Healthy Eating

Written by Kim Ouellette, RD

Reviewed by Rhonda Squires, RD

Is Healthy Eating a Good “F.I.T” for Food-handlers?

As a food handler, will you or do you work in a restaurant, cafeteria, deli, food manufacturing, hospital, daycare, nursing home, feeding program, school nourishment program, or somewhere different? Wherever you’ll be, food handlers have a special relationship with food. This includes chances to influence the eating choices of those for whom they provide and prepare food, as well as likely having a personal interest in foods and nutrition. Many people are looking for more healthy choices to be available wherever and whenever they are eating and drinking. The connection of food handlers with opportunities to promote healthy eating makes for a “good fit”. Beginning with this section and then throughout this chapter, good “F.I.T” -- Food Industry Tips – will be offered in addition to healthy eating information. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Food handlers can get more satisfaction from their work, as well as improve their own and the health of others by keeping-up on food and nutrition information.

• Food operators and businesses are likely to be more successful if they show that they value the health of the people they serve.

What is Healthy Eating? Healthy eating is one part of healthy living, which includes regular physical activity, smoke-free living, and healthy environments. Goals for healthy eating are to meet energy and nutrient needs, support growth and development for children, and also reduce the risk of diseases and chronic conditions (such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis). Healthy eating patterns are based on foods and beverages that support these goals, although all foods can be included as long as there is a healthy balance. Food handlers benefit from healthy eating by feeling better personally and by being healthy enough to perform well at work. By applying healthy eating principles to their work, food handlers can extend these benefits to the many different types of people for whom they prepare or provide food. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Food Handlers can play an important role in helping people with healthy eating.

Why should we follow Canada’s Food Guide?

- Refer to Canada’s Food Guide (page 81) Having a set of directions makes anything easier. Canada’s Food Guide is based on sound evidence on nutrition and eating habits, and was developed through testing of hundreds of sample diet patterns. The 2007 version of the Food Guide moves away from “one size fits all” messages, and can be

personalized by gender, age, and lifecycle stages. As well as the printed format, an interactive version of the Food Guide online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Become familiar with Canada’s Food Guide to learn what it recommends for healthy eating, including how different people can personalize the information for themselves.

What does Canada’s Food Guide say about amounts? Eating the right amounts of different types of foods is especially important given today’s realities, including “supersizing” and rising rates of obesity. Probably one of the first things you’ll see on the Food Guide is the chart of recommended numbers of daily servings. The numbers are outlined by age and gender for each food group, recognizing that males and females and various age groups have different needs. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Consider offering specific menus or serving size options for groups like children, seniors, etc.

How should the daily recommended amounts be counted? People often think of any amount of food they eat at one time as being a serving or portion. However, to compare someone’s eating with the amounts of food recommended by

the Food Guide, it is important to realize that this is based on specific serving sizes. Examples of what is considered a serving can be found on the bands of colour that extend from the Food Guide’s daily servings chart. It’s wise to be familiar with what represents an amount for a single serving size, although it is not required to eat exactly this amount at any one time. For example, a young child might eat only half a serving size of meat at each of two meals for a day, while an active male might eat 3 or 4 servings worth of rice or pasta as part of a single meal. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Basing serving amounts on the Food Guide’s reference serving sizes could be beneficial in several ways – people’s appreciation for help with avoiding over-eating; allowing a focus on quality over quantity; less food wasted; etc.

Do physical activity levels relate to recommended amounts of food? Imagine a preschooler, a growing teenager, an office clerk, a new retiree, and someone’s grandfather. Though all these people would be quite different, as Canadians one thing they would tend to have in common is being less physically active than is recommended for health. Consequently, the recommended numbers of servings in the Food Guide are based on a physical activity level termed “sedentary” (includes light-intensity, short-duration activities such as light

housework or walking from a building to a car or bus, but not meaningful amounts of moderate-level activities). In contrast, the Food Guide points-out that recommended daily levels for adults are 30 – 60 minutes of moderate physical activity, with at least 90 minutes for children. These higher levels of physical activity require more food than stated by the Food Guide. People working towards or already at the recommended level of physical activity should meet their higher needs by choosing additional servings, preferably from the four food groups. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Remind yourself and others that one of the benefits of achieving the recommended levels of physical activity is that this matches with higher food amounts, and therefore better health through more nutrition.

