The body stores very small amounts of carbohydrates as glycogen, which is quickly burned while exercising. Maximizing glycogen storage will help you prepare your body for your next workout and rebuild muscle tissue. Glycogen-storing enzymes are more active after you exercise and remain active for only a short time afterwards.

To support muscle repair, it’s important to consume the right amounts of protein and carbohydrates as soon as possible after exercising. What you eat after a workout is just as important as what you eat before, and consuming the right foods at the right times means a faster recovery and better performances.

Practical and nutritious, fruit smoothies are a great way to ensure that your body gets all the nutrients it needs by combining calories, carbohydrates and proteins. As a rule of thumb, your nutrient intake should be 3:1 carbohydrates to proteins. Easy to digest, a smoothie made from a variety of ingredients is a simple way to achieve the right balance.

I like that smoothies are practical. Delicious and so quick to make, they provide a daily serving of fruit and vegetables and the nutrients I need to start my day off on the right foot. They’re also perfect after a workout.

I really push my body, and smoothies are an amazing source of energy that really keeps me going. It’s important to remember that the physical stress caused by an intense workout increases cellular oxidation. The antioxidants contained in foods like fruits neutralize this effect.

My smoothie recipes are simple. In the summer when home-grown fruits are in season, there are tons of choices! I like to mix things up: some fresh fruit, ice cubes or cold milk and I’m ready to go. In the winter, frozen fruit works great. All you need to do is use hot water instead of ice. Some people add tea instead.

It’s best to drink a smoothie right out of the blender to really benefit from the nutrients and enzymatic activity, before oxidation starts to change the colour of the drink. Also, nutrients in liquid form are absorbed more quickly because they’re easier to digest.

The fruit and vegetable combinations are endless and depend on what I’ve got in the fridge or freezer. My taste buds just love it…most of the time! Smoothies are explosions of colours, complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. I especially like mixing in:
• blueberries,
• strawberries,
• peaches,
• raspberries,
• mangoes,
• yogurt.

I’ve tried a lot of recipes! I’ve even discovered that adding fresh spinach doesn’t really change the taste but definitely increases the nutritional value.

And don’t forget yogurt! It really enhances the quality and texture of any smoothie, and the magnesium it contains helps with protein and carbohydrate absorption. New in stores, Liberté’s Greek yogurt is especially great in post-workout smoothies. It’s full of protein, fat free and delicious and helps my muscles recover after a workout. The Vanilla Greek yogurt totally transforms a plain smoothie into a fantastic one!

You can also increase the nutritional value of your smoothies and turn them into meal replacements by adding healthy foods. Here are some ingredients known for their nutritional benefits that should inspire a few new recipes or amp up some familiar ones:
• bee pollen,
• brewer’s yeast,
• chlorophyll,
• oat bran,
• nuts (Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, peanuts, etc.),
• wheat germ,
• goji berries (wolfberries),
• kefir,
• fresh ginger,
• hemp seed, flaxseed, ground sesame seed,
• soft/silken tofu,
• mint leaves,
• honey.

The last two ingredients will change of the taste of your smoothie, which comes in handy when your recipe doesn’t turn out so great! A banana will also do the job, and the potassium that it contains will help reenergize tired calf muscles!

Enjoy your smoothies and have a great workout!
  

I love the colour of pea soup, but too often it’s heavy. With spring in the air, this soup represents the ideal first dish for Easter, or for any holiday meal, — it’s pretty, it’s tasty, and it’s also pretty tasty! Since its creaminess comes from a 0% yogurt that doesn’t taste like a 0%, it won’t weigh you down. Lovely served in a soup bowl, it can also be served in a shooter glass for an elegant spring “amuse-bouche” at a party. The possibilities are endless. You might wonder about a chilled soup, but this one really works, especially as the weather starts to warm up.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, medium diced
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 2 1/2 cups peas (frozen or fresh)
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup Liberté Plain Greek Yogurt 0%
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts*

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté until translucent, around 5 minutes.
• Add the mint and cook a further 3-5 minutes.
• Add the peas, stir and cook another 2 minutes, until peas are well-coated with the onion, oil and mint mixture.
• Add the stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Purée the soup using an immersion or regular blender.
• Transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature or place bowl in the fridge.
• When the mixture is cool, add the yogurt.
• Serve chilled, topped with some toasted pine nuts and some more shredded fresh mint.

* To toast pine nuts, heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the pine nuts. Toast until golden and fragrant.

