Electrolyte Lemonade

Electrolyte Lemonade

by | Jun 5, 2020 | Drink, Recipes

Keto Lemonade

Who doesn’t like lemonade?

Whether you’re managing the “keto flu”, on the keto diet for the long-haul, need to rehydrate after a heavy workout, or are just looking for a refreshing summertime beverage that isn’t full of sugar — this Keto Lemonade is the perfect option! 

Most store-bought or restaurant lemonade is chock-full of sugar in order to allow its sweet flavour to balance the sour flavour from the lemons. By making your own lemonade at home you’re in control of the sweetener!

Stevia (liquid) is the sweeter of choice in this recipe. Stevia has 0 calories, no sugar, and a powerful sweet flavour — meaning you only need a few drops! Plus, stevia liquid drops have a less metallic taste than the powdered form.

Lemon juice is a low-carb, natural source of electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and trace amounts of sodium. Just make sure you squeeze it fresh for the best flavour and the densest nutrients!

Sea salt is an important addition to this lemonade recipe, as it offers an additional boost of electrolytes to help you rehydrate. If you’ve been exercising, enjoying the outdoors in warm weather, or if you’re doing your best to get through the “keto flu”, the sea salt in this recipe can help address dehydration just like the minerals in your favourite sports drink.

Give it a try! Quench your thirst this summer with this restorative Keto Lemonade recipe. 

Keto Lemonade

Electrolyte Lemonade

Whether you’re managing the “keto flu”, on the keto diet for the long-haul, need to rehydrate after a heavy workout, or are just looking for a refreshing summertime beverage that isn’t full of sugar — this Keto Lemonade is the perfect option! 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 4
Calories 7 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups Water
  • 1/2 cup Fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 10 drops Stevia Extract (or to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp Sea Salt (ideally Himalayan or grey rock salt)
  • Ice (optional)
  • Mint (garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients, except mint, in a large pitcher. Stir well to mix.
  • Garnish with mint and enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories – 7
Carbs – 2g
Fiber – 0.1g
Sugars – 0.8g
Protein – 0.1g
Fat – 0.1g

5 Steps To Support Your Immune System

5 Steps To Support Your Immune System

by | May 26, 2020 | Koru Nutrition Blog

Supporting the Immune System Koru Nutrition

You aren’t alone right now in trying to find ways to keep you and your family healthy and your immune systems strong. Individuals and families have been stocking up on their vitamin C and other immune boosting supplements. This is a great step, but there are many other things that you can be doing , or not doing, to optimize your immunity.

5 Steps To Support Your Immune System:

 

#1. Reduce Sugar Consumption

Comfort foods is what we tend to gravitate too in the winter months such as chocolate, pastries, and sweets? Although these foods may feel comforting in the moment, sugar has a detrimental effect on the immune system.

Sugar can suppress the immune system (by altering the function of specific immune cells, called neutrophils) for up to 5 hours after ingestion. (Sanchez A. et al, 1973) Because the effect lasts for many hours, if you eat sweets several times a day, your immune system may be perpetually operating at a distinct disadvantage (1). In contrast, the ingestion of complex carbohydrates, or starches, has no effect on the immune system.

Sugar triggers low-grade inflammation in the body and inflammation is also an immune suppressant.

Studies have found that excessive amounts of sugar, or glucose, in the body can inhibit the absorption of Vitamin C (2). Vitamin C is extremely important for boosting the immune system and fighting off infections. In the 1970s, researchers established that Vitamin C has a similar structure to sugar and therefore can compete for absorption. So, if you are taking vitamin C supplements or trying to consume foods high in vitamin C if you are consuming alot of sugar then you are not getting the benefits of your vitamin C foods and supplementation.

As an antioxidant, it is the job of Vitamin C to neutralize free radicals. By consuming sugar with Vitamin C, you are introducing more free radicals that Vitamin C may then needs to sacrifice itself to neutralize the free radical instead of being available to support your immune system.

For more information, check out our article on the best sugar alternatives.

