Sometimes, a girl just needs a little chocolate.
My sweet tooth doesn't actually kick in that often. I am more often found indulging in a piece of cheese with some salted rice crackers instead of digging into a candy jar. However, sometimes in the middle of the afternoon or perhaps, after dinner, I just want "something". I created this ultra-simple raw chocolate recipe so I could have something delicious that I could really feel good about eating. A treat that didn't require a trip to the store; just a few minutes and a few ingredients that I usually have on hand.
Raw Superfood Crunch Chocolate
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (I like Organic Lives because they are a local company!)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder (I used Navitas Naturals)
2 tbsp of Nature's Path Cranberry Vanilla Qia (or use your favourite superfood - chia, hemp, dried berries etc)
1-2 tbsp maple syrup to taste (okay...not for the raw food purist!)
cacao powder plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon for dusting
Place raw cacao, Qia and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Gently warm coconut oil in a saucepan until just liquid and stir into cacao mixture until well blended. Place bowl in the fridge until firm enough to form chocolates, about 15-30 minutes.
Use a cold spoon to scoop out a bit of chocolate and drop onto a chilled plate or quickly roll into a little ball. Work quickly or the heat of your hands will melt the chocolate again! In a separate bowl, mix cinnamon with a bit more cacao powder. Roll chocolates in cacao to dust. Refrigerate chocolates in an airtight container and keep on hand for healthy chocolate cravings!
PS...I am a spokesperson for the new Qia cereal from Nature's Path. I always said that if I am connected to a product I will maintain transparent communications - no sneaky marketing here! I think it is a truly amazing product...unprocessed, healthy and delicious. I will never share any product with you that I don't eat myself and feel good about recommending. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Showing posts with label healthy snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy snacks. Show all posts
Friday, September 14, 2012
Friday, December 9, 2011
UnDiet...Week 50
Hello UnDieters!
Just a few short weeks left in this glorious year; I hope that you are all enjoying the holidays in true UnDiet style! Eat mindfully, savour beautiful treats and leave plenty of room for the sort of nutrient dense food that will keep you charged up and partying late into the night all season long.
To help give you an added boost, this week's task is to swap a snack. Are you eating daily nuts? If not, this is the time to start. Raw nuts are full of healthy fats for gorgeous skin and clear arteries; protein to power you through your day and vitamins and minerals to strengthen your defences. So choose one of your daily snacks and replace it with 1/4 cup of your favourite raw nuts. For more protein and vitamin E, choose almonds. For omega 3s to nourish your mind, go for walnuts. For a bit of healthy indulgence, holiday style, try cashews or macadamia nuts.
Replacing a more carbohydrate based snack for raw nuts will help keep your energy levels stable and carry you through to your next meal without getting too hungry.
Party on!
Desiree
Just a few short weeks left in this glorious year; I hope that you are all enjoying the holidays in true UnDiet style! Eat mindfully, savour beautiful treats and leave plenty of room for the sort of nutrient dense food that will keep you charged up and partying late into the night all season long.
To help give you an added boost, this week's task is to swap a snack. Are you eating daily nuts? If not, this is the time to start. Raw nuts are full of healthy fats for gorgeous skin and clear arteries; protein to power you through your day and vitamins and minerals to strengthen your defences. So choose one of your daily snacks and replace it with 1/4 cup of your favourite raw nuts. For more protein and vitamin E, choose almonds. For omega 3s to nourish your mind, go for walnuts. For a bit of healthy indulgence, holiday style, try cashews or macadamia nuts.
Replacing a more carbohydrate based snack for raw nuts will help keep your energy levels stable and carry you through to your next meal without getting too hungry.
Party on!
Desiree
Sunday, August 21, 2011
UnDiet...Week 30
Hello UnDieters!
It's the lazy days of summer...I always feel that in August all motivation to expend serious energy on anything is lost. So this week, I will ask for a very simple but very powerful swap. Many weeks back, I asked you to add more seeds to your diet and this week I will ask you to start adding more nuts to your diet.
I have never been a fan of low fat diets but it can be easy to go overboard when our main sources of fat are added oils. However, we tend to overlook food sources of healthy fat, such as nuts. When we eat our fats in a package that includes protein and fibre and other vitamins you are getting more bang for your nutrition buck and they help to fill you up too. Nuts are also a great alternative to all those carb-based snacks that we tend to overeat.