Mardi Michels is a full-time teacher of French at the elementary-school level in Toronto. She blogs at eat. live. travel. write.where she chronicles her culinary adventures near and far.

Chi cons au gratin(Endive gratin)
Serves 2

Ingredients
(for the endives)
6 small endives
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons sugar

(for the Mornay sauce)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-puporse flour
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup Liberté Plain Greek Yogurt 0%
1/2 cup Gruyère cheese

(to assemble)
6 slices ham
1/4 cup Gruyère cheese, grated

Method
Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

(for the endives)

1. Remove the base of the endives and any loose outer leaves.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the endives.
3. Sauté endives over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until they start to brown.
4. Add the garlic and sugar and continue to cook until the endives start to caramelize slightly.
5. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain off any excess oil.

(for the Mornay sauce)

1. Heat the butter over medium heat in a decent-sized saucepan.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes (it should not get brown).
3. Whisk in the milk and continue to cook until the mixture starts to thicken slightly.
4. Remove from the heat and add in the yoghurt. Whisk until smooth.
5. Add the grated cheese and continue to whisk until cheese is melted into the mixture. Set aside.

(to assemble)

1. Grease an ovenproof dish.
2. Roll the sautéed endives in a slice of ham and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
3. Pour over the Mornay sauce, covering the endives completely.
4. Bake at 425˚F for 25 minutes.
5. Now turn off the oven and heat the broiler on high.
6. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top of the baking dish and broil until golden brown and bubbling, about 10 minutes.
7. Enjoy with a green salad and fresh baguette.

Mardi Michels, Eat.Live.Travel.Write.  

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 Mardi Michels de Eat.Live.Travel.Write. mMardiMardi Michels de Eat.Live.Travel.Write. Mardi Michels de Eat.Live.Travel.Write.      Ma.gg

Chocolate milk is generally made of 1% skim milk, cocoa powder and sugar. It also contains some 15 nutrients, including added vitamins A and D and a lot of protein—almost 16 grams per 500 ml.

After a workout, chocolate milk is a good choice since the carbohydrate-to-protein ratio is ideal and fosters recovery. The carbohydrates help renew the muscles’ glycogen reserves and repair muscle fibres. While exercising, the body expends electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chlorides) in sweat. This is why recovery drinks such as energy beverages are recommended. Chocolate milk contains these electrolytes, making it an ideal post-workout option.

A glass of plain milk may be the right choice for someone who doesn’t work out every day or who exercises moderately. Chocolate milk contains approximately 74 more calories per 500 ml than plain milk (332 calories for chocolate milk and 258 calories for plain milk). But there are milks with added sweeteners that contain about 200 calories per 500 ml. These lighter options yield the same amount of protein but, unfortunately, do not provide the 3:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.

Here’s a quick recipe for chocolate milk. Make it as a treat or as a post-workout recovery drink. You’ll see that this chocolate milk has a great taste that’s completely different from what you’ll find at the supermarket.

Chocolate milk:

• 1 ½ cups Liberté Organic milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 ½ teaspoons cocoa powder
• Hint of cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons of sugar

1. Combine the cocoa powder, cinnamon, sugar and water and microwave for 30 seconds or until dissolved.
2. Add cold milk and blend.

What’s your favourite post-workout snack?

When I prepare a menu for entertaining the first thing that goes on the list is dessert.  It's one of my pleasures in life.  Some of my friends and family wants desserts that are lighter. The inspiration for this dessert came when I was craving chocolate and wanted to offer my guests a healthier dessert.

For a memorable dessert that is visually appealing, try this Poached Pear with Chocolate and Liberté Vanilla Greek Yogurt next time guests are coming over. 

Poaching Pears:

1. 60 ml sugar
2. 1 Liter water
3. 15 ml mulling spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves)
4. 4 pears

Simmer first 3 ingredients in a saucepan for 5 minutes.

Add pears and simmer until barely fork tender.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Sauce:

1. 4 pieces Toblerone chocolate (from large bar)
2. 60 ml  35% cream

Melt the chocolate pieces with the cream in the microwave on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the chocolate is melted. Mix well.

