A great way to start your day is with a parfait. It’s sweet, fulfilling, has protein and fibre! This recipe makes extra granola so you can use it in other recipes. Make it into a trail mix by adding dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, raisins, figs etc). Or sprinkle it on cereal, oatmeal, smoothie, or salad.
Tip: Make the granola ahead of time, so all that’s left is assembling. Or assemble it all in advance, cover it, and store in the fridge for up to a day.
The classic combo, hummus and pita. Hummus can be quite expensive to buy in stores, but quite inexpensive when prepared at home. Try this easy-to-make, flavourful, and creamy hummus alongside some crunchy whole wheat pita chips. Save the extra hummus to use as a spread on sandwiches (instead of mayonnaise), or as a dip with carrots, cucumber, broccoli, or your favourite veggie. This dip is plant-based, and contains healthy fats, fibre, and iron; nutrients that are important for heart health, gut health, and for carrying oxygen in our blood.
Ingredients
Hummus:
1 (19oz/540ml) can of chickpeas (drained & rinsed), or 1 cups dried chickpeas, boiled
In a food processor, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, spices and water. Process for 1 minute, or until smooth.
Add oil and process again for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and garnish.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
Transfer pita slices onto the sheet and coat each side with cooking spray or canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes (flipping sides halfway) or until crispy and golden brown. Serve with hummus once cool.
Here’s a healthy and crunchy snack you can take to work or school. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s high in protein, fibre, and contains complex carbs – elements of a fulfilling snack that can sustain and keep you energized. It also can help you reach your daily nutrient needs of iron (to help carry oxygen in your blood), potassium (to keep your nerves and muscles healthy) and folate (to make red blood cells, keep heart healthy, and lower certain birth defect risks). Try it out!
Ingredients
2 (19oz/540ml) cans of cooked chickpeas (drained & rinsed) or 2 cups dried chickpeas, boiled
3 tbsp canola/corn/vegetable oil
2-3 tbsp spice of your choice (ex. chili powder, cajun, pepper, etc).
Tip: If chickpeas are not completely dry, spread them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes, to remove excess water. (This makes them crispy).
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Season chickpeas with spice and oil. Combine well.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, giving the sheet a shake every 10 minutes to evenly cook chickpeas. Serve once cool.
⚠ Always remember to increase fibre intake slowly and to have more water when you have more fibre to avoid discomfort! Talk to a dietitian to find out if you are having enough.
Nutrition Information (per ¼ cup serving): 150kcal / 6g protein / 17g carbohydrate / 4g fibre / 7g healthy fat
This colourful dish is a whole darn meal! As you know, it’s important to try and have veggies, grains, and protein with meals. Imagine getting all of that in one single recipe? Sounds almost too good to be true, eh 🤔 But we swear we’re telling the truth. There are a bunch of wonderful nutrients in each part of this recipe –the chickpeas, in particular, are a great source of folate. They’re also packed with protein, making this a great recipe for vegans and vegetarians. The veggies pack a punch too (providing you with Vitamin A and C) and the couscous gives some protein as well. So go ahead and enjoy this tasty meal with no regrets 🙏🏽 Let us know what you think in the comments! .
Ingredients:
1 cup instant couscous 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp garlic paste 1 tsp salt ½ tsp red chilli powder 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup broccoli, chopped 1 cup peas 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock .
Instructions: 1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pan. 2. Add garlic paste and heat for a minute. 3. Add vegetables (broccoli, red bell pepper, peas) and spices (salt, red chilli pepper). Cook for 10 minutes. 4. Add stock, chickpeas, and couscous. Let cook for 5 minutes. 5. Remove from stovetop and let sit for about 10 minutes. 6. Use a fork to “fluff” the couscous. This means breaking up any clumps (who likes clumpy couscous, am I right?). 7. Happily serve ☺.
Nutritional Information (per serving): 370 kcal / 20g protein / 55g carbs (with 13g of fibre!) / 7g healthy fats
Exercise! We all do it (or at least try to 🙈) in some way, shape, or form. With the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelinesstating that adults under age 65 need to have at least 150 minutes of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise per week, it’s no wonder that physical activity is becoming a hot topic amongst not only our clientele but also our family and friends. Our bodies were simply made to move and even adapt with each workout – it’s no wonder, then, that being active comes with so many other benefits as well, such as reducing the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers [1]. Everyone seems to know this, but there is still one area relating to physical activity that is a bit of a mystery to most people, and that’s what to eat to support your work out.
