Miryem Salah
Nutritionist
www.fooddoctress.com
TOTALFIT NUTRITION
I
n an ideal world, we would consume appropriate amounts of
fresh seasonal products to fulfi ll our energy needs and maxi-
mize our vitamin and mineral profi le. Given the environment
we live in today, it is necessary to give some thought and plan-
ning to ensure we achieve a healthy sustainable diet. There are
several psychosocial aspects affecting our food choices, but the
abundance and convenience of calorie-dense, palatable foods
make them the easiest option.
It is very important to consume fresh, seasonal, local products.
Fresh and Seasonal are good choices because they are full of
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are essential for our
health. Such micronutrients decrease over time, due to manipu-
lation processes to preserve and store them, so they can remain
fi t for consumption even months after harvesting. They are also
likely to have been less imbibed with preservatives and other
chemicals, which can prove harmful for our health. Local, be-
cause we need to worry about the carbon footprint of our foods
and it is great to encourage our local producers. Furthermore,
you will fi nd that such a diet is more affordable and is the most
sustainable, both very important in the present economic climate.
I like to call blueberries superfoods because for virtually no
calories you can enjoy a sweet, fi lling fruit that is loaded with
essential micronutrients such as polyphenols, which have been
proven to be benefi cial for cardiovascular health. There are so
many ways you can enjoy them; smoothies to jump start a busy
workday, as a snack during the afternoon break or as a yummy
blueberry pie to end a good meal. They keep very well in the
freezer, so go ahead and stock up when they are in season, so
you can enjoy them all year long.
People fi nd that they eat less after adopting a diet composed
of fresh, seasonal, local produce. This is understandable as our
body is very intelligent and once it replenishes its needs in essen-
tial nutrients, it is less likely to demand more. In other words, you
will fi nd yourself feeling fuller for longer after enjoying balanced
meals composed of all the goodness found in these products.
So educate yourself on what your land has to offer; there are
great resources, such as the `'Foodland Ontario'' website
1
, that
help you learn about all the fresh products and provide you with
amazing recipes to help you discover those you are less familiar
with. Remember to always keep an eye on your portion sizes;
too much of a good thing is not always a good thing...so go
easy on the blueberry pie!
1
Foodland Ontario: http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/index.html
a
healthy
sustainable
diet
36
Vol. 2, Edition #3
www.TOTALFITmagazine.com