Brittany Trueman Nutrition, MHSc, RD

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Brittany Trueman Nutrition, MHSc, RD

Brittany Trueman is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Nutrition Communication who is passionate about improving people's relationship with food.

03/17/2021

March is Nutrition Month, and the third Wednesday this month (aka today!) is when Dietitian’s Day is celebrated!

This year’s theme is good for you and how dietitians help you find your healthy. There is no one-sized-fits-all approach to healthy eating. Dietitians understand the science of nutrition and consider the unique needs of each person based on their health, their preferences, and their culture and food traditions when providing advice and guidance.

Visit nutritionmonth2021.ca for more information and a free downloadable e-book with 15 recipes hand-picked by dietitians to celebrate Nutrition Month 2021.

02/23/2021

February 23rd is Canada’s Agricultural Day which is all about celebrating the food we love and those who produce it. Last month I talked about ways to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption to fill half your plate at each meal, and with Canada’s Agricultural Day in mind, I thought I would highlight some Ontario-grown vegetables that are currently in season.

Potatoes and mushrooms are two versatile veggies that are available all year long in Ontario. They taste great in stews, soups, Sheppard’s pie, and other winter comfort foods. Carrots, onions, beets, cabbage, and squash are other vegetables that are in season right now as we are getting ready to transition away from winter.

Check out the link below for some recipes featuring Ontario-grown vegetables and raise your fork in support of local agriculture:
https://britttrueman.wixsite.com/truenutritionrd/post/agricultural-day

01/12/2021

2020 was a difficult year for many of us, but with a new year comes new opportunities and resolutions, one of which may be to eat healthier.

Canada's Food Guide recommends half your plate to be filled with fruits and vegetables at each meal. This food grouping is nutritionally dense, offering a variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like fibre. Here are my tips to help you eat more vegetables and have a healthier year.

- Cut up vegetables like peppers or cucumbers soon after grocery shopping so it's easy to add them to meals or grab them as a quick snack.
- Have some frozen or canned options on hand such as broccoli, edamame, or corn. They keep longer, can be just as healthy as fresh produce, and take only a few minutes to heat up.
- Before going grocery shopping, create a weekly meal plan so you know what you’re having at each meal. If you have a plan in place and the groceries at home, you are more likely to follow through.
- Experiment with different herbs for flavour and cooking methods such as baking, roasting, or grilling to find out what you enjoy and prevent boredom from too much repetition.

What are your tips for including more vegetables in your diet?

12/09/2020

Winter is well underway in Canada, meaning that the variety of seasonally available produce options has decreased. Choosing seasonal produce helps support your community and can enhance the taste as the food is picked ripe rather than ahead of ripeness.

Apples are one of only two fruits grown in Ontario that are available in December. They are a good source of nutrition, high in vitamins and nutrients like vitamin C and fibre. Their long shelf life, crispness, and sweet or tarte taste makes it easy to incorporate seasonal Ontario apples into your diet in a variety of ways.

Check out the link below for some recipes featuring the versatility of apples.

https://britttrueman.wixsite.com/truenutritionrd/post/seasonal-ontario-apples

11/02/2020

November 2nd is World Vitamin D Day--are you getting enough vitamin D? Most Canadians aren't.

vitamin D is an important nutrient for bone health. It is often called the sunshine vitamin because it is made in our skin when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. In the winter months, there are fewer hours of sunlight, meaning that Canadians are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency and must pay special attention to food sources of this important nutrient.

Vitamin D can be found in milk, eggs, margarine, fatty fish, and some specially fortified foods like orange juice, yogurt, and soy beverages. Adults on average need 600 IU/day, which you can readily obtain in food, but vegans, adults over 50, or those with osteoporosis may benefit from a vitamin D3 supplement. Too much of a good thing is never okay; be sure to speak with a dietitian to find out what is the right amount for you.

09/25/2020

Juices are perceived as being healthier than soft drinks and many other beverages, but for many juices this is an example of a health halo.

The term ‘juice’ can be used to describe a variety of beverages including punches, cocktails, and juice-flavoured drinks. Like soft drinks, many of these juice types are low in nutrients, yet high in sugar and calories.

