Welcome to Nutrition Corner! My name is Stephanie Grylls and I am a Nutritionist with a passion for educating and empowering people about healthy eating. Who doesn’t want to eat well and feel great? But life gets busy and it can be overwhelming figuring out which foods to eat. This forum is a place to get a boost… some information and inspiration on healthy food. As your on-line nutritionist, I will guide you through the many natural and healthy products at Vince’s Market. With practical tips and recipes, you will be able to choose and prepare healthy food that tastes great.
Antioxidants…nature’s protector
We always hear about this food and that food as being high in antioxidants but what are they exactly? Why are they good for us?
The answer to this lies in some Chemistry 101… Antioxidants are compounds naturally found in food including Vitamins A, C and E. Like the name suggests, they protect against the process of oxidation (i.e. anti-oxidant). Oxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs in the body and produces ‘free radicals’. Free radicals are very damaging to our tissues and contribute to many diseases and the effects of aging. By eating foods containing antioxidants we are protecting and preventing disease and aging. So what foods are high in antioxidants? You guessed it…brightly coloured veggies and fruits such as: grapes, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and of course peaches.
Ripe fruit for max benefit
Research has also shown that ripening fruit increases its antioxidant level. So one way we can boost the benefit of fruit is to eat it at its peak ripeness. One way to judge is by taste, peak ripeness equals max flavor!
Tips for ripening fruit:
- Buy local. With less transit required, they will be left to ripen on the tree for longer.
- Place your fruit in a bowl near a window for a couple of days.
- In a rush? Place your fruit in a brown paper bag for a day, this traps the gases emitted by the fruit that aid in the ripening process.
I welcome your ideas and questions about food and healthy eating…send me your thoughts and join the discussion! You’ll find the Comment link below.
Until next time,
Stephanie
Great job Joanne and Stephanie! I know our customers and friends will appreciate the ability to actually dialogue with you Stephanie about the food they are sharing with their family!
Fantastic looking website and very inviting. Great use of two-communication!
Thanks Roger! We are very exciting to be able to communicate with our customers not just on the floor, but anywhere they have an internet connection! Thanks joining in on the conversation!