Download Nutrition A-Z- A Guide to Healthy Eating

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The nutrition manual refresh was made possible through the generous support of
President’s Choice Children’s Charity®
This resource guide has been created as an introduction to nutrition and healthy eating for children, parents and staff at Boys and Girls Clubs. While the information contained in this guide has
been obtained from reputable sources, the opinions expressed throughout are those of the author(s) and are not intended as a substitute for a physician’s advice, diagnosis or treatment. Readers
are encouraged to consult with a dietician or their health care professional for more specific information in regards to their individual nutritional needs. The authors and the Boys and Girls Clubs
of Canada and its employees and agents assume no responsibility or liability arising from any error in or omission of information, or from the use of any information contained within this guide.
Nutrition
A Guide to Healthy Eating
Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada believes that the most effective approaches to teaching
kids about health and nutrition is by providing them with opportunities to learn by
doing. At Clubs across the country staff facilitate activities in which children and youth
can plan balanced meals, participate in cooking classes, go grocery shopping and be
physically active through play and sports. Club staff have indicated they need more
nutrition resources to help them lead nutrition activities and model healthy active
living in their Clubs and communities.
As a result, we created this guide to provide Club staff – and parents too – with useful
information about what it means to eat and cook healthy food. It contains key details
to help Club kids make healthy choices as well as practical strategies for doing so.
The development of this guide would not have been possible without the generous
support of President’s Choice Children’s Charity®, which focuses on making sure kids
have every opportunity to live to their full potential. Through this partnership, Boys
and Girls Clubs of Canada has been able to provide Clubs with funds to feed young
people and their families, and promote the importance of nutritious food through the
creation of this resource.
We would also like to thank the following Club staff who reviewed drafts and provided
their input and feedback during the development process:
Jason Leenamkwong
Mike Jacobs
Alana Doucette
Lana Marshall
Boys and Girls Club of West Scarborough
Boys and Girls Club of St. John’s
Boys and Girls Club of East Dartmouth
Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg Inc.
Sincerely,
Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada National Programs Team
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
i
Table of Contents
ii
Antioxidants. . ...........................1
Organic. . ............................... 22
Breakfast................................ 2
Physical Activity.................... 23
Canada’s Food Guide. . ............. 3
Questions?............................ 25
Colours................................... 5
Rewards . . .............................. 27
Dieting. . .................................. 6
Sodium (Salt). . ....................... 28
Eating Out. . ............................. 7
Serving Size.......................... 29
Fibre....................................... 8
Soy....................................... 30
Gardening. . ............................. 9
Trying New Things.................. 31
Grocery Shopping . . ................ 10
Unsaturated Fats. . ................. 32
Healthy Snacks...................... 11
Vitamins and Minerals........... 34
High-Fructose Corn Syrup....... 12
Vegetarianism....................... 36
Ingredient Lists.. ..................... 13
Water................................... 38
Juicing................................... 15
Whole Grains........................ 39
(Use Your) Kitchen.................. 16
(E)xample..............................40
Labels....................................18
Yummy…But Healthy!. . .......... 41
Mental Health....................... 20
ZZZZs. . .................................. 43
Nitrates................................. 21
Bibliography. . ........................44
A ntioxidants
Food does more than just fuel you. It also prevents disease!
Antioxidants are vitamins and other nutrients that
help protect your cells from the damaging effects of
free radicals. Free radicals attack cells in our body,
leading to natural aging and diseases like cancer and
heart disease. Free radicals can come from external
sources like cigarette smoke, pollution, unhealthy
foods, and chemicals, but they are also a natural
byproduct of how our bodies work.
Humans take in oxygen through breathing, and
that oxygen is carried through the body to support
a whole bunch of bodily functions. When our cells
come into contact with oxygen, it causes them to
oxidize, or break down. To better understand this
process, think of your body as a car. Cars can rust
when their metal reacts with oxygen, but if you
cover it with a protective coating, it doesn’t rust as
quickly. For the body, antioxidants are that protective
coating. They protect your body’s cells from the
damage caused by free radicals.
To see how antioxidants work for yourself, try this:
cut two slices of apple, and rub one with lemon
juice. The untreated slice of apple will begin to turn
brown shortly after being cut, but the one rubbed
with lemon juice will be preserved. This is because
lemon juice contains a lot of vitamin C, which is an
antioxidant.
Our bodies produce many antioxidants on their
own, but the antioxidants in foods play a critical
role in keeping free radicals in check. Most healthy
foods – including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
lean protein – contain antioxidants, but eating the
following foods will pack an extra antioxidant punch:
Berries
Beans
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Garlic
Green tea
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwi
Legumes
Nuts
Oats
Oranges
Papaya
Peppers
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy products
Squash
Spinach
Tomatoes
Turkey
Whole grains
Yogurt
Source: Pratt, S. and Matthews, K. Superfoods Rx.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
1
B reakfast
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!
Why?
Breakfast should always include:
1. It gets your metabolism fired up. Metabolism
is the process by which our bodies convert the
fuel from food into the energy needed to perform
all bodily functions – from moving to thinking to
growing. The more efficient your metabolism,
the healthier you are.
• Whole grains, like whole wheat bread, whole
grain cereal, or oatmeal.
2. It improves brain function. Studies have
shown that youth who eat breakfast have better
concentration, memory, and problem-solving
skills throughout the morning.
3. It makes you feel less tired and cranky.
Breakfast gives you a much-needed energy boost
after a night of sleeping – and fasting.
4. It makes you more able to participate in
physical activities. When your body is properly
fueled and your metabolism is revved up, your
body uses energy more efficiently. That means a
better workout for you!
5. Studies have shown that people who
eat breakfast tend to eat less calories
throughout the day.
6. Studies have shown that people who eat
breakfast tend to have a healthier diet
overall.
• Fruit or vegetables like banana, berries, baked
beans, or tomato.
•
A bit of protein or fat, for example eggs,
cottage cheese, nuts, or nut butter.
For youth, it’s also a good idea to include a
source of calcium at breakfast, for example milk,
cheese, yogurt, or fortified soy milk.
Try these simple, delicious, and nutritious breakfast
ideas:
Oatmeal with fruit and nuts
Peanut butter and
banana sandwich
Apple with almond butter
Scrambled eggs with vegetables and
cheese
Whole grain French toast topped with fruit
Yogurt with berries and low-fat granola
Whole grain English muffin with cottage
cheese and tomato
Smoothie made with fruit, yogurt, and soy
milk
Whole grain cereal with milk and berries
Whole grain tortilla with scrambled eggs,
vegetables, and beans
Source: Beck, L. Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens
2
C anada’s Food Guide
Canada’s Food Guide, which is available for free online, helps you understand how much food you need, what
types of foods are best for you, and the importance of physical activity in your day. Following Canada’s Food
Guide helps you meet your need for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and contributes to your overall
health and vitality.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends a balanced diet incorporating four main categories of food. Nowadays
there are many diets that recommend drastically cutting down on foods from one or more category – i.e. no
carbs, no fat, no dairy – but the truth is that you need a little bit of everything for optimal health. So don’t
get sucked in to the hype of fad diets, even if you’re trying to lose weight. Simply eat healthy amounts of
natural, whole foods from all four Food Guide categories, and get some exercise every day.
How much food you need per day depends on your age and gender:
Children
Teens
2-3 4-8 9-13 14-18 years
Girls and Boys
Female
Male
Adults
19-50 years
Female
Male
51+ years
Female
Male
Vegetables and fruit
4
5
6
7
8
7-8 8-10
7
7
Grain Products
3
4
6
6
7
6-7
8
6
7
Milk and Alternatives 2
2
3-4
3-4
3-4
2
2
3
3
Meat and Alternatives 1
1
1-2
2
3
2
3
2
3
(www.hc-sc.gc.ca)
See the “Serving Size” section on page 29 for information on what makes one serving.
Along with how much and what kinds of food to eat, Canada’s Food Guide also
outlines simple and healthy food choices you should make every day. Here’s a brief
summary:
•
Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable per day
•
Eat fruits and vegetables prepared with little to no fat, sugar, and salt
•
Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice
•
Make at least half of your grain products whole grains
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
3
•
Drink skim, 1%, or 2% milk (or calcium-fortified soy milk)
•
Choose meat alternatives like beans, lentils, and soy products often
•
Eat at least two servings of fish per week
•
Select lean meat, and prepare with little or no added fat and salt
•
Children and youth should participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes
per day
Canada’s Food Guide also provides guidelines on how many calories you should eat per day. Maintaining a
healthy body weight comes down to balancing the calories you take in through food with the calories you
burn through physical activity, so it’s important to know what is healthy for your age and activity level.
To order or print a copy of Canada’s Food Guide, go to http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guidealiment/index-eng.php. The guide is available in ten languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese
(simplified), Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu
Source: hc-sc.gc.ca
4
C olours
To make sure you get all the vitamins and nutrients your body
needs, eat a wide variety of different coloured fruits and
vegetables.
You’ve probably heard that it’s important to eat 5 – 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. But did you
know that it’s just as important to eat fruits and vegetables of a variety of colours? Different-coloured
produce contains different vitamins and minerals, so “eating the rainbow” ensures that you get a balanced
variety of nutrients every day.
Fruits and vegetables can be divided into five colour groups. Each colour group represents a different
combination of nutrients, so the more colours you can put on your plate, the better. Aim to include at least
one serving from each colour group every day.
The five colour groups are:
RED
YELLOW
ORANGE
GREEN
BLUE
VIOLET
WHITE
BEIGE
BROWN
(www.5to10aday.com)
Red fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called “lycopene” or “anthocyanins.”
These nutrients act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. Some examples include: red
apples, beets, cherries, red grapes, red peppers, tomatoes and rhubarb.
Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are usually colored by natural plant pigments called “carotenoids.”
Scientists have reported that carotenoid-rich foods can help reduce risk of cancer and heart disease, and can
improve immune system function. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are also a good source of vitamin C.
Some examples include: apricots, butternut squash, lemon, pumpkin and sweet corn.
Green fruits and vegetables, which are colored by a natural plant pigment called “chlorophyll,” pack a huge
nutritional punch, providing iron, calcium, lutein (keeps eyes healthy), and practically every type of vitamin!
Some examples include: green beans, cucumbers, kiwi, peas, spinach and broccoli.
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called “anthocyanins.”
Anthocyanins act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage, and may help reduce risk of
cancer, stroke and heart disease. Some examples include: figs, raisins, blackberries and eggplant.
White fruits and vegetables are colored by pigments called “anthoxanthins.” They may help lower
cholesterol and blood pressure, and may help reduce risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. Some
examples include: bananas, garlic, mushrooms, parsnips and potatoes.