Assembling the plates:

Drop 60 ml of Liberté Vanilla Greek Yogurt 0% on each plate.  Top with a pear.  Spoon chocolate sauce over the pear.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Hélène Péloquin shares the same passion as you for good food and her favourite is Mediterranean cuisine. She is a stay-at-home mom and her kids are 22-20-17. She enjoys spending time with them and plays an active part in their daily lives. Her Interests are cooking (especially baking), camping, photography, travel, hiking, yoga, reading, skiing. She posts delicious homemade recipes on her blog http://www.lacuisinehelene.com/

Orange cranberry cake

Ingredients

1 cup cake and pastry flour

1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
zest of 2 medium oranges
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup Liberté Honey Greek Yogut 0%
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 eggs

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Grease a 9" round cake tin.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, zest and cranberries.
4. In a separate bowl, whack together the sugar, yogurt, oil, juice and eggs.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
6. Pour into cake tin and bake for 35 minutes. The top of the cake will be a light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.
7. Serve warm with a sprinkle of icing sugar. Also delicious with a dollop of cream, ice cream or yogurt.
8. Can be stored in an airtight container for about a week. To re-heat, simply microwave at high power for about 20 seconds.

Mardi Michels is a full-time teacher of French at the elementary-school level in Toronto. She blogs at eat. live. travel. write.where she chronicles her culinary adventures near and far!

The book goes on to explain what makes a good yogurt. The fewer ingredients listed on the yogurt container, the better. There should only be milk, live yogurt cultures, and low or no sugar. Check, check, and check for the Liberté plain Greek yogurt.

Then, once you’re introduced to a new product, you begin seeing it everywhere. Each cookbook we looked through for baking inspiration featured Greek yogurts in the dessert section. Add honey, nuts, and toss in some fresh fruits for breakfast, snack time, or after dinner.

When we asked our readers what they used Greek yogurt for, we got a tremendous response. From dips and curries to pancakes and cookies. The first thing we did was make a strawberry smoothie. Then a panna cotta. But then we tried using Greek yogurt in a cake and that was when we knew we found something we wanted to share.

You have to try this crumb cake! We couldn’t believe how light and fluffy this cake was!

Crumb Topping

(Makes enough for three round 6-inch cakes or one 9 x 12 cake)

2 cups of all-purposed flour

1 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

3 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together.
2. Using a pastry cutter or a metal spatula cut the butter and toss in the flour mixture.
3. Mix until the butter beings to clump and resembles a crumb. Set aside.

Crumb Cake

(Makes three round 6-inch cakes or one 9 x 12 cake)

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

1 ¼ cups of vanilla Greek yogurt

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 4 minutes on medium speed.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until incorporated.
4. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix it into the batter.
5. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Add this to the wet mixture in the bowl. Don’t over-mix, just make sure that the ingredients are folded together.
6. Finally, put in the Greek yogurt and mix it into the batter.
7. Pour the batter into your cake pans. Top it with the crumb topping.
8. Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Sylvia Chan and Howard Chang live in Toronto, Ontario with a growing collection of books and kitchen supplies. They both have a soft spot (har-har, so they need to exercise...) for making and eating food. The couple love to bake, cook, eat, photograph, and travel for their blog, A Baked Creation, www.abakedcreation.com.

Sometimes this is rather hard to do. I still want to eat dessert! Then along came 0% Greek yogurt and I was hooked. This stuff is great for making all sorts of indulgent things healthier. The rich and creamy texture makes up for any lack of rich fatty flavour. I put this stuff in everything, dressings, oatmeal, smoothies, sauces. I love it. So when I decided I needed a healthy dessert, I turned again to my favourite yogurt.

Panna Cotta is traditionally made with heavy cream, lots of sugar and anything else you want to add to it, really. So I mixed my love of 0% plain Greek yogurt with another favourite, coconut milk in Tetra paks and this recipe was born. Each serving is less than 200 calories with the grapefruit jam and less than 150 without.

So next time you need a creamy, indulgent dessert but don't feel like punishing yourself in the gym the next day because of it, try this Greek yogurt panna cotta.     