So this week, consider swapping one of your snacks for a 1/4 cup of raw nuts. For a higher protein nut, try almonds. To boost your omega 3 intake, try walnuts. To keep it local, go for hazelnuts. Whichever are your favourite, buy small amounts and keep them fresh in the refrigerator and enjoy daily. Nuts will help to fill you up and keep your energy up between meals without the blood sugar roller coaster of a granola bar. Need a bigger snack? Add a piece of fresh fruit. There are gorgeous BC plums out there right now!
Go nuts, folks.
Desiree
It's the lazy days of summer...I always feel that in August all motivation to expend serious energy on anything is lost. So this week, I will ask for a very simple but very powerful swap. Many weeks back, I asked you to add more seeds to your diet and this week I will ask you to start adding more nuts to your diet.
I have never been a fan of low fat diets but it can be easy to go overboard when our main sources of fat are added oils. However, we tend to overlook food sources of healthy fat, such as nuts. When we eat our fats in a package that includes protein and fibre and other vitamins you are getting more bang for your nutrition buck and they help to fill you up too. Nuts are also a great alternative to all those carb-based snacks that we tend to overeat.
So this week, consider swapping one of your snacks for a 1/4 cup of raw nuts. For a higher protein nut, try almonds. To boost your omega 3 intake, try walnuts. To keep it local, go for hazelnuts. Whichever are your favourite, buy small amounts and keep them fresh in the refrigerator and enjoy daily. Nuts will help to fill you up and keep your energy up between meals without the blood sugar roller coaster of a granola bar. Need a bigger snack? Add a piece of fresh fruit. There are gorgeous BC plums out there right now!
Go nuts, folks.
Desiree
Sunday, April 24, 2011
UnDiet...Week 17
Aloha UnDieters!
Blame "island time" for the late post...I am currently feasting on mangosteen, macadamia nuts and other such local delights on the beautiful island of Kauai. I have got a whole handful of posts on the local food scene here that I will post next week, once I am able to upload my photos.
For this week, I want to attack a habit that undermines healthy eating for many of us (including myself), night time noshing. Most of us have heard the myth that eating anything after six makes us fat. That statement actually falls into the "well, sort of..." category. Technically (and scientifically speaking) you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want it and not gain weight and vice versa. However, what is true about eating at night is the following:
When you eat after dinner, it is unlikely that you NEED to eat. Extra, unneccessary food means extra, unneccessary pounds.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely that you will eat less healthful food...providing little nutrition and empty calories.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely in front of the television. When we eat and watch, we are likely to overeat...and pile on the pounds.
So this week, examine your after dinner habits and consider going cold turkey. If you are eating a good dinner, you don't really need to snack. You may find it helpful to keep some "food journal notes" in the evening about what and when you eat if you end up eating and what is going through your mind and what you are doing in the evening for activity.
If you find yourself going mental and craving a snack, consider distraction. If your favourite television show is your trigger to eat, consider turning the TV off (gasp!) and going for a walk or doing some other activity. If your absolute favourite show is on...it is the playoffs after all...try an alternative snack to keep your mouth busy. An evening cocktail can be an invitation to snack (and pack on the pounds themselves) so if you love a night cap, watch the munching.
Here are 5 night time options to keep you munching, without packing it on:
1. Try just drinking something, like water! Won't cut it? Try sparkling water or tea or coffee (easy on the sugar and milk). Go decaf if the caffeine interferes with your rest.
2. Snack on raw plain veggies, like bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. You almost can't eat too many! Loads of nutrition for very few calories.
3. Try plain, airpopped popcorn. It is an unsung, low calorie whole grain snack. Need a microwave alternative? Try an organic, low cal variety.
4. Chew gum, get flavour without the calorie punch. Go for a naturally sweetened variety like xylitol gum and avoid artificial sweeteners.
5. Warm skim milk is a great option, as milk's protein keeps you feeling full.
If you find that nighttime noshing is not just habit or craving but true hunger, have a healthy option as mentioned above and then examine where you are skimping during the day. Some people eat very little during the day and then gorge all night. There are plenty of ways this can happen and knowing your trigger is key to overcoming the pattern...