Source: 5to10aday.com
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
5
D iet
To maintain a healthy body weight it’s important to eat proper
portions of nutritious food... and exercise every day.
Nowadays there are all kinds of fad diets. Some tell
you not to eat any carbohydrates or fat. Others tell
you to eat huge amounts of protein or to limit your
intake of starchy foods. Some even proscribe herbal
supplements and other “magic” pills to allegedly curb
your appetite and speed up your metabolism. The
truth is, however, that many of these restrictive diets
are imbalanced and unhealthy, especially for children
and youth.
Food gives you all sorts of nutrients, the three most
important being carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
These “macronutrients” are necessary for growth,
metabolism, and other important functions of the
body, and so diets that completely restrict one
whole class of macronutrient simply don’t make
sense. Diets that severely restrict calories are also
counterproductive for young people, as they may
deprive youth of energy and nutrients needed to stay
active and healthy, slow down metabolism, and lead
to bouts of binge eating.
Going on a diet is not necessarily a bad thing. In
fact, when 1/3 of Canadian kids aged 9 – 13 are
overweight and 10% are obese, it’s often necessary.
But the diet you go on has to be safe, smart, and
healthy. Weight management is about long-term
success and lifestyle, not counting grams of fat or
feeling guilty for eating a piece of bread. You need
to make permanent changes to your eating and
fitness regimens, including eating a balanced diet
that follows the guidelines set out by Canada’s Food
Guide.
6
Nutritionist Leslie Beck sets out a simple and healthy
weight management plan in her book Healthy Eating
for Preteens and Teens. She advises young people
who want to lose and/or maintain weight to:
• Reduce saturated and trans fats
• Get more fibre
• Eat 4 – 5 times a day, starting with
breakfast
• Eat meals prepared at home
• Cut out sugary drinks
• Eat smaller portions
• Plan a weekly treat
• Pay attention to hunger and satiety
levels, and use them to guide when
and how much you eat
• Recognize what triggers overeating
• Exercise
Source: Beck, L. Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens
E ating Out
Two simple lifestyle changes you can make towards a healthier
diet is to cook at home as much as possible and make smart
choices about the food you eat when you go out.
Strategy #1: Cook at home as much as
cheese strings, pretzels, dried fruit, nuts, and
bottled water. See the “Healthy Snacks” section
on page 11 for more ideas.
possible.
This includes packing lunches and healthy snacks
for the day. Yes, this strategy takes some time and
energy, but it’s worth it. And with a little bit of
planning, it can be easier and cheaper than you think.
•
Buy pre-washed greens for quick salads.
•
Have your family members take turns cooking.
•
Strategy #2: Make smart choices when
•
•
Make a weekly meal plan that factors in
breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Set aside time for grocery shopping every week.
See the “Grocery Shopping” section on page 10
for tips on how to make this as easy and painless
as possible.
Prep the foods you’ll need for the next couple
of days in advance. This might include cutting
up vegetables, marinating meats, or shredding
cheese.
•
Keep your freezer and pantry stocked with basics
that are easy to throw together, for example
chicken breasts, frozen and canned vegetables,
rice, pasta, and sweet potatoes.
•
Make planned leftovers that can be packed for
lunch the next day.
•
Pre-make lunches the night before so they’re
ready to grab-and-go in the morning.
•
•
Do a meal exchange. Get together with a group
of friends and have everyone prepare one meal
split into as many portions as there are people.
Swap so everyone gets a single-serving, ready to
eat portion of everyone else’s dish.
Have healthy, “grab-able” foods ready to go, for
example fruit, pre-cut veggies, trail mix, yogurt,
low fat granola bars, whole wheat crackers,
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
you eat out. You can find some healthier
fare on most menus if you know what to
look for and what to avoid.
•
Look for foods that indicate low-fat cooking
techniques: baked, broiled, grilled, steamed,
poached, roasted, lightly sautéed, stir-fried.
•
Avoid fried foods.
•
Order dishes that come with vegetables, or ask
to substitute vegetables for fries.
•
Choose whole-grains whenever possible, for
example whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole
wheat pasta, or whole grain pizza crust.
•
Stay away from “creamy” dishes.
•
Get dressings, toppings, and sauces on the side.
•
Choose water instead of a sweetened beverage.
•
Order smaller sizes of drinks, and avoid the free
refills.
•
Share a dish with someone.
•
Takeaway leftovers for later.
•
Don’t be afraid to make special requests If you
want something prepared a certain way, or to
make a healthy substitution, just ask. Most
establishments will be happy to help if they can.
7
F ibre
A healthy diet needs fibre.
Fibre is an important nutrient found in many fruits,
vegetables, legumes, and carbohydrates. Eating high
fibre foods has been shown to lower cholesterol,
and it helps move food through your digestive track
faster, preventing constipation. High fibre foods may
also help if you’re trying to lose weight, because they
tend to have less calories.
Your daily recommended intake of fibre depends on
your age and gender:
For boys aged 9 – 13: 31 grams
For boys aged 14 – 19: 38 grams
For girls aged 9 – 13: 26 grams
For girls aged 14 – 19: 26 grams
To up your fibre intake, eat these foods on a regular
basis:
8
•
Breads and Whole Grains: whole wheat bread,
flaxseed, pita bread, brown rice, whole wheat
pasta, wheat bran, oats, barley
•
Cereals: All Bran, Grape Nuts, Corn Bran
Squares, Shreddies, oat bran, oatmeal,
•
Fruits (leave the skin on for extra fibre): apples,
Asian pears, bananas, blackberries, blueberries,
boysenberries, dates, figs, kiwifruit, oranges,
pears, persimmons, raspberries
•
Legumes: baked beans, black beans, chickpeas,
kidney beans, lentils
•
Vegetables (leave the skin on for extra fibre):
Acorn squash, artichokes, broccoli, brussels
sprouts, carrots, chickpeas, corn, green beans,
green cabbage, lima beans, onions, peas,
potatoes, pumpkin (canned), spinach, sweet
potatoes
•
Nuts and seeds
Source: Beck, L. Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens
G ardening
Getting young people involved in growing their own nutritious
food is a wonderful way to promote whole-body health.
Starting a garden has three positive effects on health:
1. It produces nutritious food to eat
2. It develops a sense of connection to
food
3. It provides exercise
Gardening is an effective, holistic approach to
teaching people about nutrition and health. A lot of
the nutrition education provided in school, at home,
or by after school programs tries to convince kids
they should eat healthy food and exercise so they
won’t get fat or sick. And while these are definitely
important considerations, it’s also important to view
health, nutrition, and exercise from a more positive
and proactive perspective. Gardening does the trick,
getting kids out in the sunlight and dirt – where most
of them want to be anyway – as they interact with
fresh, healthy food from seed to table.
When youth grow and care for a fruit or vegetable,
they are much more likely to try it. In fact, studies
have shown that hands-on gardening experiences
improve the dietary habits of children. For
example, a recent study of adolescents at three
different elementary schools found that those who
participated in gardening along with being taught
about nutrition increased their intake of vitamin A,
vitamin C, and fiber. Taking part in the process of
cultivating, harvesting, and cooking food also makes
people more physically and emotionally connected
to the food going in their bodies, which in today’s
world of industrial food production and fast food is
increasingly rare.
It’s clear that gardening benefits the mind, body,
and soul. As Michael Pollan writes in Food Rules: An
Eater’s Manual:
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
To take part in the intricate and endlessly
interesting process of providing for your
sustenance is the surest way to escape the
culture of fast food and the values implicit in it:
that food should be fast, cheap, and easy; that
food is a product of industry, not nature; that
food is fuel rather than a form of communion
with other people, and also with other species –
with nature. On a more practical level, you will
eat what your garden yields, which will be the
freshest, most nutritious produce obtainable;
you will get exercise growing it (and get
outdoors and away from screens); you will save
money (according to the National Gardening
Association, a seventy-dollar investment in a
vegetable garden will yield six hundred dollars’
worth of food), and you will be more likely to
cook. (pg. 135)
Starting a garden definitely requires a bit of time,
effort, and money, but it can be easier than you
think. Gardens come in all shapes and sizes – from
community gardens to patches of backyard to simple
planters on balconies. Do what you can, start small,
and work your way up to bigger gardening projects
as you become more comfortable and able.
For directions and tips on how to start a variety of
gardening projects, check out: gardenguides.com
Sources: Morris J, Koumjian K, Briggs M, ZidenbergCherr S. “Nutrition to Grow On: A Garden-Enhanced
Nutrition Education Curriculum for Upper-Elementary
Schoolchildren.”
McAleese J, Rankin L, “Garden-Based Nutrition Affects
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Sixth-Grade
Adolescents”
Pollan, M. Food Rules.
9
G rocery Shopping
To make grocery shopping as easy, healthy, and budgetconscious as possible, use these tips:
1. Make a menu plan for the week, including all
breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. This
may seem like a big task to start, but it will
actually make your life a lot easier. And don’t
forget to follow Canada’s Food Guide as you plan!
2. Write a grocery list of all the things you’ll need
to make everything on your weekly meal plan,
and bring a pen or pencil to tick off items as you
go.
3. Bring a calculator. As you shop, add up what
you’re spending to help you stay on budget.
Meat/Poultry/Seafood
Centre Aisles
Shop here for things such as high
fiber cereal, natural peanut butter,
nuts, dried fruit and canned beans.
Fres
h
Brea
ds
Avoid this area most of the time.
uits s
h Fr
Fres getable
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&V
Froz
e
& V n Fruit
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tabl s
es
Dair
Deli
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gs
4. Stick to the outside of the store: that’s where
all the whole, healthy food is. Cash Registers
(mass.gov)
5. Use coupons wisely. Coupons only save you
money if you will actually eat or use the food.
And don’t buy something unhealthy just because
it’s on sale!
10
6. Don’t shop while you’re hungry. When you
shop on an empty stomach, everything suddenly
looks delicious, and you may be more tempted to
buy unhealthy choices and foods you don’t need.
7. Buy in-season fruits and vegetables whenever
possible, as that’s when they’re at their freshest,
tastiest, and cheapest. If you’re not sure what’s
in season, ask a grocery store staff member
or find an availability guide online. One great
example is the guide by Foodland Ontario
(foodland.gov.on.ca).
8. Buy frozen or canned fruits and vegetables
when fresh produce is out of season or too
expensive; they are just as nutritious. If using
canned vegetables, rinse them under cold water
first to wash away some of the sodium.
9. Buy from the bulk bins for ingredients such
as nuts, dried herbs, spices, rice, pasta, flour
and different whole grains. When you buy only
what you need, you save money and preserve
freshness. Be aware, however, that bulk bins are
not always allergy-safe.