• When planning meals or menus, consider the general activity levels of the people being served to help with determining suitable amounts of food.

What about someone who needs more or less food? Canada’s Food Guide provides guidance on how much food to eat, but individuals within the same age and gender group can have somewhat different needs, and any individual’s needs can vary day-by-day. Signs such as feeling over-full or instead feeling unsatisfied after eating, and whether body weight stays steady, help with determining how much food anyone needs. Central to this is listening to hunger cues -- eating when hungry, taking time to enjoy the food, and stopping when reasonably full.

For anyone whose energy (calorie) needs and food intake is low, it is especially important to “make every bite count”, nutritionally-speaking. Following Canada’s Food Guide will help with choosing foods (including beverages) to get the most nutritional benefits. When not much food is being eaten, there isn’t much room for choices outside of the recommended numbers of daily servings for each of the four food groups. Foods in the Food Guide’s four food groups have been included because they are of high nutritional value, providing important nutrients (e.g. vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, etc.). Generally, foods not included in any of these groups are low in nutritional value, meaning that they provide few nutrients but are often high in calories, fat, added sugar, salt, etc. On the other hand, someone needing lots of food should still make most of their extra choices from foods of the four food groups, to avoid increasing their risk of health problems from low nutritional value foods.

Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• If many of the people for whom you prepare or provide food don’t have large appetites and might gain weight easily, it is helpful if most of their food and beverage choices are of high nutritional value compared to calorie content.

Isn’t it boring to follow Canada’s Food Guide? Variety is the “spice of life” in foods and beverages, and is a key principle of the Food Guide. The design of colourful bands

encourages having a “rainbow” of colours on your plate as this is healthy as well as being more attractive. Generally, the more colour, the more nutrients and health benefits, such as from plant compounds called phytochemicals and antioxidants. Eating a variety of foods also helps to avoid getting too many problematic nutrients, such as trans and saturated fats, salt, and sugar. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Choosing foods from all four food groups each day, as well as varying the choices from within the foods groups, contributes to variety.

• An enjoyable and easy way to apply the Food Guide is the “Create My Food Guide” activity on Health Canada’s website (www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide).

• Challenge yourself to plan healthy, appealing meals and menus that include lots of different coloured foods.

What foods should we choose most often? Note that the Food Guide presents four food groups. Each group provides its own set of essential nutrients, so if one group is left out, the risk of malnutrition increases greatly. The largest bands of the rainbow represent two groups, Vegetables and Fruit and Grain Products. These groups are “fill-up-on-foods”, and should make-up most of your food choices. In contrast, Milk and Alternatives and Meat and Alternatives are important, but should make-up fewer of your choices. Many people have low energy (calorie) needs, so they should first meet their recommended amounts of servings

from each of the food groups, and limit foods that are not in the four food groups, since these foods are of low nutritional value but are often high in calories. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Try these checks on meals and menus: Are there generally about twice as many servings of

vegetables & fruit and grain products compared with milk products and meat & alternatives

Are there limited numbers of foods and beverages that aren’t included in any of the food groups?

Following are sections on each of the four food group.

Vegetables and Fruit “Pop question” – which is the first band on the Food Guide’s rainbow design? There is a very good reason that it is the Vegetables and Fruit food group – this is symbolic of the importance of these foods to our health. Unfortunately, many adults and even more children are short changing themselves by not getting the recommended amounts. Check the Food Guide to become familiar with the numbers of recommended daily servings. The Food Guide encourages us to “eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day”. These choices are key sources of nutrients such as vitamin A and folacin. Vegetables and fruits are packed with different nutrients and phytochemicals (plant compounds that have health-protecting effects), so include lots of variety in your choices.

It is best to savour the flavours, textures, and colours of vegetables and fruit themselves with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt. In particular, deep-frying of vegetables robs them of much of their healthful properties. Real juices are included in this food group, but they lack some nutrients such as fibre. The Food Guide recommends choosing vegetables and fruits more often instead of juices. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• “Go deep green” for salads, etc, with choices like romaine, spinach, etc.

• Get creative with orange and green vegetables, such as grated carrot and raisin salad, harvest squash soup, sweet potato oven “fries”, broccoli and wild rice pilaf, chilled cooked asparagus with herbed yogurt dip, etc.

