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HEALTHY LIVING
HEALTHY LIVING Myths busted about avocados’ high fat content
Not only are they safe to eat every day, but the fruit formerly known as the alligator pear is a superfood
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by Martin Dunphy
You may or may not have cared that the Super Bowl took place last weekend (February 13), but if you were part of a COVID-safe watch party to mark that event, you were probably exposed to guacamole.
The creamy, savoury avocado dip—with added zing courtesy of lime, garlic, cilantro, onion, and other ingredients—has become a Super Bowl staple, and it is often also served in salads and as a vital ingredient in seven-layer dip.
Avocado consumption has soared in North America during the past two decades. In the U.S., during the lead-up to Super Sunday alone, consumption soared from 40 million pounds in 2003 to almost 80 million pounds in 2013 (according to Mexican marketing group APEAM) and more than 100 million pounds this year.
In Canada, avocado imports for all of 2020 were 106,660,000 kilograms (235,145,000 pounds), Statistics Canada says, about a 12 percent increase from the previous year. (Most came from Mexico, with Chile, California, and Texas supplying the rest.)
That’s a lot of guac and avocado toast being made from the simple fruit that used to be known as “alligator pear” because of its pebbled green skin. And it is a fruit, not a nut, despite its large, nutlike pit and the fact that the word avocado comes from the Aztec word ahuacatl, meaning “testicle”. (Technically, though, the avocado is actually a berry and is in the same plant family as the cinnamon tree.)
Despite the avocado’s popularity, though, some myths about the fruit persist.
One is that you can’t or shouldn’t freeze them.
False. Cut them in half, peel, remove the stones, and put them in baggies with the air squeezed out. You can also mash them with a little lime juice, bag ‘em, and have them ready for a quick thaw and breakfast guac.
Another myth is that avocados should be kept at room temperature only.
False again. If you bought a dozen or so on sale and don’t want them all ripening at the same time, put them in the fridge to halt the ripening process. (Chiquita used to tell consumers in its postwar TV ads to never refrigerate bananas, which was also false and designed to hasten waste and prompt more purchases.)
But one of the biggest whoppers out there is that the avocado’s fat content, which is quite high, renders them either unhealthy or makes it unwise to eat them more than occasionally.
About 77 percent of a typical avocado’s calories (250 to 300) comes from its fats, but they are mostly monounsaturates, the “good” fat. About 67 percent of the 22 grams of fat in a cup of chopped avocado, therefore, is unsaturated, with polyunsaturated and saturated fats comprising the rest.
The good fatty acids (mostly oleic, the main component of heart-healthy olive oil) that are present help your body absorb certain vitamins, some of which are contained in avocados in fairly high quantities, such as E, K, C, and B-6. The fruit is also an excellent source of thiamine, folate, niacin, riboflavin, and fibre, and it is very low in sugar, sodium, and cholesterol.
All in all, the sometimes maligned former alligator pear can probably be considered a “superfood” when you also take into account the presence of antioxidants like vitamins C and E and the fact that it is a rich source of minerals such as potassium, copper, and magnesium.
As well, plant compounds such as carotenoids (eye health) and persenones A and B (antioxidants that may be useful in preventing cancer and reducing inflammation) are present in avocados.
So unless you have a relatively rare allergy to avocados, you can probably safely eat one every day for the rest of your life. (A 2015 study even showed that one a day can help reduce “bad” cholesterol levels in obese people.) Guac on! g
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More people than ever are eating avocados in dip, salads, guacamole, and on toast, yet health myths about the fruit’s high fat content persist. Photo by Wikimedia Commons/Popo Le Chien.
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HEALTHY LIVING Dosage, toxin concerns with illegal weed market
by Carlito Pablo
Jennifer Donnan isn’t sure if she has the correct answer to the question of whether or not the illegal cannabis market will eventually disappear.
Donnan is an assistant professor at the school of pharmacy at Memorial University in Newfoundland.
She is also a principal investigator with the university-based Cannabis Health Evaluation and Research Partnership.
Reached by phone in St. John’s, Donnan says she can only guess that the illicit cannabis market will probably continue to exist.
To illustrate, she pointed to the unregulated markets for alcohol and tobacco. “I don’t think you’ll ever see it go away,” Donnan told the Straight.
“I think the goal is to make a regulated market mature enough that the majority of people are going to that regulated market for their purchases,” she added.
When Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018, one of the government’s three stated goals was to protect public health and safety. This was to be achieved by regulating the production and sale of cannabis in order for consumers to know what they’re paying for.
As Donnan noted, the “biggest risk of purchasing unlicensed cannabis is the uncertainty of what is in the package”.
“Cannabis is a complex substance that has several components, or cannabinoids, that have different impacts on the consumer experience,” she explained.
For example, Donnan noted that it is common for the strength of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol) to be inaccurate in unlicensed products.
“It takes laboratory testing to confirm exactly how much of each are in the cannabis that is being purchased, and there have been cases of inaccurate labels on unlicensed products leading to unwelcomed and unexpected effects,” she said.
A concern as well is that cannabis from the unregulated market may be contaminated with mould, unapproved pesticides, and heavy metals.
Another safety issue is consistency of dosage, which is important for edibles. “Creating an edible like a brownie that has a consistent amount of THC across all servings is hard to achieve in a home kitchen,” Donnan said.
Donnan noted that many people are very sensitive to the effects of cannabis, so accuracy of dose is vital to avoid adverse effects.
The Straight sought out Donnan after the Journal of Cannabis Research published a paper on February 1, 2022, by Donnan and her colleagues at Memorial University’s school of pharmacy and faculty of medicine. The paper is titled “Characteristics that influence purchase choice for cannabis products: a systematic review”.
For the study, the authors reviewed current literature on the different factors that affect purchasing decisions. They noted that although recreational cannabis has been legal in Canada since October 17, 2018, illegal sales are “still largely prevalent”.
The authors noted a 2021 study by researchers at the University of Waterloo that noted that only 48 percent of Canadians who purchase dried cannabis flower buy from the legal market.
The said University of Waterloo paper drew data from a survey done a year after legalization.
The same research also noted that legal purchases ranged from 41 percent to 81 percent of dried flower transactions across provinces.
It likewise stated that 59 percent of people who purchase legal dried flower live less than 10 kilometres from a legal cannabis store.
The study by Donnan and associates noted that price is often cited as an explanation behind the persistence of the illegal cannabis market. Plainly put, weed is cheaper in the illegal market.
The study included findings by Statistics Canada that from 2018 to 2019, the average price of legal cannabis in Canada increased from $9.69 per gram to $10.30. Meanwhile, the average price of illegal cannabis dropped from $6.44 per gram to $5.73.
However, the study also found from its review of literature that demand is “generally inelastic with respect to price”. This means that the whole story about price is not that simple.
“Generally, studies have found cannabis to be inelastic, which means that the quantity of cannabis people buy is not greatly impacted by price,” Donnan explained. She said people tend to buy the same amount of cannabis, whether it’s $6 per gram or $10 per gram.
“But this was only the case within a reasonable price range. Once prices get really high, the amount purchased does tend to drop,” Donnan stated.
In the study, Donnan and the coauthors also note that there’s much to be known about other attributes that affect consumer choices. These include quality, packaging, and others.
Donnan said that because there are still many gaps in understanding consumer behaviour, it’s not easy to make specific recommendations regarding prices. She explained that legal cannabis has to meet certain regulatory standards, and achieving these benchmarks does “not come without a cost”.
Although it’s hard to know for certain what will eventually become of the illicit market, Donnan said, she is sure that having a regulated environment is a “positive thing”.
“We can look and explore what is being rolled out and say, ‘Okay, where can we tweak? Where can we modify to really optimize these policies and regulations?’” g
Jennifer Donnan, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Newfoundland’s Memorial University, says dosage accuracy in cannabis, especially in edibles, is vital for some people. Photo by MUN.
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WINE / FOOD Low-sugar wines one way to follow up January
by Mike Usinger
There’s no point pretending otherwise: that was utterly hellish. But congratulations, because you not only made it through Dry January, but managed to stretch your straight month of misery into the rst two weeks of February.
Now it’s time to wave goodbye, at least temporarily, to your inner no-fun Chris Martin, and say “hello” to your old pal Keith Richards. Actually, maybe best to scratch that—human cockroaches are a rare breed, so unless you’re 100-percent certain you’ve won the gene-pool lottery, there’s no need to treat every day like Mardi Gras at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans.
And now that you’re ready to get back on it, it’s time to think about the other big lifestyle change you’ve made this year: getting t.
As tasty as sugar might be—in ice cream, chocolate, cherry pie, and insanely delicious Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries—it can become a problem for those glued to the couch seven days of the week watching Yellowjackets. Eat more sugar than your liver and muscles can store as glycogen and it ends up being converted to fat. Which is why, a er a December that consists of mainlining eggnog, and subsisting on a diet of rumballs, shortbread cookies, and double-the-icing fruitcake, you end up looking like Kris Kringle’s more overweight brother come January.
For wine lovers, that means there’s a de nite upside to steering clear of the port and ice wine when the Stairmaster comes calling at New Year’s resolution time. Both those admittedly magical o erings can have well over two grams of sugar in a oneounce serving, the problem being good luck restricting yourself to a single ounce. (For the sake of comparison, one ounce of Coke has a little over three grams of sugar, and we all know what your doctor says about consuming too much pop.)
One ve-ounce glass of Chardonnay, meanwhile, typically has one gram of sugar, making one wonder why four of ve doctors don’t suggest that as an alternative to soda pop.
Wines that tend to be higher in sugar include whites like Riesling and Gewürztraminer, and popular reds Cabernet and Zinfandel. As for the rest, red wines marked as dry (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz) will typically have around one gram of sugar per ve ounces. Dry whites like Pinot Grigio and Viognier will, like Chardonnay, also have around one gram (or a touch more) per ve ounces.
For those who are nothing less than militant about removing almost all sugar from their lives until they’ve got a six pack that would impress Hilary Knight, there are other options.
Low-sugar wines are now a thing, many of them actually targeting those who see the promise of a ve-mile run followed by two hours on the exercise bike as an inspiring reason to get out of bed in the morning. California’s FitVine for example markets itself as producing “Low Sugar Wines for Healthy People”. And just to make sure that message is driven home, FitVine’s labels feature an illustration of a dude out for a run with a bunch of grapes in one hand, and a glass of wine in the other.
Also from California is Un’Sweet, which comes in Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon, and trumpets itself as “the zero-sugar wine” in big letters on the label. Admittedly, that’s a better marketing ploy than “crazily chock full of sugar”.
Locally you’ve got options that are less in your face. Coming in at eight percent ABV, Jackson-Triggs Proprietors Selection Light Pinot Grigio sells itself as light but full- avoured. While you’ll pick up on kiwi, pear, and crisp apple, the key word there is light, which isn’t always the worst thing when you’re making up for the excesses of the holiday season.
Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc emblazons its bottles with the promise of “calories 70 per serving”, which rightly or wrongly assumes that you aren’t drinking out of an XL Kings Potteries Orgy Horn. And even if you are, the 7 percent ABV means you can probably have an extra horn or two without wanting to hit the nearest Plato’s Retreat. Whip up a charcuterie board (go for lean ham and kalamata olive instead of foie gras and double-cream brie cheese) and get ready for a decidedly tart wine with subtle passion fruit and no shortage of citrus.
Need something bolder, and not just where the alcohol level is concerned? Bask Pinot Noir clocks in at 12.5 percent ABV, and while on the decidedly light side of things, you’ll nd it fruit-forward (with ripe cherries leading the charge) with washes of earthy tobacco.
As for the sugar, Bask has zero grams by design. But here’s something to keep in mind: if you’re blowing up like the Stay Pu Marshmallow Man again now that Dry January is in the rearview mirror, and you’re blaming the sugar in your wine for all the extra calories, it might be time to rethink your drinking habits. As hellish as that sounds. g
Jackson-Triggs, Bask, and Kim Crawford are three no-sugar wines that are guaranteed to appeal to those who like the idea of leaping out of bed in the morning for a five-mile run.
Seafood House reinforces Steveston’s stellar rep
by Charlie Smith
There are plenty of reasons why CBC fans voted Steveston as the best Metro Vancouver neighbourhood in 2020. e shing pier, the cool Fraser River breeze, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, Garry Point Park, and the highly walkable small-town vibe in a beautiful setting all make this a popular spot for visitors.
But let’s not forget the area’s restaurants. Whether it’s Ember Indian Kitchen, Baan Lao Fine ai Cuisine, or Steveston Seafood House, Steveston can compete with the best dining spots in the region in a range of categories.
I recently paid a visit to Steveston Seafood House (3951 Moncton Street), which was founded in 1977 by Rolf Jung, according to the Richmond News. Located in a picturesque 81-year-old building on the village’s main drag, it’s a great escape from the cloud of COVID overhanging our lives. e room is subdued and elegant—not too dark and not too bright—with plenty of space between tables. ere’s a subtle nautical theme, re ecting the area’s history, complete with cast-iron pipes.
Most people probably order seafood—after all, this is Steveston. But I opted for the succulent, juicy, and tender let mignon ($37) with a avourful Béarnaise sauce. It came with tasty roast potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, and red peppers. It followed a Caesar salad ($10) appetizer, which was generously sprinkled with addictive bacon bits.
My dining companion ordered schnitzel with seafood ($30), which came with the same set of vegetables as my main course. That was after a prawn-cocktail appetizer ($16), which she enjoyed immensely. e service was pleasant and e cient. And the parking is free in the neighbourhood for anyone who drives.
The prices at Steveston Seafood House are not the cheapest, but they’re also not the most expensive. Given the quality of the food and the friendly and welcoming atmosphere, I certainly didn’t feel ripped off. Here’s another bonus. In 2020, the current owner, Shane Dagan, decided to donate five percent of all sales to the Richmond Food Bank at a time when he was only permitted to offer takeout service. Come to think of it, I actually felt good parting with my money there in light of what this restaurant did for the community in a very tough year. g
Steveston Seafood House has been serving hearty meals in Richmond for nearly 45 years.