A balanced diet is not just complimentary to exercise – it’s a necessity!
With so much information available online (think: almost everyone on YouTube or Instagram nowadays) it’s easy to get confused and try to figure out what applies to you and your exercise routine. The good news is that the vast majority of people who exercise don’t need to tweak their eating habits too much. The new Canada’s Food Guideis super helpful in this regard and helps to ensure that you’ll get enough of the nutrients (in particular protein, carbohydrates, and fats) that you need to improve your health and support your active living.
Let’s take a look at the new Food Guide so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about:
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PROTEIN
The amount:
Getting enough protein is important for everyone, but it proves to be crucial for physical activity. Because protein is the building block of your muscles, you need to be able to get a bit more of it in your diet if you’re working out intensely to help your muscles grow and recover from any exercise you might do. This is why you’ve probably heard that you need 0.8g of protein per kg of your body weight normally but that number goes up depending on how long and vigorous your sessions might be [2] [3]. As a result, try to have at least a quarter of your plate be a source of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to having protein during your main meals, talk to a Registered Dietitian about how much more protein you might need to also incorporate into your day through snacks and pre-/post-workout bites.
The timings:
One thing that seems to be universal for most people that exercise is the benefit of having protein during or directly after your workout. Research has shown that having about 20g of protein at these times can help build muscle faster [4]. It might be easier to save the protein for after rather than during, though, as it could be a bit heavy on your stomach when moving around so much.
So what kind of protein should I be having?
You should try to reach for lean protein foods. These are good quality protein sources that are lower in fat but still have the nutrients you need. Think of skinlesschicken, turkey, tuna, shellfish, and pulses like beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
CARBOHYDRATES
The amount:
Carbs are the #1 source of energy in our bodies, so it’s no wonder they play a large role in exercise nutrition [5]. In fact, whenever you eat, carbs are broken down into glucose and are used by cells in the body that need it. After these cells have been fed, extra glucose is stored in your body as “glycogen”. During intense workouts, this glycogen can be used up, causing you to feel tired and need to stop.
To avoid this, make sure you’re having enough carbohydrates in your diet. This depends on your level of exercise intensity and how much you work out, but ensuring you have a quarter of your plate be sources of carbs (such as whole grains) during breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a good start. A Registered Dietitian will be able to guide you on how much more you might need during snacks or around workouts as well.
The timings:
If you happen to be doing intense, over 1 hour workouts (or if you’re playing intense sports for that amount of time) having carbs before and perhaps even during your exercise could help refuel your body and keep fatigue at bay [4].
So what kind of carbs should I be having?
Aim to have whole grains such as wholegrainpasta, brownrice, oats, and quinoa during meal times. These will provide you with fibre and lots of B vitamins to promote bowel health and give you energy [6].
Incorporate fruits and low-fat dairy/dairy alternatives into your diet too. While these are not in the “whole grains” section of the Food Guide, fruits and dairy/dairy alternatives are sources of carbohydrates and are good sources of energy. Fruits, in particular, are also a good source of antioxidants like Vitamin C that protect your body’s cells from damage and stress associated with exercise [7] [4]. Dairy and dairy alternatives like fortifiedsoy, cashew, and almondmilk all provide calcium and vitamin D to help keep your bones strong and resistant to injury.
FATS
The amount:
Remember all the anti-fat propaganda from the 90s/00s? They were wrong! Fat is actually an important part of a balanced diet. In fact, fat provides us with energy and even helps our bodies absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K [8]. Fat even helps with your brain health too – without it, we wouldn’t be able to function and work out, so it’s a good thing you only need about 2-3 tbsp of healthier cooking oils or a 1/4 cup of certain nuts and seeds daily [9] [3]. Because fat is in so many foods, this is the only amount you’ll need to think about adding into your meals in order for you to get 20-35% of your total energy coming from this great macronutrient [10].
The timings:
More good news! Because the amount of added fat needed is so little, timings aren’t really an issue. You could easily get this amount before dinnertime even rolls around through the cooking oil and margarine you might have in your meals.
So what kind of fats should I be having?
Limitsourcesof saturated and trans fats, like pastries and fast food. These have been linked to heart disease and wouldn’t be conducive to an active lifestyle [11].
Reachforsourcesof monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats instead, like oliveoil, avocados, flaxseeds, and walnuts. These will help improve your heart health and work together with exercise to build a stronger you.
FLUIDS
The amount:
While there are a lot of fancy calculations out there to help you figure out exactly how much water you need, you can simply drink water throughout the day. This will stop you from getting dehydrated and help you achieve your best exercise performance [4].
