4 Reasons You’re Craving Junk Food (That Have Nothing to Do with Will Power)
/Victoria BC Dietitian (Nutritionist) Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD Shares 4 Reasons You’re Craving Junk Food. That Have Nothing to Do with Will Power.
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Victoria BC Dietitian (Nutritionist) Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD Shares 4 Reasons You’re Craving Junk Food. That Have Nothing to Do with Will Power.
Read MoreVictoria BC Dietitian (Dietician Nutritionist) Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD Shares What the Best (Healthiest) Oil Is For Cooking.
Read MoreMost clients I work with have an uneasy relationship with fat. Its no wonder. In my 21 years of nutrition experience, I’ve seen the pendulum swing from one extreme to the other regarding fat. I was in University training to become a dietitian during the fat-phobic years. Back when everyone ”knew” that fat was bad for you. To be healthy, you needed to eat a low-fat diet. Pasta and bagels were the king and queen. Practically every parent fed their babies yams and rice cereal as their first foods.
Contrast that to the present where my social media streams are full of avocado recipes and articles espousing the benefits of coconut oil. Parents feed their babies avocado as their first food and ask me whether kids should be taking omega-3 supplements.
Now if that wasn’t confusing enough, you need to add to the mix the fact that the word for “fat” found in food is the same as the word we use to describe someone as being overweight. Experiencing some low self-esteem? You may call it having a “fat” day. In our mainstream culture, “fat” is a derogatory term. That’s why the term “phat” is so clever. And, why there is a movement to reclaim the term. They wouldn’t need to reclaim it if it wasn’t derogatory.
The reality is that fat, like all foods, doesn’t fall into a “always” or “never” category. Like all foods, to be healthy, we need to eat fat in balance. Because we need fat.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
Unknown:
What to Do in the Meantime:
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Have you taken the healthy step of including nuts in your daily eating habits? Perhaps you’re eating nuts because of their healthy fats. Or, because you’re eating a more clean, plant-based diet. Or, because they make a great protein-rich snack that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Whatever your reason, nuts certainly are a healthy food to include regularly. When I work with clients, I look to have them eat nuts and seeds frequently. The good news is that word about how healthy nuts are seems to be getting out to people. Most clients I see are eating nuts several times a week. However for a large number of clients, eating nuts equals almonds. Only almonds. It may be whole almonds, almond butter and/or almond milk, but the only nut or seed that they’re eating is almonds. This is a problem.
If almonds are the only nuts that you eat, now’s the time to expand your repertoire to include different nuts and seeds. Here’s why:
Variety is Better Than Any 1 Food: We humans are omnivores. Your body is designed to eat a wide variety of foods. Yet, so many people eat the same few foods over and over again. Nuts and seeds are all different. Some have more healthy fats, some have more protein, and they vary in the amount of minerals and other nutrients. By sticking to only one or two nuts/seeds you are missing out on many of the benefits of different nuts/ seeds. And, when you eat a lot of only a few foods, you can get too much of some nutrients.
California Drought: Most of our almonds come from California. Did you know that California has been experiencing a drought for years? And, that their ground water is decreasing fast. Did you also know that almonds trees take a large amount of water? It’s not a good combination.
Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater (I hate that saying, do you know of a less violent one that expresses the same meaning?), please note that I’m not saying to never eat almonds again. What I’m saying is that considering that eating a variety of foods is a healthier choice, now’s a good time to take the pressure off of California water sources by expanding your nut and seed repertoire. Enjoy almonds amongst a wide variety of nuts and seeds.
There’s a whole world of nuts and seeds out there. Explore it. I do - half a shelf of my fridge is taken up with nuts and seeds. And yes, you want to store them in the fridge to keep them from going rancid.
Here’s some ideas of nut and seeds to check out. Alternatively a trip to your local bulk food section can inspire you.
Curious about how I can help you achieve your health and nutrition goals? Schedule a (free) call to find out.
Once a year, UBC students who are training to become dietitians do a project where they write short articles for dietitians. This article was written by Nicki Kontogiannis and Frankie Reinbolt. Now, what to ask them to write about? That was easy. I think that you’d have to be living under a rock to not have noticed the explosion of coconut oil in grocery stores and on menus. Coconut oil is being marketed as a healthy fat, that it causes weight loss, and all sorts of other benefits. So, I asked them to look into the scientific research to find out if it’s really a healthy choice. Here’s what they found out.
Coconut oil is a highly concentrated form of saturated fat. It comes in two forms – unrefined and refined:
Potential Benefits:
Potential Concerns:
Can coconut oil burn fat?
Can it prevent cancer and boost immune function?
The Bottom Line:
Curious about how I can help you achieve your health and nutrition goals? Schedule a (free) call to find out.
Eat Right Ontario. (2015). Coconut Oil. Retrieved from https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Fat/I-ve-heard-that-coconut-oil-is-the-best-oil-to-use.aspx#.VVfIx6aGtUQ
Machowsky, J. (2011). Coconut Oil: The Great Debate. Retrieved from http://www.nutrition411.com/content/coconut-oil-great-debate
McGee, H. (2004). On Food and Cooking: the Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York, NY: Harold Scribner.
Marina, A.A., Che Man, Y.B., Amin, I. (2009). Virgin coconut oil: emerging functional food oil. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 20(10), 481-487. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2009.06.003
Davis, B., Vesanto, M.(2014). Becoming Vegan. Summertown, TN: Book Publishing Co.
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