Scenario A: You are so busy from sun rise to sun down...it isn't until the end of the day that you start thinking about eating. If that is you, set yourself a timer for every 4 hours during the day to ensure that you eat at least a little something. Plan tons of healthy snacks for your desk drawer, gym bag, pantry so you always have something healthy and on the go.
Scenario B: You aren't hungry until lunch, making it pretty tough to make it up at lunch and dinner....if that is you, it is likely that because of your night time feasting, you really aren't hungry in the morning. Once you cut out the night time eating, your hunger should return.
Scenario C: You watch what you eat pretty closely and restrict yourself during the day (ladies, this is usually you!) and then get so hungry and lose all willpower at night, eating way too much in the way of treats. If this is you, it is time to eat more during the day. We typically have far more willpower during the day, so harness that energy to eat bigger portions of super healthy food so that you will be satisfied enough to resist the junk food party post dinner.
If you are still having trouble busting the habit after this week, consider keeping a detailed diet journal for a week or two. In addition to what and when you eat, writing down your mood and activities may help. If viewing your journal doesn't make your pattern leap off the page, try sharing it with a registered dietitian, who can help you get to the bottom of it. You can find a dietitian in your area on the Dietitians of Canada website.
Good luck this week...and if all else fails, chew celery!
Desiree
Blame "island time" for the late post...I am currently feasting on mangosteen, macadamia nuts and other such local delights on the beautiful island of Kauai. I have got a whole handful of posts on the local food scene here that I will post next week, once I am able to upload my photos.
For this week, I want to attack a habit that undermines healthy eating for many of us (including myself), night time noshing. Most of us have heard the myth that eating anything after six makes us fat. That statement actually falls into the "well, sort of..." category. Technically (and scientifically speaking) you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want it and not gain weight and vice versa. However, what is true about eating at night is the following:
When you eat after dinner, it is unlikely that you NEED to eat. Extra, unneccessary food means extra, unneccessary pounds.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely that you will eat less healthful food...providing little nutrition and empty calories.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely in front of the television. When we eat and watch, we are likely to overeat...and pile on the pounds.
So this week, examine your after dinner habits and consider going cold turkey. If you are eating a good dinner, you don't really need to snack. You may find it helpful to keep some "food journal notes" in the evening about what and when you eat if you end up eating and what is going through your mind and what you are doing in the evening for activity.
If you find yourself going mental and craving a snack, consider distraction. If your favourite television show is your trigger to eat, consider turning the TV off (gasp!) and going for a walk or doing some other activity. If your absolute favourite show is on...it is the playoffs after all...try an alternative snack to keep your mouth busy. An evening cocktail can be an invitation to snack (and pack on the pounds themselves) so if you love a night cap, watch the munching.
Here are 5 night time options to keep you munching, without packing it on:
1. Try just drinking something, like water! Won't cut it? Try sparkling water or tea or coffee (easy on the sugar and milk). Go decaf if the caffeine interferes with your rest.
2. Snack on raw plain veggies, like bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. You almost can't eat too many! Loads of nutrition for very few calories.
3. Try plain, airpopped popcorn. It is an unsung, low calorie whole grain snack. Need a microwave alternative? Try an organic, low cal variety.
4. Chew gum, get flavour without the calorie punch. Go for a naturally sweetened variety like xylitol gum and avoid artificial sweeteners.
5. Warm skim milk is a great option, as milk's protein keeps you feeling full.
If you find that nighttime noshing is not just habit or craving but true hunger, have a healthy option as mentioned above and then examine where you are skimping during the day. Some people eat very little during the day and then gorge all night. There are plenty of ways this can happen and knowing your trigger is key to overcoming the pattern...
Scenario A: You are so busy from sun rise to sun down...it isn't until the end of the day that you start thinking about eating. If that is you, set yourself a timer for every 4 hours during the day to ensure that you eat at least a little something. Plan tons of healthy snacks for your desk drawer, gym bag, pantry so you always have something healthy and on the go.
Scenario B: You aren't hungry until lunch, making it pretty tough to make it up at lunch and dinner....if that is you, it is likely that because of your night time feasting, you really aren't hungry in the morning. Once you cut out the night time eating, your hunger should return.