• Avoid battering and frying vegetables; instead try steaming, baking, microwaving, or stir-frying.

• Allow vegetables to be enjoyed for their own qualities by avoiding added butter, margarine or rich sauces (cream/cheese/peanut/coconut).

• Add variety by offering sides like house salad, veggies and yogurt dip, baked potatoes, vegetable soup, or vegetable of the day, instead of fries.

• Fruit goes with everything! – provide it as appetizers, snacks, salads, garnishes, desserts, etc.

Grain Products The Guide urges Canadians to “make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day”. Whole grains have had minimal processing, so they retain much of their nutritional value, and research has linked them with lower rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. It’s best to favour choices such as whole oats, pot barley, brown and wild rices, quinoa, etc. In contrast, enriched flours, which undergo extensive processing, have added folic acid and restored amounts of some nutrients, though this generally doesn’t include fibre. Falling somewhere in between are most flours that are termed “whole”, since processing removes some components of whole grains (in particular the germ, which contains many important nutrients). For breads, pastas, and cereals check ingredient lists to see if the first ingredient is a whole grain flour. Also, be aware that Grain Products are “not all created equal”. Items like croissants, tea biscuits, and party-type crackers should be no more than occasional choices as they are high in fat and calories and often high in salt/sodium. Similarly, cakes, donuts, cookies, loaf breads, etc. should also be limited choices as they can be high in fat along with sugar. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Try pilafs of brown and wild rice, or pot barley; the extra cooking time will pay-off in how much these choices will be appreciated.

• Go whole grain/whole wheat for sandwich breads and toast, subs, dinner rolls, flat breads, bagels, bread sticks, etc.

• Switch to whole grain/whole wheat pastas and noodles. • Offer whole grain/wheat cereals for breakfast to get each

day started well; consider corn or oat “squares”, oatmeal, shredded wheat, etc.

• “One spread per bread” or even better, let people decide for themselves if and what they want on toast, sandwiches, etc.

• Cut back on the amount of butter, lard, or other fats stated in recipes. Try replacing some of the amount with applesauce, mashed banana, yogurt, or other suitable substitute – often the results are similar, but the product is lower in fat.

• For pasta dishes, more often offer ones that are tomato-based, or made with milk-based white sauce for “creaminess” but lower fat.

Milk and Alternatives Vitamin D is added to milk (and skim milk powder). Vitamin D is referred to as the sunshine vitamin because our bodies make it when our skin is exposed to sunlight. However, due to our northern latitude and concerns over exposure to UV rays, we tend to produce much less than we need. So, the Food Guide advises that everyone have 2 cups (500 ml) of milk every day (for those who don’t drink milk, fortified soy beverages are an option). Because synthesis and absorption is decreased in those over the age of 50, it is additionally recommended that they take a daily supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D. The fat in Milk Products is classified as saturated type, which increases risk for heart disease. Lower-fat milk choices provide high nutritional value (including calcium and protein), but have less fat and calories. Fat content on food labels is usually stated as % M.F. (Milk Fat). Regular cheeses are nutritious but very high in calories and fat, so try to find “light” types that are 20% MF or less, and limit portions (the Food Guide states 50 grams or 1.5 ounces as one serving). For milk and yogurt, 2% or less is considered lower-fat. Chocolate milk is usually 1%, which makes it low-fat, but it has caffeine and double the amount of sugar compared to regular milk. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips): • Having milk at lunch and supper ensures at least two

servings daily.

• Try cooking with milk more often, such as for “cream” soups, puddings, white sauces, hot beverages, etc.

• Offer milk for coffee or tea; canned milk is often acceptable to cream-users.

