Let’s Chat about food.

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with fad diets and conflicting information, it's essential to understand the importance of a balanced diet and how it impacts our overall well-being. Are you ready to unlock the potential of food and embrace a lifestyle that fuels your body from within? Let's dive in!

Demystify Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the building blocks of our diet, providing us with the energy and nutrients needed for optimal performance. Understanding the role of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can help us strike a balance and make informed choices.

Carbohydrates are our body's primary source of energy. Incorporating complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, provides:

• A sustained release of energy.

• Essential fibre for digestive health.

• Many vitamins and minerals.

Although carbohydrates have been judged harshly over the past few years as "the macronutrient" causing everyone to gain weight, it isn't the case. Carbs have been a part of healthy, sustainable diets for centuries and are much less likely to be the problem than they have been given credit for.

Proteins are vital in repairing and building tissues, supporting our immune system, creating enzymes and maintaining hormone balance. Developing a good balance of animal and plant-based protein sources will aid you in getting adequate protein for optimal life. Including plant-based sources such as legumes & pulses, tofu, nuts, and seeds can assist you in achieving your protein intake goals (hopefully around 20-25g per meal) and increase your fibre intake. 

Although protein has been heralded as the king/queen of nutrients, most individuals just aren't getting enough in for optimal muscle build and maintenance and optimal immune and digestive health. 

Fats have been misunderstood for MUCH longer than carbohydrates have been coming under fire. From the 1970s till the 2000s, fat has been something individuals and the food industry have been feverishly working at removing and reducing in the diet. 

The unfortunate side effect of removing fat from our diets and food is that food tastes bland, and regardless of the amount of calories consumed, it is unlikely to feel satisfying. Fats are essential for hormone production, brain health, and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. 

Opt for healthy fats in avocados, nuts, seeds, dairy, nut/seed butters, avocado oil and olive oil while minimizing animal-based saturated and trans fats (think fried foods). For an extra bonus of anti-inflammatory points, focus on foods rich in Omega-3, such as flaxseeds, salmon, all cold-water fish, chia seeds, avocado and olives. 

Embrace the Power of Micronutrients

While macronutrients provide us with energy, they are also the pathway to consuming adequate micronutrients. Micronutrients are the superheroes that support our immune system, bone health, and overall vitality. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are the key players in this arena.

We often consider minerals and vitamins as things we take from a bottle. A multivitamin or a B complex, some vitamin D drops, but it can be WAY less expensive than that. Now the cost of groceries is DEFINITELY on a steep incline. However, purchasing bottle after bottle of supplement is ALWAYS going to burn a hole in our bank account at a much quicker rate. 

When we consume various fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and fat sources, we often get the micronutrients our bodies require to function healthfully. Most people in the health and wellness industry just won't say this, but supplements were never meant to be front and centre of building a healthy diet/lifestyle. They were intended to be secondary characters in the movies of our health. They were meant to offer us an insurance policy for when our diets weren't the greatest or when the winter hit and vitamin D, for example, wouldn't be as readily available.  

The idea that we NEED to take supplements daily or regularly is deeply flawed in quality marketing from the industry. All that said let's dive into vitamins and minerals a little bit more. 

Vitamins are essential for various bodily functions and are abundant in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. From vitamin C supporting our immune system to vitamin A promoting young and vital skin, consuming these foods are essential to ensuring your body is provided with the vitamins it requires for optimal health. 

One of the biggest questions in the arena of eating more veggies and fruit is, "What is best?"

The truth is eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is best. Fresh, frozen, canned, dehydrated, a lot of variety, a lack of variety, honestly, it doesn't matter. Eating fruit is eating fruit; eating a vegetable is eating a vegetable. Consuming what is accessible to you is what matters at the end of the day. We spend a lot of time worrying about whether it is the "best" or the "worst" of something, when in reality, fresh vs frozen is basically identical, and there isn't really a line of comparison. 

At the end of the day, purchasing and consuming the fruits, vegetables, and grains that are accessible to you and finding as much variety as possible in your tastebuds, bank account, and shopping area is what matters because it is consuming these foods that will make the most significant difference.

Minerals, much like vitamins, are responsible for keeping our bodies happy and healthy. Minerals spend more time on tasks such as bone health, muscle health, immune health, maintaining oxygen in the blood, and supporting our stress response. Although they have different but similar jobs, they tend to come from the same places as our vitamins. Foods such as dark leafy greens, legumes, meats, dairy and nuts help meet our mineral needs naturally.

The same, aside from supplements from above, applies to minerals. It is important to note that there are some situations where many of us would benefit from supplementation, and most of these situations have to do with our body requiring additional support, such as hormonal issues, illness, digestive struggles, etc. That said, checking in with the food we consume should be our first stop before spending our pennies on more supplements.

Antioxidants found in berries, dark chocolate, and green tea protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. By incorporating these vibrant foods into our diet, we can help reduce inflammation, support heart health, and even slow down the aging process.

But what the heck is an antioxidant? Well, at the end of the day, they are just a super fancy vitamin. Their job is to use the additional space or attachment to link up with rough nutrients called free radicals. Free radicals are missing a home/friend and will bounce inside us, searching for their missing piece. An antioxidant is this home, helping to reduce potential inflammatory damage caused by free radicals. 

If this doesn't make much sense, this is how I think. Think of a house party when you were a teen, in college or university, and that one person came and was just reckless—spilling their beer all over the place, putting shoes in the microwave, crashing into people, just generally making a mess and ruining everyone's good time. Well, they are the free radical. Now enters their friend, the person that can reason with them, get them to calm down, walk outside, sit on the steps and take a breath. Their friend is the antioxidant who saves the party. All this to say, eat some berries and put some dark leafy greens into your next smoothie.

Whole Foods, Whole Health

The power of whole foods cannot be underestimated. Nature provides us with an abundance of nourishment in its unprocessed form. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that promote optimal health.

Whole grains, such as quinoa, brown rice, and oats, are fibre-rich, promoting digestive health and providing a steady release of energy. They also offer a range of essential nutrients, making them an excellent choice for a well-rounded diet.

Fruits and vegetables are nature's gift, packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Their vibrant colours indicate the diverse range of nutrients they provide. Let's embrace the seasonal produce, experiment with new flavours, and enjoy the benefits of these nutritional powerhouses.

Legumes, including beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are a fantastic source of plant-based protein and rich in fibre and micronutrients. Incorporating them into our diet supports cardiovascular health, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.

Choosing frozen, canned, dried, or fresh foods means we are selecting foods that are minimally processed and increasing the likelihood of consuming foods rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. 

Opening up the doors to foods in various forms helps us to make informed, healthful decisions about our nutrition without feeling like we have to go into debt to do it. It also allows us to honour our cultural roots without feeling like we are making unhealthful decisions. There is room for all types and forms of foods in a healthful diet!