The Skinny on Nutrition Bars

In our fast paced, on-the-go lives it’s tough to find the time to get in those three balanced meals as well as a few healthy snacks. If you are trying to “eat clean” while you “train dirty”, by avoiding processed foods, hidden sugar, salt and trans fats the challenge becomes more daunting, even more so for all the vegetarians, vegans, gluten or dairy-free folks out there.

Often our answer to our post-workout growling bellies is a pre-packaged nutrition bar, sometimes referred to as a power bar or 
protein bar. These can be meal replacements when we just don’t
have the time or energy to make something from scratch or they can be supplements for those who want to ensure they are getting enough nutrients to support their workout.

Nutritional bars have come a long way from the introduction of the PowerBar in 1986, when Mike McCollum and Canadian athlete Brian Maxwell whipped up the recipe in the kitchen with his Nutritionist girlfriend (later wife). It was a very different beast from the varieties we see today on our grocers shelves. Now there’s organic and raw and all-natural, even supernatural, with every flavour you can imagine from key-lime to cookies & cream to s’mores!

While every bar contains different amounts of protein based on type and manufacturer, they usually strike a balance between protein, carbohydrates and fats. But not all nutrition bars are created equal; taste, ingredients and ratios of protein to carbs all vary and are subject to personal preference and goals.

The Builder:
Since proteins are the “building blocks” of muscles, if you are trying to build muscle... well you know! Eating lean protein is a necessity for building and repairing muscles, tissue, red blood cells, and healthy hair and nails. Unfortunately the rule for protein bars seems to be that the better they taste the more sugar, glucose/fructose, corn syrup and glycerin they have holding them together, that’s where you get flavours like Toffee Choc-Chip and Peanut Caramel Explosion. Delish, but high in sugar alcohols, chemical sweeteners and artificial flavours. Go for something simple and stay away from anything that looks like dessert, chances are it is. Don’t go overboard either, be wary of getting too much protein, your body can only handle so much at a time; more than 20-30g in one sitting will not build muscle, it will be filtered out and all that excess nitrogen (protein is an amino acid after all) can put stress on your kidneys, so be nice to your kidneys! All in all these guys are great if you need to get your protein in quick and easy, definitely easier than eating a filet of sole with a side of kale and quinoa while driving to/from work.  
Our Favorite pump-you up bars:   most delicious Oh Yeah Bars, Detour Bars most nutritious - Edge Bars, Clif Builder’s Bar

The Runner:

Those bars touted as “energy bars” will best suit the runners, marathoners and cardio-aholics who don’t want to carry a ziplock bag of trail mix in their pocket. The purpose of energy bars is to remedy fatigue and improve concentration at vital times, just like any food really, they provide calories for your body to process into fuel. The most effective energy bars however need to provide easily digested carbs that are relatively low on the glycemic index, to keep you fueled at a steady pace. The trick with energy bars is to make sure your calories are from healthy sources, not high fructose corn syrup or saturated fat. Read the label, the less ingredients the better, a third grader should be able to pronounce them (hold the Butylated Hydroxyanisole please!) and the farther down the sweetener is on the list the better (beware, sugar has many disguises if it ends in “ose” it’s probably a sweetener of some sort). The ideal energy bar is really just ground up trail mix formed into a bar that you can hold in one hand. Our Favorite long distance bars: Elevate Me!, Vega Bars
                                      

The Working Mom:

Generally speaking women need less calories than men when doing the same activities, (generally speaking of course) more proof we are just more efficient at everything, including calorie intake! Women also tend to be more conscious of what they eat, and they know that if it looks like candy and tastes like candy, it should be treated like candy, i.e. a treat for special occasions and to be enjoyed in moderation. And if they are anything like me they’d rather sit down to real meal, with flowers on the table, a glass of wine and some good conversation than eat something at their desk/in the car/at the gym. However sometimes that’s all you got, so... bring in the mini bars! There are nutrition bars out there that taste great, have healthy, whole ingredients and are in smaller portions so that keep you going to the next destination by supplementing as opposed to replacing your regularly balanced meal.

Our Favorite Snack-Size bars: Clif Z-Bar, Luna Minis or any other bar cut in half.


