The Good Stuff

The Truth About 'Good Fat'

The Good Stuff

The Truth About 'Good Fat'

by Jason McGinn on Aug 06 2018
The fight against fat started a few decades ago, when we replaced our high 'good-fat' foods with low-fat, high sugar foods. And now we're fatter than ever. This topic causes some controvery and backward thinking from what we've been told for decades. But before we fill our plates with bacon cheeseburgers, lets have a look into the 'good' stuff and find out what these scientists have to say.   To break it down, we have unsaturated fats and saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are broken down to monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats (the difference is in the number of double bonds they contain). They have been widely studied and published as the 'good fat.' They have many health benefits, including:  Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fish & vegetables: these guys have proven in studies to assist with weight loss, decrease inflammation & heart disease.   So we know these guys (in moderation, of course) are good for you. So what about the evil twin, saturated fat? Saturated fat has been in the penalty box for a long while but is regaining its credit through research. While the majority of the fats in your diet should be unsaturated, including saturated fat is essential to life, in fact. Saturated fat makes up the foundation of our fancy cell membranes. Cell membranes protect the cell as well as is responsible for the movement of material in and out of the cell. So its kind of important. Saturated fat increases the HDL cholesterol in your body, which is the good kind. LDL cholesterol is the kind that can build up in the blood and makes those important arteries narrow. HDL cholesterol then comes on through the blood stream, pushing the LDL cholesterol through and into the liver. Brain health is ever so important, especially as we age. Lucky for us, we know now that saturated fats can actually help fight certain brain diseases. In fact, coconut oil has shown to protect you from neurodegenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, saturated fats like ghee, coconut oil and butter are preferred for high-heat cooking. They don't have double bonds, which makes them tougher and least resistant to oxidative stress. This also prevents them from forming those free radicals (cancer causers). So next time, reach for the butter. In moderation, of course.
Top Tips for Easy Healthy Eating

The Good Stuff

Top Tips for Easy Healthy Eating

by Jason McGinn on Jul 29 2018
So you've come across this blog because you're looking to cut out the processed garbage and eat better food. Maybe you're looking to lose some weight, or fix your leaky gut, or manage diabetes, manage moods, or simply wanting to remove toxins and additives from your diet and the ones you love. Healthy eating can be daunting these days with fancy superfoods, additives, diets, quick fixes and more. We aren't big believers in quick fixes or fancy tricks. We like to keep it simple so its an easy transition for everyone. Simple changes can make it a smoother, more enjoyable process thats sustainable long term. No more yo-yo diets or trend bandwagoning. Just back to the basics and really, really good food.  Whether you're new to the world of heathy eating, or are long-term believers looking for more inspiration, read on for our top 7 tips for easy healthy eating.   TOP 7: 1. Simplify the Process: Ackowledge that this change is a process, and simplify the steps needed to reach your goal. Maybe start with adding in an extra serve of veggies in your day. Or perhaps go vegetarian 1-2 days a week to start playing with vegetarian dishes, which brings in more spices and natural flavours to make your food even more delcious. Set realistic, simple goals and increase your intake as you start to enjoy the foods more.   2. Pay Attention: This is a simple yet extremly effective strategy, pay attention to your body. Be mindful while you're eating, and check in after meals to notice your energy levels and digestion. Appreciating the feeling of a nourished body will have you craving more.   3. Add In, Not Take Out: Instead of focusing on what you're losing from your diet, focus on what you're adding in. Change your high sugar cereal to a more whole food muesli or oats. Or try a few different smoothies for a quick snack or meal. Smoothies can be superpowered or kept simple and can please nearly anyone with a bit of tweaking. Try a salted caramel smoothie for a more decadent transition. You'll thank me later.   4. Get Cookin': A healthy, whole foods diet will have you in the kitchen more, so you may as well get comfortable in there and enjoy it. Whether you're a novice cook, a time-poor cook or losing your creative edge, take some classes. Take a local cooking class or simply teach yourself over YouTube. Learn a few new skills, get the kids involved, play music, be brave and make it fun. The better you get, the faster you'll get.   5. Smell the Smells: Stop and smell and taste as you go. Appreciate the aroma and try and identify certain smells. Appreciating food on different levels makes it taste better somehow.   6. Get the Kids and Partners Involved: By teaching them to shop for and cook healthy food is giving them an incredible life long skill. The transition to healthy eating will be easier with less fighting if they're involved, hands on. They'll be more likely to be healthy eaters by choice, they'll be able to take care of themselves and are more likely to have a healthy relationship with food. Not to mention drastically cutting down their risk of obesity, diabetes, depression, cancer and more.   7. Buy in Bulk to Save: purchasing your whole foods in bulk when possible saves you money, allows you to try new things in smaller quantities and is better for the planet. Less packaging and less processing for the win!
Why warm food in the winter is the BEST

