The Dish

The Cost of Eating in BC

I often turn to this report to highlight that many British Columbians (including students) don’t have enough money to buy healthy food. When addressing food insecurity in training the SFU Food Bank volunteers, it is extremely helpful as well. I hope you will take the time to see what you can do to help. These are just a few ideas from the report:

• Log onto the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition website at http://bcpovertyreduction.ca . This site is a wealth of information on the cost of poverty in BC (watch the videos at http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/category/video to find out more)
• Email the Premier and add your voice to the call to the Government of British Columbia to reduce poverty and homelessness in our province at http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/take-action-2
• Support the Living Wage for Families campaign in BC (find out more at http://livingwageforfamilies.ca )

The Cost of Eating in BC 2011 Report (as well as previous years) can be accessed here: http://www.dietitians.ca/Secondary-Pages/Public/The-Cost-of-Eating-in-British-Columbia.aspx

Many of you that have sent in questions or that I have seen individually in the past have asked about the best places to purchase gluten-free products.  If you are interested check out the Gluten-Free Expo this Sunday January 22nd, http://www.glutenfreeexpo.ca/

Let me remind others that gluten-free doesn’t mean the product is “healthier”, it’s indicated especially for those with diagnosed celiac disease. See another gluten question here: http://blogs.sfu.ca/services/thedish/?p=1234

Health At Every Size

I switched on the TV yesterday and a CTV talk show was discussing fitness facts and myths. The portion I watched featured a personal trainer who dispelled the myth of muscle turning to fat if you don’t work out. The next topic was protein shakes and it reminded me that at this time of year many of us make resolutions related to fitness and nutrition. Making “SMART” goals is of course key when we think about active living. In addition, health does not equate to being thin. A concept I am familiar with as a dietitian and one which I hope will grow is, “Health at Every Size” (HAES). It is an evolving movement working to promote size-acceptance, to end weight discrimination, and to lessen the cultural obsession with weight loss and thinness. HAES promotes balanced eating, life-enhancing physical activity, and respect for the diversity of body shapes and sizes. What do you think when you see an overweight person or how do you feel about your own size or shape? Check out the site dedicated to HAES and let me know what you think. http://www.haescommunity.org/about.php

Check out this article from the Globe and Mail, thanks to Wency Leung for the interview.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/health-nutrition/nutrition-features/sprouted-grains-are-they-as-healthy-as-the-claims/article2025175/

This is another question that is difficult for me to answer through this blog, I really need to know what you are eating. General healthy eating tips such as following Canada’s Food Guide with balanced meals and snacks every 3-4 hours can help with your energy. There is also some evidence that supports supplementation with Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3). Please consult with a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement regime. You may also wish to call 8-1-1 and speak to a Registered Dietitian through HealthLinkBC’s Dietitian Services.

Sorry for the delay in responding, I was away. Because this is a very specific health issue, I would recommend that your mom call 8-1-1 and speak to a dietitian through HealthLinkBC’s Dietitian Services. It is a free call.

Body Image, Calcium and Food Safety

What do these three topics have in common? Well nothing really except that I have new links that I want to share on each:)

Body Image
“Because there is a thin line between wanting to be healthy and feel good about yourself and risking your health trying to live up to unrealistic beauty standards.”
Check out The Quebec Charter for Healthy and Diverse Body Image, I recently signed this online petition and hope you will too.

Calcium Calculator      
Did you know your peak bone mass isn’t reached until around age 30? Check out this newly redesigned interactive tool to see if you are getting enough calcium for your bones. http://bcdairyfoundation.ca/interactive/calcium-calculator/

Food Safety
Do you use a thermometer to check the temperature of cooked meats? How about to check the temperature of your fridge? Learn more about preventing food borne illness with this website, www.ruhotenuf.ca .

Thank you for reading The Dish. I use Health Canada and Dietitians of Canada as a reference for many of my posts. Although aspartame is permitted for use as a food additive in Canada, I don’t usually recommend it. It is “artificial”, made from a chemical process and many experts and consumers alike are trying to minimize our exposure to chemicals in all regards. Concerns arise with increased intake. Having 1-2 gallons per week of an aspartame containing beverage is of increased concern compared to someone who drinks a couple of cans of diet pop in a week. Even if we set aside the chemical issue, this amount of a beverage containing aspartame is likely displacing more nutritious beverages from your diet. Also, if the beverage is diet pop the acidity can damage tooth enamel.

Although aspartame is considered “safe”, the ADI (or Acceptable Daily Intake) for aspartame is 40 mg/kg body weight per day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb) person could safely have 2000 mg of aspartame per day. One can of diet pop contains up to 200 mg of aspartame BUT that doesn’t mean it is recommended to drink 10 cans of pop in a day or even in a week.

There is a breadth of health information online and it is important to critically evaluate everything we read and look for scientific references. It is also important to make food and beverage choices you believe in. For example, some people prefer only organic foods while others choose items with the best value. So I really leave it up to the individual.

Nutritional science is also an evolving field, who knows what new information or products will be available in 10 years time. Have you heard of Stevia? There may be more beverages available soon with this plant based sweetener which is also much sweeter than regular sugar but without the calories.

Nuts and nut butters contain unsaturated fat, this is the kind of fat we want to be getting. I don’t think you are getting too much fat from nuts or almond butter. Both these choices are a great source of protein and they provide key minerals such as magnesium and iron. Nuts do not contain cholesterol but they can help lower our blood cholesterol. You will notice that nuts and nut butters are included on Canada’s Food Guide. Because they are a dense source of energy it is important to pay attention to portion sizes, it sounds like you are doing that already.

HDL & LDL-cholesterol are particles that carry fats in our body and can be measured to assess our risk for heart disease. You cannot eat HDL or LDL. Saturated fats (shortening, fatty cuts of meat, high fat dairy products) can raise our LDL and lower our HDL. LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol so we want it to be low, while HDL is considered “good” so we want it to be high.

Nuts also provide some fiber, but we know that most Canadians aren’t getting enough fiber. It is very unlikely for nuts to cause intestinal issues.

See more about dietary fat and cholesterol in another question. http://blogs.sfu.ca/services/thedish/?p=374 
You can also search key words on The Dish to see other similar questions.

I didn’t have time to view the clips in detail but after double checking some of my references I can offer some clarification. See the quote below from a reference website offered through Dietitians of Canada:

“Data from observational studies and clinical trials does not consistently demonstrate a benefit on reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of decreasing total fat or saturated fat intake; however clinical trials have demonstrated that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, not refined carbohydrate, is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

Current guidelines that recommend a diet providing 20-35% of energy from fat that is high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fat (<7% of total calories), trans fats (<1% of total calories) and refined carbohydrate support cardiovascular benefits. The 2006 American Heart Association diet and lifestyle recommendations for CVD prevention advise that the general population limit cholesterol intake to <300 mg/day.” 

The thing is developing CVD is a complicated process and doesn’t just have to do with your saturated fat intake. It is impacted by your weight and how you carry your weight (your waist circumference). Diets that are rich in whole grains, fiber, vegetables and fruit and omega-3 fats are also protective when it comes to CVD. Hope that helps!