General Nutrition

General nutrition information on how to optimize a plant-based diet, whether it be vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian. Information is always evidence-based and written by a Registered Dietitian.

Some of my top articles include Vitamin D Foods for Vegetarians and Vegans, How To Get Your Omega-3s For Vegetarians and Vegans, and Prebiotics, Probiotics and Fermented Foods - 5 Healthy Gut Tips.

Is Your Wheat Intolerance Due To Glyphosate In Canadian Bread?

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Wheat intolerance is on the rise, but maybe it is not the gluten or fructans to blame. Maybe we need to consider the amount of glyphosate – the herbicide and crop desiccant that is used on Canadian wheat.

Gluten-free is all the buzz, and many people feel better when they cut out wheat. But what if it isn’t only gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley and rye – that is causing the problem? Or even fructans, the high FODMAP foods (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) that are often blamed for IBS symptoms (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Canada has been using the highly criticized herbicide glyphosate in the harvesting of wheat products, and scientists and medical professionals have proposed that maybe it’s the herbicides residue that our bodies are reacting to. Could it be that the demonizing of gluten has drawn attention away from the potential effects of this industrial agricultural practice?
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How To Use Olive Oil For Cooking

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Despite the reported health benefits of monounsaturated-rich olive oil, there remains much confusion on how to use it in cooking. People are also curious about how to choose the right type of olive oil, and how to store it properly. I’ve included some easy to digest information on cooking with olive oil and some of my favourite olive oil-based recipes below.

Ingredients for Vegan Hemp Pesto on Wooden Board

Ingredients for The Ultimate Vegan Pesto Recipe with Hemp: Apple Cider Vinegar, Hemp, Olive Oil, Basil, Miso and Salt

When asked which is better – butter or margarine? The answer always is – olive oil. One thing that can be certain in nutrition science is that the Mediterranean diet has shown undeniable health benefits. This style of eating encourages an increased intake of nuts, fish, whole grains and vegetables while eating less meat and processed foods. At the same time, it promotes an increase in good fats – mainly monounsaturated fat which is found mostly in olive oil. …

Top 10 Non-Dairy Calcium Sources [Vegan]

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Want to know how to get enough non-dairy calcium sources in your diet? Look no further. I have compiled my Top 10 Non-Dairy Calcium Sources to help make sure your bones are nice and healthy, without the use of dairy milk.

We all know that calcium is essential for good bone health. Since our kinder years, I’m sure we can all recite the 3 recommended servings of dairy per day. The problem with these recommendations is that it doesn’t take into account the fact that dairy, alongside beef, is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (see my post For The Flexitarian – The Environmental Sustainability Of Eating Meat). If you are like me and struggle to get in your ‘3 recommended serves of dairy’, maybe its time to start looking at some non-dairy calcium sources to help meet our targets for bone health.
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How To Cook Lentils + 5 Reasons Why We Should Eat Lentils

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Do you feel like you want to delve into the world of lentils but don’t feel confident in preparing them? This is my guide on how to cook lentils, plus some of my top reasons why we should all be eating lentils, from both the health and environmental perspective.

Lentils are in my opinion the superfood of all superfoods. They are a great source of plant-based protein and important minerals including iron and zinc. They are also cost-effective in terms of money, but also greenhouse gas emissions, and have the ability to nourish our bodies on a budget, and not at the expense of the environment. Now let me tell you why lentils should be allowed centre stage at your next meal. I’ve included a simple prep guide on how to cook lentils and my top 5 reasons why we should be eating lentils.
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What Western Medicine Can Learn From Traditional Indigenous Healing

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What we can western medicine learn from traditional Indigenous healing, and how can we move forward to better all of our health.

Content Last Updated July 2014

Canadian Indigenous people had an effective world of medicine before colonization – medicine that came from this land and was specific for the people that inhabited it. Indigenous healing extends far beyond herbal teas and smudging. At its roots, it is the belief and the practice in a holistic approach to health, in treating the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual facets of health as one.