10.Cut back on meat. Canada’s Food Guide
recommends that you choose meat alternatives
like beans, lentils, and soy products often, so plan
on at least a few meatless meals each week to
save money and add variety.
H ealthy Eating
Give new meaning to “fast foods.” Plan to have fresh and
healthy snacks within easy reach, so that when kids are hungry
and looking for something to eat, it’s easy for them to help
themselves to something nutritious.
The best snacks contain carbohydrates for
energy, protein and a little fat for staying power,
and 150 – 200 calories. Figure out what this might
look like for you, and have these kinds of healthy
snacks ready to grab and go! That means making
them available at home and packing them in your
child’s (and your own) bag for the day.
•
Whole grain cereal with milk
•
Whole grain crackers with salsa
•
Melba toast with tuna.
•
Unsweetened applesauce topped with sliced
almonds
Some healthy snack ideas include:
•
Hardboiled egg with a handful of grapes
•
Plain or chocolate milk with a banana.
•
Low-fat granola bar and a piece of fruit
•
Raw vegetables with hummus.
•
A cup of bean soup
•
English muffin topped with melted low fat
cheese and apple slices. Low fat yogurt sprinkled
with chopped nuts and fruit
•
Vegetable juice with a handful of nuts
•
A bag of homemade trail mix made with dry
cereal, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
•
Stalk of celery filled with low fat cottage cheese
•
Small homemade bran muffin.
•
Slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
Remember that healthy eating all comes down to
increasing your and your child’s access to natural,
whole foods. Try these tips:
•
Use Ziploc bags to pre-package healthy treats in
appropriate serving sizes
•
Pre-cut fruits and vegetables and keep them in
the refrigerator at children’s eye level
•
Keep a bowl of colourful, pre-washed fruit on the
kitchen counter
•
Work with kids to pre-make a big batch of trail
mix that includes nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, and
whole grain cereal, and use Ziploc bags to create
individual portions
•
On the weekends, bake healthy muffins and
snack bars with your kids – these make great
healthy snacks during the week
•
Don’t keep junk food in the house
11
H igh-Fructose Corn Syrup
In North America, processed foods and beverages
typically use cheap and unhealthy high-fructose
corn syrup as a sweetener, even in foods that don’t
necessarily taste sweet. Some examples of foods
that commonly contain high-fructose corn syrup are
bread, cereal, breakfast bars, baby food, lunch meat,
yogurt, soup, juice, soft drinks, and condiments.
High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in these
foods, so make sure to check the ingredient list:
If you see these words on an ingredient list, it means
that the product contains high-fructose corn syrup:
•
Bread
•
Yogurt
•
Cereal and cereal bars
•
Frozen pizza
•
Boxed macaroni and cheese
•
Honey roasted nuts
•
Salad dressing
Glucose-Fructose Syrup
•
Ketchup
Isoglucose
•
Canned fruits
Maize Syrup
•
Apple sauce
•
Ketchup
•
Jam
•
Commercially baked muffins, pastries, cookies,
and cakes
Corn syrup
HFCS
Glucose/Fructose
If one of these is listed as one of the first four
ingredients, it probably contains a lot of highfructose corn syrup. You may want to choose
another product.
Source: Parker, H. “A sweet problem: Princeton researchers
find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably
more weight gain.”
12
I ngredient Lists
Knowing how to decipher a food’s ingredient list will help you
make healthy choices at the grocery store.
When it comes to figuring out whether a food
product is healthy or not, we can tend to be obsessed
by numbers: of calories, fat grams, or percentages of
daily values. But what’s even more important than
numerical nutritional information is what a product
is made of. That’s why reading the ingredient list is
so important.
There are three main things to look for when you
read an ingredient list:
1. The number of ingredients
Simple rule of thumb? The fewer ingredients, the
more whole the food. Of course this doesn’t mean
that a product whose ingredient list reads only
“water and sugar” is a healthy choice, but in general,
the longer and more complicated the ingredient list,
the more processing and refining the food has gone
through.
The healthiest foods don’t have an ingredient list.
That’s because nutritious, whole foods that come
from nature don’t need one. They simply are what
they are – nothing added, nothing removed. So
it follows that the more additives, changes, and
processes a food goes through, the less nutritious
it will be – even if the package claims that it’s “all
natural” or “a great source of vitamins and minerals.”
2. How many of the ingredients are
processed and/or artificial
The simplest way to stay healthy is by sticking to
whole, natural foods. But this can be extremely
difficult nowadays. For example, a yogurt billed as
“100% Natural” may contain high fructose corn
syrup, which does not technically exist in nature,
but counts as a “natural” ingredient because it
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
started from corn. It may also contain “modified
corn starch,” which is starch that has been modified
chemically to stabilize its gelling characteristics.
Again – not actually found in nature, but counts as
“natural.”
As you read the ingredient lists for different foods
and beverages, look out for these terms:
•
“Hydrogenated oil”
•
“Partially hydrogenated oil”
•
“Monosodium Glutamate” or “MSG”
•
“High fructose corn syrup,” also called “corn
syrup” or “maize syrup”
•
“Enriched flour, “wheat flour,” or “unbleached
wheat flour” (Note: some healthy foods might
contain these ingredients, but they are NOT a
source of whole grains)
•
words that end with “-ose,” i.e. “glucose,”
“sucrose,” or “fructose”
•
artificial food colourings, usually denoted by a
colour and a number, i.e. “Red 4”
And as a general rule of thumb: if the name of an
ingredient is long and hard to pronounce, chances
are it doesn’t occur in nature. Keep in mind that not
all of these ingredients are necessarily “bad” for you,
but they’re probably also not doing you much good.
And when there are more than one or two of them,
it’s a definite red flag.
13
3. The order of ingredients
Apps that help you while you shop
By law, ingredient lists must list the ingredients of
a food in descending order of predominance. The
ingredient that makes up the most of the product (by
weight) is listed first, and the ingredient that makes
up the smallest amount of the product is listed last.
Still confused? Try the Fooducate app for iPhone
and Android. When you scan the barcode of a
grocery store product, Fooducate grades your
groceries, explains what’s really inside each product,
and offers healthier alternatives. Best of all, it’s
absolutely free! Fooducate’s grading system gives
the highest grades to minimally processed, nutrient
dense foods, so real foods with intrinsic nutrients
will score better than processed foods that are poor
in built-in nutrients and use fortification as a means
to appear healthy. Thus it’s a great resource when
it comes to figuring out which packaged foods are
actually good for you.
The first two or three ingredients are the ones that
matter most, so if you see an unhealthy ingredient
first, second, or third on a food’s ingredient list, skip
it. A cereal, for example, might claim to be made
of whole grains, but the first ingredient listed is
bleached enriched whole wheat flour (not a whole
grain) and the first whole grain is halfway down
the list! Clearly this product would not actually be
a good source of whole grains. If a food has some
form of sugar or sweetener listed among its first
three ingredients, stay away! Exceptions should be
made for special occasions, but as an everyday food,
products made with large amounts of sugar should
be avoided.
Welcome to Fooducate
Search for product or barcode
Their website provides the same information, minus
the barcode scan feature. Use it to look up the food
and brands you habitually eat, and find healthier
alternatives if possible. Go to fooducate.com to
download the app, see how over 200,000 popular
products rate in terms of nutrition, and get more
information on how the grading system works.
Back
Post Selects Cranvberry Almond Crunch
200
Scan
Grade
Calories
41%
Per Serving don’t like
THINGS TO KNOW (see all 10):
Look out! Not 100% whole grain
3.5 tsp of sugars per serving
For dieters: Foodpoints value is 5
Controversial additives BHT present
Highly Processed!
Browse
Food
4 User comments Tap to add yours
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14
J uicing
Juicing is a great way to increase your daily servings of fruits and
vegetables.
One great way to sample a wider variety of raw
fruits and vegetables is by making fresh juices,
smoothies, and popsicles with a juicer or blender.
Store-bought juices often contain very little real
juice, with many being little more than sugar and
water. Making your own juices, on the other hand,
ensures you actually get the nutritional benefits of
the fruits and vegetables you put in.
Traditional juicing requires a special machine called
a juicer to squeeze the most nutrient-rich liquid out
of fruits and vegetables. When you use a juicer, the
resulting liquid contains no solids whatsoever. This
is the purest and most nutritious form of juice. The
downside is that juicers can be expensive and hard to
clean, but if you are serious about juicing – and raw
food in general – investing in one is probably worth
it.
Using a blender or food processor to make juices and
smoothies is an easier and more economical option.
And for the amount of nutrition you’ll get out of it,
investing in one of these appliances makes a lot of
sense. Throwing together a smoothie that contains
several kinds of fruit and vegetables is simple, and
when you add other healthy products – for example
yogurt, soy milk, or flax seed oil – it becomes an
incredibly nutritious snack or breakfast option.
With the right recipes, you can create delicious juices
and smoothies containing ingredients you might
never think of drinking: spinach, beets, kale, and
parsley being just a few examples. When blended
with the right fruits and other ingredients, these
healthy juices and smoothies are surprisingly tasty.
Another kid-friendly bonus? The colours you can
create are incredible!
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
For some easy and delicious
juice and smoothie recipes,
most of which can be made
in a simple blender, go to
incrediblesmoothies.com
Some benefits of juicing include:
•
Easy assimilation of nutrients: some vitamins
and nutrients are “trapped” in the indigestible
fibre of fruits and vegetables, and thus cannot
be assimilated by the body. But once liberated
from the cellulose in the pulp, those nutrients
can be taken into the body in 15 minutes.
•
Water supply: juicing is a great way to get your
recommended 8 – 10 cups of water a day!
•
Cleansing action: Raw juice has laxative power,
helping rid the body of toxins. It helps detoxify
the system and cleanse the digestive tract and
colon.
•
“The spark of life:” when you drink raw fresh
juice, the living “greenpower” that is present in
all living plants goes straight into your body.
•
Antioxidants: consuming a variety of fruits and
vegetables counteracts free radicals that can
cause cellular damage and disease
•
Natural sugars: fruit juices contain the same
energy as pastries, candy, and soft drinks, but
without all the chemicals, fat, and processing.
So it’s a better, cleaner source of energy.
•
Clear skin: the vitamins and nutrients in raw
juice help keep your skin vibrant and healthy.
Source: Crocker, P. and Eagles, S. The Juicing Bible.
15
(Use Your)
Kitchen
One of the best things you can do for your overall health and
quality of life is to cook at home as much as possible.
