Want to stay fueled and alert? Our dietitian tip is to combine protein with produce at every snack! Protein foods give you staying power, satiety and alertness. Produce offers a medley of antioxidants to boost your health and wellness. That’s a powerful combo, right?
Try these snacks the next time you’re heading out on the trails, camping or even studying for exams. Which snack combo is your favourite?
One of the best things about our job as food and nutrition experts is going to conferences to learn about new trends and share our learnings with YOU! This year’s Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) in Washington DC did not disappoint! It’s the world’s largest food and nutrition event, attracting well over 10,000 delegates with hundreds of speakers and exhibitors. Here are our top takeaways from the event.
1. FODMAP Friendly. This was by far, the biggest trend at the show. FODMAP is an acronym for “Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyphenols”. These are different types of carbohydrates found naturally in everyday foods such as fruit, veggies, grains, beans and milk product. For some people, eating foods containing high amounts of these FODMAP carbohydrates may cause gas, bloating and other digestive symptoms. Dozens of products at FNCE sported a “FODMAP Friendly” logo, including Prego’s Sensitive Recipe pasta sauce (made without onions or garlic) and Lo-Fo flours.
2. Protein Power. We’ve been following the protein trend for years now – not only how protein help to keep your muscles strong but also the power of protein across the lifecycle. This year’s FNCE show featured several protein packed products such as a peanut-based protein shake and a protein enriched pancake mix.
3. Probiotics. At last year’s FNCE event, exhibitors flaunted numerous probiotic products. This year, we saw even more innovations ranging from infused probiotic beverages to a combination protein/probiotic hot oatmeal.
4. Plant-based. Following this trend were plant-based beverages such as “sesame milk”, “banana milk” and yes, even plant-based maple water. When it comes to calcium, vitamin D and protein though, not all of these products are equivalent to cow’s milk or fortified soy beverage.
5. Snacking. Among the countless numbers of protein bars, we found snacks such as barley bars, flavoured chickpea snacks as well as single serve, shelf stable bean dips for on-the-go energy.
Which trend are you most excited about? We can help you leverage these trends in your business and communications. Contact us and let’s start a conversation!
When & how much protein we eat are KEY factors in maintaining and building strong muscles. Experts presented the latest research on the power of protein at the Candian Nutrition Society’s 2018 conference in Toronto. We were there and in this posting we translate the science to help support your health and muscle building whether it’s for daily living or sports performance. Read on for our out top tips and best sources of protein to help you build stronger muscles!
WHEN:
Spread out your protein intake evenly over three to four meals a day. To maximize your muscle strength, include protein rich foods at every meal. The biggest challenge for most Canadians is meeting their protein intake at breakfast so look for ways to pump up the protein in your morning meal. Athletes, remember get some protein into your body just before bedtime to ensure these muscle building nutrients are on board while you sleep!
HOW MUCH:
As dietitians, we love food and are passionate about its power. Protein intake recommendations for most people are to aim for 20-30 grams of protein at every meal. Athletes Note: A meal containing about 0.3 g protein/kg body mass, eaten every 3 hours supports the greatest post-exercise muscle synthesis after resistance exercise! A bedtime protein intake is also recommended for athletes so muscle building proteins are on board while you sleep!
Check out some examples of protein in foods and choose foods from the table below to help increase protein in your diet. Have questions about protein intake? Leave a comment or contact us!
Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) is a ‘must attend’ annual event for professionals in the grocery and specialty food business. This year’s conference and trade show offered tips for growth, innovation, and best ways to connect with consumers. Here are 3 TOP TRENDS we recognized in some of the award winning products.
Pack it with protein
Food makers are adding and highlighting protein in just about every category. It’s true that consumers are looking for protein but many people are confused about how much they need and where are the best sources of this important nutrient. As dietitians, we translate the science and find that Canadian nutrition recommendations encourage people to include plant based proteins and balance their protein intakes throughout the day, especially at breakfast.
Two of the 2017 Grocery Innovation award winners featured a protein claim.
• EGGbakes (Burnbrae Farms Ltd.) with about 13 grams protein per 95 g serving.
• PrOATein Premium Nutritional Bar (PrOATein) 15 grams protein per 50g bar.