The timings:
Before, during, and after exercise are all good times to stay hydrated. In particular, drinking water while you are active and keeping it closeby at all times is a great way to replenish any fluids your body is losing through sweat. Listen to your body: if you don’t remember having had water in a while or if you feel thirsty, don’t be afraid to take a time out and grab some H2O. Your body will thank you!
So what kind of fluids should I be having?
Water should be your drink of choice when being active. In the event that you are working out at a highintensity for over 45 minutes, consider sports drinks that contain electrolytes as well. This is because your body doesn’t just lose water when sweating – electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and chlorine escape as well [12]. These losses (particularly of sodium) can even cause cramping, so in intense cases where this can happen sports drinks should be considered [4].
In conclusion…
As simplistic as it may seem, combining all of these ideas into one meal plan actually creates what many of us already do or are striving towards: having three meals a day (with the odd snack in between meals) as well as fluids like water and dairy beverages throughout. I hope the tweaks to this old-age formula are not too daunting and you find yourself able to adopt a diet that can support you on your exercise journey 😌.
It is important to remember, though, that these are all very general guidelines on exercise nutrition. Every active person is different: macronutrient and caloric needs are dependent not only on age, height, weight, and sex/gender but also the type of physical activity you partake in, the amount of time you spend training/competing daily, and the intensity at which you perform. Seeing a Registered Dietitian is therefore very important and can help you create an individualized meal plan that works best for you and can contribute to optimal performance. If you feel like that’s something you’d benefit from, contact us and we can work together to build a stronger you!
Until next time 😉,
Huda Amareh, MAHN, RD
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References:
[1] Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and Participaction (2018). Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. Can be accessed from: https://csepguidelines.ca/adults-18-64/
[4] Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501-528. Chicago
[5] Jequier, E. (1994). Carbohydrates as a source of energy. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 59(3), 682S-685S.
[9] Chianese, R., Coccurello, R., Viggiano, A., Scafuro, M., Fiore, M., Coppola, G., … & Meccariello, R. (2018). Impact of dietary fats on brain functions. Current neuropharmacology, 16(7), 1059-1085. Chicago
[12] Baker, L. B., De Chavez, P. J. D., Ungaro, C. T., Sopeña, B. C., Nuccio, R. P., Reimel, A. J., & Barnes, K. A. (2019). Exercise intensity effects on total sweat electrolyte losses and regional vs. whole-body sweat [Na+],[Cl−], and [K+]. European journal of applied physiology, 119(2), 361-375.
Looking for a bit of protein and carbohydrates to go with your workout? Look no further than our Mango Banana Protein Smoothie! It’s light, easy to make, and super tasty. Think of all the vitamin C from the fruits 🤤! The vitamin D and calcium from the added milk 😯! And most of all: the flavour! I’d be lying if I said I don’t make this even on my non-workout days 🙊. So have at this luscious drink and let us know what you think in the comments!
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped mango 1 cup cut banana 1 scoop protein powder 3/4 cup cow’s milk OR unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup ice cubes
Instructions 1. You know what to do! Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until extra smooth. 2. Happily serve ☺.
Nutritional Information (per serving): 190 kcal / 13g protein / 30g carbs / 3g healthy fats
You may have heard that whole wheat (or brown bread) is healthier than white. But is whole wheat the same as whole grain? Let’s find out.
Grains have 3 parts to them: germ, endosperm and bran [1]. Whole grains are the least processed and have all 3 nutritious parts. Whereas whole wheat and white flour have some or all of the germ and bran removed – leaving them with less nutrition.
Whole grains
Lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers [2]
Help in keeping a healthy weight
Are the least processed: have all 3 nutritious parts of a grain i.e. have more vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and healthy fats [1]
Whole wheat
Is a refined grain – i.e. partially processed to remove some of the germ and bran
Has less fibre, minerals, vitamins and healthy fats
Can still be a healthy choice [3]
Tips when choosing Whole Grain bread
Look for “100% whole grain” – make sure it’s 100%
Look for at least 2g of fibre per slice (low in sodium, sugar and fat)
Make sure the first ingredients have the word “whole” before them ex. Whole grain wheat flour, whole rye etc
Multigrain / Stone Ground / Enriched ≠ Whole grain
Tips when choosing Whole Wheat bread
Whole wheat ≠ whole grain
Look for 4g of fibre per serving
Where possible, choose whole grain bread more often
Conclusion
To summarize, whole grains have all 3 parts of the kernel, therefore they contain more nutrition and have more health benefits than refined grains!
