder.

 

So what about other beverages?

Other healthy drinks could include:

• White milk that is unsweetened and lower in fat;
• Unsweetened fortified plant based beverages such as soy and almond beverages; and
• Unsweetened teas and coffees would also be a good choice.

Sugary drinks: It is recommended that sugary drinks such as fruit-flavoured drinks, 100 % fruit juice, flavored water with added sugar, sports and energy drinks and other sweetened hot or cold beverages be chosen less often due to the high free sugar content.

• Instead of juice, try a piece fruit; it has the bonus of nutrients, fluid, and fibre.
• Instead of a sports drink, try plain water. In most situations, water should be sufficient to replace fluid loss associated with recreational activity. If you are involved in competitive sports, it might be a good idea to discuss your situation with a sports dietitian. They have special training to promote athletic performance through nutrition.
• Try to limit beverages containing caffeine.  Caffeine can be found in teas, coffee, colas, some other soft drinks, as well as energy drinks. Caffeine affects children more than adults due to children having smaller bodies.  The Canadian Pediatric Society actually warns that caffeinated energy drinks can pose serious health risks to children and youth and should be avoided.

 

What about alcoholic beverages?

Alcoholic beverages can provide a lot of calories and virtually no nutrients. Mixed drinks can have even more sugar and fat depending on the mix, so the same advice would apply as for sugary drinks…choose them less often.

Another thing to think about…

There are well-established health risks associated with long-term consumptions of alcohol (i.e. various types of cancers), and risks of other serious health conditions (i.e. liver disease) as well as social problems. It is recommended that people who don’t drink alcohol not be encouraged to. If people choose to partake in alcoholic beverages, Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines can provide you with info to reduce your risk.

 

So there you have it. All about water and beverages and the new Canada Food Guide.

Cheers!!…..so let’s raise a big glass…of ice water with a slice of lemon.    ♥

 

Lynda

 

For more information:

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-water-your-drink-of-choice

The Juicy Story on Drinks

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/guidelines/

 

 

Canada’s New Food Guide: Let’s start with a few of the Basics!!

Even though the new food guide is being touted as simple and easier to use, you may still be thinking:

“How the heck do I use this?”

Have no fear. Today, I’m going to review some of the basics of the new guide and provide a bit more info on how to work it into your everyday eating.

Can everyone use the food guide?

Canada’s food guide and the guidelines are meant for use by Canadians two years of age and older. Individuals that have specific dietary requirements or who are being treated for certain medical conditions may need additional and possibly specialized guidance from a dietitian.

Where are my old food groups?

One of the things you may have noticed is that there are now 3 food groups instead of 4:

fruits and vegetables, wholegrains foods and protein foods

Don’t worry meat and dairy eaters….meat and dairy are still there; they’re just part of the protein food group. Protein foods actually include legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, fortified soy beverages, fish, shellfish, eggs, poultry, lean red meat including wild game, lower fat milk, lower fat yogurts, lower fat kefir, and cheeses lower in fat and sodium.

The new Canada’s Food Guide also recommends eating vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein foods regularly. Eating patterns that include these nutritious foods are commonly linked to beneficial health effects. In particular, they have been found to have protective effects against cardiovascular disease (for example heart disease and stroke).

While animal-based foods are nutritious, the new food guidelines are emphasizing plant based foods and plant based-proteins more often, as regular intake often results in higher intakes of:

• Dietary fibre—this is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.
• Vegetables and fruit—also associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Nuts—associated with decreased LDL-cholesterol which is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease; and
• Soy products—also associated with decreased LDL-cholesterol

Putting it into practice

What about servings sizes?

The new Food Guide now emphasizes proportions rather than servings sizes. Using proportions will help you to balance your food choices regardless of the amounts that you may need eat to meet your energy needs.

Try to fill ½ your plate being with fruits and vegetables, ¼ of your plate with a protein food, and ¼ of your plate with as a grain (preferable a wholegrain) food.

What if fresh fruits and vegetables are not available?

Not a problem! Did you know that frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh? And steaming vegetables in the microwave are an easy way to add them to your meal in under 5 minutes.

When choosing canned fruit, look for products that are packed in water or juice as opposed to syrup to reduce the amount of added sugar that you are eating. When choosing canned vegetables, look for products that are lower in sodium.

What exactly are whole grain foods?

Grains are the seeds of certain plants. These seeds are made up three parts called the bran, the endosperm and the germ and contain important nutrients. Whole grains contain all of these parts. To determine if a product is made with whole grains, look for the word “whole grain” followed by the name of the grain on the label, or as one of the first ingredients on the ingredient list. Examples of whole grains include whole grain oats, whole grain wheat, and whole grain bread.