Yogurt Panna Cotta
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

1 pkg plain gelatine
1/4 cup water
1 cup Tetra pak coconut milk (I used So Delicious sweetened)
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups Liberté Greek 0% Plain yogurt
1 vanilla bean, scraped

1. Ina small bowl, sprinkle gelatine over water and set aside for five minutes to soften.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring coconut milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer.
3. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes to steep. Remove the vanilla pod and whisk in the gelatine.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla cream. Pour mixture into 6 1/2 cup ramekins of bowls and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Earl Grey and Grapefruit Jam

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

2 grapefruits
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag earl grey tea
1/4 cup boiling water

1. Place tea bag in boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes to steep.
2. Slice skin off grapefruits so that you just see the flesh. Remove segments with a knife by cutting into the segment right next to the edge of each segment. You want to remove all skin and pith and be left with just the juicy insides of each segment.
3. Place the tea, grapefruit, sugar (I found a 1/2 cup to be just fine) and vanilla into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to low and continue to cook until very thick and sticky. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Pour over panna cotta after it has been in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Elizabeth Nyland, www.guiltykitchen.com

I have always loved Coeur à la crème because it is surprisingly delicious, considering it only has a very few ingredients.  Even if you don't have the heart-shaped moulds to make them in, you can always make them in little ramekins (no cheesecloth required) - they're just as cute!  I have served these today with fresh raspberries and some raspberry coulis (thawed frozen raspberries, pushed through a sieve and mixed with a couple of tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar is a quick coulis) but you can use any fruit coulis, sauce or even jam that you like. Or, you know, if you're feeling decadent, you can always serve it with a hot chocolate sauce, or even caramel.  It's a very versatile dessert in terms of toppings and because it is so plain and not too sweet, you can dress it up or down as you please. I've even been known to eat these for breakfast, with some fresh fruit and a sprinkle of granola - it's like a very decadent yogurt parfait ;)

If you need any more reasons to stop what you are doing and make this right now, can I tell you how it takes just 5 minutes to whip up?  Sure, they need a few hours in the fridge to firm up and, ideally the heart-shaped ones need overnight, but there couldn't be a more simple dessert.  It's elegant, tasty AND easy - what more could you want?

Coeur à la crème with Greek yogurt
Makes 6-8 individual serves

Ingredients

• 250 g cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Liberté 0% Greek yogurt, drained
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup heavy (35%) whipping cream

6 heart-shaped ceramic moulds
Cheesecloth, to line the moulds or 6-8 ceramic ramekins

Directions

• Wet the cheesecloth and squeeze out excess water.
• Line each mould with a piece of the cheesecloth and set aside.
• With a hand-held electric beater or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and yogurt until well combined.
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until the mixture is smooth.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then slowly fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the moulds or ramekins and cover with plastic wrap.  If you are using the moulds, you will want to set them on a tray or plate so they can drain.
• Refrigerate for 6 hours to overnight.
• If using the moulds, turn each heart upside down onto a plate and unmold.
• Serve with fruit coulis or other toppings of your choice.

Mardi Michels is a full-time teacher of French at the elementary-school level in Toronto. She blogs at eat. live. travel. write.where she chronicles her culinary adventures near and far!

After a long day skiing or snowshoeing, getting back to the cottage or your home can be the best part of the day! Warming up with a mug of hot chocolate and a cookie or relaxing in a hot tub or a sauna can feel great after a day outside. But your favorite way of relaxing could actually have a negative impact on your recovery and make the next day of activity feel harder!

Hot chocolate and cookies

After exercise, particularly after intense exercise, our bodies need protein to repair micro-tears in our muscles caused by exercise. Hot chocolate made with water and a cookie, though delicious, does not provide enough protein for recovery. Instead, look for a snack that provides 10-20 grams of protein as well as 15-30 grams of carbohydrates within 15-30 minutes of finishing an activity. Greek yogurt is a great example of a protein rich food and is easily mixed with fruit or cereal to meet your post workout needs. After you’ve put away your gear and relaxed, plan to have a balanced meal within 2-3 hours. Here are some examples. For more ideas check out the nutrition calculator ß(link to the calculator):

Post ski snack ideas:

-Greek yogurt topped with 2 tbsp of granola and honey, a great dip for fruit

-Rice crackers with peanut butter and banana slices

-Hot chocolate made with warmed milk instead of water, ½ tbsp cocoa powder and 1 tbsp of sugar

-Smoothie made with greek yogurt:

Easy Post ski meal ideas:

-Vegetarian chili made with black beans and zucchini topped with a scoop of plain greek yogurt

- A tuna sandwich with cottage cheese, fresh fruit and honey for dessert

-Scrambled eggs with green peppers and salsa

Hot tubs and Saunas?

Hydration is another critical factor in recovery. We have a harder time staying hydrated in the winter as our desire to drink is less diminished and water bottles often don’t seem practical to winter athletes. Following a day of activity, drinking water to replace the fluid that was lost through sweat is critical. When we start the day even slightly dehydrated, we are more likely to have headaches, lack of coordination and our activity will feel harder to us than usual. Keep that reusable water bottle close after your activity and drink often.  Keep in mind that alcohol as well as hot tubs and saunas will dehydrate your body further, so be sure to compensate with additional water and keep the number of drinks (and minutes in the hot tub) to a minimum.