Scenario C: You watch what you eat pretty closely and restrict yourself during the day (ladies, this is usually you!) and then get so hungry and lose all willpower at night, eating way too much in the way of treats. If this is you, it is time to eat more during the day. We typically have far more willpower during the day, so harness that energy to eat bigger portions of super healthy food so that you will be satisfied enough to resist the junk food party post dinner.
If you are still having trouble busting the habit after this week, consider keeping a detailed diet journal for a week or two. In addition to what and when you eat, writing down your mood and activities may help. If viewing your journal doesn't make your pattern leap off the page, try sharing it with a registered dietitian, who can help you get to the bottom of it. You can find a dietitian in your area on the Dietitians of Canada website.
Good luck this week...and if all else fails, chew celery!
Desiree
Sunday, March 6, 2011
UnDiet...Week Ten
Hello UnDieters....we are into the double digits now! Talk about commitment. Hopefully by now you are starting to feel just a little different. A little more regular and a little less bloated. Perhaps there is a bit more energy coursing through your system. It is time to continue supercharging your body with nutrition and start incorporating more nutrient dense power foods into your life.
Let's start tackling seeds. We talk all the time about the health benefits of nuts but seeds are largely forgotten. Seeds are filled with heart and skin loving unsaturated fats, vital minerals and fibre (yes, more fibre...get used to it!). They are the total package. For our first week of seeds, we are going to try some classics.
Pumpkin seeds boast anti-inflammatory omega 3 ALA and plenty of relaxing magnesium. A natural source of plant sterols for your heart, pumpkin seeds are also rich in immune boosting zinc. Sunflower seeds contain a synergistic blend of vitamin E and selenium in addition to more sterols and magnesium.
For this week, buy either sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both if you're keen!) and add a couple of tablespoons to a meal or snack a few times this week. Add your seeds to trail mixes, granola or cereal. You can sprinkle them on salads or even over pasta for some crunch. Snack on them on their own or try them stirred into yogurt. Ensure you buy raw, unsalted seeds and store them in the refrigerator to preserve their quality. If they start to smell like paint thinner, it is time to toss them.
To your health,
Desiree
Let's start tackling seeds. We talk all the time about the health benefits of nuts but seeds are largely forgotten. Seeds are filled with heart and skin loving unsaturated fats, vital minerals and fibre (yes, more fibre...get used to it!). They are the total package. For our first week of seeds, we are going to try some classics.
Pumpkin seeds boast anti-inflammatory omega 3 ALA and plenty of relaxing magnesium. A natural source of plant sterols for your heart, pumpkin seeds are also rich in immune boosting zinc. Sunflower seeds contain a synergistic blend of vitamin E and selenium in addition to more sterols and magnesium.
For this week, buy either sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both if you're keen!) and add a couple of tablespoons to a meal or snack a few times this week. Add your seeds to trail mixes, granola or cereal. You can sprinkle them on salads or even over pasta for some crunch. Snack on them on their own or try them stirred into yogurt. Ensure you buy raw, unsalted seeds and store them in the refrigerator to preserve their quality. If they start to smell like paint thinner, it is time to toss them.
To your health,
Desiree
Friday, October 1, 2010
Eat...like me!
There is nothing stronger than photographic proof...so time to share a day in the diet! This was my Wednesday...nothing too unusual going on, although I was trying to clear out my fridge before leaving tomorrow for 9 days away....
Breakfast was organic steel cut oats with unsweetened soy milk, hemp seeds, a fair trade banana and a bit of brown sugar....starting your day with a combination of high fibre whole grains plus the extra protein from the hemp and soy milk will help to keep you full.
Lunch was a 2 egg omelet (Rabbit River Farms Omega 3 Eggs) with a sliced organic potato, light feta and a chopped green pepper on top. The pepper provides 2 servings of veggies (although not the most nutrient dense option...) and perhaps a touch too much saturated fat from the egg and feta - but not too bad!
Every once in a while, I get a craving for one of their sugary concoctions...and then am always left unsatisfied. I had a decaf, half sweet toffee mocha. Not too bad...but not that exciting. Even half sweet, it is more sugar than I needed.
An afternoon snack (which looks completely indistinguishable here!) was Liberte apple pie yogurt with a sprinkle of raw trail mix, All Bran buds and hemp seeds. Now this is a good sweet treat: probiotic yogurt, protein and the heart healthy soluble fibre that all of us need more of.
