20-35% of your total daily calories should come from fat because in addition to providing flavour, texture, and energy, dietary fats supply fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K). Because fats are more energy-dense than carbohydrates and proteins, they also help us to feel full and satisfied after eating a high-fat meal and may help us lengthen the time between meals.
Read MoreIn the 1800s, Sylvester Graham traveled up and down the East Coast, praising the virtues of fibre - leaving behind the legendary graham cracker! Unfortunately, in today’s market the graham cracker does not count as a source of fibre, but scientific evidence supports this early promotion of fibre as part of a healthy diet. If you’re like most Canadians, you’re probably not getting enough fibre each day. It’s estimated that most people need twice as much as they’re getting (25g each day).
Read MoreIn the last 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of individuals who are obese. This problem is occurring not only in North America, but also in many other countries where Westernized dietary patterns are increasing in popularity. This wasn’t obvious to me until I started traveling and noticed that McDonald’s could be found in almost every country! Taking into account our current obesity trends and the fact that everyone’s New Years resolution is to lose weight – I thought this would be a good time to give you the skinny on fad diets.
Read MorePop quiz! Which of the following are risks of excess sugar consumption?
1) Nutrient deficiencies due to displacement of other nutritious food from the diet, 2) Development of dental cavities, 3) Development of Type II Diabetes, or 4) Hyperactivity in children.
Read MoreIn 2007, Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry Seinfeld’s wife) put together a cookbook called “Deceptively Delicious” which enabled parents to give kids what they want and what they need at the same time. In other words, she hid vegetables and fruit in recipes such as chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and grilled cheese sandwiches. We like to think as adults that we’re smart enough to make the right food choices and eat the recommended amount of vegetables and fruit a day…but sadly we’re not. The principle of substitution is genius so please enjoy the healthy switcheroos that I’ve picked up over the years.
Read MoreTake a moment to describe your perfect day. When I was asked this question I imagined my perfect day starting with me waking up to the smell of bacon and coffee…Mmmm bacon. Everyone loves bacon and unfortunately this post is not about how it’s secretly healthy for you – I wish. It’s about the notion that turkey bacon is healthier for you then the real thing, is this true? Or is this just another rotten egg?
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago we tackled the myth that brown sugar was healthier for you than white. Inevitably comments came in regarding alternative sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose (the main ingredient in Splenda), asking if these were the answer since obviously sugar, brown or white, seemed to be unhealthy. Currently, in the nutritional world this is a hot topic.
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