HEART HEALTH
Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding is a sweet way to add some fibre to your diet.
Adding fibre can be a good first step to improving your diet.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, nine in ten Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Some risk factors are out of our control, such as our age, sex, and family history, but did you know that almost 80 per cent of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through healthy behaviours?
Lifestyle changes to consider include a healthy balanced diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, getting enough sleep, reducing stress levels, and drinking alcohol in moderation. Not sure where to begin with making changes? A registered dietitian can help by providing heart healthy recipes, teaching handson label reading, meal planning sessions or sharing strategies for how to manage multiple chronic diseases without going crazy. In my practice, I like to focus on what you can add to your diet instead of things you need to take away. On average, Canadians consume only about half of their recommended daily intake of fibre, so for most people this is something worth looking at more closely.
Fibre is widely found in a variety of plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, so it’s easy to find sources that you enjoy. There are two types of fibre, soluble and insoluble, which often appear together on the nutrition facts table as “fibre.” Insoluble fibre is what was often referred to as “bulk,” promoting regularity and a healthy digestive system. Some sources of insoluble fibre include wheat bran, whole grains, and some vegetables. Soluble fibre helps lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels, found mainly in beans and lentils, oats, barley, psyllium, vegetables, and fruit. Another benefit of consuming more fibre in your diet is that it may help you feel full for longer, which could help control your appetite and your weight.
In general, as long as you are consuming enough total fibre, you’re likely to be getting enough of both types. You may experience some digestive changes as you increase your fibre intake but this will usually settle down once you have a consistent intake. Be sure to increase your fluid intake and chew your food thoroughly at each meal. This will help fibre to do its job better, as well as helping to reduce gas and bloating symptoms.
Chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and hemp hearts are an easy way to add fibre to what you’re already eating every day. Not only are these seeds high in fibre, they also contain heart healthy omega-3 fats, protein, and vitamins and minerals. Each one has a different balance of nutrients so include all of them in different ways, such as hemp hearts in your salad, ground flax sprinkled on your oatmeal, or chia seeds in the delicious chocolate cherry chia
pudding below.
If you have a sweet tooth like me, you need to try this pudding. With a strong chocolate flavour and just the right amount of sweetness from the cherries and honey, this highfibre dessert is a great way to end any meal. If you prefer a smoother texture, blend your pudding before serving.
Slice cherries in half; place in small bowl and refrigerate until needed. Stir chia and cocoa together in bowl; pour in almond milk, vanilla and honey. Stir well; cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until chia has absorbed all of the liquid. Divide pudding among four small serving bowls; top with cherries. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 120 calories, fat 4 g (of which 0.5 g is saturated), sodium 0 mg, carbohydrate 20 g, fibre 6 g, protein 3 g.
Recipe source: pc.ca Dietitian tip: Try raspberries or strawberries instead of cherries.