#2. Reduce Alcohol Consumption

The Cleveland clinic reported that If you drink every day, or almost every day it can weaken the immune system and make the body more susceptible to infections, such as colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. Many people may have increased their alcohol consumption, over the winter months which is not good for immunity!

Alcohol alters the makeup of your gut microbiome, which is the home to trillions of microorganisms performing several crucial roles for your health, including supporting your immune system. Infact 70-80% of your immune system is in the gut. Research shows that drinking alcohol may also damage the immune cells that line your intestines, which serve as the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses. By damaging those cells in your intestines, it can make it easier for pathogens to cross into your bloodstream (4).

Excessive drinking reduces the number and function of three important kinds of cells in your immune system–macrophages, T and C cells. Macrophages are the first line of defense against disease. They gobble up anything that’s not supposed to be there, including cancerous cells, and they sound the alarm if pathogens are present. T cells are antibodies to specific pathogens. They are the reason vaccines work and why you can’t get chicken pox twice. Your T cells already know how to kill those specific kinds of viruses. B cells are white blood cells that secrete cytokines that attack bacteria. When B and T cells are suppressed, your immune system is less efficient at identifying and destroying invading pathogens.

#3. Manage Stress

Unfortunately, stress plays a major role in compromising our immune system. In short spurts, our stress hormone, cortisol, can boost immunity by limiting inflammation. But over time, your body can get used to having too much cortisol in your blood and this opens the door for more inflammation. This can weaken your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to viral infections and frequent illnesses.

In addition, stress decreases the body’s lymphocytes — the white blood cells that help fight off infection. The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are for viruses.

The brain and the immune system are in constant communication in this delicate balance that can be disrupted by any kind of physical or emotional stress. Some experts claim that stress is responsible for as much as 90% of all illnesses and diseases.

For more information, please check out our article for nutrition strategies to help manage stress.

#4. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The Mayo Clinic reported that studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.

During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines. In addition, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don’t get enough sleep.

How much sleep do you need to bolster your immune system? The optimal amount of sleep for most adults is 7.5-9 hours of good sleep each night, while teenagers need 9-10 hours of sleep, and school-aged children may need 10 or more hours of sleep per day.

For more information check out or article on nutrition for better sleep.

#5. Not Eating Enough Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Our immune system relies on a number of nutrients to help it function properly and work at its optimal level. Key nutrients include vitamin C, iron, Vitamin D, folate, Vitamin A, selenium and zinc. It is difficult to intake adequate amounts of these nutrients from processed foods, but you will get them from fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, many North Americans are not getting enough fruits and vegetables into heir diet, nor are they consuming enough variety.

Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) indicate that approximately 70% of children aged 4 to 8 years and 65% aged 9 to 13 years do not consume the recommended minimum five servings of fruits and vegetables (FV) daily. Health Canada recommends a minimum of 7-8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day for adults, and this is rarely achieved.

Unfortunately, with high stress, poor sleep, diseases and illnesses our body’s demand for nutrients becomes higher. This would only be compounded by an already compromised diet with processed foods, pizzas, and frozen dinners; consumption of sugar-laden foods and beverages; and limited intake of fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet. These societal dietary habits put us at huge risk of nutrient deficiencies, and subsequently a compromised immune system, which impacts our ability to help protect ourselves against viruses and infection.

If you are struggling to get enough fruits and vegetables into your diet you can explore supplementing with a whole food supplement which contains 30 fruits and vegetables. Separate studies were conducted on healthcare professionals with direct patient contact, young law school students, an elderly population, and athletic men. The combined results of those studies show that a combination of orchard, vegetable and berry capsules, “Reduces the severity of upper respiratory challenges, reduces missed work days, and increases the number and activity of immune cells circulating in the body”. British Journal of Nutrition (2011) Journal of Nutrition (2007) Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2006) Journal of Nutrition (2006) Integrative Medicine (1999).

To get your whole food supplements click here.

SUMMARY

Flu season is an annoying time for everyone – missed work and school days, used tissue papers piled high and aches and pains all over. Reducing sugar consumption, limiting alcohol intake, practicing stress management techniques, getting adequate sleep, and ensuring an adequate intake of fresh fruits and vegetables are e ways that you can help support your immune system and avoid getting sick this season!

