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.

5 Tips On How To Improve Gut Health Naturally – Prebiotics Probiotics & Fermented Foods

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My top five tips on how to improve gut health naturally! I’ll break down what we need to know about prebiotics, probiotics and fermented foods and how these can not only improve our gut health but overall health as well! This article was written for Aboriginal Healthy Living Activities run by ISPARC and SportMedBC and I have made special reference to Indigenous foods and healing methods.

Why do we need to make sure our guts are happy? Our gut is filled with about 100 trillion bacteria, in fact, we have more bacteria cells in our body than human cells! We are only starting to understand all the functions this community of bacteria has, and how we can support them. In this article, I have included my top five tips on how to improve gut health naturally and the basics and importance of prebiotics, probiotics and fermented foods.
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Chia vs Flax vs Hemp – Which One Is Healthier & More Sustainable?

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Chia vs Flax vs Hemp, all your questions about how these seeds measure up in terms of health and environmental sustainability answered. I’ve compared nutrient content including calcium, protein and omega-3s, as well as included a few of my favourite recipes!

Hemp Vegan Pate with Dill on White Plate

Hemp and Sunflower Seed Vegan Pate

Superfoods are big money. Promises of everlasting youth and renewed vitality, consumers happily spend the big bucks without further question. Some really are super, some are flops. Chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp seeds have all made their mainstream supermarket debut over the last few years and as super as they all are, each of them has individual health properties that are as unique as their consumers are. Some are better suited to certain individuals, and some consumers like to factor in the environmental standpoint. Chia vs Flax vs Hemp – which one better for you?
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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. …

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….

BPA, Our 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.

Content last updated February 2014.

We mostly associate BPA with plastic water bottles and food containers, but BPA is found in many everyday items including aluminum cans and canned foods. As much as these containers 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.

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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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General Nutrition

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