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Category Archives: Healthy Eating

What’s the best type of chocolate to give on Valentine’s Day?

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In short, the answer is: Whatever type of chocolate he/she enjoys! After all, Valentine’s Day comes but once a year!

But if your decision is at all swayed by health, then take a look at the options below.

Cocoa nibs: These are cocoa beans that have been roasted and then broken into small pieces. Cocoa naturally contains a special type of antioxidant that appears to be heart healthy because it lowers blood pressure and keeps our blood vessels healthy. Expect a crunchy, chocolately flavour that’s slightly bitter. Think chocolate without any added sugar. Add them to salads, yogurt, trail mix or baked recipes.

Dark chocolate: After cocoa nibs, dark chocolate has the next highest flavonoid content. Research shows that 50 to 100 grams of dark chocolate may have heart health benefits. Look for dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa solids – the higher the percentage, the higher the antioxidant content.

Milk chocolate: Milk chocolate contains added milk and sugar. There’s still about 25% cocoa solids but it pales in comparison to dark chocolate. In fact, dark chocolate contains 7 times more antioxidants than milk chocolate.

White chocolate: Sorry, but white chocolate isn’t made from cocoa beans at all. Rather, it’s simply cocoa butter so there’s no flavonoids.

Whichever chocolate you prefer, keep in mind that the calories and fat do add up quickly. Even 50 grams of dark chocolate can ring in almost 300 calories and 20-30 grams of fat, so enjoy it in moderation!

Watch my chocolate interview with Steven and Chris.

Would you pass the breakfast test?

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In a recent TV interview with CBC National News, I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting award-nominated journalist Heather Hiscox and rate her favourite morning meal. As the anchor for the national morning news, Heather starts her day at 5:30 am with “a handful of Shredded Wheat, some bran buds, half a banana and 2% milk.” It’s been her breakfast for the past ten years, and it tides her for at least four hours.

In rating her breakfast, I used the following five-point criteria:
1. Variety – does the breakfast contain foods from at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide? Bonus points if veggies are included at breakfast!
2. Fibre – is there at least 4 grams of fibre?
3. Protein – is there about 20 grams or more protein?
4. Healthy fats – do any of the foods provide healthy fats?
5. Whole grains – are the choices whole grain?

So did Heather pass the breakfast test? Well, her breakfast included foods from three food groups; the meal contained at least 4 grams of fibre, thanks to the cereal and bran; and her cereal choice was a whole grain. When it came to protein though, Heather’s meal was shy of the 20 grams of protein that’s often recommended to help with satiety. Including a sprinkle of nuts or seeds would not only pump up the protein, but also add some healthy fats to the meal.

My overall grade for Heather’s breakfast: A-

The Hottest Vegetable for 2015 (hint: It’s not cauliflower)

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Move over cauliflower! After two years of being crowned as the veggie of the year, there’s a new kids on the block that’s won my heart and taste buds. Say hello to kalettes!

Kalettes are a non-GMO vegetable developed through traditional hybridization in which kale is crossed with Brussels sprouts. Developed by the British vegetable seed house Tozer Seeds, it apparently took 15 years to create the right balance of sweet and nutty flavour. Kalettes resemble a tiny cabbage with greenish purple leaves, and can be roasted, grilled, steamed, stir-fried and even eaten raw.

Since 2010, kalettes have been available in the UK market under the name “Flower Sprouts”. In the US, they were first introduced last year as “Lollipop Kale” (cute name!) Kalettes are finally entering the Canadian market – I found them at a small local Loblaws store.

So far, I’ve tried kalettes roasted as well as in a stir-fry. Just like Brussels sprouts, the kalettes turn dark and didn’t really appeal to my family. But in a stir-fry, the kalettes are absolutely gorgeous with their brilliant purple colour! What I love about kalettes it that they cook quicker than Brussels sprouts because they’re less dense. And best of all, my husband went back for seconds! Needless to say, kalettes are on my weekly grocery list. Can’t wait to try them in different recipes!

It’s time to teach our kids how to cook – sign the petition now

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Kudos to the Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA)! The association is spearheading a petition to mandate at least one food and nutrition course in high school.

According to Mary Carver, Professional Home Economist and member of OHEA, “all children need to have the basics of nutrition and some cooking skills so that they know how to make food from scratch and don’t reach out so often for fast food or prepared entrées that are readily available.”

