Author Archives: Patience Lister

Healthy Sweet Tooth Solutions

Did you know that 11 to 13 % of the total calories eaten by Canadians comes from added sugar [1]? It’s added to many unassuming products, such as flavored yogurt, bread, vitamin water, and breakfast cereals – sneaking into your diet more than you may realize. Because a high sugar intake is linked to weight gain and an increased risk of chronic disease, it’s best to limit how much of it you eat. Try these healthy sweet tooth solutions:

Add Your Own Natural Flavour

Instead of buying flavored varieties of yogurt, soy milk, or water that are high in added sugar or artificial sweeteners, choose plain and add your own flavour. Berries, cinnamon, or grated vanilla bean are delicious ingredients for jazzing-up plain yogurt, while cucumber and mint make a refreshing addition to tap water.

Naturally Sweet Whole Foods

The natural sugar content of fresh fruit, sweet potatoes, or corn can help satisfy your sweet tooth while adding fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your diet. For strong cravings, the concentrated sugar in dried dates and apricots can be highly satisfying – just don’t eat more than you would if they were fresh!

Sip a PGX® Satisfast™ Whey Protein Drink*

The combination of fibre and whey protein in PGX Satisfast will help curb your hunger and reduce sugar cravings. With flavors like Rich Chocolate and Very Vanilla you won’t feel deprived of sugary treats.

What healthy foods satisfy your sweet tooth? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Note: Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

References:

5 Quick Protein Filled Snacks

No matter your age, weight, or activity level, your body needs protein. It not only fuels your hunger and helps repair muscle tissue, but is needed to make hormones, strengthen bones and cartilage, and build a healthy immune system.

The Canada Food Guide recommends a dietary allowance (RDA) of about 46 g of protein for women and 56 g for men per day [1]. Here are five quick bites with over 10 g each:

1. 1 Cup Edamame

Cooked soybeans, also called edamame, pack 22 g of protein per cup [2]. As a quick bite, the combination of protein, fibre, and healthy fats in edamame will help you feel full and satisfied.

2. ½ Cup Steel Cut Oats with ¼ Cup Cottage Cheese

More than just a warm breakfast – steel cut oats are an energizing source of protein, fibre, and iron. Top ½ cup of cooked oats with ¼ cup of low fat cottage cheese to create a comforting combo with 14 g of protein [2]. The key to making this a quick bite is preparing the oats in advance so you can just warm them up.

3. 28 g Salmon Jerky

With 15 g of protein per 28 g serving, salmon jerky provides a delicious way to kick your protein intake up a notch. [2] Salmon has the added bonus of being high in the omega-3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA.

4. ¾ Cup Greek Yogurt

When it comes to dairy, Greek yogurt is an elite source of protein. It supplies approximately 15 g per ¾ cup serving [2], along with live probiotic bacteria to support a healthy balance of gut microflora.

5. PGX® Satisfast™ Organic Vegan Protein Bar

With 15 g of organic plant protein per bar, this vegan friendly snack is sure to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Whether you choose Very Berry Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Coconut, or Dark Chocolate Peanut, every bite is guaranteed to be gluten free and made with non-GMO ingredients.

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Nutritional Support for Sports Performance

Are you looking for a dietary aid to help kick your athletic power up a notch? Don’t settle for refined commercial products when you can reap equal benefits from natural, clean label foods. These five options offer a deliciously nutritious way to enhance your sports performance or recovery.

5 Foods That  Enhance Sports Performance

1. Raisins

Raisins are nature’s alternative to commercial energy chews and sports gels. For long athletic events or endurance races, chewing a handful of raisins mid-way can help sustain your energy levels and replenish glycogen stores. Raisins supply 33 g of carbohydrates and 123 calories per ¼ cup and are a concentrated source of iron and potassium.[1]

2. Coconut Water

Coconut water offers an additive-free way to stay hydrated without settling for sports drinks. With 600 mg potassium, 252 mg sodium, 60 mg magnesium, and 58 mg calcium per cup, coconut water can help replenish some of the electrolytes you lose through sweat, and reduce temporary muscle cramps in healthy adults due to exercise.[1]

3. Beet Juice

A study published in the 2012 issue of International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that cyclists who drank 500 ml of beet juice per day for six days improved their performance by 1.2 % in a 10 km time trial.[2] Although this dose of juice is too extreme for most people, you can certainly benefit from droppin’ a few beets into your diet.

4. Milk

The balance of carbohydrates and protein in milk make it an excellent post-sport recovery drink to help rebuild your muscle energy stores. With 314 mg of calcium per cup, milk can also help you replenish the calcium lost through sweat.[1] To boost the taste and protein of milk, add a scoop of Dark Chocolate PGX® Satisfast Whey Protein.

5. Cherries

After a long session of high impact exercise, loading up on the anti-inflammatory polyphenols found in cherries may help you to recover more quickly from joint pain due to over exercising. Cherries are also a natural source of melatonin, which supports a good quality sleep – and sleep is a key factor in physical recovery.

Tell us which foods help you reach your athletic goals in the comments section below.

References:

[1] USDA. “National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 27.” Agricultural Research Service. Web. 1 May 2015.

[2] Cermak, N., Martin Gibala and Luc van Loon. “Nitrate Supplementation’s Improvement of 10-Km Time-Trial Performance in Trained Cyclists.” Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 22.1 (2012). Web. 1 May 2015.