In Season Foods

We live in a country that has a limited growing season but in those 160 days of the year we yield some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables. We are also fortunate enough to have some impressive greenhouse crops year round.
When produce comes to us from other countries they are picked early to ensure ripeness upon arrival, which deprives the fruit or vegetable of optimal high-energy nutrients. Local produce is picked ripe, with minimal travel time allowing for peak nutrition.

We want to encourage you to eat with the seasons. Local, seasonal, homegrown food sustained our ancestors in a healthy manner providing all the energy they needed for their day. There were no strawberries in the winter, and while we are fortunate to have them available to us, are they going to give us the most nutrients? Not likely. Past generations were not influenced by the nutritional advice that promoted foods inaccessible to them. They kept things simple and so should we.

It’s our job at Vince’s to identify Ontario’s Goodness as well as in-season produce year round to make sure you’re getting nutrition at its finest.

Local Foods

We are a community-based store that loves to support local. Beyond our produce department we have many suppliers that offer products using locally sourced ingredients. Buying local foods:

• Supports our economy through local farmers and other producers.
• Encourages sustainable agriculture.
• Are more nutritious and taste better.

Whether it’s oats, barley, maple syrup, or honey we take pride in bringing awareness to products that support the local movement.

Blood Sugar Friendly Foods

One of the main contributors to today’s health issues is excess sugar, which comes in the form of carbohydrates. All foods fall into one of, or a combination of three main nutrients – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The body can breakdown and use all three, but the only one it can readily store are the carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates include sugars and starches as well as indigestible fibre which helps to slow down the rate at which the sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. Once consumed, all carbohydrates turn into glucose (sugar) which the body may use for energy or store as glycogen in the liver and muscles.

When we over consume carbohydrates and our body has to continuously store unused glucose, the glycogen tanks get full causing glucose to pool in the bloodstream. This increases the body’s production of insulin. Over time the body can develop a resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that shuttles glucose to the cells for use or storage. With excess glucose floating around the bloodstream the liver sends it to the fat cells and can also make it into LDL cholesterol, which is when diabetes and other diseases can manifest.

Diet plays a huge role in controlling insulin and blood sugar levels. Fats and proteins slow down the rate in which sugar is absorbed so they are good additions to carb heavy meals allowing the body to use the carbs for energy leaving nothing left to store.

Now that we’ve broken down the basics there’s a general rule that we stay true to, never eat “lonely” carbs.

We use a simple formula created by 4 the Luv of Food to identify the blood sugar friendliness of a product:

Carbohydrates (–) Fiber (–) Fat (–) Protein should = 0 or less than 0

We will be using the “Balance Factor” (BF) scale to clearly identify a products impact on our blood sugar. If a product has a number of 0 or < 0 then it has the green light.

If the product has a positive number then caution (yellow) is advised and pairing is recommended. For example: pairing crackers with cheese, apple and peanut butter, berries and Greek yogurt.

Clean and Transparent Foods

What defines a clean label? Simplicity. Products made with minimal and pronounceable ingredients. Foods that are clean will provide energy, potential vitamins and minerals, and result in little to no waste. Clean foods should leave you feeling energized, healthy and satisfied. When you fuel yourself with quality foods your body is less likely to crave foods that aren’t beneficial.

Picture yourself looking through a clear food package and being able to see every single ingredient listed. Does that product look as appealing? Transparency is feeling comfortable looking at every ingredient and still wanting to take it home. When you look at a conventional food label there are likely several ingredients you may not understand. Some of them are fancy words for harmless add-ins and some of them are quite harmful especially when consumed on the regular. We understand that it’s nearly impossible to avoid every processed food but we are going to give you a clear picture on what to look for and what to avoid.

Here’s a list of food additives that sound scary but aren’t:

Guar Gum and Xanthum Gum – both vegetable derived and aid as a thickening agent especially in gluten-free goods.

Lethicin aka soy lethicin – Used as a stabilizer in bread and prevents salad dressings from separating. Derived from corn so best to look for organic and non-gmo products.

Ascorbyl palmitate – an antioxidant made from Vitamin C and palmitic acid, a natural compound derived from fat. It prevents spoilage in food and your body will use the vitamin C and breakdown the rest.

Absorbic Acid – another term for Vitamin C. It used to maintain the colour, flavour, and texture of foods.

Lactic Acid – made from fermented corn, beet, or cane sugar. Often found in probiotic rich foods.

If you see the following “toxic” ingredients on a label it’s best to avoid if you value your health:

Synthetic Trans Fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils)

High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

Artificial Sweeteners

Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA and BHT)

Artificial Flavours

Artificial Colours (Yellow 5, Red #40 and Blue #2)

Yeast Extract (another form of MSG)

Minimally Processed, Whole Foods

Fruits, vegetables, legumes, poultry, and meat are examples of whole foods. Rolled oats, and nut butters are examples of whole foods that have been minimally processed. While typically the most nutritious foods are on the perimeter of the grocery store the inner aisles have some hidden gems that are whole food based and we’re going to tell you all about them. 

Convenient and Realistic Foods

Convenience foods have a bit of a bad reputation. Often they are associated with highly processed, pop-in-the-microwave, and serve type meals. This can be true, but as our lives become faster paced and the emphasis on health increases, so have our options. Retailers have adapted to meet the needs of their customers and lots of fresh and healthy options are available daily in stores. Vince’s puts time and thought into a variety of prepared foods made onsite. We are also going to put together some health conscious specific meals for an easy grab and go without the compromise… stay tuned! We will also be highlighting products on our shelves that are multi-purpose. If we recommend coconut flour we will be sure to include preparation suggestions and recipes at our in store demos.