Meat and Alternatives

The fat in meats, such as beef, pork, lamb, and poultry is classified as saturated type, which increases risk for heart disease. “Eating lean” involves choosing lean ground meats and cuts, trimming fat from meats and removing skin from poultry, and favouring low-fat preparation methods such as roasting, broiling, simmering, etc. Another factor to limiting fat from meats is to keep to Food Guide servings sizes, such as 75 grams (2.5 oz.) for meat, poultry, and fish. Some meats are also high in salt (sodium), such as luncheon meats, sausages, and wieners, so limit these and look for lower-salt choices. The Food Guide recommends having at least 2 servings of fish per week, especially “fattier” types like herring, salmon, sardines, and trout. There are many factors in fish that provide health benefits; one is that they are prime sources of polyunsaturated fats called omega 3 oils, which have been linked to reduced rates of heart disease. (A web address for Health Canada’s advice on limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish is provided on the Food Guide.) Legumes such as beans, lentils and tofu are encouraged often as healthy choices. These alternatives to meat are high in fibre as well as providing protein, calcium, and iron, but are low in fat.

Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• It benefits budget and health, as well as expanding meal options, to use legumes more often -- such as in baked beans, chili, split pea soup, hummus, tofu stir-fries, etc.

• Balanced meals emphasize vegetables and fruit and grain products, with meats being a much smaller amount. This is healthier than the “supersized” portions provided by some restaurants, and also generally cheaper since most meats are expensive.

What about information on a specific food or nutrient? While Canada’s Food Guide provides great information on general patterns of healthy eating, it isn’t as helpful when choosing between two similar packaged foods in a grocery store, or when you need to know about sources of a specific nutrient. The Nutrition Facts table, which is shown on the backside of the Food Guide, is helpful for these purposes. Nutrition Facts information includes calories and various key nutrients. If you eat more or less than the stated amount of food upon which the information is based, you will need to adjust accordingly. Especially look for the nutrients to “get less” of, such as trans fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium (salt), and the ones you may want to “get more” of, such as fibre, calcium, and iron. The ingredient list can also be useful, particularly when checking for whole grains or for particular allergens. Claims may also be present, such as low in fat, high in calcium, although usually the total nutritional value of the food is the more important consideration.

Some foods don’t have labels and therefore don’t provide Nutrition Facts. A growing number of companies have brochures or information posted on their websites, but this is often not immediately available when food choices are being made. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Use nutrition information, such as Nutrition Facts tables, to choose foods based on nutrients of special importance to yourself or the people for whom you prepare or provide foods.

• For foods you’re preparing or providing, try to make sure that recipe ingredients and nutrition information are easily available for anyone who requires this or is interested.

• Remember that the Food Guide is the best overall advice, rather than focusing on a “nutrient-of-the-day”.

What is meant by “sometimes/seldom” foods? Foods that aren’t included in the four food groups have often been termed “sometimes/seldom” or “other” foods. This refers to low nutritional value foods which don’t provide significant nutrients compared to their calorie, fat, sugar, and salt contents. The Food Guide gives examples, including many types of desserts, snack foods, and beverages. The more of these foods eaten, the more the risk for health problems increases. Remember that while these foods can add taste and variety, they should be chosen much less often and in small amounts.

Just how much and how often depends on such factors as age, activity level, state of health, etc. Someone needing more food than the amounts recommended by the Food Guide should mainly choose additional servings from within the four food groups. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Realize that you can “treat” yourself and others best by limiting “sometimes” foods. The best care you can give yourself and others is to emphasize and enjoy foods from the four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide.

Why are oils and fats a special case?

We need fat; it provides essential fatty acids and helps with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). However, fats are a highly-concentrated source of energy (calories), and eating too much may cause weight gain, and increase risk for health problems. The Food Guide recognizes the nutritional importance of some fats by recommending that 2 to 3 tablespoons of unsaturated fat be included daily. For most people, little or none of the recommended amount needs to be added, as this amount is likely already coming from oils used for cooking, margarine, and salad dressings including mayonnaise-types. On the other hand, trans fats should be avoided, and saturated fats should be limited. Typical foods that contain significant amounts of these fats include shortening, hard (“brick”) margarines, butter, cream, and lard, and the many foods made with these. Nutrition Facts tables are useful to choose foods

without trans fat and low in saturated fat. Unfortunately, many foods containing these fats don’t have a label, especially from restaurants, so ask questions and request nutrition information. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Choose vegetable oils like canola, olive, and soybean, but still use these in moderation.

• Limit use of butter and lard. Avoid using shortening and hard margarines. Margarines should be non-hydrogenated and used in moderation.

• Foods that have been typical sources of trans fat should be chosen with caution, especially fried and fast foods, pastry and bakery products, and some snack foods and candy products. Check their Nutrition Facts or other nutrition information.