For more information on your nutrition needs for winter sports

New! We’ve updated the nutrition calculator created by the team of nutritionists at VIVAÏ for Liberté to include your favourite winter sports! To receive a personalized menu based on your training, calculate your energy needs online with the nutrition calculator.

Carbohydrates and energy

We tend to burn more calories during a winter activity, partly because our bodies are working harder to keep our temperature steady. Before heading out on your skis, skates or snowshoes plan to have a meal rich in carbohydrates (at least 1-2 gram of carbohydrates per kilogram of your body weight) 2-3 hours before you head out. For example: a bowl of oatmeal, a serving of greek yogurt and an orange. The carbohydrates (sugars) found in the oatmeal and the orange are an important source of energy for your muscles during these types of endurance activities. By adding protein rich food like greek yogurt you will absorb these carbohydrates slowly, ensuring by the time you hit the snow or the ice your are at your peak energy level. If you plan to be outside for over 90 minutes, plan to have 30-60 grams of carbs per hour to maintain your energy level. You might try a cup of applesauce, some dried fruit or a granola bar.  Don’t forget about recovery- read our tips here!

Drink up!

When it’s hot and humid, drinking water is easy. But everything changes at -10^oC! Our desire to drink water can decrease with the cold and wearing a high-tech jacket and base layers may prevent us from realizing how much we are actually sweating. When we are dehydrated, we may feel dizzy and find it feels harder than usual to do our activity! To prevent this, make sure you drink enough before you leave and plan to drink 60-125ml of fluid every 15-20 minutes, in small sips, throughout your activity.   You might even want to try warming up a mixture of water, cranberry juice and a pinch of cinnamon.

New! We’ve updated the nutrition calculator created by the team of nutritionists at VIVAÏ for Liberté to include your favourite winter sports! To receive a personalized menu based on your training, calculate your energy needs online with the nutrition calculator http://www.libertenutrition.com/

First, the market share of organic foods is expected to grow. Did you know that Liberté offers several certified organic products, including milk, Greek yogurt, flavoured yogurts and the Svelte line? By buying organic, you’ll be consuming foods of unparalleled quality that were manufactured using a special process to preserve the organic properties of the final products.

In 2012, natural foods are also set to take centre stage. And keep an eye out for locavores, who are gaining in numbers and prefer locally-grown goods. In Québec, a wide variety of local products is available year-round. For fresh local foods of exceptional quality, it’s always best to buy from neighbourhood grocers, butchers, fishmongers and cheese shops rather than supermarkets.

Another trend for 2012 is to focus on health and wellbeing. Consumers want products with the shortest possible ingredient lists and without any additives. Liberté’s plain Greek yogurt contains only two ingredients: skim milk and active bacterial cultures. It’s a great choice for those who want to keep things simple!

Eating well is always a priority. There is an abundance of local products and seasonal fruits and vegetables (including root vegetables such as yellow beets, Jerusalem artichokes parsnips and celery root) and healthy comfort foods. Cut out the salt to rediscover the natural tastes of the foods you eat.

Finally, my advice to you is to keep your healthy habits and always remember to enjoy what you eat! It’s time to broaden our environmental conscience and make enlightened choices. Which trends do you think will be all the rage in 2012?

Here is an example that illustrates the role of antioxidants. When an apple is cut, its surface is exposed to oxygen and begins to turn brown through oxidation. In fact, the slices of apple experience what could be qualified as oxidative stress. But a little lemon juice on the apple will stop the process. In fact, the vitamin C (citric acid) contained in the lemon juice is a powerful antioxidant that acts as a protective coating on the apple and intercepts the free radicals before they attack the fruit. The antioxidants in the human body work in the same way, protecting the system from cell oxidation by free radicals.

Antioxidants are found in several foods. Also, with the boom in the functional foods industry, it is now possible to buy several antioxidant-enriched products. Protective fruit pigments are among some of the most powerful antioxidants. For an optimal intake, it is best to consume fresh fruit that has not been transformed. When processed, the fruit added to preparations are often heat treated to reduce them to jam. The amount of real fruit in the final product is not significant and the addition of antioxidant-rich superfruits into processed foods does not provide a significant amount of antioxidant molecules.

