you are what you eat

Don’t Scrap It! Eat It!

canadians Toss ouT a whopping $27 Billion in unspoiled food annually, much of iT highly nuTriTious. here's how Those fruiT and vegeTaBle Trimmings can save you money and enhance your healTh.

by Matthew Kadey, rd

save it broccoli stalks peeled broccoli stalks have a wonderful, tender texture similar to asparagus. Best of all, they’re packed with vitamin c, an antioxidant needed for proper eye function. eat it peel away the tough outer layer, thinly slice and add to stir-fries, scrambled eggs or pasta dishes. you can also slice peeled stalks into matchsticks and add them to a crudité platter, or shave and toss into salad or slaw.

save it beet greens Beets are the perfect two-for-one vegetable. The bulb is delicious, but the slightly bitter leafy tops are brimming with vitamin K. according to a study in the journal Diabetes Care, a higher intake of vitamin K may slash your risk of Type 2 diabetes. don’t trash the edible greens attached to turnips, radishes or kohlrabi either, as they also up the health ante. eat it gently sauté a bunch of beet greens with olive oil and garlic. chop and add to a frittata or blend into a smoothie.

save it carrot tops The long, lanky tops of carrots have a taste reminiscent of italian parsley. as with other vegetable greens, carrot tops have robust antioxidants that help knock out cell-damaging free radicals. rest assured that, unless you nosh on them by the bushel, the pervasive urban legend that carrot greens are poisonous is false. eat it use carrot tops as you would parsley in dishes such as tabbouleh or bean salads. frying them in oil, garlic and vinegar helps cut their bitterness. Try blending carrot tops into pestos or chimichurri sauces.

save it swiss chard stems mostly overlooked by home cooks, these stems have a satisfyingly crunchy texture. They are also a source of glutamine, an amino acid necessary for healing wounds and bolstering immune function. The smaller leaves generally have the most tender stems, and cooking brings out their natural sweetness. eat it sauté sliced stems for a couple of minutes before tossing them into dishes. Try braising stems in an herb-infused tomato sauce and garnishing with parmesan. whole chard stems pickled in vinegar, mustard seeds and sugar can gussy up a grilled cheese, scrambled eggs or an antipasto platter.

save it squash seeds Butternut squash seeds contain magnesium. scientists at harvard found that higher intakes of magnesium can slash the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. eat it rinse squash seeds, pat dry and toss with oil and seasonings. spread out on a baking pan and roast at 350°f (180°c) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy. enjoy them on their own, or add to trail mixes and granola.

save it Kiwi peel surprise! fuzzy kiwi skin is very much edible. it’s also rich in vitamin e, an antioxidant that is believed to block an enzyme involved in cancer cell survival. as with any fruit and vegetable peels, give kiwi skin a good scrubbing before you eat. eat it Thinly sliced whole kiwi is a fun addition to salads and crêpes. for a nutritionally charged smoothie, blend a whole kiwi with avocado, mint, baby spinach and coconut water.

Smart Swaps

There are cerTain foods we simply can’T resisT. BuT whaT if There were nuTriTious alTernaTives ThaT TasTed jusT as good? regisTered dieTiTian cara rosenBloom shares her Top food

fixes. by Jill buchner

SALT Y SnAckS

Favourite Foods Pretzels

and chips

the swap Popcorn is a whole grain, so it is more fbre-rich than pretzels, says Rosenbloom. Plus, those little kernels are known to have even more polyphenols (disease-fghting antioxidants) than fruits and veggies. Skip the microwave versions and air-pop your own. Add a pinch of salt or spices (try cayenne pepper or rosemary) for added favour.

Favourite Food Creamy dips the swap Store-bought veggie and chip dips are ofen flled with fat, sugar and sodium. Make your own with fatfree or two percent Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream. It’s just as thick, but with less fat and more protein. Or, to kick it up a notch, make a dip out of puréed white beans, which contain iron, protein and fbre. Replace the salt with other satisfying favours such as fnely chopped onion, garlic or hot peppers.

don't swap Chips "Healthy" chips made from vegetables, lentils or beans might sound better than the simple-starch-flled potato variety, but the fat, calorie and sodium levels are ofen just as bad. “Don’t let healthy ingredients trick you into thinking the whole thing is healthy,” says Rosenbloom.

SWEET TREATS

Favourite Foods Cookies, brown-

ies, mufns and cakes

the swap When making baked goods, use whole grain fours such as oat, barley, quinoa or brown rice. Skip recipes that use shortening or lard, and substitute half of the butter or oil with puréed fruits, such as apples or prunes. And for a boost of healthy fats, add nuts to your batter or use them as a healthful crumble topping.

Favourite drink Pop the swap Take sparkling water and add your own favouring, such as orange juice, a squeeze of lemon or even a cinnamon stick. “Pop is basically carbonated water with sugar, caramel colour and favouring,” explains Rosenbloom. What’s more, one bottle can have around 70 grams of sugar. Research suggests that drinking just one 12-ounce can of pop per day can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Also, the acid in soda causes tooth erosion.

Favourite Food Creamy pasta the swap Opt for pasta tossed with pesto instead of a thick, creamy sauce, suggests Rosenbloom. You’ll get less saturated fat and more healthful fats from the nuts and olive oil. Tough high in unsaturated fat, pesto tends to be used more sparingly. Another good alterna-

tive: marinara sauce, which delivers less fat and more antioxidants, including vitamins A and C.

