Canadians have long been concerned about their nutritional health. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 76% of consumers say nutrition is important when they buy food. Nutrition month is a perfect time to look at your eating patterns, but also to get great tips from the experts.
For the grocery shopper there isn’t always have enough time to plan, buy and prepare healthy food. Time is often an issue, even though you have good intentions to eat well. While most Canadians want to achieve a healthy weight, they need helpful tips on how to include more vegetables, fruits and grains in their diet.
Ramona Josephson, a registered dietitian and Vancouver-based author of HeartSmart Nutrition: Shopping on the Run with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, says it all starts with that trip each week to the grocery store.
“There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on healthy eating. And with about 25,000 items to choose from in large supermarkets, it can be tough for the typical person to navigate the aisles,” says Josephson.
The HeartSmartTM Shopping Cart
Josephson’s book is based on the concept of a grocery cart, divided into three sections. She recommends choosing items to fill the cart from the food groups of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
- This part of the grocery cart is the largest. Load it up with whole-grains, vegetables and fruit.
- Be deliberate about how you fill this smaller part of your cart, choosing lower-fat milk products, lean meat, fish and legumes.
- Think carefully when you select other foods (such as fats and oils) for the bottom of your cart.
Run Each Item Through Your “Nutrition Scanner”
Her advice while you shop is to “run each item through your nutrition scanner.” Items that make up the first section of the grocery cart are plant foods. These can be fresh or packaged. To benefit from the fibre, nutrients, antioxidants and other phytochemicals these foods offer, she recommends starting in the produce section of the grocery store. Choose a variety of colours of your favourite fruits and vegetables. On a stop at the bread department, look for “whole grain flour” or “stone ground flour” as a first ingredient or “100% whole wheat.” Josephson suggests breads with at least 2 grams of fibre per slice.
Packaged plant foods such as cereals, pastas, crackers and other sources of fruits and vegetables tend to be found in the middle aisles of most supermarkets. Her top tip for these products is to check the label for the most fibre, and the least amount of added fat. Most of the items in the second section of the grocery cart are derived from animals—meat, fish, milk and eggs. Buy leaner cuts of meat and remove the skin from poultry. Ramona’s top tip for the processed foods in this category, and for the “other foods” at the bottom of the cart is to consider the “total fat” shown on a label.
With the introduction of new nutrition labeling regulations in Canada, consumers can look forward to reading labels that will show the quantity of unhealthy added fats. Consumers should select foods with the least amount of “saturated or trans fats” in the ingredient list. “Reducing added fat is the key to improving your health and managing weight. Limit baked goods and high-fat snack foods. Flavour food with herbs and spices rather than added fat,” says Josephson. “Do try to include healthier fat sources in your diet like olive and canola oil, non-hydrogenated margarine, nuts and fish.”
She adds one quick tip for Canadians—especially women—who limit their milk products because they are concerned about fat.
In her experience, she has found that many adults do not consume the recommended four servings per day, or five servings for women after menopause. To build strong bones and help to prevent osteoporosis, choose skim milk (one serving=250 mL), low fat yogurt or soymilk fortified with calcium. Baked beans, broccoli and the bones of canned fish such as salmon also provide calcium. Her overall weight loss plan is simple: eat balanced meals with lots of variety, budget your fat intake, watch portion size, and get plenty of daily exercise.
Shopping on the Run
The third edition of HeartSmart Nutrition: Shopping on the Run is available in bookstores across Canada. Consumers can also call their local Heart and Stroke Foundation office toll free at 1-888-hsf-info for more information. Josephson’s style is practical, with a generous dose of humour.
“I wanted to write something that would cut through the confusion and provide people with the facts. I know that reading a nutrition book can be like eating a 12-course dinner without a break. That’s why I’ve broken down the information into bite-sized pieces. You can read it cover to cover or pick up a few tips by reading just one page,” explains Ramona.
“On a personal level, I was inspired to write this book because I come from a family with a strong history of heart disease. I saw first-hand how my father was able to manage his heart health by changing his diet. In those days, over 30 years ago, the relationship between heart health and diet was just emerging.”
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada promotes nutrition for overall health. For more ideas, see the Foundation’s Web site at heartandstroke.ca and learn about the Foundation’s food information program at www.healthcheck.org. Josephson has more nutrition tips at www.yournutritioncoach.com. For details about National Nutrition Month®, visit www.dietitians.ca and Health Canada’s www.canadian-health-network.ca.