The Study Buddy:

Your brain needs fuel just as your muscles do, and when it’s crunch time, sometimes we get in the zone, poring over the books for hours until it all melts into word stew. Don’t lose focus just because you can’t sacrifice the time to eat a real meal. Make sure you are getting a balanced bar with adequate protein, clean sources of carbs and sugar and some healthy fats. When protein foods release the amino acid tyrosine into the brain it increases the production of chemicals such as dopamine and epinephrine to boost mental alertness and energy; fruit and veg based carbs contain flavonoids and antioxidants to improve brain power and memory retention; if nuts and seeds are bringing the healthy fats to the party they will bring with them vitamins, folic acid and omega 3 fatty acids; whole grains will stimulate the brain by improving blood flow and when those carbs release tryptophan it increases serotonin, chilling you out and helping you sleep... when you finally close the books at 2am.

Our Favorite balanced bars: Luna Bars, Clif Bars, Proteins+ Express Bar

The Veggie:

It’s actually quite easy to find a veggie/vegan nutrition bar these days, it’s just a little harder to find one with a good amount of protein, and the real difficulty is soy, duhn duhn DUHNN. Now don’t get me wrong soy can be great! I heart soy, as long as it isn’t GMO and overly processed, which sadly, it often is. Here’s a great vegan protein bar rating chart from vegan yogi Heidi Kristoffer. Always read the labels, and if you don’t know what it is then don’t eat it! The smartest thing you could do is make your own so you know exactly what is going into it. Our favorite lean green bars:  The Simply Bar, these Luna Bars & Clif Bars, MBar, Edge Bars, Vegan Proteins+ Bar

And while these foods will do in a pinch, they should not take the place of a nutritious and varied meal that includes minimally processed sources of lean protein, healthy fats, nutrient-dense carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals. The more natural the bar the better, if they are “fortified” with vitamins and minerals that means the manufacturer recognizes that the product is inherently lacking, also they will not contain any of the phytochemicals, bioflavonoids, natural fibre, vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and veg.

If you’re a keener here’s one you can make yourself:

ON THE GO! Gluten-free Protein bar

Makes about 10 bars

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup gluten-free cereal (I like Arrowhead Mills Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes)

3 scoops protein powder (I like New Zealand Whey Pro-Series, vanilla) 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

pinch of salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup raw organic agave

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

3/4 cup almond butter (or almond-hazlenut, mmm tastes like nutella)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup dark choc chips for melting on top

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, grease a med square or rectangular baking dish with olive oil, set aside. Mix together the dry ingredients (oats, cereal, protein powder, spices and salt). In a medium bowl, mix together the syrup, almond butter, applesauce and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix very well with a spoon or your hands. Press into a pan (with lightly wet fingers). Bake for 12 mins, let cool. Meanwhile melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler, spread on top in a very thin layer. When cool, cut into bars and keep refrigerated.

This recipe adapted from Eat, Drink and Be Aware (awesome blog btw), who adapted it from Oh She Glows (some more awesome).

BONUS: Oooh and who wants some low-fat, refined-sugar-free, moist and chocolatey protein brownies? Well, me of course!

THE SUPER BROWNIE (able to leap tall lattes in a single bound)

Ingredients
¼ cup of instant oats (or whole oats ground up fine in the food processor)
3 Tbsp raw Cacao finely grated (or Cacao nibs ground up fine in the food processor)
1 14-15oz can organic black beans (rinsed thoroughly)
3 Tbsp of Cocoa powder
2 Scoops choc or vanilla protein powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup of dates (soaked in hot water for 5 mins or until soft)
2 whole bananas
¼ cup of agave syrup
2 eggs (or ½ cup of apple sauce)

Optional 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven 350 F. Grease an 8x8 pan with olive oil, set aside . In a food processor grind up oats and cacao until fine, set aside. Puree beans, bananas, softened dates and eggs in food processor. Add all remaining ingredients (including oat flour, but not choc chips) and pulse to combine. Should be thick and shiny, just like regular brownie batter. Pour into baking dish, top with dark chocolate chips if you like (I like) and bake for 30-35 mins, inserted toothpick should come out clean. That's it, pretty easy; blend, pour, bake, eat brownies!


Some people have been known to do wild and crazy things to their brownies, such as add walnuts, fresh raspberries or espresso. Who am I to judge.


