International Grocery Stores (African)

In a new country, finding food that you are used to can be difficult. New immigrants in London often do not have access to information regarding grocery stores where they can get foods of their choice. Certain vegetables, fruits, and special spices are especially difficult to find in regular western grocery shops. This can make preparing the food you want difficult, and can cause new residents of a country to turn to pre-packaged food, or be unhappy with their diet. If you are able to find the foods that you want, then you will be in a better position to eat healthy.

Individuals from different countries in Africa have a wide range of diets. If you don’t know where to look, it can be difficult to find traditional African foods in London. Many staples of African diets are very nutritious and should be included in your diet, while fried food and sweets should be kept to a minimum. Below is a link posted containing a list, locations, and phone numbers for African grocery stores in London:

African Grocery Stores

 

Many items found in African diets can also be found in Canadian grocery stores, so make sure to check thoroughly to find the best location to buy your food. In our upcoming posts, we will be providing information on where to find other international food in London. Let us know if you know of any other places to find African foods in the comments section below!

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Don’t Be Fooled

“all natural”  “no salt added” “made with real fruit”

We often rely on food labels to make healthier choices, however, these can be misleading. An important food skill is to not only to be able to understand the nutrition facts table, but to be aware of the ingredient list as well. The ingredient list tells the consumer what exactly is in the product.

INGREDIENT LIST 

• Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight within the item, therefore the main ingredients are listed first.
• The ingredient list can be located under the  nutrition fact table, at the side or back of the package.

 ****Watch out for hidden ingredients****  

Companies can be sneaky and use alternative names for fat, sugar, and sodium.

 

 

Watch out for these other names:

 

FAT

• Lard
• Vegetable oils
• Palm oil
• Hydrogenated fats and oils
• Diglycerides
• Shortening
• Partially hydrogenated oil
• Coconut oil
• Suet

SUGAR 

• Lactose
• Cane juice extract
• High fructose syrup
• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Maltodextrin
• Molasses
• Invert sugar
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Maple syrup

Note: most likely than not, words ending in “ose” are sugars

 SODIUM

• Garlic salt
• Sodium alginate
• Soy sauce
• Sodium phosphate
• Sodium nitrate
• Sodium bisulfate
• Salary salt
•  Monosodium glutamate(MSG)
• Sodium bicarbonate

don’t forget the healthiest foods have no labels! Stock up on fruits and veggies.

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Nutrition Claims

Canada has allowed risk reduction claims on food packages since 2003. All Nutrition claims follow the rules of Health Canada. This is to ensure that all claims are consistent and not misleading
Nutrition claims can be found on the front of pre-packaged foods. They contain additional information we can use to help us make better food choices. There are two types of Nutrition Claims:

1. Nutrient Content Claims: Give information on the quantity of nutrient in a particular food. Nutrient content claims can help us choose food content that we want more or less of in our diet
Some examples of nutrient content claims:

•Nutrient Content Claim
•What to expect​
•High in Fibre
•Minimum 4 grams of fiber per serving
•Fat-free
•0.5 grams or less of fat per serving
•Low Sodium
•140 milligrams per serving

2. Health Claims: Tell us about a food and its positive effects on health when the food is included in our diet. They help us make food choices that may reduce the risk of certain diseases.
Examples of health claims on some foods:

• Frosted flakes “Good source of Vitamin D”
• A healthy diet high in potassium low in sodium

Resources
http://www.hc.gc.ca
http://www.eatrightontario.ca
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca

What you need to know about food labels!

Do you find food labels confusing? You are not alone!

Mandatory food labelling was initiated in 2007 in Canada,  ensuring all packed foods include a nutrition facts table and a list of ingredients. By providing this information, consumers are able to make informed decisions when buying foods. However, With a variety of packaged foods available, it is not always clear which is healthiest by reading the labels.  Being able to interpret food labels is an important skill for all consumers. Labels allow you to compare products and make healthier food choices. Today we are going to talk about the nutrition facts table in hopes of easing some of the headache of reading labels.    

FOOD LABELS :

• Tells us what is in our food (Nutrients, vitamins calories etc )
• Tells us the quantity of food or drink in a can, packet or bottle
• It also tell us the amount of calories we get from one serving
• It tells us the daily value of the food nutrients

SOME KEY THINGS TO LOOK FOR ON THE NUTRITION FACT TABLE:

• SERVING SIZES: The serving sizes tell us the quantity of food you need to eat that will give you the amount of calories stated on the food label ***Be careful when reading this, it is often only a portion of the packaged product, not the whole thing!
• CALORIES: Calories help us understand how much energy we get when we eat one serving of food.
• PERCENT OF DAILY VALUE (%DV) :The percent daily value tells us how much or how little of a nutrient is found in one serving of food based on the recommended daily intake.

SOME HELPFUL BUYING TIPS

BUY FOODS THAT ARE HIGH IN:

• FIBER
• CALCIUM,
• IRON
• VITAMIN A AND DBUY FOODS THAT ARE LOW IN:
• CHOLESTEROL
• SODIUM
• FAT AND TRANS FATS

Check our twitter for videos and interactive learning opportunities on nutrition labels. Next Blog will tackle health claims on food products and what every consumer should know.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Nutrition4uMPH

instagram: ”http://instagram.com/nutrition4ulondon?ref=badge”

Resources:

Health Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Canadian Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.ca/documents/about-diabetes/ENG_RGB_FactSheet.pdf

THE TASTE OF FALL

A benefit to consuming local foods is that we can only consume what is in season. The changing seasons provide us with the opportunity to consume produce that is the freshest and most nutrient dense. In Canada, eating locally can be a challenge as cooler weather hits. As the weather changes and snow starts to cover farms and gardens, the variety of food becomes limited. Canadians will often resort to frozen or canned foods during these times or rely on supermarkets for imported produce. These foods often do not taste as good, as they have travelled long distances and often are more expensive than seasonal foods.

