Thursday, July 16, 2009

Ottawa Citizen Nutrition Watch Week 9 - Not yet.



I'm not sure what the hold up is but it looks like I'm still at bat for nutrition at the Citizen.

My impression had been that a nutritional analysis program was being test driven last week and hence I figured that this week I wouldn't be spending my early morning calculating calories for Citizen recipes. Unfortunately when I opened up today's paper, nutritional analyses were no where to be found.

(for a recap - click over here to understand what this is all about)

Before I get to this week's fare, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Paul Boivert. Paul's a friend and colleague from Quebec where he's also the communications director of Quebec's federation of Kinesiologists. Paul practices what he preaches having a penchant for good nutrition and engaging in seemingly insane amounts of swimming (generally 4km or more a day, 5 days a week). Here's what Paul had to say to the Citizen,

"Dear Ottawa Citizen Editors,

I congratulate you for publishing interesting healthy recipes in your newspaper.

Many fast food chains make available the Nutrition facts of their foods on the paper place mats and grocery stores sales food with Nutrition facts of the packaging. These information are important for most consumers for better evaluate the nutritional value of foods.

It is the same thing with recipes. It helps to better evaluate the portions to be served for a family and the value of a meal related to salt, fat and calories content, which matter enormously in a weight management program and health concerns like hypertension and prevention of heart diseases.

These information would be a great value if added at the end of your recipes. Unfortunately, these information are missing in your recipes as published recently.

I encourage you, then, to do so for the benefits of your invaluable readers.

Thanks for your support and the consideration of my request,

Paul Boisvert, Ph.D., PEC-SCPE, kinésiologue
Directeur des communications
Fédération des kinésiologues du Québec
http://www.kinesiologue.com/"
If you haven't yet written the Citizen to politely encourage them on this initiative and thank them for their attention, please take a few moments today to do so. Please send kind words of encouragement to Editor-in-Chief Gerry Nott, Food Editor Ron Eade and Wendy Warburton by clicking here.

Here are today's recipes' nutritional breakdowns:

Lamb rack with chimichurri sauce

(per serving if serving 2): 1,429 calories, 49g saturated fat, 691mg sodium, 6g total carbs

Seared duck breast with heirloom tomato, herbs, corn and focaccia salad
(per serving): 424 calories, 3g saturated fat, 95mg sodium, 51g total carbs

Cashew-encrusted halibut with citrus aioli
(per serving): 971 calories, 10g saturated fat, 172mg sodium, 49g total carbs

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest asian coleslaw
(per serving if serving 4): 115 calories, 1g saturated fat, 52mg sodium, 8g total carbs

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest couscous salad
(per serving): 468 calories, 4g saturated fat, 44mg sodium, 51g total carbs

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest roasted beet salad
(per serving if serving 4): 204 calories, 2g saturated fat, 142mg sodium, 16g total carbs

[All recipes calculated using Mastercook 9.0. Today it took roughly 2 minutes per recipe]