I couldn’t agree more. As a dietitian and chef’s daughter, I know first hand the benefits of eating a wholesome, home cooked meal. Teaching kids to cook not only gives them confidence in the kitchen, but also a life skill that boosts their food literacy.

Food literacy, the latest buzzword, is defined as the knowledge and skills (planning, budgeting, shopping and cooking) that help people make healthy, tasty and affordable meals for themselves and their families. It’s about getting involved with food – at the grocery store choosing locally grown foods, in the kitchen trying a new recipe, or even going on a family outing to an apple orchard.

Please take a minute to sign the OHEA petition asking for at least one mandatory food and nutrition course in Ontario schools. The goal is to attain 2,000 signatures by October 31st. You’ll be glad you did.

Tell Health Canada what you think about the proposed new food labels

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Health Canada recently announced proposed new changes to the Nutrition Facts table and ingredients lists with the goal of improving nutrition information on food labels.

Some of the key proposed changes include:
– listing Calories in a bigger and bold font
– using consistent serving sizes on similar foods
– increasing the Daily Value for fat and calcium, and decreasing the Daily Value for sodium
– adding information about added sugars by including a % Daily Value for sugars as well as showing the amount of added sugars in the product
– removing vitamins A and C, but adding potassium and vitamin D to the label
– grouping nutrients that we should limit (fat, sodium and sugar) at the top half of the label
– grouping nutrients that we need to get enough of (fibre, vitamins, minerals) at the bottom half of the label.

The consultation period is now open, and all consumers and stakeholders are invited to provide input on the proposed changes. Please take the time to have your say and share your feedback in shaping this important nutrition labelling regulation.

Health Canada has developed fact sheets on: Nutrition Facts table and Ingredient List, Serving Sizes and Sugar Content as well as an Executive Summary of the proposed changes. Consumers can provide their feedback through a 10 question online survey.

For food and health professionals, there is also a series of five technical consultation documents which explain the rationale for the proposed changes: Format Requirements, Core Nutrients, Daily Values (%DV), Reference Amounts and Serving Sizes. You are also invited to provide feedback to each of these consultation documents.

All comments must be submitted to Health Canada by September 11, 2014.

Calling All Men!

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Did you know that 70% of men’s health conditions and diseases are preventable? That’s according to the newly launched Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF), a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire men to lead healthier lives. Their campaign “Don’t Change Much” offers simple and do-able tips for improving men’s mental health, activity, nutrition, sleep, smoking and drinking habits. Check it out at http://dontchangemuch.ca/ and sign up for their free newsletter.

In the meantime, take a peek at this fantastic infographic with 7 health facts that every man needs to know.

Happy Food Revolution Day!

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Today marks the third annual Food Revolution Day. This year’s focus is on inspiring kids to get excited about food and cooking from scratch.

As a chef’s daughter, I saw firsthand how much my dad loved to cook from scratch. I’d walk with him to the grocery store every week, and he’d teach me how to pick out the sweetest oranges, the freshest fish, and the leanest cuts of meat. Today in his mid-70’s, Dad still walks to the grocery store, almost daily now, to find the perfect ingredients for a delicious homemade dinner.

Learning about food and how to cook from scratch is an essential life skill for everyone. With my mom and dietitian hats on, I half-jokingly tell my kids that they can only leave home once they’re able to plan and cook at least five meals from scratch all on their own. This includes making a grocery list and shopping for all of the ingredients too.

So in honour of Food Revolution Day, the kids and I are making some of our favourite recipes – chicken fajitas, bean salad, sushi and smoothies. What’s your favourite recipe to make with the kids?

Get cooking for National Nutrition Month!

