Monday, March 8, 2010

How to sneak vegetables into your diet

We've all heard it before:  eat your vegetables.  Never the entree and always the appetizer, vegetables seem to be the category of food that most often gets pushed around the plate.  Sure, they're not as exciting as that juicy piece of meat or that heavenly piece of bread.  Even a plate of fruit is sexier than a plate of vegetables.  So why, you might ask, do we have to eat our vegetables?  

Quite simply, vegetables are good for you.

Full of fibre and precious antioxidants, vegetables are nature's solution to preventing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.  Eating a diet full of brightly coloured vegetables ensures that your digestive tract works at an optimal pace.  They also make you feel fuller and aid in weight loss.   Are there any other foods that contain all of these benefits in such a low calorie package?  Likely not.

Health Canada recommends eating a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables and fruit per day; however the average person consumes nearly half that.  How can we make it easier to include more vegetables into your diet?

Here are some suggestions beyond just eating plain old salad:

1.  Buy frozen vegetable blends.

Contrary to popular belief, frozen vegetables have just as much nutritional value as fresh vegetables.  In fact, sometimes frozen vegetables have even more vitamins and minerals per serving because these vegetables are harvested and frozen when they are at their peak in nutritional value.

The convenience of using frozen vegetable blends is parallel to none.  You no longer need to use that huge celery bunch in one night.  Wastage is minimal as you only use what you need, and then place it back into your freezer for another night.  If you are single, or do not have a large family to cook for, it can be expensive to buy many different vegetables for a single vegetable dish.  Using these blends allow you to eat a larger variety of vegetables without having to spend a fortune.

My favourite blend is the Far East Blend from Green Giant.  Snow peas, bamboo, crunchy water chestnuts and broccoli!  Just add some oyster sauce and a touch of garlic oil, microwave for 2 minutes, and you have nutritious "fast food."

You can also make your own vegetable blends by picking a variety of fresh veggies, cutting them up, and then freezing them in individual ziploc bags for use later on.

2.  Drink your vegetables.

You know those V8 commercials?  They're true, you have no excuse.  I like the low-sodium V8. Vegetables can also easily be hidden in shakes and smoothies.  Make your smoothies with 60% fruit and 40% vegetables.  Spinach is the easiest to disguise, with no impact on the delicious fruity taste of a smoothie.

3.  Make a vegetable soup.

For all you vegetable haters, this is the easiest way to increase your vegetable intake without changing your diet significantly.  You can make a huge pot of vegetable soup that contains more than your recommended daily servings of vegetables in one sitting!  It's so easy, all you need is an assortment of vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, onions, leeks), a blender, and some sort of soup stock (vegetable, chicken, onion).  Throw them in a pot, boil for 20 minutes, and then blend into a thin puree.  I also add red curry paste and a touch of coconut milk in my soups.  Delicious!

Alternatively, if you are making a broth soup, just throw some frozen or fresh vegetables into your soup while heating to make it healthier.

4.  Shred your vegetables.

Shredding your vegetables makes it easy to hide in a variety of different types of food.  Instead of just using lettuce as a topping for your burger, add some shredded carrot, zucchini, mushrooms or spinach as a garnish.  Throw shredded veggies into your pasta sauce or chili.  I like using tons of red/green/yellow peppers and spinach in my pasta sauces.  The following vegan recipe is also a great alternative to red or creamy sauces, using plenty of vegetables:

Blend 1 package of spinach and 1 bunch of fresh basil with 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp of agave nectar or maple syrup, 3 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with 1/2 cup of pine nuts and add to freshly cooked whole grain pasta.  Super quick, super easy, and very healthy.

5.  Make a vegetable dip.

That huge bag of baby spinach looks intimidating, but have you ever thrown it into your blender?  It becomes less than half a cup!  Instead of hummus, make a delicious dip with vegetables, like red pepper or spinach dip.

Here's an easy recipe:
1 bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup of vegan mayonnaise or low fat mayo or low fat yogurt
1 packet of onion soup mix

Throw it into your blender or hand puree, and you will have a nutritious dip for your chips, carrots, and pita bread.

Just on a side note, it's actually clinically been proven that babies who were breastfed as a child for 5 months or longer are less likely to reject their vegetables as toddlers.  This is due to the transmission of flavour in breast milk--if the mother has a varied diet, the baby is familiar with the taste of vegetables by the time they are introduced to solid foods.

Hope that helps, this blog is dedicated to my friend Kenny, who requested a blog on "vegetables."

 If you can think of a way to cook eggplant and make it not taste like snot (barf), let me know......

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Clear Skin Diet

Ever wonder why your skin can be soft and smooth one day, and then blotchy and blemish-prone the next?