Until next time,
Almas-Sadaf Shaikh, PMDip, RD
*Please be aware that these are general guidelines. Nutrition and intake varies by age, sex, height, activity, being pregnant or breastfeeding, and medical conditions. For more information or to sit with one of our dietitians for an individualised nutrition counselling session, please contact us at amananutrition@gmail.com or visit our Contact Us page to book your first appointment.
To all the curry lovers out there (like me :P), you have to try this cashew chicken curry! It’s simple to make, only requiring 3 spices (chili powder, garam masala and black pepper), uses healthy fats, and lean poultry. Enjoy it with whole wheat chapati or brown rice along with your choice of cooked vegetables like gobi (cooked cauliflower), okra or eggplant.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 skinless chicken breast (1lbs), cubed
1 cup low fat yogurt
⅓ cup cashews (or almonds), soaked in warm water (or use 2 tbsp of cashew powder)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garam masala
Instructions:
In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onions on medium-high heat till soft.
Add ginger garlic paste, and saute for 1 minute. Add chicken and sauté until its color starts changing to white (~2-3 minutes).
Meanwhile, blend yogurt, soaked nuts (or cashew powder) and black pepper. Set aside.
Add chili powder and salt to the chicken. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add the yogurt-nut blend and mix well. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 15 minutes on medium heat.
Once chicken is tender, add garam masala and cook for another 2-5 minutes. Serve hot!
Nutrition Information (per serving): 218kcal / 26g protein / 9.5g carbohydrate / 9g healthy fat
You may have seen raw sugar (or turbinado sugar) being served at coffee shops or sold in grocery stores. Some brands claim that raw sugar is more natural and beneficial than white or brown sugar. So what’s the difference?
Raw sugar:
Is processed by boiling the cane juice only once to remove some molasses
Contains trace amounts of micronutrients (calcium, iron, potassium and antioxidants)
Has a caramel flavour, and are golden brown crystals
Is more expensive (2-3 times the price of white sugar)
Similarities between the 3 sugars:
Similar nutrient profile per tsp: 16 calories, 4g carbs [1]
Per 1 tsp, all 3 sugars do not provide even 1% of recommended daily intakes of calcium, iron or potassium, nor has a significant amount of antioxidants
All 3 are sucrose and are processed from sugarcane / sugar beet [2]
All 3 are added sugars that can raise blood sugars 😦
So although raw sugar has trace amounts of minerals and antioxidants, you would have to have cups and cups of raw sugar to get the same amount of minerals and antioxidants from nutritious foods like bananas (potassium), spinach (iron), milk (calcium) or blackberries (antioxidants) [1]! So if you choose to have raw sugar, consider it for its flavour more than it’s nutrition!
Bottom Line
To summarize limiting added sugars is part of a healthy diet, whether that’s white, brown or raw sugar!
Until next time,
Almas-Sadaf Shaikh, PMDip, RD
*Please be aware that these are general guidelines. Nutrition and intake varies by age, sex, height, activity, being pregnant or breastfeeding, and medical conditions. For more information or to sit with one of our dietitians for an individualised nutrition counselling session, please contact us at amananutrition@gmail.com or visit our Contact Us page to book your first appointment.
Need help getting enough fibre? Try these fibrous and easy to make bran muffins! (No electric beater required!). Add it to your breakfast or grab it as a snack! The fibre will keep you full and help keep you regular! Wheat bran not only contains B vitamins, minerals and some protein, but also has soluble fibre – which forms a gel in your gut trapping some cholesterol and removing it 🤯! So why not try these yummy muffins that can improve gut health along with your heart health ❤!
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups (87g) wheat bran
1 ⅓ cups (165g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (68g) sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon, ground (optional)
1 ⅓ cup (330 ml) 2% milk
⅓ cup (75 ml) canola oil
1 egg
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a medium sized bowl, combine wheat bran, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set it aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine milk, egg and oil with a whisk. Add dry ingredients and stir only until combined.
Scoop batter evenly into twelve muffin pan cups greased with cooking spray or lined with paper muffin liners. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until a fork/toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.
⚠ Always remember to increase fibre intake slowly and to have more water when you have more fibre to avoid discomfort! Talk to a dietitian to find out if you are having enough.
Nutrition Information (per muffin): 161kcal / 4g protein / 23g carbohydrate / 3.5g fibre / 7g healthy fat
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