Refined grains have the germ and bran removed; for example white rice, white flour and cream of wheat are all considered refined grains.

How can I include more whole grains?

Many of the grain products you already use also come in whole grain varieties.

• Try whole grain toast or whole grain cereal for breakfast. Not ready for the full jump yet? You could try mixing your usual cereal and a whole grain cereal.
• Try substituting your regular pasta for whole grain pasta, or your white rice for brown or wild rice.
• Try adding whole grains like barley, bulgur or quinoa to your favorite soup or salad.
• Not sure if a particular grain is for you? Check out your local bulk store where you can find whole grains such as farro, freekah, amaranth, and buckwheat and purchase just enough for the recipe you want to try.

How can I enjoy smaller animal protein choices?

• If you are currently a ½ a plate meat eater, maybe try to have that huge steak only once in a while or on special occasions.
• Try to gradually reduce your protein food choice closer to  ¼ of your plate. You’ll probably find once you add more vegetables, for example, that you still finish your meal feeling satisfied.
• In casseroles or meat sauces, you could reduce the meat and up the veggies; people probably won’t even notice. The animal protein is also often the most expensive ingredient in the meal, so you’ll probably end up saving on your grocery bill.

How can I include more plant based protein in my meals?

Having a bit of protein at every meal will help you to stay fuller longer, but it doesn’t need to be meat or other animal protein foods at every meal.

• Peanut butter or other nut/seed butters and whole grain toast, hummus and veggies, nuts and seeds in oatmeal are all great examples of how to include plant base protein into a meal.
• In meals that use animal protein food (i.e. chili) you could reduce the meat and increase plant sources of protein such as beans, lentils, and texturized vegetable protein (TVP). TVP can be easily found at your local bulk store.
• Lentils can be added to soups. Nuts and seeds can be added to salads or included as snacks.
• You can also substitute plant based protein foods likes tofu for animal protein in stir-fries. If you are new to plant based proteins, you could try experimenting with a vegetarian meal once week. There are lots of great vegetarian recipes out there.

 

Just a few of the basics to start you off !!  Check out Canada’s Food Guide recipe section for more meal time inspiration.

Chat again soon!

Lynda

 

For more information about Canada’s new Food Guide:

https://food-guide.canada.ca/

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/eat-vegetables-and-fruits/

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guide/resources/healthy-eating-recommendations/eat-a-variety/whole-grain/get-facts.html

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/eat-protein-foods/

 

 

Canada’s New Food Guide: Making healthy eating easier!

It’s been all over the news and all over social media. Canada now has a new food guide. I’m not sure how you guys feel about it.  Sure it probably doesn’t rank up there with new episodes of “Game of Thrones” and you may not have been flipping though it as excitedly as the new releases on “Netflix”, but as a dietitian, it was like getting that final Christmas present that was delayed by the Canada postal strike.

Why was I so excited? It promised a food guide that was supported by the best available scientific evidence. It promised a food guide that was directed by science and health and by not the food and beverage industry. Finally it promised a food guide that was relevant and useful.

Did Health Canada hit the mark? I think so.

First of all it’s very eye catching! No more rainbows or cartoons.  This food guide uses graphics of real food and the plate design looks like what you’d see on your table. It provides an example that people can easily relate to.  People serve meals on plates not rainbows.

It uses proportions on a plate that you could eye-ball.… ½ your plate filled up with fruits and vegetables, ¼ of you plate with protein foods, ¼ of your plate grains. Very simple. No measuring required.  Beverages haven’t been forgotten either;, in fact water is recommended as your drink of choice.  Turn on the tap and drink up.

It uses simple messages that are easy to remember. Have plenty of vegetables and fruit, eat protein foods, choose wholegrains foods, and eat a variety of healthy foods each day.

Finally, it recognizes that healthy eating more than just the foods you eat. It’s important to be mindful of your eating habits.  The guide recommends cooking more often, enjoying your food and eating meals with others.  And to better assist you in choosing healthier foods, use food labels for more info, limit foods high in sodium, sugar and saturated fat, and be aware of food marketing and how it’s designed to influence your food choices and purchases.

I really believe this new food guide is encouraging people to plan their eating in terms of whole, everyday foods rather than an equation of carbohydrates, fat and protein.

You may wonder “How do I put all these recommendations into action?” What the heck is being mindful of my eating habits?  How do I make sense out of food labels?  How can I figure out what is high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat?

I hear ya! It seems like a lot of info to figure out.  But I’m here to help and we can do it together a little bit at a time.  In the meantime, there are some wonderful resources and recipes to complement the new food guide at www.Canada.ca/FoodGuide .  Check it out!

Chat again soon!!