Your skin is an organ.  Like all organs, your skin has its own method of self-regulation and detoxification.  There are many factors that influence how your skin looks and feels.  These include stress, hormones, genetics, cosmetics and of course, diet.  Many of these factors can't be changed; however, we can influence  our diet and give our skin the ideal nutrients and vitamins to optimize the health of our skin.

The following is a list of acne-promoting foods:

1. Refined grains and highly processed food

The majority of commercially available breads and flours are so highly processed, they contain very little nutrients that our skin needs.   These foods tend to have too much artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and not enough antioxidants.  They are also highly glycemic (raise your blood sugar) and tend to cause spikes in your anti-inflammatory pathways.

2.  Refined sugar

Similar to refined grains, there is a relationship between your intake of refined sugar and the health of your skin.  Sugary foods like soda pop, candy and pastries are low in nutritional value and have highly glycemic effects.

High intake of refined sugar usually accompanies high intake of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids as many processed foods often contain both.  Sources of omega-6 fatty acid include processed foods and vegetable oils.  Although they are an essential fatty acid (your body cannot produce omega-6), overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory) can trigger breakouts.

3.  Dairy

 Although dairy contains many nutrients and vitamins needed for proper cell function, many people are allergic to the milk proteins (whey and casein) in cow's milk.   The problem is, very few people do not realize that they are allergic to dairy as symptoms are not immediate and may take a few days to occur.  If you suspect that you have a dairy allergy, eliminate any dairy containing foods for two weeks.  Then slowly introduce small amounts of dairy into your diet after the two week period and see how your skin reacts in a few days.

In addition, dairy products accelerate the body's synthesis of androgens (male hormones found in both men and women).  This causes the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum, resulting in blocked pores and inflammation.

Alternatives to dairy are plentiful and abundant.  Look for fortified soy milk or other non-dairy alternatives like rice milk, almond milk, or hemp milk.  Almond Breeze, Silk and Vitasoy are my favourite brands as they have more of a creamy texture than other brands.

Now we move on to foods that can actually help with keeping your skin clear and healthy.

1.  Whole grain foods

There are many delicious alternatives to white bread.  Whole grain foods contain high amounts of fibre which slows down the digestion of carbohydrates.  This causes only a gradual acceleration of  blood sugar levels, not a quick spike, and therefore has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.  Their ability to stabilize blood sugar levels coupled with their high content of antioxidants make whole grain foods a great option for healthy skin.

Instead of just choosing "whole wheat" products, try ancient grains of wheat that contain a higher nutritional value.  Spelt, quinoa, millet, amaranth, and kamut are all great options to choose from.

2.  Fatty fish

Cold-water oily fish are high sources of omega-3 fatty acids, the good fats that convert into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins EPA and DHA.  These fats are essential for keeping the skin clear and healthy as they balance out the inflammatory effects of omega-6 fatty oils.  Many people think that they need to be supplementing with an omega 3-6-9 supplement but it's the ratio between omega-3 to omega-6 that is important.

For vegans and vegetarians, flax oil and avocados are good alternatives for obtaining your omega-3s.

3.  Colourful fruits and veggies

Try to incorporate as many brightly coloured vegetables and fruit into your diet.  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries.....the darker and more colourful, the better.  These veggies and fruit contain large doses of antioxidants that protect against free radical damage.  They are also high in fibre and jam-packed with vitamins and minerals, all essential to support the matrix of the skin.  Tomatoes are especially beneficial as they contain a pigment called lycopene, known to suppress acne-causing hormones.

4.  Sip green tea.

Yes, another reason to drink green tea.  In addition to all of the other health benefits that green tea has been linked to (weight loss, cancer-fighting), the antioxidants in green tea have been shown to be highly beneficial for acne reduction.  These antioxidants, known as polyphenols, are great for the skin due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

In addition to incorporating the foods listed above, there are supplements that may improve your skin texture and help to keep it clear.

Perfect Skin by Genuine Health (Greens Plus) contains omega 3 fish oils, green tea extract, zinc and chromium, all shown to clinically have a pimple-reducing effect on your skin.  Don't be fooled by the "for men" and "for women" versions, they are both the same formulation except for the colour of the packaging.  

Nutrition for Troubled Skin by DermaMed is basically a multivitamin that contains higher levels of Vitamin A and Zinc.  Can be beneficial when taken on a daily basis, but best for preventing cystic acne.

And lastly, keep hydrated!  Drinking plenty of water is essential for keeping your skin clean and clear.  Sip water regularly throughout the day as it helps to flush out the system and keep things lubricated.