Yum! This is a riff on a Jamie Oliver recipe from the Cook with Jamie book. It is a raw beet, pear and feta salad to which I added chick peas for protein. And leave it to me to forget to take a picture of the bread...but there was bread too. Two slices of Terra green olive bread with butter. I love chopped salads to help you get a huge proportion of your fruit and veggie servings at one go but I never serve a main course salad without a protein: either beans, tofu or eggs. It's a must!
See you in a week or so...I shall actually be without Internet access while I'm away!
Desiree
Monday, August 23, 2010
Cheap Tricks...to help you slash calories and beat the bulge
Now that you know what calories are...I will show you a few easy ways to slash them! Anyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of radical diets but realistically speaking, we still live in a world where most of us are gaining weight year over year. So what is the answer? Looking for little ways to cut the fat (pun intended) out of your life, for good! No fuss, no muss...no starving yourself only to dive into a whole pint of Haagen Dazs 12 days later. I speak from experience...
By cutting out what doesn't really matter you can still enjoy the things that bring you culinary and sensory joy - be it garden fresh corn smothered in butter, homemade pecan chocolate cookies or grand dinners out - no calorie counting necessary. Here are 4 "cheap tricks" to help slim out your routine!
Swap your starch: we snack constantly on processed carbohydrate foods which are super easy to overeat and don't really fill you up (or provide real nourishment!). So switch your snacks to fruits and veggies: try carrots dipped in hummus, apples and cheddar, pear dipped in almond butter or just pure, unadulterated fruits and veggies instead of granola bars, crackers and pastries. Feel fuller, longer and nourish your body with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants instead of empty calories.
Example of your calorie savings: 12 baby carrots instead of 12 Ritz crackers: 156 calories
Make over your yogurt: Most yogurts on the shelves are little more than a bunch of food byproducts covered up with food cosmetics to make them sickly sweet. Real yogurt is a health food, "yogurts" made from modified milk ingredients, stabilizers and artificial flavours and sweeteners are not. And varieties made with sugar can have a massive calorie count, even non fat versions! So switch to plain, non fat yogurt made with only milk and live active cultures....I love Greek yogurt for its extra protein (thanks to its lower water content) and beautiful creamy texture. Taste buds not ready for plain? Sweeten on your own with a bit of honey or better yet, real fruit!
Example of your calorie savings: 3/4 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup fresh or thawed blueberries versus 3/4 cup of a typical fat free sweetened berry flavoured yogurt: 100 calories
Liquid Assets: Want to trim your waist in a major way? Stop drinking your calories! Not only do liquid calories not fill you up (except for milk, which actually turns semi solid in your stomach), your body actually doesn't recognize the calories from drinks meaning you will not compensate by eating less later on. So as hard as it might be for all you sweet tooth gulpers out there...go for calorie free drinks like water, seltzer, plain tea and coffee and you will slash your daily calorie intake without changing anything about your diet.
Example of your calorie savings: Large unsweetened iced tea instead of a large blended coffee beverage: 230 calories
Measure up: There is an old saying that goes something like this: "My eyes were larger than my stomach." However, what I have noticed is that eventually, the stomach catches up with the eyes! Larger portion sizes just prime us to eat more as our stomachs (and our behinds) expand. A great way to get your back down to earth is to actually measure what you eat. For example, most of us just pour out oil into a pan for cooking, but why not just measure a tablespoon (for a family's meal) or a teaspoon (for a smaller recipe)? And when you are serving yourself pasta or rice, why not just measure out a cup full? Using measuring spoons and cups just helps you be more aware or servings so that you can start to eyeball what is actually on your plate.
Here are some sample measurements and the caloric heft:
1 tbsp of oil: about 100 calories
1 cup of cooked pasta or rice: about 200 calories
1/3 cup of raw nuts: 275 calories
1 oz of cheese (the size of 3 dice): 115 calories
3-4 oz of meat (the size of a deck of cards): 165 calories
What are your favourite tricks to help keep your weight in check without taking over your routine? Let us know!
In good health,
Desiree
By cutting out what doesn't really matter you can still enjoy the things that bring you culinary and sensory joy - be it garden fresh corn smothered in butter, homemade pecan chocolate cookies or grand dinners out - no calorie counting necessary. Here are 4 "cheap tricks" to help slim out your routine!