And one of the best things you can do for the young
people in your life is to get them in the kitchen
with you! Cooking is an extremely important life
skill, and teaching youth how to plan and prepare
healthy food provides countless benefits and learning
opportunities.
Helping children learn how to buy, prepare, and
cook food at an early age is one of the best things
you can do to promote a healthy lifestyle. There are
certainly many practical considerations involved – i.e.
budgetary limitations, or figuring out how to teach
knife skills in a safe way – but it is well worth rising to
the challenge. When people come together to create
and enjoy wholesome home-cooked food, good
things happen. They eat a wider variety of foods, take
in fewer chemicals and additives, save money, and –
most importantly – develop a sense of connection to
the food going into their bodies.
Try these tips to make home cooking more
convenient and time-efficient:
1. Make a weekly meal plan
This may seem like a big task, but planning ahead
for what you’re going to eat will actually make your
life much easier on a day-to-day basis. Use Canada’s
Food Guide to plan for what you’ll eat for breakfast,
lunch, dinner, and snacks every day, and grocery shop
accordingly. When you have everything you need to
make healthy meals at home, you won’t have to rely
on take-out or fast food, which is usually unhealthy
and expensive.
16
2. Prepare food ahead of time
Choose one night of the week to prepare everything
you’ll need for your weekly meal plan, as this will
make it easier to throw meals together on a daily
basis. This might include chopping vegetables,
marinating meats, cooking rice or pasta, putting
together a trail mix, or baking. And don’t forget to
get your kids involved!
3. Make big batches so you always
have leftovers
Weekends can be a great time to prepare big batches
of food that can be refrigerated for use later in the
week or packed as lunches. Foods such as soups,
stews, chili, pasta, casseroles, bean salads, dips,
muffins, loaves, breakfast bars, and trail mix are
perfect foods to ‘big-batch.’
Get your family, friends and neighbours together and
share the work – cooking is a wonderful communal
activity, and the more people involved, the less work
for everyone!
4. Make “planned extras”
Get the most out of your time by cooking more food
than you need, and use the extras for another meal
within the next couple of days. For example: cook
an extra chicken breast, pork tenderloin or steak and
then add it to pasta with veggies or use as a pizza
topping! Find more ideas at www.dieticians.ca
5. Use a slow cooker or a pressure
cooker
These appliances allow you to make dishes like
stocks, soups, stews and bean dishes with very little
work. With a slow cooker, you simply put everything
in the pot at the start of the day, and by the time
you get home you have a delicious, perfectly cooked
meal. A pressure cooker does the same thing, but in
a fraction of the time. Added bonus? Only one pot
to clean!
6. Use convenience foods to your
advantage
This includes washed and ready-to-eat produce items
like salad greens or pre-cut vegetables, pre-shredded
cheese, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables, and
rotisserie chickens. These are whole and healthy
foods, but require less work to prepare.
7. Share the work
Cook as a family, and if your kids are old enough,
make them responsible for at least a couple of meals
per week. This is the best way for young people to
learn how to cook, gain a connection to the food
they eat, and adopt healthy habits for life.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
17
L abels
When you know how to read nutrition labels, you can make
smart food choices quickly.
In Canada, all packaged foods are required to display
nutritional information in the form of a Nutrition
Facts label, and learning how to read these labels is
an important skill that will help you make healthy
food choices as you plan meals and grocery shop.
It’s important to remember that many of the most
healthy, whole foods are unpackaged, which means
they don’t usually come with Nutrition Facts labels.
To find nutritional information for unlabeled foods,
use the website caloriecount.about.com. This site
lists nutritional information for thousands of foods
using the Nutrition Facts label template, making the
data easy to understand and compare.
Here’s how to decode a Nutrition
Facts label:
Nutrition Facts
Start here
Check the
total calories
per serving
Limit these
nutrients
Serving Size 1 slice (47g)
Servings Per Container 6
Amount per Serving
Calories 100
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10 g
15%
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
11%
Trans Fat 2g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 300mg
0%
12%
Total Carb 15g
Get enough of
these nutrients
Quick Guide to
% Daily Value:
5% or less
is low
20% or more
is high
5%
Dietary Fiber less than 1g
Serving Size: the amount of a particular food that
a person should eat at one meal or snack. The
nutrients listed on food labels are for one serving
only, so it is extremely important to be aware of the
serving size. A lot of food companies will make their
food servings small, and then put two or three of
these single servings in a package. So at quick glance,
it looks like the food is healthier than it really is.
Servings Per Container: the number of individual
servings in the total package. Careful! Packaged
foods usually contain more than one serving, and so
it’s easy to overeat without realizing it. Remember
that if you eat more than one serving, you are getting
more than what is listed on the Nutrition Facts label.
Nutrition
Calories:
the amount of energy
a food contains. In
Nutrition Facts
Servingto
Size
1 slice(47g)
order
stay
healthy, you must balance the energy
Servings Per Container 6
going
into
your body (via food) with the energy going
Amount
per serving
out (via physical activity).
Total Fat: one of the three macronutrients, fat is a
power-packed, concentrated source of energy. Fat
also makes it possible for all of the other nutrients to
do their jobs properly.
3%
Sugars 1g
Protien 3g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 45% Iron 6%
Thiamin 8%
Riboflavin 6%
Niacin 6%
*Percent Daily values are based on
a 2,000 calories diet. Your daily values
may be higher or lower depending on
your calore needs.
(heart.org)
18
What it all means:
Saturated Fat: these kinds of fats, which are solid
at room temperature, should be eaten in limited
amounts. They are considered “bad fats” because
they can lead to health problems like heart disease
and cancer.
Trans Fat: another kind of “bad fat” found in food,
especially foods that are deep-fried or heavily
processed. Trans fat is often added to processed
foods because it can improve taste and texture,
and helps the food stay fresh longer. Trans fats
are completely unnecessary for a healthy diet, and
should be avoided as much as possible.
Cholesterol: a type of fat found in your blood. You
need some cholesterol to help keep your brain, skin,
and other organs healthy, but eating too much of it
can be detrimental to your health. Excess cholesterol
clogs up blood vessels and arteries, keeping your
blood from flowing as it’s supposed to. If the
clogging gets worse over the years, it can lead to
strokes and heart attacks.
Sodium: a mineral that helps to regulate fluids and
blood pressure, and keep muscles and nerves running
smoothly. The most common source of sodium in
our diet is salt. While a small amount of salt is a
good source of sodium, eating too much can have
extremely negative effects on the body. A diet high
in sodium is associated with an increased risk of high
blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke,
heart disease and kidney disease. Choose foods
whose labels show a low percentage (5% or less) of
the daily recommended value for sodium.
Protein: one of the three macronutrients, used by
the body to build and repair cells. Protein is a major
component of all muscles, tissues and organs, and is
vital for practically every process that occurs within
the body.
% Daily Value: the percentage of the recommended
daily intake of a particular nutrient you will get from
a serving of food. Percentages are usually based on
a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet, even though you may
require more or less calories per day. So although
the percentages written on labels won’t work for
everyone, they can help give you a quick idea of how
nutritious a food is. In general, a food that contains
5% or less of the daily value of a nutrient is a poor
source, 10 – 20% of the daily value is a good source,
and 20% or more is a high source.
Vitamins and minerals: these are all different
micronutrients that keep your body functioning
properly. See the “Vitamins” section on page 34
for specific information on the health benefits of
different vitamins and minerals.
Total Carbohydrates: one of the three “big”
nutrients (macronutrients) the human body needs
to function properly. Carbohydrates are the body’s
main source of energy.
Dietary Fibre: a nutrient whose main function is to
keep the digestive system functioning properly.
Sugars: foods high in added sugars contain calories
but often fewer other nutrients like vitamins or
minerals, so they should be eaten in moderation.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
19
M ental Health
When you eat better and exercise, you feel better in mind, body,
and soul.
Mental health, also called emotional health or
wellbeing, is the way you think, feel and deal with the
ups and downs of life. Mental health and physical
health are closely tied, and when one suffers, the
other is affected.
Simply put, healthy food and exercise make you feel
good. When you are fueled by nutritious food that
gives you all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
your body needs, your brain and body function
at their best. And exercise leads to the release of
endorphins, feel-good chemicals in the brain that
help us to relax and to feel happy.
Recent evidence suggests that good nutrition is
essential for our mental health, and that a number
of mental health conditions may be influenced
by dietary factors. The evidence indicates that
food plays an important contributing role in the
development, management and prevention of
specific mental health problems such as depression,
schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease.
20
While there is no magic food or exercise guaranteed
to make you happy, following Canada’s Food Guide
and Physical Activity Guidelines will definitely help.
For more information, see the “Canada’s Food Guide”
section on page 3, and the “Physical Activity” section
on page 23.
Source: Moeller Gorman, R. “New Science Links Food and
Happiness.”
N itrates
A lot of processed foods contain a chemical compound called
sodium nitrate. There has been some confusion over the years
about whether or not sodium nitrate is bad for you, with some
people claiming that it can cause cancer. The truth is that nitrate
is not dangerous in small amounts, however you should still try to
limit your intake of foods containing it.
Sodium nitrate is a chemical compound commonly
used in making cured meat products like bacon, hot
dogs, ham, corned beef, salami, bologna, pastrami,
sausages, and bratwurst. Nitrate improves the pink
colour of meat and prevents the growth of bacteria,
helping food last longer and stopping the spread of
deadly bacteria like Clostridium botulinum. When
people ingest this bacteria it can cause botulism, a
paralytic illness that can lead to respiratory failure.
Sodium nitrate is actually a naturally occurring
mineral, and anything that grows from the ground
will draw a bit of nitrate out of the soil. Thus it is also
present in many vegetables fruits, and grains.
In the 1970s, some studies showed that eating
processed meats led to cancer, and they believed the
culprit was sodium nitrate. This is because nitrates
react with stomach acid and other chemicals in the
stomach to produce nitrosamines, which have been
shown to cause cancer in animals when consumed in
large quantities. However, since there is only a small
amount of nitrate in processed meats, and since
sodium nitrate is also found in many other foods
that haven’t been linked to cancer, it is not clear that
sodium nitrate is harmful in the quantities humans
eat.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
To be safe, you should limit your intake of processed
meats. Aside from the nitrate debate, these foods
are usually high in saturated fat, cholesterol, calories,
and chemicals, which means they are not very
healthy.
Source: hc-sc.gc.ca
21
O rganics
What does “organic” mean? This checklist from the Canada
Organic Trade Association explains how organic foods are grown
and produced:
Organic foods are grown or produced without the
use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics
and growth hormones. Because of this, organic food
production is more environmentally friendly and
sustainable than non-organic.
