The Dish on Yogurt

“Low fat,” “no-fat,” “plain,” “flavoured,” “Greek,” “grass-fed,” and the new kid on the block “Icelandic” are all words that describe a variety of yogurt that can be found sitting in the dairy cooler of your local grocery store. It is ironic how complex yogurt can be considering it originated as a way to preserve milk before we had refrigerators. Yogurt is a great way to get a good dose of bone-building calcium into our diet and is also a good source of protein – making it a great snack for kids and adults. But some yogurts may be more like ice-cream with the amount of sugar added to them, so let’s take a look at how to pick the best yogurt for you and your family!

Dairy, fat, milk, protein, sugar, tipsJessica PirnakApril 17, 2018yogurt, Heart Health, probiotics, protein, dairy, sugar

Simple Healthy Kitchen Swaps

Spring is in the air! This time of year we tend to find ourselves in the cleaning mood - whether it be our kitchen floors at home, purging dusty sports equipment in the garage, or consuming foods to aid our bodies function. The bottom line is we want to be clean everywhere we can be. So, let's clean up that kitchen pantry with these easy healthy kitchen swaps. (On a serious note - don't contribute to food waste. Be sure to finish what you have before buying anything new.) Now turn up that music and get cleaning!

fat, Fibre, fruits & vegetables, protein, sugar, tipsJessica PirnakApril 6, 2018avocado, detox, cleanses, sprouted bread, bison, yog, kitchen swaps

It's Time to Unlock the Potential of Food

As we round the corner into spring and start appreciating the longer days, the warmer weather and the smell of fresh flowers, it is also time to celebrate Nutrition Month. This March, join dietitians across Canada, as we unlock the potential of food! Food is nourishment, but it is also a lot more.

A Plug for Choices Markets

Are you ready to make small steps towards a healthier, happier you? Join the Choices Markets Nutrition Team's Rethink Your Resolutions Challenge before January 31st, 2018 to get started on your path to incremental change.

Turkey Transparency

Let’s talk turkey! Before making your purchase of a brightly packaged bird it is important to know where your food comes from and all the people involved in the process. A few months ago, I pulled on my rubber boats and trekked out to Island Bison Ranch to tell you the story behind their farm. Today I’ll introduce you to Rossdown Farms and Natural Foods in Abbotsford. Full disclosure - I thought I was heading to their turkey farm but it ended up being their processing plant, which opened my eyes to the production of poultry.

Holidays, organic food, Personal Journey, proteinJessica PirnakDecember 7, 2017cooking, Farm, protein, Sustainable, turkey

Beyond Ocean Wise

British Columbians can rejoice as Choices Markets now offers 100% Ocean Wise fresh seafood – a first in this province! Ocean Wise is so important because it makes sustainable seafood easy. Seafood lovers do not need to think twice about the environmental impacts of transporting and preserving catch once we see that Ocean Wise symbol on our seafood. Ocean Wise addresses fishing & farming techniques, resource management to protect the health of our waters, by-catch concerns and species abundance but let’s move beyond Ocean Wise and talk about two other fishy concerns.

protein, fatJessica PirnakOctober 31, 2017Sustainable, Omega, fish, Mercury, ocean wise, radiation

All Jacked Up!

All jacked up on jackfruit! This trendy weird fruit is taking over your local grocery store! You’ll find it preserved in a can, in a pre-cooked/ready to eat package with the other meat alternatives, as an ingredient in a vegan pre-made meal or fresh in the produce department. But have you heard of it?

Fibre, fruits & vegetables, protein, vitamins and mineralsJessica PirnakSeptember 7, 2017vitamin A, fibre, vegetarian, recipes, jackfruit

Making Egg-celent Choices

When you walk into a grocery store and head to the egg section, there are always multiple options to select. When you’re in a hurry, you might not have the time to contemplate what option is the most sustainable, humane or the right choice, health wise, for you. So, let’s break down these common claims in order for you to make an egg-celent choice the next time your in a grocery store.

organic food, proteinJessica PirnakMarch 31, 2017Claims, Omega, Eggs, Vitamin D, EPA & DHA

Feeling Stuffed Like a Turkey?

During the colder, winter months our bodies crave comfort foods – foods that ‘stick to your ribs,’ making you feel full and satisfied, but why? Unfortunately, the verdict is still out on this one; but some say it’s related to our serotonin levels, which are at their lowest during the winter months. Serotonin is a brain chemical that regulates mood, appetite and sleep. So, eating a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack will increase your brain’s production of serotonin making you feel better…at least temporarily. Now what to do when you’ve eaten too much?

fat, Holidays, protein, tipsJessica PirnakOctober 31, 2016protein, coffee, full, Portion, water