-Ariane Clark

I have just completed my first charity walk and know one thing for sure. This will not be my last. 

Recently, a member of my family had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a very complex neurological disease. After the initial reaction of confusion and anger, we as a family decided to take this diagnosis head on.  We did our research, decided on the appropriate course of action (to which exercise and dietary modifications are major factor), and proceeded with life as usual. Until this weekend that is.

Today 9 members of my family and I walked in support of MS research. The MS walk took place in over 160 communities today, bringing a sense of community, belongingness, and awareness. Participation in these events helps fund innovative programs and services in our community – and supports research dedicated to finding a cure. You can register as an individual, be part of a team, or even volunteer.

Did you know?

• Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis rates in the world.
• MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
• Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
• Women are more than three times as likely to develop MS as men.
• We don’t know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer.

Please visit mssociety.ca to learn more.  

Now multiple sclerosis is just one of many diseases/conditions that are affecting our society. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke in one-way or another have impacted us all. So please, take the time to show that no one is immune, and that no one walks alone.  Take part in a charity walk or run this summer for yourself, your family, or just simply…for the cause.

Here are a some charity events that you may consider supporting:

  

The Weekend to End Women's Cancers

Walk of Life - Cardiac Health

Walk for Muscular Dystrophy 

Diabetes Walk For Hope

Parkinson Super Walk

Run or Walk to Conquer Cancer

Thank you,

Dr. Craig McNamee

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.

Get It Fresh!

Now that spring has sprung, it’s the perfect time to start incorporating fresh fruits and veggies into your healthy eating plan and with so many delicious varieties coming into season now, it’s easier than you think!

The best place to select your produce will always be the farmers market, as 
everything will be in season and at optimal freshness! It’s always great to meet and greet with the person who actually grew your food and really feel connected to the whole process. Check out the Toronto Farmers Market Network and this awesome map of markets in T.O. or go to www.localharvest.com which makes it so easy to find a great market close to you! For most of us, however it’s not always possible to get to the farmer’s market and we need to hit up our local grocery store or supermarket to get our fresh produce. The key word here is fresh, so if it’s coming from somewhere on the other side of the world, chances are it’s not fresh. So your first step is to look for the Foodland Ontario symbol or better yet the Local Foods Plus symbol which guarantees that your food is not only local, but that it’s also environmentally and socially sustainable, Bonus!

Foodland and LFP will highlight fruits and veg when in season, but here’s a handy dandy reference guide to know what to eat and when!




FYI for spring you'll want to load up on:

Veggies:
Beets 
(rich in the phytochemical Glycine betaine, folates and vitamin C)
Cabbage  
(cholesterol-lowering!)
Carrots 
(lots of Vit A and Beta-carotene for healthy eyes and vision)
Cucumber (greenhouse)  
(low carb, yet high in fibre! Full of water to keep you hydrated)
Lettuce (greenhouse)  
(good source of chlorophyll, vitamin K, fibre and water!)
Mushrooms  
(excellent source of potassium, riboflavin, niacin and selenium)
Onions  
(protects against cardiovascular disease and certain infections)
Parsnips
(a shining beacon of soluble FIBRE! lowers cholesterol)
Peppers (greenhouse) 
(burns fat with its spicy (or sweet) compounds capsaicin & CH-19)
Rutabaga 
(chock-a-block with Potassium, Minerals, Vitamin C and Fibre!)
Sweet Potatoes  
(high in Vitamins B6, C and D. Also easy to cook and so delish!)
Tomatoes (greenhouse)  
(an excellent source of Lycopene to help prevent UV damage to skin and eyes (the number 1 cause of Age-Related Macular Degeneration) & cancer, helps maintain strong healthy bones and helps lower total cholesterol, GO tomatoes!)


Fruits:
Apples  

(an apple a day, keeps the type 2 Diabetes and cholesterol away!)
Rhubarb 

(lutein for healthy skin & bones and loads of calcium, 105mg/cup!)
Strawberries (late spring)  

(nutrient-rich and packed with Vit-C and antioxidants, Sweet!)

Click on the links on the fruits and veg to see how they measure up with the Environmental Working Group’s  Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list, from our earlier post to determine how much pesticide residue can be left on produce if it’s not organic.


