Eat More, Eat Less

"Eat More, Eat Less" by L N Britton, 1917 - Photographed by Ryan Joyce

I have been off living the life in New York City and subsequently recovering for the past week and a bit and this is why my posting has been neglected. But nutrition is a huge theme in my life and follows me everywhere. Check out the gem above that I snapped at the Museum of Modern Art.

Although this U.S. Food Administration poster is war propaganda and is nearly a century old, the message is strong, no nonsense and still holds true today. And, quite frankly, sums up many of my posts thus far.

If you ever have any doubts of a well-balanced diet, this poster will make a great reference tool!

Food of the Week: Berries

Photography by jhensemilla.wordpress.com

Serving by serving, berries are wonderful anti-inflammatory superfruits that deliver a significant burst of flavour and nutrients.

What are you getting?
A delicious blend of blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries are a low-calorie, high flavour, and high-fibre snack. They also provide boost of antioxidants, vitamin C, folic acid and potassium.

Studies have also shown that berries may protect against the following health ailments for those who enjoy them regularly: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and eyestrain.

Which berry is the shining star?
Blackcurrants are by far the healthiest berries but both of the more popular blackberries and blueberries run a very close second.

How to enjoy?
Try these alternatives to the morning muffin and afternoon donut:

1. A fresh berry salad makes for a great morning, late afternoon, or evening snack.

2. A yoghurt parfait with fresh berries and oats provides a well-balanced start to the day.

3. Add refined sugar to your cereal? Don’t! Try adding some fresh berries instead.

Rye Breaks the Fast Better

It is not groundbreaking news that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, for its role in maintaining good health and preventing overweight. Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food than required for lunch or nibble on high-calorie snacks. It is well documented that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals compared to when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals.

Rye, an Uncommon Health Food

Findings from a recent study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences gives a great reason for grocery stores to no longer relegate rye products to obscure corners. By examining differences in appetite after consuming rye versus wheat breads and rye versus wheat porridge, the study found that rye-containing breakfasts helped maintain feelings of fullness longer and decreased desire to eat than wheat-containing break fasts. Thus, rye may be a powerful health food for weight-maintenance and loss, especially when consumed as breakfast.

The Many Health Benefits of Rye

Rye provides a wonderful health boost. In addition to being rich in protein, fiber, manganese (bone health), tryptophan (brain health) and other essential nutrients, the consumption of rye is associated with decreased risk of many serious health ailments, including type-2 diabetes and pre-and post-menopausal breast cancer.

Easy to Incorporate Rye into Your Diet

1. Switch it up by trying your favorite sandwiches on rye bread instead of wheat bread. Tip: read the ingredients label. Sometimes wheat breads can be masked as rye breads.

2. Try substituting some rye flour for wheat flour when making your favourite baked goods.

3. Like porridge? Boiling rolled rye flakes makes a healthy alternative to traditional oatmeal. This is a breakfast favourite in eastern European countries.

4. Check out “Ryvita”, which is a whole grain rye-containing cracker bread. It’s delicious, healthy, and available at most grocery stores in the bread section.

Don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying to abandon healthy, delicious, and hearty whole wheat, which is a staple in a healthy diet. But when it comes to rye versus wheat, rye is definitely the better way to break the fast.

The 'SuperBeverage'

With the summer approaching, the need to keep hydrated is increasing so say goodbye to unnatural high fructose drinks from concentrate and hello to a glass of fruity wholesomeness with the ‘SuperBeverage’, a sweet and natural way to keep your thirst quenched.

It's easy to make! Blend together cold water and your favourite fruit(s): 1 part water, 2 parts fresh fruit. Works very well with: Pineapple, Strawberry, Mango, Watermelon, Canteloupe, Honeydew Melon, Tamarind, and Passion Fruit

There are a ton of added bonuses to drinking this over pop, juice from concentrate, and zero-calorie alternatives (such as Crystal Light):

Health boost: Fruits are packed with fiber, vitamins, natural and complex sugars, antioxidants and other nutrients.

Hydration boost: Fruits are water heavy foods; each glass will be very hydrating.

Appetite suppressant: Water heavy foods will keep you fuller longer so you will be less tempted for unhealthy, high-calorie snacks.

Power up: A glass will give you energy for your day's activities.

Cost-effective: You get more juice out of your fruit than from using a juicer.

When enjoying this healthy drink, the recommended eight glasses of water per day won’t seem like enough!

