Just when I thought the entire collection of RD approved ‘traditional style’ breads had been taken off the market …in comes “Foldit”!  Those of you who’ve been to Spectrum or have ever attended one of our nutrition seminars know that in order for a bread to be RD approved, it should contain at least 4g of fibre and tout around 100 calories per slice. Yes, of course Silver Hills Squirrely bread or some good hearty whole grain dense rye bread (think pumpernickel) will meet these criteria, but these types of breads are not for everyone!

Sure, there used to be Pro-cardio by Dempsters and Healthy Way, but for some reason all the soft, squishy, yummy breads that meet Spectrum’s fibre guidelines have not been stocked on store shelves as of late.  …that is until now – Meet “Foldit”.  These little round flat breads are 110 calories each and have 7g of fibre.  You fill ‘em, fold ‘em and eat ‘em.  Why not try filling up these little gems with one of the following:

• 1.5 oz of Allegro 4% M.F. Cheese
• ½ cup egg white omelette
• 3 oz chicken breast
• 70g of smoked tofu
• ¾ can of tuna

Couple that with a nice big green salad (mind the dressing – aim for 40 calories per tbsp. or less) and you’ve got yourself the perfect plate – and all for less than 350 calories!  For the men, you might want to double up (350 calories is a bit low) – Enjoy!

By the way…I found these little gems at Safeway 😉

For anyone who’s come through our program at Spectrum Nutrition, you know we’ve talked a lot about ‘high impact’ foods; foods that pack a lot of calories, for not too much volume. High impact foods aren’t necessarily unhealthy for you; think nuts, nut butters, seeds, cooking oils, cheese, avocadoes and salmon to name a few.  All these foods are healthy for you, but they have so many calories associated with them that minding your portion size is still important.

….and mind the portion size they did!  We’ve discovered a perfectly pre-portioned, individually sized Brie cheese product that we’d like to share!  Ever heard of “Coeur de Lion”?  These little gems come in 25g ‘tubs’ containing only 70 calories.  One portion will cover 4 finn crisp crackers perfectly and together will run you about 150 calories.  What a perfect way to enjoy that afternoon snack – guilt free!

Portioned controlled foods help you keep the calories in check while enjoying the finer things in life – bon appetite!

Veggies are more than just healthy for you, getting enough ensures you feel fuller longer and don’t overeat the other foods on your plate.  Follow the plate model and always fill half your plate with vegetables (this is equivalent to 2 overflowing handfuls or a minimum of 2 cups) at lunch and supper. It sounds so simple and yet many people struggle to meet this requirement. Here are some ideas that will ensure you get enough veggies and enjoy them too:

1. Go for convenience- If veggies involve too much prep, you’re likely to skip them. Try pre-cut, pre washed broccoli, shredded cabbage, mixed greens, spinach, baby carrots etc.  Two large handfuls and you’ve got your veggie requirement covered!
2. Stock up on fresh produce on your day off. Chop vegetables in advance, refrigerate in a Tupperware and use for salads, stir-fries, etc, throughout the week.
3.  Have frozen vegetables on hand as a back-up. They are as nutritious as fresh vegetables (if not more), and they save you from skipping the veggies altogether when you have nothing fresh on-hand. Add frozen veggies to soups, curries, pastas, or simply microwave!
4. Make your greens taste good by stocking your fridge at home (and work) with calorie-reduced salad dressing. Pick your favourite flavour, just make sure it has ≤40 calories per tablespoon. Use 2 tbsp of dressing to keep calories in check.
5. Prefer to make your own dressing?  Keep oil to 1 tsp for one serving (a whole tablespoon will cost you 120 calories). Mix with any flavourful, low-calorie ingredients like balsamic vinegar, fresh/dried herbs, spices, shallots, garlic, salt/pepper, dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Enjoy!
6. Remember, eateries like McDonald’s, Subway, sandwich/salad bars and all grocery stores sell garden salads. If you haven’t had time to pack your veggies, go for one of these options.

My nephew asked me a very common question and I thought I’d share the answer with you all. His question was: “isn’t dairy bad for your digestion?” The short answer is NO.