“ They basically Take fruiT purée and turn it into licorice or gummy bears. but when you take fruit and concentrate it, you’ve jusT produced sugar.”

Favourite drink Lattes the swap Luckily, these decadent drinks can be customized to cut calories. Your frst move should be to switch to skim milk. “If you don’t ask at the cofee shop, the default is usually whole milk or two percent,” says Rosenbloom. Also ask if you can omit syrup (or make it half-sweet), whipped cream and caloriepacked caramel or chocolate drizzles, then add your own favour by sprinkling cocoa powder or cinnamon on top. A tall skim-milk latte doesn’t have to be much more than 100 calories. It’s the extras that make it unhealthy.

don't swap Candy “Tere isn’t really a replacement for candy,” says Rosenbloom. Tose fruit snacks and leathers that pretend to be healthful alternatives? “Tey basically take fruit purée and turn it into licorice or gummy bears. But when you take fruit and concentrate it, you’ve just produced sugar.”

RESTO MEALS

Favourite Foods Sushi and

Asian stir-fries

the swap Tese can seem like healthy options because they’re packed with veggies or raw fsh. But just one tablespoon of soy sauce contains a whopping 1,160 milligrams of sodium, making it easy to consume double or even triple the daily recommended amount in one sitting. (You’re only meant to get 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.) Even low-sodium soy sauce can be way over the limit. When dining out, try getting sushi seasoned with wasabi instead of soy sauce, or get a side of spicy mayo for dipping. When ordering stir-fries, ask for the sauce to be served on the side.

don't swap Fried foods “Te biggest red fag at a restaurant is a plate with only one colour on it: beige,” says Rosenbloom. Battered fsh, chicken fngers and fries are mostly fat, salt and not a whole lot else. Just forgo these meals altogether. No matter how healthy the protein inside, once fried and battered, it’s a nutritional nightmare.

MEAT Y MAINS

Favourite Food Hamburgers the swap Start with extra-lean ground beef, turkey or chicken and make your own from scratch. “But what really matters with burgers is not so much the meat but the condiments,” says Rosenbloom. “Tat’s where you get into trouble with sugar and sodium.” Avoid piling ketchup, relish and mayonnaise on your burger. Instead, try tomatoes, salsas, grilled portobellos, avocados or sautéed onions, and choose a smaller bun made with whole grains.

Favourite Food Steak the swap Grilling up a steak once in a while won’t do much damage to your diet, but don’t make a regular habit of it. Tat T-bone or rib-eye has a lot of unnecessary fat and calories. Try switching to an eye of round or top sirloin cut—you could trim your fat intake by as much as 70 percent. And opt for a homemade spice rub instead of a storebought, sodium-laden steak sauce.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Nomination Period starts January 8, 2014 at 9:00:00 AM CT and ends January 22, 2014 at 8:59:59 AM CT. Voting Period starts January 29, 2014 at 9:00:00 AM CT and ends April 8, 2014 at 8:59:59 AM CT. Open to legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who are age of majority at time of entry and have a valid email address. Enter online at www.sharethebounty.ca. Sweepstakes Prizes Donations (20): CAD $500.00 donation to an eligible charity to be selected by the entrant. The odds of being a selected entrant depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable weekly entry period. Vote Donations: total of three (3) donations of CAD $15,000.00, three (3) donations of CAD $10,000.00, and three (3) donations of CAD $5,000.00. All donations to be made to the applicable charity by Sponsor and awarded as a cheque. The odds of a charity being selected to receive a Vote Donation will depend on the number of eligible charities listed in each category and the number of eligible votes received by each charity in the respective categories. Skill-testing question required. See www.sharethebounty.ca for Offi cial Rules. Sponsor: Vita Health Products, Inc., 150 Beghin Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2J 3W2. ©2014 Nature’s Bounty, Inc. 13-NB-1688rs don't swap Hot dogs Ignore the health claims of all-beef or lowfat hot dogs. All processed meats should be avoided. “Tey are linked with colon cancer—at any amount,” says Rosenbloom. Hot dogs and deli meats contain a dangerous combo of sodium, carnitine and nitrates. According to a review published in Nutrition and Cancer, people who eat processed meats frequently could be increasing their risk of colon cancer by a whopping 20 to 50 percent.

All proce ssed meAt s should be

Avoided. “they are linked with colon cAncer—At Any

Amount.”

Carb OVErLOaD

Favourite Food Boxed cereals the swap As a general rule, all of your cereals and granolas should look like the grains they’re made from. Once processed into a circle or alphabet shape, they’ve lost a lot of nutritional value. Opt for pufed cereals (such as rice or quinoa) or pick a muesli made with oats, dried fruit and nuts.

Favourite Food Spaghetti the swap Try Rosenbloom’s recipe for a healthier pasta: Start with noodles made from whole grains, quinoa, brown rice or even lentils, then cook until just al dente. Tat bit of frmness in the centre of the noodles makes the pasta harder for your body to break down, says Rosenbloom. And the longer your body takes to digest the carbs, the more your blood sugars remain stable. Add a homemade tomato sauce (some store-bought versions contain added sugar and more than 1,000 milligrams of sodium per cup) made with olive oil, onion, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, all simmered for about 15 minutes. Te cooked tomatoes add a healthy dose of cancer-preventing lycopene.

don't swap Donuts and croissants Unfortunately there is no good way to replicate deep-fried dough or buttery pastry without all the fat. When it comes to these pastry-shop treats, Rosenbloom says you should just enjoy the real thing— but only on occasion.

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