Make it Fresh
Demand for fresh food is on the rise (Euromonitor). We saw many packages inviting us to eat with our eyes first, using windows to let fresh food peek through and beautiful fresh food images on pack. Adding a story about where the food was grown and who cared for it makes packaged fresh food a consumer attraction. One of the top 10 winners of the 2017 Grocery Innovations Awards captured this trend: Ready-To-Eat Fresh Fruits & Vegetables (Nature Knows Inc.) showcasing fresh grape tomatoes, blueberries or grapes.
Keep it Simple – the food label that is.
Consumers are looking for a clean label which may be interpreted as a combination of ‘free from’ features as well as an ingredient list that is easy to read, understand and not too long. Simply Simple Kefir+ Overnight Oats (A&M Gourmet Foods Inc.) was voted as one of the top 10 most innovative products.
You already know Canadian packaged foods are preparing to update their labels to comply with new Ingredient list and Nutrition Facts Table regulations. Are you working with food brands and rethinking your food offerings? If you have questions about food and health contact us. As Registered Dietitians we are Canada’s trusted experts who translate the science of nutrition into terms everyone can understand. We unlock food’s potential and support healthy living for all Canadians. Reach us for reliable advice at info@NutritionForNonNutritionists.com.
We were thrilled to attend the centennial Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) – the world’s largest annual nutrition meeting hosted in Chicago by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics! With over 13,000 attendees, FNCE did not disappoint! The Expo trade show featured hundreds of food and nutrition products. Here are the ones that caught our eye!
PREBIOTICS and PROBIOTICS
Gut health is a growing trend! Prebiotics and probiotics work together to keep the gut healthy. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that actually act as food for probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in our colon where they help to maintain a balance between the “good” and “bad” bacteria. From crackers to drinks to powders, these innovative products are designed to keep your gut healthy.
Farmhouse Culture Gut Shots – probiotic beverages and foods made with fermented veggies. Slogan: We’re here to ferment a food revolution!
Go Live Probiotic & Prebiotic Beverages – the probiotic is housed in a foil-blister cap which can be added to the beverage when you’re ready to drink. Slogan: Think outside the bottle, look inside the cap!
Regular Girl – prebiotic fibre and probiotics for the women whose life is anything but regular. Can be sprinkled on food or in beverages. Slogans: Eat, drink and be regular! You go girl! Déjà poo!
PROTEIN
We’ve been watching the protein trend grow for the past decade now. Featured at the FNCE show were protein packed pancake mixes and protein enhanced beauty products.
FlapJacked Protein Pancake & Baking Mix – boasting 19 grams of protein per 60 g serving from whey protein isolate and pea protein.
Vital Proteins – from free range bone broth collagen to wild caught marine collagen to collagen beauty water…with the belief that collagen will support bone health, joint health, gut health and a glowing skin, nails and hair.
PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES
Move over soy, almond and rice. Make way for new plant-based beverages made from nuts and pea protein.
Elmhurst Milked Peanuts – 2 new beverage options: straight up peanuts (made with 31 peanuts) or peanuts plus Dutch cocoa. Contains 8 g of protein per cup however not fortified with either calcium, vitamin D or vitamin B12.
Bolthouse Plant Protein Milk – made with pea protein, contains 10 g protein per cup and fortified with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
Veggemo – veggie-based non-dairy beverage made from pea protein. Fortified with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12, but only 3-4 g protein per cup.
June is men’s health month and a terrific time to take a look at what we can do to encourage men to take care of their bodies. Did you know that among Canadian men, 29% are obese; 68% don’t eat healthy food; and 35% don’t get enough sleep? This shows that Canadian men aren’t as healthy as they could be, in part due to lifestyle choices that they make. But the good news is, says the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF), that men don’t have to change much to improve their physical health and wellness. Canada’s Health Minister announced funding for the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF) to expand their Don’t Change Much initiative that helps Canadian men make simple lifestyle changes that can result in long-term benefits for individuals, families and communities. If you are looking to make healthy eating changes, consider seeking advice from a registered dietitian either in person or online. We look at the science that is beyond the fads and gimmicks to deliver reliable, life-changing advice that supports healthy living. Here are some terrific links and a video with more information on men’s health:
http://dontchangemuch.ca/faqs/ www.Dietitians.ca; www.ero.ca
Earlier this month, Sue joined Ben Mulroney on CTV Your Morning to talk about men’s nutrition. Check out her interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMJrLUcm_gQ
The buzz:
Late last month, Italian Parliamentarian Elvira Savino proposed a bill that would hold parents legally responsible for feeding a vegan diet to children who are under the age of 16. A vegan diet excludes all animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs.