Three Quick Facts about Omega-3

Highly Beneficial to One’s Health
The two most notable omega-3 fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), conferring protection against sudden death, cardiac death, and myocardial infarction. In addition to reducing abdominal fat in women, they also offer support to the normal brain and eye development in children under the age of two.

The Fattier, the Better
The current recommended intake of EPA and DHA is between 250-500 milligrams per day. The best natural source of these fatty acids come from fatty fish, including salmon, rainbow trout mackerel, tuna, and herring. Au contraire, other common fish such as haddock, sole, and tilapia contain relatively low levels of these health-boosting fatty acids. Make sure you’re reeling in the right kind of fish!

Options for the Fish Unfriendly
Besides consuming fatty fish, taking a fish oil supplement is the best way of getting significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. There are also many products these days, such as Naturegg Omega-3 eggs and Becel Omega-3 Plus Margarine, come fortified with Omega-3. However, to put this into perspective, one Naturegg Omega-3 egg contains roughly 75 milligrams of DHA, a small fraction of the daily recommended intake. Thus, foods fortified with Omega-3 should just be a boost!

Food of The Week: Sweet Potatoes

Photography by slrobertson.com

As the name suggests, sweet potatoes are sweet and delicious. But not everything sweet is bad for you, as these vegetable powerhouses come packed with some unsurpassed health benefits.

They’re a superfood
There are a plethora of health benefits packed into these under-appreciated potatoes. From containing powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients to blood sugar-regulating nutrients, sweet potatoes have you covered.

They’re loaded with essential nutrients
One medium sweet potato (often incorrectly called a yam, even though they are of different species) is rich in beta-carotene and meets your daily need for vitamin A as well as providing one third of daily vitamin C requirements. They are also a significant source of dietary fiber (especially when baked with skin), protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and calcium. And the list goes on.

Calorie-conscious? One medium sweet potato contains approximately 95 calories, which is significantly less than one Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookie.

They're Easy to Enjoy
Fortunately, sweet potatoes are very versatile in the kitchen and can be consumed anytime of the year. You can enjoy a sweet potato soup in the fall and winter and a sweet potato salad in the spring and summer. Also, these nutritional wonders of nature have many faces; from being orange to purple in colour, they can also bring some vibrant colours to a meal.

Although studies suggest that steaming or boiling sweet potatoes is the healthiest way to go for a variety of reasons, baking or stir-frying them make a tasty and healthy side dish as well.

Take a closer look at sweet potatoes. They’re worth it!

Food of the Week Wednesdays

Is Your Meat Safe?

From tuberculosis to pneumonia, most people died from infectious diseases throughout history. But now in developed countries worldwide, these infections are mostly treatable. This is all thanks to the discovery of antibiotics in the early 1900s, which was a huge triumph for modern medicine. To put this into perspective, the discovery of antibiotics single-handedly added eight years to the life expectancy of Western humans.

In recent years, the long-term efficacy of antibiotics has been threatened in order to improve the profits of livestock farmers. Livestock are given low doses of antibiotic like a daily vitamin, allowing for healthier animals that grow bigger faster. Also, animals get sick too so the addition of antibiotics in their diet keeps them from getting sick. Herein lies the problem, as antibiotics are meant to used for treatment, not a preventive measure. Would you pop antibiotics everyday like a vitamin? I think not.

So, what’s the big deal?

These are detrimental for human health. Antibiotic medicines are losing effectiveness on humans due to their increased use in animal feed.
Also, poultry products often carry at least one bacterial strain, and it is now increasingly likely that the meat you buy contains an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria. The likelihood of acquiring bacterial infections is rising, most of which are caused by resistant strains, leading to a huge public health threat.

Do you know what you’re ingesting?

A recent survey from the U.S. showed that less than half of participants (48 percent) are aware that the beef and poultry purchased at American supermarkets commonly are raised on feed that contains antibiotics. In addition, only 27 percent of those surveyed are aware of the detrimental effects of antibiotics being used in raising livestock. However, the majority (59 percent) opted to switch to antibiotic-free meats once they learned of the relationship between the overuse of antibiotics in animal feed and its effect on humans.

What can you do about it?

The answer lies in your diet. Avoid meats altogether that contain antibiotics; all meats that are certified organic will be free of antibiotics. You can buy directly from slaughterhouses and butchers. It’s worth the added expense!

Can you imagine a world without antibiotics? I certainly cannot. Making the switch to antibiotic-free meats will keep antibiotics effective and, most importantly, your health will thank you.