• Look for lower-fat versions, limit amounts, and serve “on the side”, when preparing or providing foods with salad dressings, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, sauces, gravies, dips, etc.

How should we choose beverages?

The Food Guide encourages drinking water to satisfy thirst. Water is not part of any of the Food Guide’s four food groups, but it is essential. It should be consumed regularly, and in greater amounts in hot weather or when being highly active. The only other beverage promoted by the Food Guide for routine consumption is milk. As mentioned earlier under Vegetables and Fruit, the Food Guide recommends choosing vegetables and fruits more often than juices. Beverages that

are alcoholic, as well as those high in sugar, caffeine and calories should be limited. Caffeine is found in various food sources including coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate. The guideline for moderation is no more than the equivalent of four regular, 8 ounce servings of coffee per day; children should consume much less, as caffeine has a greater effect on them. Other beverages that should be avoided particularly by children include carbonated beverages (both diet and regular), sports drinks, fruit-flavoured drinks, etc. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• When thirsty reach for water first, and make it easily available to others.

• Be a good role model to others, particularly children, for the beverages you choose.

• Substitute milk or juice for pop in children’s meals. How concerned should we be about salt? With salt, “the devil is in the dose” – the sodium it contains is an essential nutrient; however, most of us are not only getting more than needed but are also exceeding established tolerable upper intake levels. Sodium in high amounts can increase risk for heart disease and stroke through increasing high blood pressure, as well as for osteoporosis and kidney stones. It might be a surprise to learn that about three-quarters of the average person’s sodium intake comes not the salt shaker but from processed and “fast” foods, such as canned foods, sauce mixes, dressings, cold cuts, hot dogs and sausages, crackers, soups, ketchup and mustard, pickles, frozen dinners, tomato sauce, fries and chips, processed cheeses, etc.

Because of this, the food industry and governments need to work together to make the biggest impact on reducing sodium in our food supply. It is important to do as much as possible within our control to reduce salt/sodium intake. Tips include -- Prepare more of our own food, emphasizing fresh ingredients, and using processed and convenience items less often. Since the amount of salt called-for in many recipes is often more than necessary, experiment with trying less. Re-train taste buds by tasting food before adding salt, gradually getting everyone accustomed to less salty taste. Flavour food with non-sodium seasonings, such as chili, curry, and garlic spices, and lemon juice or vinegars. Read food labels to choose foods “low” or “reduced” in sodium, and use the Nutrition Facts table to choose ones with less sodium. Dine-out wisely by asking servers for “no added salt”, and limit high-salt condiments, sauces, toppings, and “add-ons”, such as soya sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickles, olives, mayonnaise, dressings, etc. Request nutrition information from restaurants to get the facts about their choices. Snack on vegetables and fruit as healthy choices containing potassium, which has been shown to help counter some of the negative effects of sodium. Avoid salty snacks such as potato or nacho chips, salted nuts, buttered and salted popcorn, etc. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Be mindful of the salt/sodium content of foods, including in ingredients for foods you prepare and provide for others.

• The tips for individuals above can be adapted to planning menus and preparing food for others.

• Be part of the solution – let key people in the food industry and government know that you are in support of finding ways to reduce the amount of sodium in our food supply.

Is sugar an issue? Our body’s favourite form of energy is carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Whether the sugars are already naturally present in foods or added in food processing, all sugars (including honey, molasses, and syrups) give the body energy in a similar way. However, not all foods containing sugar are created equal. For example, fruit juice and pop have about the same amount of sugar but the difference is that fruit juice has nutrients and pop does not. When children drink pop instead of milk or juice, they consume calories but not important nutrients. And, a big issue for all ages is the extra calories coming from high-sugar foods and beverages, such as fruit-flavoured drinks, candy and chocolates, cakes and cookies, heavily-sweetened cereals, donuts and muffins, and ice cream and other frozen desserts. The enjoyment that sugar brings to taste and texture of foods should be balanced with the fact that many people are getting more than is needed and healthy. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• “Savour the flavours” of foods naturally by adding no or little sugar.

• By concentrating on the many healthy choices in the Food Guide, there won’t be much place for foods and beverages that are high in sugar.