A tried and true way of meeting your body’s antioxidant needs is to add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, acai, pomegranate or cherries to yogurt. Yum! Other foods such as cocoa powder, certain spices, Cayenne pepper, nuts, and delicious dark chocolate are also rich in antioxidants!

How will you transform your yogurt? Be sure to consult the ANTIOXIDANT content of foods added to Liberté plain yogurt table for food suggestions to help you meet your antioxidant needs.

Did you know? The percent daily values of the macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, are based on a 2000 calorie reference diet. Sodium, cholesterol, vitamins and minerals are based on Health Canada recommendations (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/cons/dv-vq/info-eng.php)

What are the mandatory elements in a Nutrition Facts table? In Canada, manufacturers must provide the amount of calories contained in a reference portion. It’s especially important to take this serving size into account since, for some products, manufacturers may choose a small portion that doesn’t always represent the amount that is consumed. The opposite is also true. Consider the reference portion wisely and don’t be fooled by the variations in portion sizes.

In Nutrition Facts tables, yogurt manufacturers generally opt for a reference portion of 100, 125 or 175 grams. When comparing products, it’s essential to make the right conversion. For yogurt, the reference portion recommended by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada’s Food Guide is 175 grams. To meet the values in the nutrition table, a lunchbox portion of a 500-gram container of Liberté plain Greek yogurt should therefore be 175 grams. A smaller portion – 100 grams, for instance – means different values. A portion of 175 grams contains 100 calories and 18 grams of protein; a portion of 100 grams contains 57 calories and 10 grams of protein.

Macronutrient quantities for carbohydrates, fats and proteins are expressed in grams. With regards to fats, only the saturated and trans fats must be listed in the Nutrition Facts table. Manufacturers may decide to include others fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which include the famous omega-3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid, abbreviated as EPA, and ocosahexaenoic acid, abbreviated as DHA, are also part of the omega-3 family and are often listed in Nutrition Facts tables. For carbohydrates, manufacturers must list the amounts of dietary fibre and sugars. In certain cases, the fibre category includes soluble dietary fibre and insoluble dietary fibre. The values for cholesterol and sodium must also appear in the table. There are four additional elements for which only the percent daily values are required: two vitamins – A and C – and two minerals – iron and calcium.

In the case of Liberté plain Greek yogurt, the only two ingredients that are listed are partially skimmed milk and bacterial cultures, which provide 15% of the percent daily value for calcium. By consuming other sources of calcium such as milk, cheese and a few almonds, it’s easy to get the calcium you need each day!

The reference portion is crucial to make accurate product comparisons. Macronutrient values are also important. It’s interesting to note the amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that a product contains based on the criteria set by various programs like the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check Program, for example. See the criteria at http://www.healthcheck.org/ . The percent daily value provides a good indication of the intakes but only for a daily diet of 2000 calories.

How about you? Will you start reading the Nutrition Fact tables on your favourite products? Check out the table What should you consider on the nutrition facts table? for an overview of the key points to remember.

Here is an example that illustrates the role of antioxidants. When an apple is cut, its surface is exposed to oxygen and begins to turn brown through oxidation. In fact, the slices of apple experience what could be qualified as oxidative stress. But a little lemon juice on the apple will stop the process. In fact, the vitamin C (citric acid) contained in the lemon juice is a powerful antioxidant that acts as a protective coating on the apple and intercepts the free radicals before they attack the fruit. The antioxidants in the human body work in the same way, protecting the system from cell oxidation by free radicals.

Antioxidants are found in several foods. Also, with the boom in the functional foods industry, it is now possible to buy several antioxidant-enriched products. Protective fruit pigments are among some of the most powerful antioxidants. For an optimal intake, it is best to consume fresh fruit that has not been transformed. When processed, the fruit added to preparations are often heat treated to reduce them to jam. The amount of real fruit in the final product is not significant and the addition of antioxidant-rich superfruits into processed foods does not provide a significant amount of antioxidant molecules.

A tried and true way of meeting your body’s antioxidant needs is to add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, acai, pomegranate or cherries to yogurt. Yum! Other foods such as cocoa powder, certain spices, Cayenne pepper, nuts, and delicious dark chocolate are also rich in antioxidants!

How will you transform your yogurt? Be sure to consult the ANTIOXIDANT content of foods added to Liberté plain yogurt table for food suggestions to help you meet your antioxidant needs.