The best juice options are those made of 100% real fruit juices without added sugar, but they can still be high in naturally occurring sugars. Whole fruits provide a nutritious and similarly refreshing experience without extra calories and sugar that comes from condensing many fruits.

09/17/2020

The next health halo I’m exposing is products labelled as low in fat, sugar, or salt. People often assume that these products are healthy, or at least healthier than the alternatives, but this isn’t always the case.

When foods have reduced fat, sugar, or sodium often the texture or the taste changes. In order to make these products palatable, the reduced nutrient is then replaced with other ingredients, which may increase the total calories compared to the original product. For example, low-fat yogurts may be higher in sugar than regular yogurts.

The use of low in fat, sugar, or salt labels can cause you to add a health halo to that product and assume that it is healthy, potentially leading you to overeat. Be sure to read the nutrition labels to uncover the truth about a food’s nutrition.

09/09/2020

In the last few years, plant-based foods have become more prevalent in restaurants and grocery stores. While the labelling and marketing of these foods helps individuals make personal foods choices, they can also be misleading.

Foods labelled as plant-based, such as burgers, pizzas, and convenience foods like chips or donuts, have a health halo effect where they are perceived as being healthier versions of their non-plant-based alternatives. In reality, these foods are similarly highly processed and can be just as high in fat, salt, or sugar.

A healthy eating pattern involves limiting your intake of highly processed foods to reduce your consumption of less nutritious foods.

09/01/2020

The best way to stay educated and not fall prey to health halos is to read the food labels on products.

Food labels provide information on roughly a dozen nutrients in the nutrition facts table, as well as the ingredients list. Start by looking at the serving size and ask yourself if this is how much you would normally eat. Next examine the % daily value column. Aim to maximize your intake of fibre, calcium, and iron, while minimizing your intake of saturated fat, sugar, and sodium. Note that less than 5% daily value is considered a small amount and greater than 15% is a lot.

Try reading the nutrition facts table the next time you think you’re being caught by a health halo and help yourself make more informed choices about the foods you eat

08/25/2020

Gluten-free foods are necessary for those with celiac disease, but many non-celiac individuals are also buying these products, likely as a result of a health halo. The perception is that gluten-free foods are healthier than their gluten-containing counterparts, and that all gluten-free foods are healthful.

The gluten-free label indicates that a food has a very low content of wheat, barley, rye, and other gluten-containing grains. Many foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean meats are naturally gluten-free. Like with the ‘natural’ label, the gluten-free label does not provide information about the product’s nutritional profile. These foods can be high in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium, and many lack essential vitamins and minerals.

You can learn more about the gluten-free diet in one of my previous posts linked below.

https://britttrueman.wixsite.com/truenutritionrd/post/diets-part-3

08/17/2020

Have you made the assumption that a food labeled ‘natural’ is healthy or healthier than a non-natural alternative? This is an example of a health halo.

In Canada, foods can be labeled natural if there are no added vitamins, minerals, artificial flavours, or food additives, and it has not undergone processing that significantly alters its original state. ‘Natural ingredients’ may also be labelled on foods if some of the ingredients are derived from natural sources; this can give the false impression that all ingredients in the product are naturally derived.

Note that the ‘natural’ label does not provide information about the food’s nutritional value; these foods can be high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Non-natural foods such as fortified soy beverages don’t need to be vilified—it’s an excellent source of calcium and a good alternative for those that cannot drink cow’s milk.

08/09/2020

They are many reasons why an individual may choose to eat organic versus conventionally made food, but if those reasons relate to superior nutritional quality and lack of pesticide residue, then you have fallen prey to a health halo.

Organic foods in Canada are labeled if they contain more than 95% organic ingredients and do not contain synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, or growth hormones. These foods are not necessarily pesticide-free as naturally-sourced pesticides are allowed to be used.

There is presently not enough evidence to determine whether organic foods are more or less nutritious than non-organic foods. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and eggs are nutritious whether organically grown or not. No matter the label on the foods you buy, be sure to follow food safety protocols such as washing the exterior of fruits and vegetables, and cooking meats to their proper temperatures before consumption.

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Waterloo, ON

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https://britttrueman.wixsite.com/truenutritionrd

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