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As the daughter of a Chinese chef, I’m a huge fan of cooking – and eating – delicious, wholesome meals! After all, when you cook from scratch, you can choose healthier ingredients and experiment with different flavours.
Get the kids involved too. Cooking helps to build their confidence in the kitchen and is an important life skill. Plus research shows that eating meals together as a family helps kids eat better and have healthier weights. So to celebrate Nutrition Month, here are some of my favourite tips to help you get creative in the kitchen.
• Pick a theme ingredient or cuisine for the month. Then flip through magazines, pick up a new cookbook or surf the Internet for recipe ideas. Me? I’m always looking for easy and nutritious fish recipes. So I’m planning to try this Becel Maple Mustard Salmon recipe. It uses ingredients that I always have on hand and it’s ready in less than 15 minutes – perfect for my busy weeknights!
• Stay organized. To save time, prep your ingredients in advance – chop the veggies, marinade the meat, and make the salad dressing the night before so that everything is ready to go as soon as you get home.
• Cook once, and eat it twice. I’m planning to take any salmon leftovers from tonight’s dinner and toss it into a salad with red onions, green leafy lettuce, orange peppers and avocado. Leftover cooked beans, meat or pasta will instantly perk up a soup or stir-fry.
• Make a few swaps. Do you love to bake? Use milk or yogurt instead of water to give muffins or banana bread a calcium and protein boost. Bake with an unsaturated fat such as soft non-hydrogenated margarine instead of butter, shortening or lard. Swap out some of the sugar with dried fruit or grated sweet veggies like carrots or beets – it’s a great way to add fibre to the recipe too.
• Share it. We eat with our eyes, so don’t forget to take a snapshot of your finished dish. Tweet it or post it on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook. Share the actual recipe too and give it a rating out of five stars. Who knows – you might just inspire someone else to get cooking too – and that would be a wonderful thing!

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Book Review: Grain Brain – by David Perlmutter, MD

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Perlmutter, a neurologist in Naples, Florida claims that inflammation is the cause of many neurogenerative diseases and disorders such as dementia, diabetes, depression, ADHD, irritable bowel, and Alzheimer’s. The solution according to Perlmutter is to eliminate gluten, follow a low-carb diet and feed your brain a diet that’s high in fat. Fat, he claims will provide the nourishment that the brain needs. The diet involves restricting carbohydrates to 30 to 40 grams a day, followed by a maintenance phase of 60 grams of carbs.

Like most dietitians, I find this advice to be unsubstantiated at this time. Much of the evidence cited in the book is anecdotal and based on testimonials as well as the author’s own experience with his patients. The overpromise of health benefits from his diet plan raises another red flag. Plus, science tells us that carbs (more specifically glucose, and not fat) are the preferred fuel for our brain.

The author’s recommendation to increase our intake of fat to 80% of our daily calories warrants discussion. It’s a far cry from Health Canada’s fat recommendations of 20-35% of our daily calories. While it’s true that we could all stand to increase our consumption of healthy monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats from foods such as fish, avocados and olive oil, it’s not advisable at this point to increase our intake of saturated fats because of their negative effect on heart health. What we also know is that swapping saturated fat for polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is beneficial to our heart health.

Perlmutter does make some recommendations with which I whole-heartedly agree. For one thing, he recommends that we exercise more and more regularly (he recommends at least 30 minutes, five times a week). Secondly, he advises that we work on getting restful, routine sleep seven days a week. The bottom line though is that Grain Brain is a low-carb diet. Instead of cutting out carbs, my advice is to choose smart carbs like whole grains, vegetables and fruit as part of a balanced diet.

Book Review: MINDfull – by Carol Greenwood, PhD

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In the growing trend of healthy aging, MINDfull is an easy-to-read cookbook that will appeal to anyone who wants to optimize their brain health. Greenwood, who is a senior scientist at Baycrest Centre Foundation, has been studying the link between diet and dementia for years.

As Greenwood describes it, the brain “has a wonderful capacity to refresh, to renew and to repair itself and to create new brain cells and new connections throughout a person’s life.” The goal of the book is to inspire healthy lifestyle and eating habits to promote successful aging and prevent the degeneration of one’s cognitive function.

To eat your way towards a healthy brain, Greenwood recommends choosing a balanced, high quality diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables (for polyphenols), whole grains and cereals (for fibre), nuts (for monounsaturated fats), spices (such as turmeric and black pepper for anti-inflammatory antioxidants) and fish (for omega-3 fats). Vitamin E, folate and vitamin B12 are important too. These foods and nutrients support the body and brain in many ways:
• strengthens our blood vessels, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach every cell in our body;
• nourishes the parts of our brain that are actively involved in speech, learning and reasoning;
• protects our body and brain against inflammation; and
• promotes the growth of new brain cells and neural connections.

Each chapter of the book features practical nutrition information, tips and science-based references. With over 100 brain-boosting recipes like Sweet Potato Waffles, Indian-Spiced Chickpeas, and Malaysian Fish Cakes, you’re sure to find a few new favourites. It’s a welcome addition to my cookbook collection.

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