Some people claim that organic food is healthier
than conventional, non-organic food, but this all
depends on how you define “healthy.” Nutritionwise, organic foods have the same vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants, proteins, and other nutrients
as conventional foods. But they also have lower
pesticide levels, and organically raised animals are
less likely to be contaminated with drug-resistant
ORGANIC No question about it
Organic claims are the only ones regulated by the Canadian government to meet the requirements below
How is your food grown?
Grown without toxic and persistent synthetic
pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilizers
Grown without synthetic growth
hormones or antibiotics1
Grown under humane animal
standards, including outdoor access
Grown without fossil fuel fertilizers
(nitrogen) or sewage sludge
Grown without GMOs (genetically modified
organisms) or nantechnology
Organic
Products
“Natural”
Local
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
✘
1 - Antibiotics are only allowed as a last resort when an animal’s life is in danger: milk is discarded for a minimum of 30 days; meant can never be sold as organic
How is your food prepared?
Organic
Products
Made without irradiated products or
ingredients
Made without artificial perservatives, colours,
flavours or chemical additives
Made without monosodium glutamate (MSG),
aspartame, sodium nitrates, etc.
Made without genetically
modified organisms
✔
✔
✔
✔
“Natural”
Local
?
?
?
?
✘
✘
✘
✘
Brought to you by the Canada Organic Trade Association www.OrganicBiologique.ca
22
bacteria since organic farming has rules around the
use of antibiotics.
In the long term, there is currently no direct
evidence that consuming an organic diet leads to
improved health or lower risk of disease. As Dr. Janet
Silverstein, one of the authors of a recent American
Academy of Pediatrics report on organic vs. nonorganic foods, says: “What’s most important is that
children eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products,
whether those are conventional or organic foods.
This type of diet has proven health benefits. Many
families have a limited food budget, and we do not
want families to choose to consume smaller amounts
of more expensive organic foods and thus reduce
their overall intake of healthy foods like produce.”
Choose organic foods if you prefer the way they are
grown and produced, and are willing to pay more for
them. Do not choose organic foods just because you
think they are more nutritious, as this has not been
proven.
Source: Forman, J. and Silverstein, J. “Organic
Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and
Disadvantages.”
P hysical Activity
Being healthy comes down to eating nutritious food AND getting
enough physical activity
Daily life in many parts of North America requires
us to move our bodies very little. People drive or
take the bus to school or work, sit at a desk all day,
and often sit in front of a television or computer
screen all evening. This sedentary lifestyle is a major
contributing factor to many of today’s most pressing
physical and mental health problems, obesity being
the most significant.
Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines to help us
understand how much and what kinds of exercise we
need.
Children and youth now spend about 62% of their
waking hours (6 – 8 hours) engaging in sedentary
behaviours, and only 2 minutes engaging in vigorous
activities. Light intensity activities account for about
a third of waking hours, but it’s not enough. The
human body was designed to move – a lot – and so
we need to engage in daily physical activity to keep it
happy and healthy.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re doing moderateintensity activity you can talk but not sing your
favourite song, during the activity.
Getting enough physical activity has
many benefits:
As a rule of thumb, If you’re doing vigorous-intensity
activity, you will not be able to say more than a few
words without pausing for a breath.
•
Stress relief (because when we exercise, our body
releases chemicals called endorphins, and these
endorphins make us feel good)
•
Improved self-esteem
•
Better concentration
•
More sound sleep
•
Heart health
•
Weight control
•
Increased energy
For youth aged 5 – 17, the guidelines
are as follows:
• 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous
activity every day
For example: bike riding, playground activities,
walking, shooting hoops or raking leaves.
• Vigorous intensity activities at least 3
days a week
For example: hiking, jumping rope, skateboarding,
soccer.
Just like Canada’s Food Guide outlines how much
and what kinds of food we should eat, the Canadian
Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) has created
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
23
• Activities that strengthen muscle and
bone at least 3 days per week
For example: yoga, tree climbing, gymnastics and
most other activities that get you moving!
It’s very important to help youth understand that
exercise doesn’t just mean running, sports, or
aerobics. Being physically active should not be
seen as a chore, and youth should never see it as
something they’re either “good” or “bad” at. As long
as their body is moving and their heart is pumping
faster than normal, it counts!
Along with encouraging youth to engage in more
physical activities, you should also limit the amount
of time youth spend in sedentary activities. A
sedentary activity is characterized by little physical
movement and low energy expenditure, for example
sitting in school, watching television, or playing video
games. Towards this end, CSEP has also created
Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. For youth
aged 5 – 17, the guidelines are as follows:
• Limit recreational screen time
(television, video games, and
computers) to no more than two hours
per day
• Limit motorized transport, extended
sitting time, and time spent indoors
throughout the day.
Source: www.csep.ca
24
Q uestions?
If you have health- or nutrition-related questions, look to these
free resources:
British Columbia: Through the 8-11 service,
registered dietitians are available to answer your
healthy eating and nutrition questions by phone or
email from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Thursday, and
8am to 5pm on Friday. The 8-1-1 service provides
translation services on request in more than 130
languages.
Ontario: Call or email a registered dieticain as part
of Eat Right Ontario’s phone and email service.
Phone service is available Monday to Friday 9am5pm ET, with evening hours Tuesday and Thursday
to 9 pm ET. The email and web service is available
24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is
available in English, French and over 100 other
languages. TTY service is available for the hearing
impaired.
Call: 811
TTY: 711
Email: healthlinkbc.ca/
healthyeating/emaildietitian.html
Alberta: Health Link Alberta provides information
on diseases, treatments, and wellness by telephone,
and can help you find appropriate health services and
information. The service operates 24 hours/day.
Call: 1-866-408-5465
Saskatchewan: HealthLine is a confidential, 24hour health information and support telephone line,
staffed by registered nurses, registered psychiatric
nurses and social workers. Services are offered
in English, with translation available in over 100
languages. TTY access for the hearing impaired is
available.
Call: 1-877-800-0002
TTY: 1-888-425-4444
Manitoba: Call Manitoba’s Dial-a-Dietitian hotline
to get answers to your food and nutrition questions
and find out where you can see a registered dietitian.
Call: 1-877-510-510-2
Email: www.eatrightontario.ca
Quebec: 8-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, to answer common health questions and
direct users to the right health and social services.
Call: 811
Newfoundland: HealthLine will connect you with
an experienced, registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, 365 days a year. Available in French
and English.
Call: 1-888-709-2929
TTY: 1-888-709-3555
New Brunswick: Tele-Care is a free, confidential,
health advice and information line that provides
access to registered nurses 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Available in French and English.
Call: 811
Call: 1-877-830-2892
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
25
Nova Scotia: Dial 8-1-1 for access to non-emergency
health information and services provided by
registered nurses. 811 can provide services in English
and French, and services in many other languages are
offered through a third party interpretation service.
Call: 811
TTY: 711
Prince Edward Island: PEI does not have a health
hotline, but you can try contacting the PEI Healthy
Eating Alliance.
Call: (902) 620-3881
Email: [email protected]
Northwest Territories: NWT’s health hotline was
shut down in 2012, but you can try contacting the
Department of Health and Social Service’s Health
Promotion Unit.
Call: (867) 873-7046
Yukon: There is no hotline number in the Yukon
Territories, but you can try contacting the
Department of Health and Social Service’s Health
Promotion Unit.
Call: (867) 667-8391
Nunavut: No information available.
26
R ewards
At school, home, and throughout the community,
kids are frequently offered food as a reward for good
behavior. We also use food to help us celebrate
events and important milestones. Consider the
number of times in a month or year in which a
“special treat” is available to our children and youth.
Between birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations,
it begins to add up!
To reward young people for good
behaviour without using food, try
these techniques:
Offering unhealthy food as a reward sends a mixed
message to children. They hear that they’re supposed
to enjoy healthy foods and avoid those with little
nutritional value, yet are encouraged to indulge in
foods that are bad for them as a reward for doing
something good.
Pencils, stickers, bookmarks, etc.
We all need to be more conscientious about how
often we use sweets to praise, reward, or soothe a
child. This practice can have many lasting negative
effects:
•
It undermines nutrition education, sending the
message that unhealthy treats are the most
desirable foods.
At home:
Trip to the library, zoo, or other favorite outing
New art supplies or coloring books
Extra reading time before bed
Play date or sleepover with a friend
Playing a favorite game with a parent
At Club:
Certificates
Field trip
Movie
Extra art time (or whatever activity the child loves)
•
It encourages over consumption of foods high in
added sugar and fat.
•
It can teach kids to eat when they are not
hungry.
Free time
It can teach kids to associate unhealthy foods
with certain moods and feelings. A child who is
given candy when he is sad or hurt, for instance,
may continue to self-medicate with sweet treats
well into his adulthood. And a child who is
given a treat when she does something good
may always reward herself with food.
Special event (like a dance or healthy dinner party)
•
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
Choice of music
Play money to buy items or special privileges
Gift cards
Source: yalemedicalgroup.org
27
S odium (Salt)
Sodium, commonly referred to as salt, is a mineral
that our bodies need to maintain a normal fluid
balance. But eating too much sodium can cause high
blood pressure, stroke, and heart and kidney disease.
Healthy children only need 1000 to 1500 milligrams
(mg) of sodium per day, and healthy adults require
about 1500 mg. However, most of us eat about
3400 mg on a daily basis – more than double the
amount of sodium we need!
Small amounts of sodium are found naturally in
foods like milk, fresh meats, fruits and vegetables.
But over 75% of the sodium we eat comes from
processed, packaged, and ready-to-eat foods. Some
of the most common culprits are:
•
Buy unsalted and lower sodium foods whenever
possible. Look for words such as “sodium-free,”
“low sodium” or “no added salt” on the package.
•
Read the Nutrition Facts label. Use the % Daily
Value (%DV) to see if the food has a little or a lot
of sodium. 5% DV or less is a little, and 15% DV
or more is a lot.
•
Know the hidden ingredients. If any of the words
below are one of the first five ingredients on the
label, you may want to look for a lower sodium
option: salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG),
brine, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), baking
powder, soy sauce
•
Canned or packaged items: soups, stocks, cereal,
baked beans, vegetables, vegetable juices
•
Convenience items: seasoned pasta and rice
mixes, stews, spaghetti sauce, seasoning mixes,
frozen dinners, muffins
•
Jarred foods preserved in salt: pickles, relishes,
olives, sauerkraut
Rinse canned vegetables under water before
eating them.
•
Season your food without salt. Instead of using
salt, flavour foods with herbs and spices.