Swap your starch: we snack constantly on processed carbohydrate foods which are super easy to overeat and don't really fill you up (or provide real nourishment!). So switch your snacks to fruits and veggies: try carrots dipped in hummus, apples and cheddar, pear dipped in almond butter or just pure, unadulterated fruits and veggies instead of granola bars, crackers and pastries. Feel fuller, longer and nourish your body with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants instead of empty calories.
Example of your calorie savings: 12 baby carrots instead of 12 Ritz crackers: 156 calories
Make over your yogurt: Most yogurts on the shelves are little more than a bunch of food byproducts covered up with food cosmetics to make them sickly sweet. Real yogurt is a health food, "yogurts" made from modified milk ingredients, stabilizers and artificial flavours and sweeteners are not. And varieties made with sugar can have a massive calorie count, even non fat versions! So switch to plain, non fat yogurt made with only milk and live active cultures....I love Greek yogurt for its extra protein (thanks to its lower water content) and beautiful creamy texture. Taste buds not ready for plain? Sweeten on your own with a bit of honey or better yet, real fruit!
Example of your calorie savings: 3/4 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup fresh or thawed blueberries versus 3/4 cup of a typical fat free sweetened berry flavoured yogurt: 100 calories
Liquid Assets: Want to trim your waist in a major way? Stop drinking your calories! Not only do liquid calories not fill you up (except for milk, which actually turns semi solid in your stomach), your body actually doesn't recognize the calories from drinks meaning you will not compensate by eating less later on. So as hard as it might be for all you sweet tooth gulpers out there...go for calorie free drinks like water, seltzer, plain tea and coffee and you will slash your daily calorie intake without changing anything about your diet.
Example of your calorie savings: Large unsweetened iced tea instead of a large blended coffee beverage: 230 calories
Measure up: There is an old saying that goes something like this: "My eyes were larger than my stomach." However, what I have noticed is that eventually, the stomach catches up with the eyes! Larger portion sizes just prime us to eat more as our stomachs (and our behinds) expand. A great way to get your back down to earth is to actually measure what you eat. For example, most of us just pour out oil into a pan for cooking, but why not just measure a tablespoon (for a family's meal) or a teaspoon (for a smaller recipe)? And when you are serving yourself pasta or rice, why not just measure out a cup full? Using measuring spoons and cups just helps you be more aware or servings so that you can start to eyeball what is actually on your plate.
Here are some sample measurements and the caloric heft:
1 tbsp of oil: about 100 calories
1 cup of cooked pasta or rice: about 200 calories
1/3 cup of raw nuts: 275 calories
1 oz of cheese (the size of 3 dice): 115 calories
3-4 oz of meat (the size of a deck of cards): 165 calories
What are your favourite tricks to help keep your weight in check without taking over your routine? Let us know!
In good health,
Desiree
Monday, March 22, 2010
Eat...super snacks!
My European friends remark that "Americans are always eating" and its true! We seem to be lost without food or a drink in our hands. However, I don't want to vilify snacks in and of themselves. We all have different eating personalities: some of us feel great on three "squares" a day and others prefer to nibble all day and hate a full stomach. What is really important that no matter how we prefer to eat, we eat enough...but not too much! The worst case scenario is when that constant nibbling turns from nibbles into feasts.
For many of us, snacks are a vital part of the day and they can do a lot to boost your overall health. Snacks can ensure we feel energized when meals are more than 4 hours apart; snacks can also give us more opportunities to get our fruits and veggies in but we need to define what makes a good snack.
More often than not, we reach for "snack foods" at snack time: granola bars, chips, pretzels, candy and chocolate....not the nutrient dense and nourishing foods we should be reaching for. And wasting calories on drinks? Be it a Frappucino, sugary "vitamin" waters or pop...caloric beverages are usually a nutritional zero and set you up for weight gain in a big way. Calories from drinks don't register with our brain the way calories from foods do, so we typically end up eating more at the next meal than we would have if we had had a food based snack.
So what should we snack on? Real food, please!
Here are 15 super snacks that feature fruits, veggies, lean protein and massive nutritional value.