The bill was proposed after multiple cases of Italian infants were hospitalized for malnourishment presumably due to eating vegan diets. If the bill passes, parents who restrict their children to a vegan diet would face a year-long jail sentence. Should the child fall ill because of the diet, the sentence would increase to four years; and if the child dies, the jail term would rise to six years.
The Italian government has not been shy to step into people’s kitchens. Last year, an Italian court reportedly ordered a vegan mother to feed her son meat at least once a week after her divorced husband complained that the son wasn’t getting adequate nourishment. In 2015, a father was sentenced to nine months in prison after forcing his teen daughters to diet only on whole grains, cereals and veggies because he deemed them to be too fat.
Savino’s proposed bill will be debated later this year.
The science:
According to the Dietitians of Canada, vegan diets can lower your risk of many conditions including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. A healthy vegan diet includes a variety of grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes (dried peas, peas and lentils), seeds and nuts.
However, because a vegan diet excludes meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs, it may take some planning to get enough protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fats from foods and/or supplements.
Our expert POV:
A vegan diet may be appropriate for toddlers to teens with careful planning. The most important consideration at these ages is to ensure that they are getting the nutrients they need to grow and develop well.
Talk to a dietitian about vegan food sources for nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 (which are typically found in meat, fish, poultry and eggs). Calcium and vitamin D are also essential for the development of strong bones and teeth, while omega-3 fats are essential for brain development and eye health.
With our training and experience in health promotion, we wonder if nutrition education for parents / caregivers would be more effective than this punitive legislation.
[Image source: Flickr]
The Rio Olympics are ON! We’re amazed at the commitment and performance of the athletes. You may know that sporting activities are enhanced by well-chosen nutrition strategies. Did you ever wonder what the top evidence-based nutrition tips are for athletes that help drive their best performance? Earlier this year, Dietitians of Canada published a summary of the latest scientific evidence in sports nutrition.[1] Whether you are a ‘weekend’ athlete or training for challenging events, here are our top tips that could help your performance be at its best.
Top tips for sports nutrition
[1] Dietitians of Canada (2016) Nutrition for Athletic Performance, www.dietitians.ca/sports
[2] Dietitians of Canada (2014) Sports Hydration http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Sports-Nutrition-(Adult)/Sports-Hydration.aspx
With the start of summer, ice cream treats are a staple and gelato is becoming more popular. Do you know the difference between ice cream and gelato? Does gelato contain less dairy or have fewer calories than ice cream? Here’s the scoop!
Ice cream and gelato may look similar but are made quite differently and also have unique textures and different nutritional qualities.
How they’re made: Ice cream’s first ingredient is cream, followed by added sugar. Ice cream is churned fast, whipping in a lot of air. This is makes ice cream fluffy and light.
Gelato on the other hand is made primarily with milk and added sugar. Gelato is churned very slowly, limiting the amount of air that’s mixed in. This gives gelato a thick and dense texture.
Nutritional qualities: Gelato is denser than ice cream so a scoop of gelato weighs a bit more than the same size scoop of ice cream. (See chart below.) Calories in gelato are similar to those in ice cream and depend on the type of ingredients used. If you are concerned about fat content, gelato usually has less fat than regular ice cream because it is made with milk rather than cream. Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar and the major carbohydrate in milk. Both ice cream and gelato contain lactose at about 3-6 grams/125 ml serving. [1] Overall, gelato has more added sugar than ice cream resulting in higher carbohydrate content compared to ice cream.
Dietitian’s Tip: Both ice cream and gelato are high calorie treats so stick to a small portion (1/2 cup or 125 mL) per serving. Where possible, check the ingredient list and nutrition label to help you make informed decisions.
| Characteristics | Ice Cream[2] | Gelato[3] |
| Key Ingredients | Cream, sugar | Milk, sugar |
| Churning | Fast | Slow |
| Density | Fluffier, more air (serving size weighs less per volume) |
Denser, less air (serving size weighs more per volume) |
| Serving size | ½ cup (125 ml) 90 grams | ½ cup (125 ml) 100 grams |
| Calories | 200 | 200 |
| Fat | 12 g | 9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20 g | 25 g |
| Protein | 4 g | 4 g |
| Calcium | 12 % DV | 15 % DV |
[1] Dietitians of Canada, Food Sources of Lactose (2013)
[2] Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File Vanilla Ice Cream Food Code # 4158
[3] Vanilla Gelato Nutrition Facts Label
Almost 2/3 of adults and 1/3 of kids are overweight or obese. The obesity crisis is a complex issue. What can be done?