 

Lynda

5 Things that drive me crazy (as a dietitian)…..

I love nutrition. I love nutrition science. I love reading about nutrition. I love to watch programs on nutrition.  I love talking about nutrition. It’s a good thing, because I’m a dietitian. But I have to admit, there are topics that every time they come up I have to take a calming breath before I join the conversation.

1.“The War on obesity”: Every time I hear this it drives me CRAZY! I’ve read it in magazine articles. I’ve heard it as headlines on television programs. I’ve seen it in friends’ facebook posts. And every time I just want to yell STOP STOP STOP!! I am tired of people and the media painting obesity as being the root of all evil. Yes, obesity can be a risk factor for a disease, but weight is not a determination of health. You can be healthy at any weight. When I hear war, I think about fighting something bad. War on drugs….war on poverty…war on crime…I can totally understand this. There is no need for a War on obesity…phrases like this just encourage people to focus on weight rather than health, promote weight discrimination, and make people feel bad about themselves.

2. “Carbs are bad! No fat is bad! No, it’s gluten that’s the problem!” :   Newsflash….there is no one nutrient or food ingredient that is responsible for health problems. Yes, if you do have a particular health condition you may need to pay attention to particular nutrients on the advice of your doctor or dietitian. In general though, all nutrients play a role in health. Carbohydrates provide energy to your body and brain, and the foods that provide carbohydrates provide healthy nutrients as well. Fat is important for cell components and the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. With regard to gluten, unless you have celiac disease or have been diagnosed by doctor as having gluten sensitivity, there is no reason to avoid gluten. Please stop demonizing particular nutrients. I really hate to see people unnecessarily giving up a food they love.

3. “It is unnatural to drink cow’s milk; humans are the only species to drink the milk of another species!”: We are also the only species that drinks margaritas, but no one seems to be concerned about that. There are better things to fight about than whether your friend does or doesn’t use milk products. If you don’t like milk or don’t agree with drinking it or eating milk products, then don’t buy it. You don’t need to have milk products as part of a healthy diet, just make sure you get nutrients such as Calcium and Vitamins D and B12 from other sources. However, if you enjoy milk products, feel free to include them as part of a healthy diet.

4. “Superfoods!”:  There are no foods that will cure your health problems either. Yes they may be full of lovely antioxidants and have healthful nutrients, but the term “Superfoods” is often used as marketing technique to sell products whether it be magazines or food. At a farmers market recently I saw these misshapen blueberries and asked the vendor about them. He explained they were haskap berries and that they were a superfood. Did I buy them? Sure I did…not because they were being promoted as a superfood but because I’d never heard of them before, and I love berries. Don’t get me wrong…there are some very nutritious food out there that is being promoted as superfoods and if it is encouraging you to try new foods and increase the variety in your diet, that’s great. But remember, no one food is going to turn your health around. If you’re eating 90% crap, those haskap berries are not going to be a magic bullet of health.

5. “Clean eating”: Is it no processed foods? Is it organic foods only? Is it vegetarian? Is it juicing? There is no real definition of clean eating. It can mean different things to different people, but it doesn’t necessarily mean healthy. If you are simply referring to reducing intake of processed foods, that can be a great step nutritionally. However, if it involves eliminating entire food groups, this could result in nutrient deficiencies.

So there you have it, my 5 pet-peeves.

Now to sit down and watch a fear mongering nutrition documentary… but that’s another post in itself.

IN DEFENSE OF FOOD

Sitting at my laptop, I was mulling over what the topic of my first blog post should be about.  I happened to flick on the TV when I came across a program on “the Passionate Eye” called “In Defense of Food”. Nutrition in the media…what a great place to start!  And for anyone who hasn’t seen it…it’s being re-aired on the CBC Newsnetwork this Saturday, August 6 and it’s also it’s available on- line (http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episodes/in-defence-of-food).

The Film

The first thing that you should be aware of is that film’s narrator and story consultant is a science journalist Michael Polan and the film is based on his book of the same name. Not faulting his information, it’s just good to know the perspective that you receiving it from.  I also haven’t read his book, so the info in the book may cover different things that the film did.

A quick summary of the film: he points out that many chronic diseases could be prevented with diet and that food we eat today is not what it used to be and this has taken a toll on our health.  He also points out that nutrition information can be complicated and he believes that healthy eating can be summed up in 7 words:

 Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

 He also came up will “food rules” to help guide his food choices.

 

So how does his advice and rules compare to a dietitian’s recommendations?

Advice #1: Eat Food

No arguments here about eating food.  This gives you access to a greater variety of nutrients and other healthful components found in food as compared to meal replacements.  And preparing food helps you develop cooking skills that will last a lifetime and helps you save money on your grocery bill.

Rule #1: Eat only food that will eventually rot.

I think this rule needs a bit of clarification.  It supports having meats, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables but what about some of the foods like pasta, rice?  These can be nutritional sound choices particularly if you are choosing whole grains.  Dried beans and lentils are also healthy ingredients and can be used as a protein alternative in place of meat.

Rule # 2: Eat only foods that have been cooked by humans.

I partially agree with this rule. When you cook your own food you do have more control over things like salt, fat and preservatives.   But just because something isn’t homemade doesn’t mean that it’s not healthy.  For example canned tomatoes can be used to make a healthy spaghetti sauce or chili. Store-bought breads can be used to make sandwiches.  Canned fish and sliced meats can be a good protein. Reading nutrition labels on food products can help you make educated healthy choices.

Rule # 3: Avoid foods you see advertised on television.

I think this rule needs a bit of clarification. The purpose of advertising is convince you to buy something. Fast Food restaurants…yes they have a lot of higher fat, higher salt , higher energy, and less nutrient dense food choices.  However individual food product advertising…some may be healthy and others not so much.  Look at product nutrition labels to determine where you will get the most nutritional bang for your buck.

Advice #2: (Eat) Mostly plants

Great advice.  He is not advocating elimination of proteins such as meat, fish, chicken, and eggs just eating less of it.  Today we promote a balance meal to include smaller amounts of meat or using more meat alternatives with a greater emphasis on vegetables, fruit and whole grain foods.  For example you were looking at your dinner plate , ½  your plate would be filled with vegetables, ¼ with grain products and ¼ with meat or alternatives.

Rule # 4: Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food.

I would suggest tweaking this one. While this rule supports eating less meat, remember it can be part of a healthy diet.  “Eating well with Canada’s food guide” recommends having meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often, eating at least 2 servings of fish each week, and when using meats and poultry to opt for lean options.

Rule #5: If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.

Have to disagree with this one.  Just because a food item is made in a plant, does not mean it is unhealthy.  Frozen boneless chicken breasts can be a convenient and healthy protein in a stir-fry.  Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh.  Dried pasta can be a healthy part of a casserole.  Nuts and nut butters can be a good source of protein.  Nutrition labels can be used to help you compare products and make more healthful choices.

Rule #6: Eat your colors—that is, eat as many different kinds of plants as possible.

A great idea!  No food contains all the same nutrients.  Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps to ensure you are getting all your nutrients you need for health.  “Eating well with Canada’s food guide” recommends eating at least 1 dark green and one orange vegetable each day.

Advice #3: (Eat) Not too Much

The clarification I would make here is not to overeat.  Portion sizes in restaurants can often be larger than you actually need, and this goes for beverages too, not just food.  When you are cooking at home, take into account what a standard serving size would be or go by the divided plate method (½ veg, ¼ protein, ¼ grains).  It’s also good to think about what affects your portion size; it may not just be your hunger. It is true that a bigger plate can lead to you eating more.

Rule # 7: Make water your beverage of choice.

Totally agree with this rule, and it is actually one of the recommendations in  “Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide”.  Water rehydrates the body and satisfies thirst without extra calories.  This rule also doesn’t eliminate other beverages such as low-fat milk, milk alternatives, tea, coffee, juice, etc.

Rule #8:  Stop eating before you’re full.

I like this rule because it asks you to be mindful of your hunger signals.  Being full is different from being not hungry anymore.

Rule #9:  Eat more like the French. 

I honestly can’t tell you how the French eat, but if it is as he describes in the film…to eat scheduled meals, eat smaller portions, and to eat food that you enjoy…then I’m all for it.  All of these suggestions support healthy eating practices and a healthy attitude toward eating.

Rule 10#:  Try to spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it.

Another great suggestion.  Too often we rush through our meals or are so distracted that we are not paying attention to the meal itself.  There’s a lot to be said for “mindful eating”. Mindful eating improves meal satisfaction, decreases overeating, makes you more aware of satiety, and reduces eating not related to hunger.

Rule 11#:  Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.

This one I don’t agree with.  Food is more available and therefore food options have changed over the years so there are many foods that are just waiting for you to discover. Don’t limit yourself to “what you grew up with”.  Explore the grocery store; find something you haven’t tried before, then track down a recipe. You never know, it may become your new favorite dish!

 

Overall I would say his advice and “rules” pretty much reflect the advice of many dietitians. Some rules may require further clarification so as not to be unnecessarily restrictive.

Yes there is a lot of nutrition information out there, and… pardon the pun…it can sometimes be hard to digest. But a dietitian can translate some of that mumbo jumbo into practical advice.  Many grocery stores actually have dietitians on staff who can provide grocery store tours and teach you what to look for on food labels and answer your nutrition questions along the way. That way you can confidently play by your own rules…not by somebody else’s.

 

For more information on “Eating well with Canada’s Food Guide” click here.