Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day; essential to starting the day off right. I often like to include cereal in my breakfast, but with so many cereals claiming to be “healthy choices”, it can sometimes be overwhelming to choose.

Here are my tips, for navigating the cereal isle. Choose a cereal with at least 5 grams of fiber, at least 3 grams of protein, no more than 180 milligrams of sodium and no more than 8 grams of sugar with the ideal range being around 4-5 grams. Enjoy it with low-fat milk or fortified unsweetened almond or soy milk.

Beware of the ‘health halo’ effect when reading front-of-package cereal box information. Many cereals branded as “healthy choices”, may in fact be high in sugar and sodium. Some cereals may have one unique benefit, such as increased protein content, while containing more sugar and sodium than the lower protein options.  Some cereals may appear to be healthy because they contain dried fruit and bran, but beware these cereals may have up to 31 grams of sugar and 365 milligrams of sodium, per serving.

Look for cereals containing whole grains, nuts and seeds. One of my new favourite cereal brands is Kashi. They have a variety of cereals that meet the nutrition guidelines stated above. This brand also offers of gluten-free options for individuals with gluten intolerance. Some of their cereals contain up to 12 grams of sugar – this is generally the result of dried fruit – so it is important to check for this.

Below are some of my favourites that meet the nutrition guidelines:

Kashi Cocoa Spice                                                              Kashi Go Lean Original

Kashi Honey Puffed Oats                                 Kashi Organic Autumn Wheat

A great thing that I love doing to my cereal is to add cinnamon, chia seeds, nuts or cut up fresh fruit such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries or apples. This increases the nutrient and fibre content of my breakfast.

More information on choosing healthy cereals: http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/how-buy-cereals

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Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSC, RD

Iron Pots – Low levels of iron in the body is a global issue. Interestingly, iron can be obtained through the use of iron pots or pans. Iron from the pots leaches into foods cooked in them, increasing the iron content of whatever you are cooking.  In some cases, this could make up approximately 20% of the recommended daily intake of iron. Iron is most easily leached when cooking with foods that are acidic or high in vitamin C, such as tomatoes or tomato sauce.

Stainless Steel Pots – The low cost and high safety levels of these pots make them a common household item. Stainless steel pots are strong, and do not allow metals to leach into the food. This is important since the body can only withstand trace amounts of certain metals – higher levels can be toxic. Overall, stainless steel is a great metal to cook with, as it ensures safe preparation of food.

Non-stick Pots – These pots have a special coating that prevents food from sticking to the appliance, extending the duration and maintaining the quality of the pot. In addition to being beneficial for the pot, the coating is helpful for consumers. The non-stick coating may mean that less added fat is required when cooking many foods.

Aluminum Pots – Like iron pots, aluminum pots also leach metal into food. The use of these pots can contribute up to 10-20% of our total daily intake of aluminum. Aluminum is commonly absorbed by leafy greens, or high acid foods (i.e. tomatoes, lemons). To prevent high rates of aluminum absorption, these pots undergo a process called anodization. In this process, conducted electric currents produce a protective layer, reducing the amount of aluminum leached into the food, and ensuring levels that are safe for consumer use.

Silicone Cookware – This newer type of cookware is created from a synthetic rubber made from silicone and oxygen. Unique features include its non-stick surface, high temperature tolerance, and resistance to stains. There are no known health issues related to silicone cookware, and it is not known to have negative reactions with food or beverages, or produce hazardous fumes.

Additional Kitchen Tips:

Click here for more information.

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Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

As a graduate student and future Registered Dietitian, I am always on the lookout for quick, nutritious and tasty snacks that I can have while studying and that are easy to pack with me to go for my internship placements. I am usually wary of snack foods- all too often, foods that make health claims such as “low fat” or “sugar free” are deceptive- if you take out one thing, a whole lot of others are added! However, when I came across ShaSha Bread Co.’s buckwheat snacks, I was intrigued. They are marketed as gluten free, raw, vegan, high fibre as well as a source of prebiotics and probiotics. I picked up a package of the blueberry apple flavour to try. I was pleasantly surprised with this snack. It is similar to granola in that it contains a mixture of dried fruits, nuts, seeds. However, instead of oats, buckwheat groats are used, which enable the product to be completely gluten free. I found the product to have a nice flavour- not an artificial fruit flavour- and it had natural sweetness but it was not too sweet. It was definitely very filling, and I could see myself pairing it with some yogurt for a quick, nutritious breakfast in the morning, as well as packing some as part of my lunch for when I have to go to work/placements. Overall, it is a nutritionally sound product- it does not have any artificial ingredients or preservatives and it is a source of a number of different vitamins and minerals. In fact, a 1/3 cup serving provides 20% of the daily value for fibre. Often, fibre is something that many people find difficult to get enough of in their diet. Therefore, ShaSha Bread Co. buckwheat snacks can be an easy, tasty way to increase your fibre intake. I find it a little pricey to include in my diet on a daily basis, however, I could see myself eating a few times per week to increase my nutrient intake in a tasty, easy way. They are available in your local grocery stores.

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Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

The other day I was strolling around my local farmer’s market when I came across yellow watermelon. This is the first time that I had ever seen this fruit. Being the curious and food driven person I am I just had to try it. I assumed it would be pretty similar to the more common pink watermelon but the one I tasted wasn’t as sweet and almost had a slight sour taste. To me it tasted more like melons such as honeydew than the traditional pink watermelon. However, it did still have tender crispness and watery texture as pink watermelon. Very intrigued about my new discovery I wanted to do a little more research about yellow watermelon.

According to Alberts Organics, watermelons that are pink or red on the inside contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which is perhaps best known for making tomatoes red. Yellow watermelons do not contain this antioxidant, so they don’t have the same reddish tint. Yellow watermelons are known for their extremely sweet taste, which some people say tastes a bit like honey and this is indeed the one difference between a yellow flesh watermelon and a pink flesh melon – the yellow ones tend to be sweeter. However, this wasn’t the case when I tried my yellow watermelon. Possibly the yellow watermelon that I had was overripe giving it a more bitter taste since I didn’t think it had much taste to it at all when I tried it. Yellow watermelon would certainly be a great conversation piece at any get together. I know I will defiantly be trying yellow watermelon again to try the sweet, honey taste but this time I will be more careful at selecting a ripe watermelon. Hopefully you will have a sweeter first experience with yellow watermelon than I had.

Resource: albertsorganics.com

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