In their report Obesity in Canada released earlier this month, the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology made 21 recommendations to chart a course for a leaner, healthier future. Here are some of the key recommendations which are generating a healthy discussion:
– The federal government assess the options for taxation levers with a view to implementing a new tax on sugar-sweetened as well as artificially-sweetened beverages.
– The Minister of Health:
Obesity is a multi-factorial issue with no easy solution. Join in our upcoming Nutrition for NON-Nutritionists course (April 20, 2016) to get our in-depth POV on these recommendations and issues, or contact us to discuss how these recommendations will impact your business innovations and communications.
You may already know that protein helps build and repair body tissues as well as build antibodies that fight disease. Last month, the Canadian Nutrition Society in collaboration with Dietitians of Canada, hosted the Conference on Advances in Protein Nutrition Across the Lifespan. We were there and heard an update from leading researchers in the field. Here are key highlights about the role of protein in exercise, weight loss and chronic disease management.
Athletes: Eating the right amount of protein at the right time has critical implications for athletes. To build muscle, Dr. Stuart Phillips at McMaster University recommends eating four equally spaced protein containing meals per day, (0.25-0.3 g protein/kg body weight/meal), PLUS a 40 g protein intake at bedtime to ensure muscle building proteins are on board while you sleep. For those interested in protein supplements, whey is best since it’s a fast absorbing high quality protein.
Weight Loss & General Health: Eating enough protein helps you feel fuller. Keep snacking at bay, and include at least 30 g protein with each meal, especially at breakfast.
The quality of protein is an important consideration for meal planning, especially for vegetarian diets. How much protein containing food do you need to eat to meet your requirements for essential amino acids – the building blocks of protein? It depends on the source! Foods containing high quality proteins require lower calorie intake to meet your essential amino acid requirements, according to Dr. Robert Wolfe, an expert on healthy aging from the University of Arkansas. For example, you may need to eat 6 times as many calories in chickpeas to get the amino acids available in one serving of lean turkey meat.
Aging & Chronic Illness: Muscle building in the body is triggered when enough of the amino acid leucine is present. When people consume small amounts of protein, the threshold of leucine needed to trigger muscle building may not be reached. Researchers including Dr. John Hoffer at the University of McGill recommend at least 30 g protein per meal to stimulate muscle building. The tip for the ill and elderly patients may be to discourage nibbling, so they are sufficiently hungry at mealtime to eat enough protein to reach the threshold for muscle building to kick in.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2014 Annual Meeting attracted more than 16,400 food professionals from around the world to learn, exchange ideas and share knowledge. One of the highlights of the meeting was IFT’s five key innovation trends expected to have major impact on the food industry. We’ve added our builds for additional insights and context.
According to research by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, consumers are most concerned about getting enough vitamins and protein. Dr. Rajavel Elango, Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia noted that current protein intake recommendations are inadequate. In fact, optimal protein and amino acid intakes could have health benefits.
Dr. Douglas Paddon-Jones concurred, stating that adequate protein intake has the potential to maintain healthy muscle and prevent age related sarcopenia (muscle loss). A threshold of 30 grams of protein represents an promising strategy for adults wishing to maintain muscle mass while control their body fat.
As educators and food innovators, let’s look for opportunities to help consumers reach their ideal protein intake for optimal health.
From protein and probiotics to tea and cooking, we’ve got the scoop on the top 10 hottest trends for 2014.
Health Canada has recently released a Guidance Document on Satiety Health Claims on Food which is open for comments until November 12, 2012. The document outlines the criteria for the satiety claim assessment and assists in decisions for claims in labelling and advertising. The purpose of this consultation is to seek comments proposed claim criteria.
Several proposed wordings for the claim also appear in the consultation document and may be of interest to your business. Communication about the product must be properly worded and not create the impression that foods carrying satiety claims would help individuals control food intake and manage body weight. It’s important to note that food products sold in Canada with the satiety claim must be substantiated using human studies. Read the full document.
Implications to your business:
Satiety is an important claim globally with numerous new launches in international markets. Many of the new products were based on fibre and/or protein. Market researchers can expect more products to follow as studies into pea, potato, whey, milk and other proteins increases. (Source: http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Ingredients/Number-of-products-making-satiety-claims-set-to-soar?utm_source=copyright&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright)