UAlberta Dining Services - Nutrition Blog

  The holiday season is almost here! Although this is an exciting time for many, it can also be challenging to navigate food during this time. Here are some intuitive eating habits to incorporate into your holiday season to make it an enjoyable one. Find Food Freedom This means you allow yourself to eat the foods your enjoy without restriction. In fact, studies have shown that restriction can lead to overeating and the development of unhealthy eating behaviours. Remember, all foods fit in a healthy diet! Listen to Internal Cues Hunger cues can be overt like a grumbling stomach or less specific such as low energy and trouble with focus. Food is not a reward that is earned. Checking in with your hunger and fullness cues helps create a healthy relationship with food. Reject Restriction After the holiday season is over, you may feel you have overindulged or need to overcompensate for holiday treats, however, it is important to reject this notion! Follow your regular eating ...

How do you know you’re getting the nutrients your body needs? A simple way to assess your diet for variety is by seeing whether you’re eating all the colours of the rainbow! Did you know that adding colour to your meals may help you live a healthier life? Colourful vegetables and fruits contain phytonutrients, which give plants their vibrant colours as well as their unique tastes. Keep reading to learn more about the colours. Red Phytonutrient: Lycopene Found in: Strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, tomatoes, apples, beets, watermelon, red peppers Benefits: Lycopene fights gene-damaging free radicals in our bodies. This may reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Orange and Yellow Phytonutrient: Beta-cryptothanxin Found in: Carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, bananas, pineapple, apricots, peaches, cantaloupe, corn Benefits: This phytonutrient supports antioxidant defense mechanisms and cell-to-cell communicat...

  The goal of the TAKE 15 program is to encourage everyone to take short breaks from their busy days, to reduce stress and improve mental wellbeing. This post highlights some ways you can TAKE YOUR 15. Mindful Eating Mindful eating is practice rooted in mindfulness, which is about staying in the moment and remaining conscious of everything you are doing. Ask yourself the following while you eat: How does the food smell? What are the different textures? How does it feel in your mouth? What colour is the food? When you reflect on the senses at your meals, you can connect more peacefully with your body’s cues. Physical Activity Physical activity releases endorphins, which are chemicals in your brain that improve your mood, promote feelings of calmness, and relieve tension. Have some scheduled time to stretch, run or workout. Take a walk as a study break- fresh air can help reduce fatigue and increase energy levels. Relaxation Techniques Relaxation techniques ca...

At UAlberta Dining, we understand the importance of having nutrition and ingredient information easily available to support you in your food decisions. We clearly identify special dietary choices and other food qualities through colourful menu icons that are easy to use: VEGETARIAN   Identifies foods that fit a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, which excludes all meat, fish, and poultry, but includes eggs, milk and many dairy products, and honey.   VEGAN   Identifies foods that are made from plant-based foods only, excluding eggs, milk, dairy, honey, and any other animal-derived ingredients.   PLANT FORWARD   Identifies menu items that contain 60 grams or less of animal-based protein per serving. These menu items may or may not be vegetarian.   NO DAIRY   Identifies menu items that are made without milk ingredients to assist those avoiding dairy in their diet. Due to the nature of our kitchens, we can’t guarantee cross-contamination ...

  April is a busy month filled with final exams and projects as the semester comes to an end. With schedules getting busier, it can get challenging to prioritize personal health and wellness. Here are five tips from the dining services dietitian to keep healthy during this busy season: Snacks Snacks can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and give you consistent energy to power through the long study sessions. Carbohydrates are your brain’s preferred source of energy. Combining carbohydrates with protein and fibre can give you longer lasting energy. TRY: nut butter with toast or yogurt with fruit.   Caffeine Caffeine can provide a boost of energy; however, it is important to limit your intake, so you are not left feeling jittery or nervous and unable to sleep. TRY: combine coffee with half decaf to help reduce your caffeine intake. Water We need 6-8 cups of water daily. Dehydration can lead to headaches and make it difficult to focus. TRY: infused water with fresh fr...

  Happy Nutrition Month! This year’s focus is on unlocking the potential of food. Finding a dietitian can help you navigate through the world of nutrition and make healthy eating the easy choice.  One of the key health trends this year is Sustainable Nutrition. Sustainable nutrition is produced and delivered in a way that is mindful to people and the planet. These types of food systems provide energy and sustenance to maintain a healthy population without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their food and nutrition needs as well. At UAlberta Dining, one of the ways we do this is by offering Cool Food Meals at our dining halls. Cool Food is part of the World Resources Institute which provides third party certification of menu items to help consumers identify food options that are good for the environment and health! All Cool Food Meals must fall under a maximum threshold of per-meal greenhouse gas emissions as well as meet a nutrition safeguard. This ensu...

  Happy Heart Month! Did you know that about 1/3 of people are sensitive to sodium found in salt? Eating too much salt has shown to raise blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Sodium is a mineral which is required by our bodies in small quantities for processes such as nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and maintaining the balance of water and minerals. Most Canadians eat too much sodium in the form of salt. How much sodium do I need? Healthy adults need 1500 mg of sodium per day. Most individuals are getting about 3400 mg of sodium per day. Which foods have sodium? Over 75% of the sodium we consume is coming from processed foods such as fast foods, processed meats, dressings and condiments, as well as salty snacks. 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2325 mg of sodium. How can I reduce my sodium intake?     Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.     Eat only small amounts of gravy, sauces, and salad dressings. ...

Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach? This is a sign of our brain and gut communicating with each other! The Science Behind the Mind Gut Connection There are trillions of microbes living in our guts, and they communicate through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin- you might know this as the “happy chemical” which can affect your mood. Your gut microbes produce over 95% of serotonin! When the microbiota of the gut is disrupted, it can lead to inflammation and further symptoms through the gut-brain axis. As you can imagine, taking cake of the gut microbiota can positively impact your body and brain. Tips to Promote Gut Health Eat adequate fibre Fibr e increases gut microbiota diversity Adult men need 38 g fibre/day and adult women need 25 g fibre/day Incorporate probiotics and fermented foods These can restore the composition of the gut microbiome Reduce excess intake of red/processed meats Reduce excess intake of ...

  Does caffeine help improve your mood and alertness? Can you imagine exam season without caffeine? How much caffeine is too much? Keep reading to find out more. Caffeine is naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, as well as added to some carbonated drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant which increases alertness. It has also been shown to improve mood and heighten mental performance. What is a safe amount of caffeine? Health Canada recommends no more than 400 mg caffeine per day for healthy adults >19 years of age. Too much caffeine can lead to serious side effects such as heart palpitations and high blood pressure as well as cause issues with sleep and digestion. How much caffeine are you getting?* Beverage Serving Size Caffeine (mg) Brewed coffee 250 mL (1 cup) 80-179 Cappuccino or Latte 250 mL (1 cup) 45-148 Instant coffee 250 mL (1 ...

In addition to diet and exercise, water plays a critical role in your health & wellbeing. With the temperatures cooling down and class work piling on, it can be challenging to remember to sip on water. You might be wondering, “how much water do I really need to drink everyday?”. Although there are minimum fluid requirements, the answer for this depends on many different factors such as your physical activity and diet. Adult women should aim for 11 cups daily and adult men should aim for 15 cups – this includes water from both liquids and food! Here are five tips to sip by: Start early. Don’t wait to drink water until you feel thirsty and dehydrated. Keep drinking water at regular intervals. Eat fruits and veggies. Many of these contain a high percentage of water such as watermelon and tomatoes which you can regularly find in our dining halls. Track your water. Logging your water intake can help keep you accountable. Use a water bottle. It makes remembering to drink water much e...

  This month, make a goal to TAKE 15 : take 15-minute breaks from work and school to improve your mental wellbeing. Keep reading to find out how: Mindful Eating Mindful eating focuses on your sensory awareness of your food and environment. This allows you to connect food to your internal body cues. Try to engage all your senses when you are eating: ·        How does the food smell? ·        How does the food texture feel? ·        How does the food look (colours, shapes, etc)? Find your pocket of peace by building a positive relationship with food. Physical Activity Physical activity has been found to have positive impacts on mood, memory, and sleep. This may be because physical activity releases endorphins that relax muscles and allow you to feel calm. This does not have to be planned physical activity or sports; instead, try: ·        Take a ...

  A new semester means a fresh start full of opportunity to set new goals, overcome setbacks and achieve new heights! Whether you are setting goals for healthy eating, activity, or classes- keep reading to learn five tips to stay motivated and focused. Tips for Turning Goals into Reality: 1. Have a vision and mission  A vision outlines specifically where you want to go. Put a number on what you want to achieve. A mission outlines how you will achieve your vision. What steps will you take to achieve your goal? Example: Vision: I want to improve my iron levels to the healthy target range. Mission: I will improve my iron levels by incorporating more iron rich foods in my diet.  2. Break it down into mini goals     Breaking the bigger goal into smaller approaches you can do daily makes it much less daunting and much more achievable! Example: Have a serving of iron-rich foods at each meal, e.g. beans, meat, etc.   3. Set a “SMART” goal    ...

  Spring has sprung! But April remains a stressful time of the school year with finishing up projects and finals. Keep on reading to help find pockets of peace in your days.  Take 15 minutes from your day to try one of the following: Breathing exercise while walking Time your inhale and exhale with every two steps to help you relax. You can then extend the length to every three steps. Take a nap Take a quick nap to help you re-energize and refocus on your goals. Get creative Google “mindfulness colouring sheets” and get to colouring your favourite design. You can do this digitally as well! Connect with friends and/or family Talking with others can help relieve stress by lifting the weight off our shoulders. Listen to your favourite tunes Jam out to some awesome beats or put on some slow, instrumental music to help you focus. Remember, nourishing your mind is just as important as your body. Take some time today to slow down and do something you enjoy! Resources TAKE 1...

  March is National Nutrition Month, and your dietitian wants to help you uncomplicate nutrition information! It can be challenging to separate real from reel when it comes to nutrition information in the age of social media. Fad diets can mask themselves under the false appearance of healthful eating, especially when the nutrition information is coming from your favourite fitness influencer. Let’s take a deeper dive into what fad diets are, and how you can spot them. What is a fad diet? A fad diet is a popular diet that promises quick fixes usually revolving around weight loss. It often does not follow healthy eating principles. How can I spot a fad diet? Watch out for the following red flags when you come across a new diet: Promises of rapid, significant weight loss (more than 2 pounds per week) Severe restriction on calories or certain food groups like carbohydrates or fats Rigid rules that do not fit into your lifestyle Asks you to buy supplements from a certain compa...