There are some caveats to that answer. Dairy is a very healthy food and an important component of a healthy diet (it’s one of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide for Pete’s sake!). But some people develop the inability to digest dairy properly. This is usually caused by a deficiency of an enzyme called lactase which breaks down the milk sugar in dairy products.

When we’re children, we all have enough of the lactase enzyme. As we age (and this is truer for certain ethnic groups) our lactase enzyme production can decrease. If this happens, we can’t tolerate the volume or load of dairy as we used to. Tell-tale symptoms that you might be having difficulty tolerating lactose is gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort or diarrhea associated with the consumption of dairy products.

If you think you’re experiencing some of these symptoms due to dairy products, not all hope is lost. Dairy products are not all created equally. There is less lactose in cheese and yogurt than there tends to be in fluid milk. So what do I recommend?

• Try taking a the lactase enzyme orally with dairy products (ask your doctor about “Lactase”).
•  Try replacing just the fluid milk in your diet with Lactaid milk (has the enzyme in the milk) or a fortified soy milk; you may find you’re still able to tolerate cheese and yogurt.

Short answer is, not really.  Coconut and coconut oil are predominately made up of Saturated fat, the artery clogging fat found in meat and dairy products (think butter).  Saturated fat does not have to be avoided all together but a prudent diet consists of no more than 10% saturated fat.  So why do some ‘experts’ recommending taking loads of coconut oil?

Coconut oil contains more medium chain fatty acids than do other typical forms of dietary saturated fat.  Medium chain fatty acids (when converted to ketones) can be used by the brain for fuel. Your brain typically only uses glucose (blood sugar) for fuel, but with conditions like Parkinson’s disease for example, the brain is not ‘feeding’ itself adequately with this blood sugar and so parts of the brain function less optimally.  Coconut oil, which is made up of about 60% medium chain fatty acids is purported to help.  The only problem is that there are no human studies to date that support this assumption.  That’s not to say good studies have not been done to show positive effects of taking medium chain fatty acids to help fuel the brain, they have – but the results have not been consistent from taking coconut oil (which has less medium chain fatty acids or the chains are not used efficiently enough from this source to show a measurable effect).

So what do I recommend? If you feel comfortable exchanging some other forms of saturated fat in your diet for coconut oil (like replacing your butter or cream with a coconut based product), I’m all ears.  In fact, there might even be some benefit in doing just that.  But just don’t go replacing the other fats (or foods!) in your life with coconut oil without proper nutritional assessment – you may be doing more harm than good.

Shellfish – a ‘dieters’ friend or foe?

In the 4th lesson of our six step weight loss program at Spectrum Nutrition, our dietitians teach clients a little known fact about the calories in the different protein sources they eat.  One that often comes as a surprise for many of our clients is how low calorie protein from the shellfish family is.

Shrimp, prawns and scallops are all about 0.8 calories per gram.  So every 100g (or about ¼ of a typical package of frozen shrimp), you’ll only get about 80 calories (give or take depending on the food label).  If the prawns are fairly large sized, that’s a good cup of shrimp for only 80 calories, and all the protein most of us need in a meal!

Compare that to a piece of salmon which weighs in at about 1.8 calories per gram which means you’re looking at more than double the calories for the same amount of salmon compared to shellfish.  It is true that prawns, in particular, are much higher in dietary cholesterol than many other foods so if you’re cholesterol is on the watch I would recommend consuming prawns no more than once weekly, otherwise – enjoy! …for a whole lot less calories.

Dieters beware!

Alcohol contains calories, and depending on the drink, lots of them. All too often we don’t register the calories in beverages the same way we would for let’s say, a fudge brownie. Alcohol also has the added bonus of acting as an appetite stimulant in addition to weakening our resolve to eat moderately and make wise food choices ;).

Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines were amended recently to help Canadians moderate their alcohol consumption and reduce alcohol-related harm. The guidelines are as follows:

• Women: Limit drinks to 10 a week, no more than 2 drinks per day, but not everyday
• Men: Limit drinks to 15 a week, no more than 3 drinks a day, but not everyday

The calories in alcohol can really add up and could easily derail your weight loss plan. Here are some tips to keep the calories from alcohol in check:

• Choose lower-calorie beverages like a wine spritzer (95 kcals), light beer (65-100 kcals), glass of wine (120 kcals) or a mixed drink with a calorie-free mixer like soda water, crystal light, or diet pop (100 kcals)
• Don’t be fooled by tonic-It has as many calories as coke or juice. Try club soda or San Pellagrino instead—both are calorie-free!
• Slow your pace.  Try and limit your drinks to 1 alcoholic drink per hour by opting for a glass of water or soda between drinks.

Have you ever found yourself craving food 2 hours after eating? The first question you might ask yourself is; “Did I include enough protein in my meal?”

In conjunction with a quality, high fibre starch, including enough protein at each meal ensures the meal lasts you as long as it should; about 4-6 hours. Remember that even a high quality starch will only sustain your blood sugars for up to 2 hours after the meal.  Protein foods are digested slower than starch so the ‘satiating’ effect of protein kicks in a couple of hours after the meal and works to sustain you longer. Now that’s lasting power!

At Spectrum Nutrition we advise that clients obtain at least 12g protein from protein foods at breakfast. Protein foods are eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, beans or lentils. In addition to obtaining at least 12g protein at breakfast (more is fine!), aim for a minimum of 15g protein at lunch and supper (preferably 20-30g) and include a source of protein any snacks taken to meet daily protein needs.

Here are some excellent food sources of protein that will help you meet your daily requirements:

When it comes to a healthy diet, where does hummus stand? It’s a good question and one client’s often ask us.

Hummus is made from chick peas (garbanzo beans), tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil and lemon juice and usually spiced with fresh garlic, salt and pepper.  Because hummus is made primarily with beans so it can be a good low fat source of protein and it’s also a great way to get enough fibre.  But dieters beware; if there are large amounts of olive oil and/or tahini in a particular recipe, the calories can be more than you bargained for.  A good rule of thumb when buying hummus is to aim for:

• 30 calories per Tbsp. or less

Our favorite brands happen to be:

• Safeway’s Eating Right brand at 30 calories for 2 Tbsp.
• Habibi’s hummus (found at Whole Foods) touts 20 calories per Tbsp.
• You can also try making it yourself – check out our Recipe section for a recipe!

How do you use hummus?  In a meal, I like to think of it as the protein part of the plate:

• Use ½ cup inside a high fibre wrap for lunch
• Spread ½ cup on two high fibre slices of toast to accompany a salad

If using hummus as a snack, try:

• ¼ cup on as many veggies as you like
• 3 Tbsp. on 3 finn crisp crackers – bon appetite!

To weigh or not to weigh…that is a question that comes up a lot at Spectrum Nutrition!  Fortunately, the jury is NOT out on this issue.  It’s important to keep an eye on your weight. Period.  People who have successfully lost weight and maintained that weight loss weigh themselves regularly.  As do folks who seem to ‘naturally’ maintain a healthy body weight.

There are a couple things to remember when weighing yourself however:

1. Weigh yourself weekly, same time, same place and watch the trend – weight can fluctuate A LOT from day to day and throughout the day, so weigh yourself at the same time and under the same circumstances each week.

2. It really does take 3500 EXTRA calories to gain (or lose) a pound of true body weight – try not to be discouraged (or inappropriately encouraged!) when your weight fluctuates, if you know you’re on track with your eating other factors may be influencing your weight on the scale such as:

• Fluid retention which can be caused by eating a salty meal (think soy sauce with sushi) or alcohol consumption
• Menstruation can be good for 2-4 (temporary) pounds on the scale for sure!
• Air travel can temporarily make it seem like that vacation was worse than you thought!
• The time elapsed since your last bowel movement will even show up on the scale

3. Try not to compare your weight to others – bodies come in all shapes, sizes and densities so work with the numbers that are natural for you, but make sure you know what that number is 😉