I’ve been eating limes and tomatoes all summer long: guacamole, caprese salad, ceviche, bolognese sauce, margaritas, you name it. But I just learned something new: these two foods are acidic (that I knew) but did you know that the acids in them and other foods can weaken and erode tooth enamel?
Which is a concern since, well, we only get one set of adult teeth. And maintaining a strong enamel is very important because if you allow it to weaken, the entire tooth is more susceptible to decay. The good news is that you (and I!) can keep on eating these delicious foods (I refuse to give up guac, who’s with me on that?!) and minimize the wear on your enamel by using a toothpaste that includes baking soda, such as Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Toothpaste. This toothpaste differs from other toothpastes because the inclusion of the natural ingredient of baking soda neutralizes the plaque acids that can weaken tooth enamel and cause teeth to lose minerals. The baking soda and fluoride in A&H toothpaste actually helps to restore the minerals in your teeth, so in the long-term your teeth and gums are stronger and healthier.
And yes, other regular toothpastes will also help keep your teeth strong and healthy but not only do they lack in having the benefit of neutralizing baking soda, research findings show that Arm & Hammer toothpastes is better at removing more plaque in hard-to-reach areas around the tooth and gums compared to non-baking soda varieties.
Another nice feature about the baking soda in A&H toothpastes? It gently but effectively removes bacterial plaque, which can stain; hello brighter, whiter teeth! I know I’ve used baking soda and water to gently cleanse items from my kitchen (like coffee-stained mugs) so it works in a similar way brightening your teeth for a fresh smile.
So I’m definitely continuing to eat my fave foods, and have a new fave recipe from nutritionist Keri Glassman that’ll put that baking soda in A&H toothpaste to work: Cilantro Lime Avocado Yogurt Dip. It’s light and refreshing and loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. Here’s the recipe because sharing is caring. Enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Avocado Yogurt Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 medium avocado
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ garlic clove
- Juice 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon tahini
Directions:
- Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy.
Happy eating (and brushing)!
(sponsored)
August 31, 2018
I’m so excited because I can finally talk about this work I developed in partnership with Expedia.ca! If you know anything about me, it’s that I’m out and about quite a bit in my hometown of Toronto, and that includes working out and eating, and I travel a helluva lot, too, so I know what it’s like to want to fit in workouts while you’re away from home.
So I shared with Expedia a few of my favourite workouts in the 6ix in a one-day itinerary, should you find yourself here in Toronto and wanting to get your sweat on. There are, of course, way more workouts than I could include in a single day, but I made it a mix of running (cuz that’s my jam, plus it can be a great way to see any city), a workout to strengthen the core and overall conditioning, and finished off with something more zen. You can find my Toronto Fitness Break itinerary here!
Then, well, you know what goes hand in hand with working out? Fueling the body well. So for my roundup, I focused on more plant-based spots and narrowed it down to a handful of restaurants. It doesn’t include where I’m likely to go to carbload the week before racing a marathon, but rather places I frequent for a bowl filled with a rainbow of veggies loaded with nutrients and minerals, and yes, where you can get a good cold-pressed juice (because even though I don’t believe in juice cleanses, I think these juices, while they can put a dent in your budget, can be a wholesome complement to what you eat). Where to get healthy food that is tasty? Well, here’s my little healthy foodie favourites list over on the Expedia fitness breaks! I’m drooling right now just thinking of all the good-for-you tastiness.
The Expedia Fitness Breaks includes loads of other itineraries for you to check out as well. Like there’s one for Denver (where I’m dying to visit), Vancouver (love that city), Washington D.C., Rio de Janeiro, Montreal (my hometown, what what!), London, Barcelona, and more — so many cities and so many fun ways to be healthy! You can access them all on the homepage for Expedia Fitness Breaks.
February 3, 2017
With sunny weather here, I’m looking forward to eating lots of fresh veggies grown locally and was excited when Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers reached out to me about a food styling session — featuring their delicious veggies, of course, to help me and you #SpringIntoFlavour!
Now, if you like me have never heard of OGVG, it’s a not-for-profit organization all tomato, pepper and cucumber growers in Ontario. So this includes the seedless cucumbers, tomatoes on the vine and red, yellow and orange peppers that I buy regularly and also mini and cocktail cucumbers, specialty peppers, beefsteak and specialty tomatoes. I especially loved to hear that the OGVG farmers are less than a day’s drive from the majority of markets they serve plus that it’s real farm families here in this province who own greenhouses that have been around for several generations.
I know I will have a whole new appreciation going forward for the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers I buy that are from OGVG. If you need a brief refresher on the health benefits and why you should include more OGVG veggies in your diet:
Tomatoes:Hello, lycopene! This antioxidant can reduce risk of some cancers and the effects of the sun’s UV rays. You’ll also get vitamins A, B6, magnesium and more.
Peppers: You probably think of citrus fruit when it comes to getting your vitamin C but peppers actually have 250 percent more C by weight. They, too, boast some of the same vitamins and minerals as tomatoes and also potassium.
Cucumbers: Hydrate your body with seedless cucumbers — they’re 90 percent water and also an excellent source of vitamin C, magnesium and silica.
Now as for how to style and take better photos of food? You have to start with great looking, unblemished veggies, of course. And a handful of the other tips from the session:
When featuring a recipe, style your photo with ingredients that have been used in the dish. Add in lifestyle elements to help create a mood or tell a story, too.
Blanch or undercook veggies to tender crisp; this little old best in photos.
Using a spray bottle filled with water and glycerin, spritz veggies so they look dewy and super fresh.
In a professional food shoot, they’ll use a stand-in plate as he shot is set up and only swap in the actual plate once they are ready to shoot (so that the best plate isn’t exposed to the lights, etc., until it is go time).
Ultimately, you’re trying to control how the food will look. So pie is amongst the hardest foods to style since it is hard to control how the crust will crumble, or how the fruit will ooze out, for example.
Use tools including inexpensive mirror card (or you can even use foil), black card, white card and even a cheap white shower to help you manipulate and create the lighting you want for your food photo.
If you’ve got a Toronto library card, you’ve got complimentary access the lots of free online photography courses on lynda.com. Yes. Free.
(I hope my friends are ready to hold up some foil the next time we go for dinner so I can get the best lighting for my shot! Just kidding…)
I hope these tips have been helpful to the foodies among you. The pics in this post are of the two dishes I styled while at this session, and I’ll be putting these tips and tricks to use going forward…but not to the point that I’m sacrificing taste or having a good time. I’m not shooting it for a client, after all, and ultimately it comes down to eating the delicious and nutritious tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers and enjoying a great meal with friends and family. I’m already thinking of and craving all of the simple dishes I can make using OGVG veggies such as Greek salad, bruschetta, fajitas, Pimm’s cup, stuffed peppers and more. Bon appetit!
For more about OGVG and to #springintoflavour, visit www.ogvg.com or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONgreenhouseveg.com.
(This blog post was sponsored by Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers but the opinions are all my own.)
May 31, 2016