•
•
Condiments and sauces: ketchup, mustard, relish,
soy sauce, teriyaki sauce
•
Processed meats: salt-cured ham, bacon, hot
dogs, sausages, cold cuts, smoked meats
•
Cheese: processed cheese, cheese spreads
•
Salted snack foods: chips, pretzels, crackers,
popcorn, trail mix, nuts
•
28
To reduce the amount of sodium in
your diet, limit your intake of the
foods listed above. Also try these
tips:
Restaurant and fast food
Sources: eatrightontario.ca
healthycanadians.gc.ca
S erving Size
Because portion sizes have gotten so huge, we often overeat
without knowing it. Our idea of what constitutes a “normal”
serving is often a lot larger than what is listed on a Nutrition
Facts label, and so it’s important to understand what a proper
serving actually looks like.
THE SECRET TO SERVING SIZE IS IN YOUR HAND
A fist or cupped hand = 1cup
ret to
The sec size
se r v i n g
is i n
nd.
yo u r ha
1 serving = ½ cup cereal, cooked past or rice
or 1 cup of raw, leafy green vegetables
or ½ cup of cooked or raw, chopped vegetables or fruit
Palm = 3 oz. of meat
Two serings, or 6 oz., of lean meat
(poultry, fish, shellfish, Beef) should be
part of a daily diet. measure the right
amount with your palm. One palm size
portion equals 3 oz., or one serving.
A thumb = 1 oz. of cheese
Consuming low-fat cheese is a
good way to help you meet
the required servings from
the milk, yogurt and
cheese group.
1 ½ -2 oz. of low-fat cheese
counts as 1 of the 2-3 daily
recommended servings.
Thumb tip = 1 teaspoon
Keep high-fat foods, such as peanut
butter and mayonnaise, at a minimum by
measuring the serving with your thumb.
one teaspoon is equal to the end of
yourthumb, from the knuckle up.
Three teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon.
Handful = 1-2 oz. of snack food
Snacking can add up. Remember, 1 handful
equals 1 oz. of nuts and small candies. For chips
and pretzels, 2 handfuls equals 1 oz.
1 tennis ball =
1 serving of fruit
Healthy diets include 2-4 servings of
fruit a day.
Because hand sizes vary, compare your fist size to an actual measuring cup.
(colormehealthy.com)
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
29
S oy
Soy isn’t just for vegetarians! Soy products are a great source of
protein, and regardless of whether or not you eat meat, consider
including them in your diet!
Soybeans are part of the large legume family, which
includes beans, dried peas, lentils and chick peas.
Soybeans were one of the first foods to be grown
by humans, having been grown in China for 13,000
years.
One cup (250 ml) of cooked soybeans contains as
much protein as 100 g of cooked meat, chicken
or fish. While other legumes are not considered
complete sources of protein, soy is. And unlike
meat proteins, soy has no cholesterol. Soy is also
an excellent source of minerals including calcium,
iron and zinc. Know, however, that our bodies don’t
absorb plant iron (the kind that’s in legumes, soy,
grains, vegetables, and nuts) as well as animal iron.
To aid absorption, eat a source of vitamin C with
plant iron, for example citrus fruits, red peppers,
strawberries or broccoli. For more sources of vitamin
C, see the chart on page 35.
30
Try adding these soy products to
your diet:
•
Soybeans - put them in soups, salads,
casseroles, chilis, and curries.
•
Soy nuts - these crunchy treats make a great
snack, and come in a variety of flavours.
•
Soy beverages - use in place of milk in cereal,
coffee, smoothies, lattes, soups, cooking, and
baking. Choose a fortified soy beverage to
increase calcium, vitamin D and B12.
•
Soy flour - can be substituted for up to one half
of the all-purpose flour in a recipe.
•
Soy meats - you can now find soy versions of
burgers, hot dogs, deli cold cuts, ground meat,
and more.
•
Soy protein powder - put it in a smoothie or
sprinkle it on yogurt.
•
Tempeh - a patty of fermented soybeans mixed
with grains, tempeh can be used as you would
meat: to top a salad, in a pasta, as a kebab, etc.
•
Texturized vegetable protein (TVP) - use it as
a replacement for ground meat in pasta, chili,
and tacos, or try making a recipe with half meat,
half TVP
•
Tofu - also called bean curd, tofu is one of the
most popular and versatile soy products. Use it
in stir fries, soups, pastas, and curries.
T rying New Things
In order to get kids eating a variety of nutritious foods, you’ll
need to continually encourage them to try new things.
Healthy eating habits start when people are young,
and willingness to try new things is a healthy habit
that’s worth teaching. Children who are exposed to
a variety of foods during childhood are more likely
to learn to enjoy these foods as adults, and eating
different foods ensures children are getting the
nutrients they need to grow.
Getting kids to try new foods – especially healthy
ones – can be difficult. It can take as many as
ten tries before children accept a new food, and
sometimes they simply won’t budge. All you can
do is just keep offering foods in new ways without
forcing. Forcing children to eat certain foods often
just reinforces their distaste for it (whether it’s a real
or perceived one), and takes the pleasure out of meal
times.
Remember: don’t use dessert as a reward for trying
new things. Then the sweet treat becomes the goal,
making dinner (and all its healthy components)
just something they need to get through to get the
prize. This can cause unhealthy eating practices and
negative connotations towards healthy foods.
•
Offer memberships in the “One-Bite Club.”
When children try “just one bite” of a certain
number of new foods per week or month (make
a chart to keep track), they get a non-food
reward.
•
Present food in fun ways. Make fruit or
vegetable kebabs, cucumber boats or ants on
a log. Cut sandwiches into fun shapes with a
knife or cookie cutter. Set up “make-your-own”
stations for pizzas or yogurt parfaits. Design a
face on their plate with cut fruit and vegetables,
or get them to design it themselves.
•
Have children choose new vegetables and
fruits at the grocery store.
•
Get kids cooking. The more invested they are
in the food, the more likely they’ll want to eat it.
•
Start a vegetable garden. Again, the more
invested in their food children are, the more
likely they’ll try it.
•
“Hide” foods in dishes kids like. It’s easy
to add all sorts of healthy things to lasagnas,
casseroles, sandwiches, pastas, chillis, curries,
and soups
•
If a child doesn’t want to try a certain food
today, revisit it next week or next month.
When you do re-introduce it, try preparing it
differently, or folding it into a favorite casserole
or pasta dish.
•
Be flexible. If a child absolutely can’t stomach
something, let it go.
Try these ideas for introducing new
foods:
•
Present foods with enthusiasm.
•
Always offer new foods alongside
old favourites so children form positive
associations between the two.
•
Make sure everyone gets the same new food
to sample. Children copy their parents’ and
friends’ examples, so if they see someone else
enjoying the food, they may be more likely to
give it a try.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
Source: askdrsears.com/topics/family-nutrition/abcsteaching-nutrition-your-kids
31
U nsaturated Fat
Fat gets a bad rap, but unsaturated fats are actually good for
you. In order to make good food choices, it’s important to know
which kinds of fats are healthy and which kinds aren’t.
There are four different types of fat:
1. Monounsaturated fat is a healthy fat naturally
found in vegetable oils, nuts, and some produce.
Sources of monounsaturated fat include:
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Peanut oil
Sesame oil
Avocados
Olives
Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia
nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
Healthy amounts of unsaturated fats are necessary
for our bodies to function properly, and should
be part of a healthy diet. Monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats actually help lower cholesterol,
so eating them can help prevent heart disease. 2 – 3
tablespoons of unsaturated fats per day is a healthy
amount. Keep in mind, however, that when it comes
to weight control, all types are considered equal.
One gram of fat = 9 calories, no matter what kind it
is.
3. Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that is
naturally found in animal products. Sources of
saturated fat include:
Fatty cuts of meat
Poultry with the skin on
2. Polyunsaturated fats are healthy fats that
include omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Sources of
polyunstaurated fats include:
Soybean oil
Corn oil
Safflower oil
Nuts (almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts,
walnuts)
Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin
seeds
Flaxseed
Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel,
herring, trout, sardines)
Soymilk
Tofu
32
Higher fat milk, cheese and yogurt
Butter
Ice cream
Palm kernel oil
Saturated fat increases cholesterol, which increases
the risk of heart disease. As such, your intake of
saturated fats should be limited to 10% of your daily
calories. For example, if you consume 2,000 calories
per day, only 200 of those calories should come from
saturated fat. To convert fat calories to grams, divide
the number of calories by 9, since there are 9 calories
in one gram of fat. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this
translates to about 22 g of saturated fat.
4. Trans fat is an unhealthy fat made by changing
liquid oil into a solid through a process called
hydrogenation. Trans fat adds texture, flavour,
and longevity to food, and is most often found
in commercially baked goods, fried foods, and
processed/packaged snack foods. Eating trans
fat increases the risk of heart disease and type 2
diabetes, and no amount of trans fats is healthy.
The easiest way to see if a food contains trans fat is
to look at the ingredients list. If you see any of the
following items, the product contains trans fat:
In order to avoid trans fats, try to avoid eating the
following foods regularly:
To reduce your intake of unhealthy
fats, try these tips:
•
Non-homemade baked goods – cookies,
crackers, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza dough,
and some breads
•
Use cooking methods that require little to no
oil, butter, or margarine: grilling, broiling, baking,
steaming, stir-frying, poaching
•
Fried foods – doughnuts, French fries, fried
chicken, chicken nuggets, spring rolls, hard taco
shells
•
Eat less red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) and more
fish, chicken, soy products, and legumes
•
•
Snack foods – all types of chips, candy, packaged
or microwave popcorn, pudding, granola bars
Go for lean cuts of meat, and trim as much fat
off of meat as possible before cooking
•
Remove the skin from chicken
•
Cook and bake in non-stick pans
•
Use high-fat spreads sparingly: butter, cream
cheese, peanut butter, margarine, mayonnaise,
etc
•
Avoid cream and cheese sauces, or have them
served on the side
•
When baking, use applesauce instead of oil
•
Drink skim or 1% milk
•
Limit your consumption of processed food
•
Limit your consumption of fast food
•
Solid fats – stick margarine, semi-solid vegetable
shortening
•
Pre-mixed products – cake mix, pancake mix, and
chocolate drink mix
•
Ready to eat frozen foods – quiche, burritos,
pizza, French fries, egg rolls, veggie and beef
patties, toaster pastries, waffles
•
hydrogenated oil
•
partially hydrogenated oil
•
shortening
Source: eatrightontario.ca
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
33
V itamins and Minerals
Food does more than simply fuel you – it also gives your body the
nutrients it needs to grow, develop, and function properly. It’s
important to know which vitamins and minerals do what, along
with some examples.