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How To Get Enough Zinc for Vegans and Vegetarians

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With 1 in 4 Canadian diets low in zinc, zinc deficiency is something that should be on everyone’s radar. Populations that are especially vulnerable to deficiency include vegans, vegetarians, kids, pregnant ladies and breastfeeding moms. I’ve included some top recommendations and tips on how to get enough zinc for vegans and vegetarians and anyone else who thinks they may be at risk.

Healthy Mayo-Free Coleslaw with Crunchy Almonds. Add almonds to your salad to increase the zinc.

The bioavailability of zinc from vegetarian and vegan diets is likely to be less than that of non-vegetarian diets. Plant foods rich in zinc, such as legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, are also high in phytic acid, an inhibitor of zinc bioavailability (1). While vegans and vegetarians are more at risk for zinc deficiency, the wider Canadian population is also at risk, likely related to the depletion of this important mineral from our soils. Read on to find out more on how we can maximize our absorption of this important mineral….

Why Is BPA Bad? Health and Environmental Concerns

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Why is BPA bad for our health? Is BPA bad for the environment? All these questions answered and more, and what we can do to reduce our exposure to this seemingly unnecessarily chemical.

Content last updated February 2014.

The more and more I think and write about food, the more I put my pantry shelves to scrutiny. While the ultimate goal is to reduce any reliance on ‘processed food’, one food product that makes a regular appearance in my kitchen is canned tomatoes. They are essential during the winter months when fresh tomatoes taste like cardboard and can transform winter stews and soups (like my Easy Lentil Soup with Kale).

As much as canned foods are convenient, they come with the consideration of BPA contamination, and we need to ask ourselves how this can impact our health and the health of the environment. But what is BPA? What are the health and environmental concerns?

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Which Is The Best Milk Alternative For You?

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Content Updated July 2013

So you have made the choice to give up milk. Mom says no, friends call you a hippie, the dairy industry is smacking their 3 recommended serves in your face. But you don’t care, you’re going to do it. Whether it be to ward off suspected intolerances, a cows milk allergy, to lower your carbon footprint or for personal ethical reasons, finding a suitable alternative can be tricky. Each book you read, every website you come across and every person you talk to will probably tell you something different. After reviewing this post hopefully, you will feel more confident in deciding which is the best milk alternative for you.
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How To Make Sprouts & Health Benefits of Sprouting Foods

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My top tips on how to make sprouts, and also why we should be including sprouts in our diet. The health benefits of sprouts include helping us to better access important minerals in nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. This is especially important for those following a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet.

I have been dabbling into sprouting foods since my early university days, but back then I was too poor to buy a proper sprouter. I’ve used everything from nut milk bags to glass jars and cheesecloth. If your a first-time sprouter, prepare to become addicted. Sprouting is one of the simplest things you will do in the kitchen -all you need to do is remember to water your sprouts, no green thumb required!…

What Are Antioxidants Good For – Protection From Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress

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We know that antioxidants are good but do we know what antioxidants are good for? I want to help break down what the benefits of antioxidants are, how they can protect us from free radicals and oxidative stress, and how we can get more of them into our diet.

Antioxidants – a term that is thrown loosely around in health food stores, grocery stores and pharmacies alike. But what exactly is an antioxidant? And what are they doing for me? I hope to shed some light into this insanely important area and help break it down so we can all have a good base core understanding of what these mean for our health.
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Health and Environmental Benefits of a Plant Based Diet | Yoga Retreat

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Content Updated March 2014

Ingredients for Healthy Coleslaw Recipe Shredded and Chopped in Bowl

Ingredients for coleslaw prepared and added to a salad bowl.

Last week I was grateful to be asked to speak at a local Yoga Retreat run by my friend and yoga teacher, Alexa Nether. The retreat was held at the beautiful Clarendon Forest Retreat just a 30-minute drive inland from Forster. There was a big focus on relaxation and restoring energy levels and aside from two daily yoga sessions and a nightly yoga nidra, there was delicious vegetarian fare prepared by a local legend.
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General Nutrition

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