1. 1 apple, quartered, with 2 slices of lean turkey breast
2. 1 pkg of instant unsweetened oatmeal topped with a banana and a bit of honey
3. 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 cup frozen cherries and 1 tsp of hemp seed
4. 1 ounce of mozzarella (or a string cheese) with 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
5. 2 Ryvita crackers spread with 1 tbsp almond butter
6. 1 apple, sliced, dipped in 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
7. 2 tbsp dried cranberries, 1 tbsp raw almonds & 1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
8. 1 cup skim milk warmed with 1 tbsp cocoa & 1/2 tbsp sugar or honey
9. 1 mini can of seasoned tuna with 2 Ryvita crackers
10. 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt with 1/2 cup thawed blueberries & 1/3 cup All Bran or Smart Bran
11. 1/2 or 1 Larabar
12. 1/2 cup baby carrots or sliced celery with 1/4 cup hummus
13. 1 slice sprouted grain bread spread with 1 tbsp part skim ricotta and 1 tbsp honey
14. 1/2 tomato & 1/4 cucumber, chopped, with 1 tbsp feta & 1 tbsp dressing
15. 1/2 cup home roasted chick peas
Happy Nutrition Month everyone,
Desiree
(PS..The picture is me in front of a big spread (not fully visible...yes, there was more food!) at my grandmother's house 3 years ago. Frequently heard: "Eat, eat...you are so skinny!" Gotta love a Portuguese grandmother!)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Eat...to boost your immune system
Nothing like getting caught up after a vacation to cut into your blogging time but I am back! Since we are running head first into probably the most interesting cold and flu season we have experienced in recent memory (H1N1 anyone?)I thought it fitting to spend some time talking about how we can boost our immunity with good nutrition.
Now, I don't think anyone can hear this enough...washing your hands constantly and not touching your face is a massive step towards stemming the spread of cold and flu germs but building a healthy strong body through good nutrition can help you fight off whatever little bug may come your way.
Let's take this step by step...and talk first about probiotics. Yogurt has been considered a health food for literally thousands of years. Revered in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as a "food of the gods", the secret to yogurt's success is fermentation by lactic acid forming bacteria. It was Dr Elie Metchnikoff in the early 1900s that popularized the health giving benefits of yogurt in the West, believing that the healthy bacteria in yogurt fought disease causing critters and normalized bowel habits.
Clinical research is mixed on the health benefits of probiotics, which probiotic strains are best and the dosage but probiotics are typically taken to encourage a healthy mix of bacteria in the colon. The link to our immune system is one of a healthy barrier. Believe it or not, our gut (from mouth to you-know-what) is actually the outside of our body...what? Yup, our gut is a first line defense against the outside world much like our skin is. So keeping our gut barrier healthy (and discouraging disease causing bacteria from setting up camp in our colon) theoretically helps to strengthen our immune defenses.
Researchers have learned that our gut health is regulated by the bacteria that live within us. A newer concept in GI medicine is one of gut barrier integrity, or "leaky gut": the idea being that if our gut is unhealthy, the cells which are supposed to be a barrier to the outside world become "leaky", allowing food particles and bugs that have no business getting through the velvet ropes to crash the party. The result is inflammation, infection and potentially food and gut hypersensitivity. It is thought that probiotics may reduce inflammation as a whole by downregulating inflammatory messengers called cytokines and therefore gut sensitivity.
If you want to learn more and like reading original scientific articles (and really, who doesn't), see this great 2009 review article here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/3656030247656066/fulltext.pdf . By the way, I love it when journals offer free access to their publication...so thank you Journal of Gastroenterology :)
To supplement or not? As a dietitian, I am always a food first kind of girl but I have been known to take a probiotic supplement if feeling like I have been "hit with a bug". However, then the question becomes "which brands can I trust?". This is where things get a little tricky. A 2004 study done at UBC looked at 10 common over-the-counter probiotic supplements and not a single one of them met the specifications shown on the label. 50% of them didn't even contain the bacterial strain they claimed on the label. What is frustrating is that the researchers declined to name the brands - which I would really like to know. If a company is saying one thing and selling another, customers should have the right to know! Here is the study URL if you want to check it out for yourself. http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/reprint/50/4/583 . If you do want to take a supplement, make sure you enlist the help of someone knowledgeable who knows the brands.