How about different lifecycle stages, especially children? The Food Guide is definitely not meant to be “one size fits all”. For example, the “My Food Guide” activity on its website is an interactive feature that allows for personalization of the Guide by gender and age. Moreover, the Guide offers advice for different stages. The Food Guide applies to children aged 2 years and up. Since young children generally eat small amounts at one time, they need to eat often throughout the day. It is also vital for them to have foods of high nutritional value for optimal growth and development. However, children today frequently have available foods and beverages that were rare in past -- sweet desserts might now be a daily occurrence in childrens’ lunch bags; hot dogs and pizza are offered routinely in many schools as fundraisers; fries, burgers, and pop are often substitutes for home-cooked meals for hyper-busy families. The amounts being eaten are undoubtedly harming the health of children beginning at such early ages. Children also need to be supported in learning attitudes and habits that reinforce the value of healthy eating. Adults have a key responsibility for being good role models of healthy eating practices and attitudes to children. Attaching appropriate meanings to food is important. For examples, providing or withholding food as punishment, reward, entertainment, or motivator should be avoided. Instead,

viewing of eating as an enjoyable social activity and of food as nourishment should be encouraged. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Avoid the tendency when dining-out or at a special event for children’s choices to be limited to low-nutritional value foods such as pop, fries, hot dogs, gelatin desserts, etc.

• Offer children appealing choices of high nutritional value. For examples -- cold milk is a refreshing beverage; appealing finger foods include colourful veggies and yogurt dip; pizza can be on whole wheat pitas and include toppings of peppers, pineapple, and grilled chicken chunks; pleasing textures are added by using whole wheat pastas, bread, and buns; lean ground meat adds substance to tomato/vegetable sauce, and flaked salmon can be tossed with grated carrots on brown rice and spinach pilaf; those hungry enough for dessert would enjoy a combination of chunks of fruit and cheese.

What else is useful to know about healthy eating? Making healthy food choices when shopping or dining-out, and using healthier food preparation methods, are basic to healthy eating. Good “F.I.T.” (Food Industry Tips):

• Imagine you are grocery shopping – use the large basket of a shopping cart for the “fill-up-on foods” (Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products), the small basket for the remaining two food groups (Milk and Alternatives, Meat and Alternatives), and the shelf underneath for non-grocery items and a few non-food-group (“seldom”) foods.

• Many convenience foods, including canned, boxed, and

frozen foods, are high in calories, fat, and salt and low in fibre. Some better “fast” options include frozen vegetables, bagged salads, dry pastas, packaged-in-their-own skins fruit (bananas, apples), some boxed cereals, and canned legumes (drain before using).

• Snacking choices can follow the Food Guide’s

recommendations. Consider a variety of healthy choices, such as bagels, bran muffins, bread sticks, popcorn (limit toppings), nuts, roasted chick peas or soybeans, cheese, yogurt, milk, fruits, real juices, etc.

• Choosing healthier foods isn’t enough by itself. Food

preparation methods and practices, at home and or at work, make a big difference. Tips include: Avoid frying foods, especially with batter coating. Remove skin from chicken. Slow, moist-heat methods (such as pot roasting or stewing) are best for less tender meats, and by cooling the cooking liquid, you can remove the fat that solidifies on the top, leaving a tasty stock for low-fat gravy or soup. Low-fat cooking methods don’t add fat and allow the fat in food to drain away, as outlined in the chart below:

Healthier Preparation (use more often)

Higher-fat Preparation (avoid)

steam X deep-fry poach X wrap with pastry broil, grill X battered or breaded and fried roast X buttered/buttery sauce bake X creamed/cream sauce barbecue X with/in gravy microwave X in Hollandaise, Bernaise, or

cheese sauce in tomato juice X marinate or baste with oil,

butter Where is more Information on healthy eating available? More information on healthy eating is available from the Niagara Region Public Health, phone 905-688-8248 or toll-free 1-888-505-6074, or from the website at www.niagararegion.ca Healthy eating information is also available from other sources. However, be sure that the source is reliable and credible. For Canada’s Food Guide and more great information, check-out Health Canada at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide. Other excellent websites include Dietitians of Canada: www.dietitians.ca, and Canadian Health Network: www.canadian-health-network.ca.