34
Fruits
Vegetables
Other
Vitamin A keeps eyes
and skin healthy, and
makes sure your bones
develop normally.
Apricots (fresh and dried),
grapefruit, mangoes,
watermelon.
Bok choy, butternut
squash, cantaloupe,
carrots, collard greens,
kale, lettuce (red leaf,
green leaf, romaine),
pumpkin (canned),
spinach, sweet potatoes,
tomatoes
Beef liver, tuna, cream
cheese, milk, eggs, sour
cream, goat cheese, pecans,
pistachios
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
helps release energy
from the food you eat,
and keeps your nervous
system healthy.
Avocadoes, dates, grapes,
mangoes, oranges,
pineapple, watermelon
Asparagus, beans (fresh
and dried), Brussels
sprouts, corn, legumes,
okra, peas (fresh and
dried), potatoes. sweet
potatoes
Beef, pork, catfish, salmon,
tuna, duck, cashews, flax
seed, oats, peanuts, rye,
wheat, whole grains
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
promotes healthy skin
nails, and hair, and
boosts your immune
system by helping your
body form antibodies.
Avocadoes, bananas,
lychees, mangoes,
mulberries, pomegranates,
Artichokes, asparagus,
beet greens, broccoli,
legumes, lima beans,
mushrooms, peas,
pumpkins, spinach, Swiss
chard
Beef, chicken, pork, lamb,
turkey, cheese, eggs,
almonds, oats, buckwheat,
soy or rice milk, yogurt,
whole grains
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
keeps both your nervous
system and digestive
system healthy.
Avocadoes, boysenberries,
dates, loganberries,
mangoes, nectarines,
passion fruit, peaches
Butternut squash, corn,
mushrooms, potatoes,
peas, pumpkins, parsnips,
sweet potatoes
Beef, chicken, tuna, salmon,
turkey, lamb, pork, sardines,
herring, catfish, barley, rye,
sunflower seeds, peanuts,
almonds, wheat bran, eggs
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
helps your body form
red blood cells and break
down proteins.
Avocadoes, bananas,
blackberries, cantaloupe,
grapefruit juice, guava,
oranges, orange juice,
papayas, raspberries,
strawberries, watermelon
Artichokes, asparagus,
beets, bell peppers,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, cauliflower,
collard greens, corn, green
beans, lettuce (red leaf,
green leaf, romaine), okra,
parsnips, spinach, sweet
potatoes
Salmon, lamb, cheese, eggs,
soy beans, hazelnuts, oats,
rye, sunflower seeds, whole
grains
Fruits
Vitamin C helps build
bones and cartilage,
keeping your body
strong.
Cantaloupe, grapefruit,
grapefruit juice
(unsweetened), guava,
honeydew, kiwifruit,
lemons, limes,
oranges, orange juice,
papayas, pineapple,
raspberries, strawberries,
watermelon.
Vitamin D keeps
bones hard. Your body
naturally produces
vitamin D when you’re in
the sun.
Vegetables
Other
Red and yellow bell
peppers, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, butternut squash,
bok choy, cabbage,
cauliflower, chile peppers,
spinach, sweet potatoes,
tomatoes
Cod, perch, chestnuts, soy
beans, yogurt
Mushrooms
Beef, chicken, salmon,
mackerel, tuna., milk, eggs,
fortified soy or rice milk.
And, most importantly,
sunshine!
Vitamin E increases the
activity of antibodies,
which are special
proteins that help fight
off infections.
Avocadoes, blueberries,
blackberries, cranberries,
kiwifruit, mangoes,
nectarines, peaches,
papaya, prunes
Asparagus, corn, dark
green leafy vegetables,
pumpkins, parsnips,
soybeans, spinach, sweet
potatoes, taro
Herring, sardines. almonds,
hazelnuts, pine nuts,
soybeans, sunflower seeds,
vegetable oils, whole grains
Vitamin K helps the
blood to clot, which is
very important when you
cut yourself.
Calcium creates strong
bones and teeth, helps
your body heal when
you get cuts, and keeps
muscles moving.
Avocadoes, blackberries,
cranberries, kiwis, pears,
plums, pomegranates,
mangoes
Alfalfa sprouts, asparagus,
broccoli, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, dark
green leafy vegetables,
leeks, soybeans, spinach,
tomatoes
Beef, lamb, turkey,
anchovies, eggs, cheese,
cashews, pine nuts, rye
Milk and dairy products,
tofu, almonds, sesame
seeds, canned salmon
(with bones), sardines.
Often added to “fortified”
products, i.e. orange juice or
soy milk.
Iron carries oxygen to
cells all over your body,
thus making sure your
body gets the oxygen it
needs.
Cherries, figs, kiwifruit,
oranges, plums
Dried apricots, raisins
Broccoli, legumes,
spinach, dried beans
(cooked), lentils, lima
beans, spinach
In protein like meat, chicken,
fish, tofu, beans, and
lentils. Can also be found
in “fortified” cereals and
breads.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
35
V egetarianism
With a little planning, it is absolutely possible to get all the
nutrients you need from a vegetarian diet.
Vegetarianism is becoming an increasingly common
lifestyle choice. Whether it’s because of ethical
concerns, nutrition, or religious beliefs, many people
are now choosing to reduce or completely eliminate
meat and other animal products from their diets.
There are different kinds of
vegetarianism:
1. Protein
Protein helps keep your red blood cells and muscles
working well. Non-meat sources of protein include:
•
dairy products
•
legumes
•
soy beverages
•
soy meats
•
nuts
•
seeds
Pescatarians eat fish, dairy products, and
eggs, but no meat or poultry.
•
eggs
•
whole grains
Vegans only eat foods that come from
100% plant sources, and consume no
animal products whatsoever, including
honey and gelatin (which is made from
animal collagen).
•
quinoa
•
buckwheat
Semi-vegetarians avoid red meat only.
Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products but
avoid meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and eggs,
but no meat, poultry, or fish.
In terms of nutrition, a healthy vegetarian, semivegetarian, or vegan diet is absolutely capable of
delivering all the nutrients the human body needs.
Problems arise, however, when vegetarians do not
eat in a balanced way. This is often the case when
young people become vegetarians, and so it is
especially important to teach youth how to maintain
a vegetarian diet rich all of the in nutrients, vitamins,
and minerals their growing bodies need. They should
be made aware that a healthy vegetarian diet will
require them to eat a range of foods they may not
be used to, and that they may need to take a daily
multivitamin and mineral supplement to help them
meet their recommended intakes.
If you are any kind of vegetarian, you need to make
36
sure you are getting enough of these nutrients:
2. Zinc
Zinc helps in wound healing and boosts the immune
system. Non-meat sources of zinc include:
•
legumes
•
nuts
•
seeds
•
whole grains
•
fortified brekfast cereals
•
tofu
•
soy meats
•
dairy products
•
eggs
3. Iron
•
ground flax seed
Iron helps carry oxygen around the body. Vegetarians
need about twice as much iron as non-vegetarians,
because the human body doesn’t absorb the iron
from plant foods as well as the iron in meat sources.
Vitamin C helps the absorption of plant iron, so
make sure you combine iron-rich vegetarian foods
with a source of vitamin C. See the chart on page 35
for a list of vitamin C- rich foods. Non-meat sources
of iron include:
•
walnuts.
5. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps keep the body’s nerve and blood
cells healthy. This vitamin is only found naturally in
animal foods, but some vegan products are fortified
with B12. Non-meat sources of vitamin B12 include:
•
eggs
•
dairy products
•
fortified soy and rice beverages
•
nutritional yeast
•
legumes
•
soybeans
•
fortified pasta and cereals
•
fortified cereals
•
prunes, raisins and apricots
•
•
figs
fortified soy products (like veggie burgers and
TVP)
•
whole grains
•
quinoa
•
blackstrap molasses
•
dark green vegetables
6. Calcium
Calcium creates strong bones and teeth, helps your
body heal when you get cuts, and keeps muscles
moving. The most common sources of calcium are
dairy products, but non-dairy sources include:
•
fortified soy or rice milk
4. Omega-3 Fats
•
fortified fruit juice
Omega-3 fats promote heart health in adults and
brain and eye development in infants. Omega-3s
have also been shown to help prevent and treat
mild depression. They are mostly found in fish and
seafood, but non-meat sources of omega-3 include:
•
almonds
•
soybeans
•
soy meats
•
bok choy
•
fortified soy beverages
•
broccoli
•
fortified orange juice
•
Swiss chard
•
omega-3 eggs
•
kale
•
tofu
•
figs
•
canola oil
•
soybean oil
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
Source: Beck, L. Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens.
37
W ater
Water is an important part of a healthy diet – and a healthy life!
Drinking plenty of water is an important part of being
healthy. 50 – 70% of your body’s weight is made up
of water, and that water performs many important
functions. These include cooling you off when you’re
hot, digesting the food you eat, carrying nutrients
throughout your body, and removing waste.
Sometimes when you think you’re hungry, you’re
actually just thirsty. Misinterpreting your body’s
thirst can lead to a lot of unnecessary snacking, so
next time you think you’re hungry, drink a glass of
water. If you’re still hungry after ten minutes, have a
healthy snack.
You should be especially mindful of your water
intake during physical activities, because the more
you sweat, the more water you lose. Aim to drink ½
a cup of water for every 20 minutes you are being
active. You also need to drink more water when
you’re sick, because the body is more susceptible to
dehydration.
people, because when kids are offered water from a
young age, they are more likely to keep drinking it as
they get older.
To get kids to drink more water, try
these tips:
•
Set an example. If children see the people
around them drinking water, they will be more
likely to do the same.
•
Only have water and other non-sweetened
beverages available. Remember, nutrition comes
down to accessibility. Kids will eat and drink
what’s available to them.
•
Keep water chilled, as most kids prefer drinking
cold water.
•
Give kids cool refillable water bottles, or plain
ones they can decorate themselves.
•
Buy ice cube trays in fun shapes, and consider
using food colouring or putting fruit inside to up
the fun factor!
•
Serve flavoured water. Lemon, lime, orange,
cherry, and cucumber all taste really good.
•
Move gradually from juice to water by mixing
100% fruit juice with water. Use more water each
time you make a mix .
•
Serve water-rich foods. Many good-for-you
foods, such as soup, fruit, and milk, contain 80
to 90 percent water. Homemade juice popsicles
and smoothies are another sweet treat that will
help kids increase their daily water intake.
Recommended daily water intake:
Boys:
Ages 4 – 8:
Ages 9 – 13:
5 cups
8 cups (1.8 L)
Ages 14 – 18: 11 cups (2.6 L)
Girls:
Ages 4 – 8: 5 cups
Ages 9 – 13: 7 cups (1.6 L)
Ages 14 – 18: 8 cups (1.8 L)
One of the simplest things you can do to be more
healthy is to replace sugary, empty-calorie beverages
with water. This is especially important for young
38
Source: Beck, L. Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens.