The Good Stuff

Why warm food in the winter is the BEST

by Jason McGinn on Jul 08 2018
These cold mornings have me dreaming of warm soup for dinner. Most of us naturally go to warm foods over the winter months, but did you know its actually fantastic for your gut and overall health?   According to Chinese medicine, your gut requires your food to be at body temperature before it begins breaking it down, absorbing and passing your food through the shoot. Therefore, more energy is used to warm up the food before the digestion process really begins. This makes digestion more work for the body and can cause gut irritability, particularly for those of us with sensitive digestion. So warm, moderately spicy food supports that digestive fire.    Eating raw food over time, for us sensitive folks, can in fact weaken our digestive system causing bloating, gassiness and poor absorption of foods. This can cause an energy depletion in the body, especially for reproductive organs.   If we're not digesting our food optimally, then we're sure not absorbing our food optimally. Cooking your vegetables over a low to medium heat helps to breakdown the tough fibres that can trap some important nutrients that wouldn't otherwise be available to the body. While you lose on some live enzymes and energy from cooking, you get access to some other nutrients and absorb them much easier than raw.   So in short, enjoy all those warming, nutrient-dense dishes while the cold months are around us. Your gut will thank you!  
What are Whole Foods?

The Good Stuff

What are Whole Foods?

by Jason McGinn on Jun 26 2018
Wholefoods are simply foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, while still being suitable to eat. They have little to no additives and have undergone little to no processing. Wholefoods makes our shopping simpler, our eating more effective for the body, and more enjoyable in both cooking, and consuming. Here are some examples of wholefoods: Nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds Grains: wholegrain rice, quinoa, rolled oats and barley. Beans and legumes: lentils, kidney beans, split peas, chickpeas All the fruits and vegetables!   Why are wholefoods so good for us? Given that they are generally still in tact, they have retained much of their minerals and nutrients so your body gets the maximum benefit from these foods. If you're going to eat them, why not get the best out of them?   Skip the chemicals! We get enough of those from our environment already. By choosing wholefoods, you're eliminating unwanted chemicals. So much research has been done on additives and chemicals. We're seeing links to behaviour in both children and adults, mood disorders, neurological disease, cancer and the list could go on. Basically, ditch the nonsense.   Its good for the bowels. It seems like poop talk is everywhere these days, and for good reason. Your poop is a window to your health and whole foods keep your windows clean. I'll leave it at that.   More energy! Woo hoo! Getting all that good stuff gives your body what it needs to fuel your machine. Give it the nutrients, and your body will fire on all cylinders.    So why not start switching over to a wholefoods diet? Start out by aiming for 70% of your diet being rich in wholefoods. You won't go back, we guarantee it.  
Bulk Buying Benefits

The Good Stuff

Bulk Buying Benefits

by Jason McGinn on Jun 19 2018
Bulk food buying is on the rise both in-store and online. Its becoming the preferred way to shop for many singles, families and retirees. But why? It saves you time, money and the planet! What is bulk buying? Buying food in bulk can be done in a few different ways. Our preferred method of buying in bulk is purchasing from a bulk food store, which gives us the flexibility to purchase in both smaller and larger quantities while still saving money! The business purchases their food in large quantities and stores them in food-grade bins. The customer then scoops however much of the product they would like, still benefiting from the discount but without a minimum order required. Winning! Why does it save us money? Buying food in bulk saves money because the business has access to discounted, high quality foods without the expensive packaging. Did you know that on average, the packaging of a product costs 9% of the price?  Buying in bulk is also a win in the fight against plastic. It saves the landfills from all that unwanted and unnecessary packaging by storing your food in reusable containers. The environment will thank you with every environmentally conscious purchase that you make. Storing your food properly helps saves on food wastage. You can ensure your food has its longest shelf life possible. Properly fitted, air-tight containers protect from pests and keep your food fresher, for longer.  So bulk food is a winner for the wallet, the time bank and the environment. Why not give it a try?