To sum things up here are your main reasons to buy local and seasonal:

1. Cheap! When the crops are booming their prices go down.
2. Tastes better! Foods lose flavour the longer they sit around and especially if they are chilled.
3. Variety! Try something new when it’s in season, like say fiddleheads or figs, why don’t cha?!
4. Easier on the planet! Save the gas and subsequent pollution from the world-wide delivery.
5. Healthier! The main benefits of eating local food in season is that it will be packed full of nutrients and antioxidants. Those green bananas and rock hard avocados that have been sitting on a truck for 2 weeks are not nearly as appealing or nutrient-dense as the gorgeous Ontario grown strawberries of late spring/early summer. Sliced up and added to yogurt and muesli or thrown in with some kale for a green smoothie for breakfast or tossed with a big bowl of arugula and endive with a sprinkle of goat cheese, raw pepitas and a dash of EVOO and apple-cider vinegar, delish!


Want to go really hardcore?

Check out a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture, which is like buying stocks in the farm and receiving your dividends in produce! You pay at the beginning of the season and every one or two weeks you go pick up your Absolutely-Fresh-From-The-Farm-Food!!! This is actually the cheapest plan and its like having a farm in your own backyard, without all that, you know, farming.



And to go with your handy dandy fresh & seasonal shopping list, here are some quick, easy and delicious recipes to get you started:

Baked Sesame Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2 large or 3 smaller sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp of EVOO (aka extra-virgin olive oil, or whatever you got)
1 tsp of toasted sesame oil (this stuff is strong, so use less or omit if you don’t like it)
2 pinches of sea salt or mountain salt like Bolivian Rose from the Andes

To prep, fill a large bowl with cold water and line a large baking tray with parchment or aluminum foil, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice sweet potatoes into 1cm thick and 3-4in long pieces, and pop them in the bowl of water as you go. Once you are done, pour 1 Tbsp of EVOO into the bowl of water. Take the sweet potato pieces out of the water with tongs and place on the baking trays.

*this will allow each piece of sweet potato to be completely and evenly coated in the oil, which provides them with flavour and keeps them from burning without having to drench them in oil.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and place in the oven, cooking for 20 mins. Check the doneness of the fries, once they soften up and start to brown, flip them over. Cook for 10-15 more mins, depending on how well done you like them.

*Note:  with oven-baked fries, they will never be as crisp as deep-fried (or as greasy!), if you cook them too long they will just dry out.

Take fries out of the oven place in an empty bowl and toss with 1tsp of toasted sesame oil and sea salt.

This is an excellent side-dish that is easy to prep ahead of time and have baking, while you are doing other things. The best part is that everyone, especially kids will be impressed and want seconds of this healthy, nutrient-packed dish! Switch it up by substituting EVOO for sesame and adding fresh chopped up rosemary or thyme.

Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 if no one is looking;)

Canadiana Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients:
4 cups rhubarb cut into bite sized pieces
½ cup of water
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp of stevia (or omit and use a total of ⅓ cup of maple syrup)

Thoroughly wash the rhubarb and trim the ends, chop into 1in pieces. Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat immediately and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and let cool. That’s it! You’re done, relax, put your feet up.

Pour over Mapleton’s Organic Vanilla or Lemon Frozen Yogurt for dessert or over 0% greek yogurt or with whole grain toast for breakfast. Play with the recipe to make it your own by adding strawberries half way through, a stick of cinnamon, a few star anise pods or cardamom for a more exotic and intense flavour. Make it a savoury sauce for a lean pork loin roast by adding a pinch of cumin. Have fun, look impressive.

-Ariane Clark

Over the past year the phrase “strength and conditioning” has become lingo that you will see being splashed across your TV in sportswear commercials and behind personal trainers names in your local gym.

This blog’s purpose is to explain the second part of that phrase - Conditioning. Most people at this stage know what strength training entails and in the land of personal training, especially in the big box gyms, it has become the exercise regime of choice for clientele of all kind.  Strength training must be an absolute staple in everyone’s fitness routine in order to work towards people’s goals but it cannot be the sole approach used. The aspect that is often missing in many people’s and trainer’s approach with their clients is a legitimate conditioning program.