My personal probiotic prescription for better health? 3/4 cup of plain nonfat organic yogurt daily. Keep it simple (and get a boost of protein and calcium along with your probiotics!). Remember, it was yogurt that has been revered as a health food...not the individual strains it may or may not contain (not yet at least!).
There is a lot of bad yogurt on the shelves - filled with gelatin and other stabilizers, colours, flavours and other gunk that you don't need. Good yogurt should be milk and live active bacterial cultures. Like it a little sweet? Add a bit of honey or maple syrup or better yet, try one of my favourite healthy snacks: take a half cup frozen blueberries, add yogurt and put in your lunch box along with some hemp seed and organic bran. By mid morning, the berries will have thawed and juiced up the yogurt better than any premixed stuff. Mix in the other goodies for some fibre and healthy omega 3 fats!
A bientot,
Desiree
Now, I don't think anyone can hear this enough...washing your hands constantly and not touching your face is a massive step towards stemming the spread of cold and flu germs but building a healthy strong body through good nutrition can help you fight off whatever little bug may come your way.
Let's take this step by step...and talk first about probiotics. Yogurt has been considered a health food for literally thousands of years. Revered in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as a "food of the gods", the secret to yogurt's success is fermentation by lactic acid forming bacteria. It was Dr Elie Metchnikoff in the early 1900s that popularized the health giving benefits of yogurt in the West, believing that the healthy bacteria in yogurt fought disease causing critters and normalized bowel habits.
Clinical research is mixed on the health benefits of probiotics, which probiotic strains are best and the dosage but probiotics are typically taken to encourage a healthy mix of bacteria in the colon. The link to our immune system is one of a healthy barrier. Believe it or not, our gut (from mouth to you-know-what) is actually the outside of our body...what? Yup, our gut is a first line defense against the outside world much like our skin is. So keeping our gut barrier healthy (and discouraging disease causing bacteria from setting up camp in our colon) theoretically helps to strengthen our immune defenses.
Researchers have learned that our gut health is regulated by the bacteria that live within us. A newer concept in GI medicine is one of gut barrier integrity, or "leaky gut": the idea being that if our gut is unhealthy, the cells which are supposed to be a barrier to the outside world become "leaky", allowing food particles and bugs that have no business getting through the velvet ropes to crash the party. The result is inflammation, infection and potentially food and gut hypersensitivity. It is thought that probiotics may reduce inflammation as a whole by downregulating inflammatory messengers called cytokines and therefore gut sensitivity.
If you want to learn more and like reading original scientific articles (and really, who doesn't), see this great 2009 review article here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/3656030247656066/fulltext.pdf . By the way, I love it when journals offer free access to their publication...so thank you Journal of Gastroenterology :)
To supplement or not? As a dietitian, I am always a food first kind of girl but I have been known to take a probiotic supplement if feeling like I have been "hit with a bug". However, then the question becomes "which brands can I trust?". This is where things get a little tricky. A 2004 study done at UBC looked at 10 common over-the-counter probiotic supplements and not a single one of them met the specifications shown on the label. 50% of them didn't even contain the bacterial strain they claimed on the label. What is frustrating is that the researchers declined to name the brands - which I would really like to know. If a company is saying one thing and selling another, customers should have the right to know! Here is the study URL if you want to check it out for yourself. http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/reprint/50/4/583 . If you do want to take a supplement, make sure you enlist the help of someone knowledgeable who knows the brands.
My personal probiotic prescription for better health? 3/4 cup of plain nonfat organic yogurt daily. Keep it simple (and get a boost of protein and calcium along with your probiotics!). Remember, it was yogurt that has been revered as a health food...not the individual strains it may or may not contain (not yet at least!).
There is a lot of bad yogurt on the shelves - filled with gelatin and other stabilizers, colours, flavours and other gunk that you don't need. Good yogurt should be milk and live active bacterial cultures. Like it a little sweet? Add a bit of honey or maple syrup or better yet, try one of my favourite healthy snacks: take a half cup frozen blueberries, add yogurt and put in your lunch box along with some hemp seed and organic bran. By mid morning, the berries will have thawed and juiced up the yogurt better than any premixed stuff. Mix in the other goodies for some fibre and healthy omega 3 fats!
A bientot,
Desiree
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)