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Tag Archives: antioxidants
Spice up your Health
Do you reach for the salt shaker or even ketchup to add flavour? You’re not alone. Most Canadians don’t use herbs and spices on a regular basis. They may have a large spice rack on display, yet the spices don’t make it to the stove top or oven. I’m giving you three great reasons to spice up your recipes with basil, cinnamon and turmeric! Basil Basil is a fragrant herb with round leaves that may or may not be pointed. It is usually green in colour, and looks similar to peppermint. It is often used in pesto, salads, soups, on sandwiches and in tomato-based dishes. Health benefit – Anti-inflammatory A health benefit of basil is its anti-inflammatory effects. In a recent study, it was … Continue reading
Buckwheat, Amaranth and Black Rice
Often I get questions about gluten-free ingredients and foods. For the first time, I used buckwheat flour in the cocoa lentil bars (my last blog post). Therefore, I researched it, amaranth and black rice. In this post I want to share with you some quick facts about these three nutritious gluten-free ingredients. Buckwheat Contrary to popular belief, buckwheat is not a cereal grain, but is a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel. It is gluten-free. Nutrition and Health Properties Buckwheat is a very good source of manganese, and a good source of magnesium, copper and dietary fibre. Magnesium contributes to the heart healthy benefits of buckwheat, since it is involved in relaxing blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery, and lowering blood pressure. Buckwheat … Continue reading
Five Heart Healthy Foods
Welcome to my third post for heart month. February is a declared Heart Health month by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the American Heart Association and other health institutions. The purpose is to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, the silent killer, which takes the lives of one in three Canadians. In 2012, over 85,000 Canadians volunteered their time to this cause in hopes of helping to improve the health of their fellow Canadians. Today, 90% of Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke. One of the leading lifestyle risk factors for heart disease we can control includes our food choices. We can make wise decisions about both the quality and quantity of food we consume daily. In … Continue reading
Nuts about the Holidays
Many nuts reach their peak of freshness and quality in the late fall which leads to their harvest. As a result, there is an abundance of nuts during the holiday festivities. I have yet to roast chestnuts on an open fire, but it seems to be a Christmas tradition (or at least lyrics in the Christmas carol lead me to that conclusion). One nutty tradition in my family was my Aunt Doris giving out bottles of her homemade Christmas Nuts and Bolts. We looked forward to that special container of salty deliciousness every year! The Twelve Nutty Facts for the Holidays The nutcracker is commonly associated with Christmas, but it wasn’t always that way. These functional, decorative objects were once … Continue reading
Honey 101
Did you know honey has been used as medicine since ancient times by many cultures including the Egyptians, Persians and Chinese? Hippocrates (357 BC) and Aristotle (384 to 322 BC) both wrote accounts of therapeutic honey. When I have a sore throat and cough, my go-to drink is very easy to make, one tablespoon of honey, ½ of a fresh lemon (squeezed) and one cup of boiling water (stir well). In this Grow with Nutrition post, I’m sharing with you – honey making 101, some fun honey facts, the health benefits and a yummy recipe for honey buns. Honey Making 101 There are about 8,000 beekeepers in Canada providing honey to both the domestic and international markets. Earlier this year, I … Continue reading