W hole Grain
Eating foods made from whole grains means you’re
getting all parts of the grain: the outer bran layer
where nearly all the fibre is; the germ layer, rich in
nutrients like vitamin e, and the endosperm, which
contains the starch. Refined grains, on the other
hand, contain only the starchy endosperm. Intact
whole grains are digested less rapidly and enter
our bloodstream more slowly than refined grains,
keeping us fuller longer.
You only need to eat two or three servings of whole
grains each day to reap their health benefits, but you
should aim to make the majority of your daily grain
servings whole wheat. Examples of a serving of whole
wheat include:
1 slice whole grain bread
¼ whole grain bagel
½ cup bran cereal
½ cup cooked oatmeal
½ cup cooked whole grain (bulgur, barley,
quinoa)
½ cup cooked whole wheat pasta
½ cup cooked brown rice
It’s important to incorporate a wide
range of whole grains in your diet.
Try:
Amaranth Oats
BarleyQuinoa
Brown rice
Rye
Buckwheat Sorghum
BulgurTriticale
Faro/Emmer
Wheat
KamutWheatberries
MilletWild rice
To know whether or not a food contains whole
grains, read the ingredients list carefully. You can also
check out www.wholegrainscouncil.org for more
information.
Words you may see on packages
What they mean
whole grain [name of grain]
whole wheat
whole [other grain]
stoneground whole [grain]
brown rice
oats, oatmeal (including old-fashioned oatmeal, instant oatmeal)
wheatberries
YES -- Contains all parts of the grain, so you’re
getting all the nutrients of the whole grain.
wheat, or wheat flour
semolina
durum wheat
organic flour
stoneground
multigrain (may describe several whole grains or several refined
grains, or a mix of both)
MAYBE -- These words are accurate descriptions of
the package contents, but because some parts of
the grain MAY be missing, you are likely missing the
benefits of whole grains. When in doubt, don’t trust
these words!
enriched flour
degerminated (on corn meal)
bran
wheat germ
NO -- These words never describe whole grains.
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
39
Even if you read ingredients lists carefully, knowing
whether or not a product is a good source of whole
grains can still be tricky. For example, if there are
two grain ingredients and only the second ingredient
listed is a whole grain, the product may contain as
little as 1% or as much as 49% whole grain. To help
consumers make informed choices, the Whole Grains
Council has created two Whole Grain Stamps:
The Basic Stamp appears on products that contain
at least 8 grams (a half serving) of whole grain, but
which may also contain some refined grain. Even if
a product contains large amounts of whole grain, it
will use the Basic Stamp if it also contains extra bran,
germ, or refined flour. The 100% Stamp appears on
products where 100% of the ingredients are whole
grain. Choose these foods most often.
Source: wholegrainscouncil.org
40
(E)x ample
Helping young people make healthy choices starts with you.
As a parent or mentor, the way you take care of
yourself sends a powerful message to your kids. So
when it comes to food, exercise, self-esteem, kitchen
skills, and other healthy habits, it’s very important
that you lead by example. If your children see you
eating well, staying physically active, and leading an
overall healthy lifestyle, they are likely to follow your
positive example. But if they observe you modeling
unhealthy behaviors, such as avoiding exercise,
skipping breakfast, eating junk food, or abusing
alcohol and tobacco, they are more likely to adopt
these same bad habits.
Small, everyday decisions at home and Club, such as
turning off the TV or making nutritious snacks, can go
a long way toward helping kids gain healthy habits
for life. Over time, kids will become accustomed to
the kinds of things that are in the cupboard, or how
out-of-school time is spent – whether it’s healthy or
not.
•
Eat your vegetables!
•
Pack a lunch instead of buying one
•
Eat and offer healthy snacks
•
Start a vegetable or herb garden
•
Get places by walking or riding a bike
•
Do physical activity as a family or communal
group
•
Offer a wide range of physical activity options –
not just sports
•
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
•
Do not make negative comments about your or
anyone else’s body
Some ways you can help set a
healthy example for the kids in your
life:
•
Cook at home or Club instead of ordering takeout, going to a restaurant, or eating packaged
foods
•
Involve kids in meal planning, grocery shopping,
and cooking
•
Make food from scratch
•
Eat meals as a family or communal group
•
Clean up after yourself, and get everyone
involved in kitchen chores
•
Offer the same healthy foods to everyone, and
try new foods alongside kids
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
41
Y ummy…But Healthy!
Here are some suggestions for healthy food substitutes:
If your recipe calls
for this ingredient:
42
Try substituting this ingredient:
Bacon
Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto
(Italian ham)
Bread, white
Whole-grain bread
Bread crumbs, dry
Rolled oats, crushed bran cereal, crushed flaxseed
Butter, margarine,
shortening or oil in baked
goods
Applesauce, prune puree, or avocado puree for half of the calledfor butter, shortening or oil; butter spreads or shortenings specially
formulated for baking that don’t have trans fats. Note: To avoid dense,
soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute oil for butter or shortening.
Also don’t substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular
margarine.
Butter, margarine,
shortening or oil to cook or
prevent sticking
Cooking spray or nonstick pans, olive oil
Cream
Fat-free half-and-half, evaporated skim milk, coconut milk
Cream cheese, full fat
Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel, or low-fat cottage
cheese pureed until smooth
Eggs
Two egg whites or ¼ cup egg substitute for each whole egg
Flour, all-purpose (plain)
Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked
goods. Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in
softer products like cakes and muffins.
Fruit canned in heavy syrup
Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit
Ground beef
Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no
poultry skin has been added to the product), TVP
Lettuce, iceberg
Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard
greens, spinach or watercress
Mayonnaise
Reduced calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise, plain yogurt
If your recipe calls
for this ingredient:
Try substituting this ingredient:
Meat as the main ingredient
Three times as many vegetables, tofu, tempeh, lentils
Milk, evaporated
Evaporated skim milk
Milk, whole
Reduced-fat or fat-free milk
Oil-based marinades
Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth
Pasta
Whole-wheat pasta, zucchini ribbons, spaghetti squash
Rice, white
Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur, pearl barley, or quinoa
Salad dressing
Olive oil, flavored vinegars, lemon juice
Seasoning salt, such as garlic
salt, celery salt or onion salt
Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion
flakes
Soups, creamed
Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, pureed carrots,
potatoes or tofu for thickening agents
Soups, sauces, dressings,
crackers (packaged)
Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions, make your own
Sour cream, full fat
Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt
Soy sauce
Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy
sauce
Sugar
In most baked goods you can reduce the amount of sugar by onehalf; intensify sweetness by adding vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon
Syrup
Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
Table salt
Herbs, spices, citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange), rice vinegar, saltfree seasoning mixes or herb blends
Yogurt, fruit-flavored
Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
43
Z zzz’s
Getting enough sleep is an important part of staying healthy.
Scientists still don’t know everything that happens
when people sleep, but they do know that sleep is
crucial to human health. The health benefits of sleep
include:
•
Increased brainpower, including concentration
and mental alertness
•
Increased energy
•
Tissue growth and repair
•
Release of horomones related to growth and
development
•
Stronger immune system
•
Weight control
When your body doesn’t have enough hours to
rest and recharge through sleep, you may feel
tired, cranky, or unable to think clearly. You might
have a hard time following directions, and a task
that’s normally easy may feel impossible. You may
feel clumsy playing your favorite sport, or have an
argument with a friend or colleague over something
silly. When you’re tired, you may also have a hard
time motivating yourself to eat a nutritious meal or
get your daily dose of physical activity, which can
lead to weight gain.
Children aged 5 – 12 need 10-11 hours of
sleep every night, and teenagers need 8.5
– 9 hours per night.
Here are some tips to help you
catch all the ZZZs you need:
•
Try to go to bed at the same time every night;
this helps your body get into a routine.
•
Follow a bedtime routine that is calming, such as
taking a warm bath or reading.
•
Limit foods and drinks that contain caffeine.
These include coffee, tea, energy drinks, and
some sodas and iced teas.
•
Don’t have a TV in your room. Research shows
that kids who have one in their rooms sleep less.
If you do have a TV, turn it off when it’s time to
sleep.
•
Don’t watch scary TV shows or movies close to
bedtime because these can sometimes make it
hard to fall asleep.
•
Use your bed just for sleeping — not doing
homework, reading, playing games, or talking on
the phone. That way, you’ll train your body to
associate your bed with sleep.
Source: kidshealth.org
44
B ibliography
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Toronto: Penguin, 2005.
Cohen, M. Why We Need Vitamins. St Catherines:
Crabtree, 2011.
Crocker, P. and Eagles, S. The Juicing Bible. Toronto:
Robert Rose, 2000.
Dolgoff, J. Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right. New
York: Rodale, 2010.
Forman, J. and Silverstein, J. “Organic Foods: Health
and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantages.”
Pediatrics, October 22, 2012. pediatrics.
aappublications.org
Garden-Robinson, J. “What Colour is Your Food?”
May 2011. ag.ndsu.edu.
Gavin, M., Dowshen, S., and Izenberg, N. Fit Kids.
Toronto: DK, 2004.
Leake, L. “Real Food Defined.” 100daysofrealfood.
com
McAleese J, Rankin L. “Garden-Based Nutrition
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Association. 2007; 107: 662-5.
Moeller Gorman, R. “New Science Links Food and
Happiness.” Eating Well, May/June 2010.
Morris J, Koumjian K, Briggs M, Zidenberg-Cherr S.
“Nutrition to Grow On: A Garden-Enhanced Nutrition
Education Curriculum for Upper-Elementary
Schoolchildren.” Journal of Nutrition Education and
Behaviour, 2002; 34:175–176.
Pollan, M. Food Rules. New York: Penguin, 2009.
Pratt, S. and Matthews, K. Superfoods Rx. New York:
William Morrow, 2004.
“20 Worst Drinks in America.” eatthis.menshealth.
com
“Celiac Disease: The Gluten Connection.”
healthcanada.gc.ca
5to10aday.com
askdrsears.com
eatrightontario.ca
celiac,ca
colormehealthy.com
csep.ca
dieticians.ca
healthlinkbc.ca
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Parker, H. “A sweet problem: Princeton researchers
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princeton.edu
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
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N otes
46
N u t r it ion A-Z: A Gui d e to he althy Eat i ng
47
Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
400-2005 Sheppard Ave. E
Toronto, ON, M2J 5B4
48
t: 905/477-7272
f: 905/477-2056
bgccan.com