HELPFUL TIPS!

• Learn about seasonal fruits and vegetables or print off a chart to take to the grocery store with you.
• Don’t forget to look for the Foodland Ontario logo when shopping. That will indicate that the item is local and in season.
• Find the seasonal availability of foods on the Foodland Ontario website or follow us on twitter at, https://twitter.com/Nutrition4uMPH

This week try substituting one of your favorite traditional recipes with a seasonal food or check out a farmers market and try a seasonal food you have never had before!

Look for seasonal recipes at https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/recipes

 

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Is Eating Local Best?

Did you know that a large majority of immigrants will acquire the eating habits of the native population? This can lead to poor health outcomes, as healthy traditional food practices are often replaced with poor local habits.

Today’s blog focuses on encouraging local nutritiously sound choices.  A popular trend in food right now is the “local” movement. And rightfully so! Local foods are not only nutritious, but have a positive impact on communities as well.

The positive impact of choosing local foods:

• It supports our communities through the creation of jobs and economic growth.Preserves our environment as food does not travel as far.
• It is fresher and more nutritious.

How do you know if a food is local, and where can it be found?

• Look for Foodland Ontario logo when at the grocery store.
• Visit local farmers markets and farms.

Farmers Markets are a fun way to engage with the community and connect with local farmers. Here, you can buy farm-fresh produce directly from the person who produced it.  Listed below are some of the markets available in London:

Gibraltar Weekend Market

1712 Dundas Street London, Ontario(519) 659-8725 Ext 228

Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Sunday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

London Covent Garden Market

130 King Street London, Ontario

(519) 439-3921

London’s Farmers Market

900 King London, Ontario

519-667-1010

Saturday 7:00am to 3:00pm

Thomas Bros Farm Market

5856 Colonel Talbot Rd London, Ontario

519-652-5551

Trails End Farmers Market

4370 Dundas St. East London, Ontario

(519) 268-3840

Saturday: 7:00am – 5:00pm

Another great option for access to local food is to get involved in community shared agriculture farms (CSA). Here farmers receive a set fee from the consumer and in return the consumer receives shares of the farmer’s produce. This is a great way to become involved in the community and receive quality produce for often below retail prices. For more information visit, http://csafarms.ca/

Foodland Ontario is another great resource for learning about local fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy. They also do a great job of highlighting the importance of seasonal foods, which will be discussed in the next blog. Stay Tuned!

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Nutrition4uMPH

instagram: ”http://instagram.com/nutrition4ulondon?ref=badge”

Sources from:

Foodland Ontario http://www.ontario.ca/foodland/foodland-ontario

Ontario CSA Directory http://csafarms.ca/

Farmers and Flea Markets Canada http://ontario.farmersandfleamarkets.ca/farmers-markets/london

Understanding Canada’s Food Guide

Did you know?

Canada’s Food Guide is a wonderful resource that can be used to help you eat healthy and stay healthy.

By following the guide’s recommendations, you will:

• Increase the intake of vitamins and minerals important for your diet
• Reduce your risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes
• Improve your overall health

Canada’s Food Guide recommends that we:

• Eat at least one green and one orange vegetable each day
• Choose vegetables and fruits prepared with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt
• Have whole fruits and vegetables more often than juice
• Try to have whole grain products each day
• Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt
• Drink skim 1% or 2% skim milk each day
• Select lower fat milk alternatives
• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils, and tofu
• Eat at least two Food Guide recommended servings of fish each week
• Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt

For more information on portion sizes and other important information, click on the link below! (There are translated versions of the food guide available on this website as well!)

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

Nutrition4ulondon’s Introduction

Welcome to nutrition4ulondon’s Blog!

 

Did you know that on arrival, new immigrants to Canada generally have better overall health compared to current residents? Unfortunately, this “healthy immigrant effect” does not last and usually immigrants start seeing negative changes in their health, as a result of unhealthy changes in diet.

 

We understand adjusting to life in a new country is no easy task.  There are a number of new challenges to deal with, and it can be easy to neglect diet. To make matters worse, traditional foods may be difficult to find, and information regarding unfamiliar foods can be hard to understand. In Canada, many of the most convenient and affordable foods, can also be the unhealthiest.

 

We are a group of diverse, passionate, and knowledgeable Master of Public Health Candidates, at Western University. Our team project will run over the next 8 weeks and it is our goal to provide new residents of London, ON with the information and resources to make healthy eating easy and enjoyable, and within your reach! We are going to discuss useful topics such as:

 

Eating healthy on a budget

Preparing healthy meals fast

Incorporating local and seasonal foods into your diet

Nutritional strategies to reduce stress

How to understand food labels

And many more!!

 

We would like your input into our campaign. Please tell us about any challenges with the transition of your diet since coming to Canada in the comments section below. Also, we encourage you to comment about any topics you would like to see covered in our blog. Stay tuned London!