The way we want you to look at conditioning simply put is “Being in shape”. Conditioning requires nothing but hard work. Hard work requires no talent or special skills. Therefore, no legitimate excuse can be made to not at least make an attempt at an aspect of fitness that will ultimately make you more athletic, decrease body fat, bring a lower resting heart rate, and make you feel overall more fit.

How do you sleep at night after running stairs for an hour compared to going back and forth between the bench press and lat pull down multiple times with 2 minutes rest in between? At the end of the day, do you want to be that person who can squat the equivalent of a small car but who is unable to run that charity 5 Km event?  We didn’t think so.

SO, that being said, getting conditioned requires minimal equipment but it does require effort and motivation.  Find a local hill; run up, walk or jog down and repeat x 10. Simple enough. Run the stairs in your condo building top to bottom a few times. Buy a skipping rope and skip for 10 minutes. You will sweat, feel more coordinated and be warmed up for your strength training.

A balanced exercise plan should address all facets of fitness. Make an attempt to make yours a true strength AND conditioning program.

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.

Well first off, I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

For my first blog of 2012, I would like to briefly tackle one of the most common New Year’s resolutions...Diet.  However instead of leaping into the typical, and often misunderstood, debates about diets I’ve decided to discuss a topic that may actually be new to most of you.  Which is surprising, considering the research has been growing over the last 20 years. This blog is meant to have you look at your food, and more importantly your body, in a totally different way. 

Let’s start with the word disease (dis-ease = the lack of ease).  Life can be challenging enough without having to do our daily tasks with a common cold or flu right?  So let’s improve our defenses and while we’re at it, improve our energy, lose body fat, gain muscle tone and improve our quality of life.

Have you ever thought about why some people get sick more than others? Furthermore, why those who are often sick are typically stressed out, run down, and out of shape? Interestingly enough, these are often the same individuals who freak out when someone in the room coughs or sneezes, typically resulting self-talk like “Great…now I’m going to get sick” {insert face of despair here}.

On the other hand, there are those amazing individuals who rarely become ill although they are exposed to the same number of germs as the rest. These individuals, when faced with an apologetic coughing co-worker typically respond confidently, “Don’t worry…I won’t get sick”.  What is the difference? Now this is partially a result of the power of expectation, but there is still much more going on here. Obviously the person who gets sick less often has a stronger immune system right? So then the real question is…WHY?

Answer:

There is a concept out there that dictates that the majority of illness and disease comes from the same root cause…too much acid waste in the body.

Too much acid in the body is like sludge being built up inside you. It slows very important biological functions down. It adds stress to your system. It ages you.

Whether a substance is considered acidic or alkaline is determine by it’s pH.

The scale ranges from 0 (acidic) to 14 (basic).  Let’s skip the chemistry and go straight to the good stuff. In the same way our body requires an ideal temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit to function, our blood needs an ideal pH (7.36) as well.

Unfortunately, the reality is the vast majority of foods found in the typical North American diet are mainly acid-forming, putting our body in a constant struggle to neutralize that acid in an effort to return itself to it’s slightly more alkaline state.  Over time, a consistent diet rich in acid-forming foods will result in excessive acidity accumulating in our system. It can be said that acid wastes literally attack our joints, tissues, muscles, organs and glands resulting in minor dysfunction (common cold) or major dysfunction (insert almost any systemic disease here). The real challenge is that our environment is being compromised daily.

The good news: our bodies are well equipped to maintain homeostasis (balance) while under a constant barrage of acidic choices. The bad news: this can only last for so long until a threshold is reached.

For example, if our blood is slightly too acid, wavering from it’s specific pH of 7.36, the body will have to undergo drastic changes. One way we adapt is to release calcium from our bones into our blood to maintain this balance. Over time, this self-preserving effect will eventually reach a threshold resulting in disease, or in this example…osteoporosis. Our genetics play a crucial role in the outcome of this scenario as we are predisposed to certain weakness in our system, resulting in certain conditions.

The entire concept of having more alkalinity in our diet is to help create the healthiest environment possible for our bodies to thrive in 2012!

Stay tuned for more information on this topic in the coming blog posts as I will discuss not only what food choices help create an alkaline environment, but also what non-food techniques can reduce the acidity in your body and thus, alkalize your life!

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.