References

  1. Sanchez, A., et al. 1973 “Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 26:1180-1184 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/26/11/1180.full.pdf+html (accessed July 27, 2015)
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16118484
  3. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/sugar-weaken-immune-system_l_5e74ca2cc5b6f5b7c542a3be
  4. https://www.insider.com/does-alcohol-weaken-the-immune-system

 

 

 

 

Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

by | May 22, 2020 | Recipes

Two Glasses with Detox Green Smoothie

Who doesn’t love a good brownie? Well, these ones have all of the fudgy taste you want in a brownie with none of the sugar crash!

Thanks to the black beans and eggs, each serving has 7 grams of protein! The addition of protein-containing ingredients to a brownie recipe helps to balance blood sugar levels and ensure that it sustains your energy levels. 

In addition to the protein content, black beans also contain lots of fibre to help keep you fuller for longer and to support gut health. As indicated by their deep black colour, they are also full of antioxidants, which are the pigments responsible for their colour. Antioxidants help protect the body from a wide range of conditions ranging from infections to some cancers.

Xylitol is the sweetener used in this recipe, and is a healthy swap out for regular sugar! Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, so it provides a sweet flavour without spiking blood sugar levels. As opposed to regular sugar which contributes to dental issues, xylitol is also protective for the teeth.

Of course, the chocolatey flavour of the brownies is all thanks to cocoa! Cocoa is one of the richest dietary sources of the mineral magnesium. Magnesium is needed as a cofactor for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body, but it’s most well-known for being a relaxant. Additionally, magnesium helps to balance blood sugar levels (1), which is especially important when consuming sweet treats!

Next time you’re in the mood for a delicious, chocolatey brownie… we hope you’ll give these ones a try! Happy baking!

References
1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-magnesium-good-for-my-blood-sugar-levels-if-i-have-diabetes#1 

 

Black Bean Brownies

Who doesn’t love a good brownie? Well, these ones have all of the fudgy taste you want in a brownie with none of the sugar crash!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12
Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Black Beans cooked
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Oil melted
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 cup Xylitol
  • 1/4 cup Apple Sauce or plain coconut yogurt
  • 2 tbsp Almond Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 100 grams Organic Dark Chocolate 75% chopped and divided
  • 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
  • ⅛ cup Roasted Cashews chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a food processor, add the cooked black beans and eggs and begin to process while slowly pouring in the melted coconut oil. Process until the beans are very smooth.
  • Add vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, xylitol, apple sauce and baking powder to the black bean mixture. Blend until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add half of the chocolate chunks to the brownie batter and pulse approximately 5 times, just until mixed.
  • Using a spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top out evenly. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chunks, the sliced almonds, and the roasted cashews evenly on the top of the batter mixture.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
  • Let the brownies cool completely at room temperature, then move them to the fridge for at least 4 hours before cutting into squares.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 207
Carbs: 20g
Fibre: 6g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 7g
Fat: 13g

Healthy Baking Tips

Healthy Baking Tips

by | May 22, 2020 | Koru Nutrition Blog

Black Bean Brownies with Slivered Almonds

Baking is a fun activity many of us do to keep busy or carry on traditions. We can certainly understand why!

Whether you’re baking for yourself, with a spouse, or to keep your kids entertained… you can pass some time and end up with a delicious treat to enjoy together!

However, as mentioned in an earlier post sugar can depress the immune system and contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Weight gain, in particular, is already a struggle for many people who have been confined to their homes much more than usual over the course of the pandemic without the energy, time, space or equipment to work out, all while over-indulging in food.

We all want to “have our cake and eat it too”, don’t we? So, we’re sharing some tips to enjoy your treats without feeling poorly or derailing your health goals.

Top 3 Healthy Baking Tips

1. Manage Portions

The first healthy baking tip we want to share is to manage portions. When baking muffins and cookies try to make them smaller by using mini muffin tins or rolling cookies into smaller balls.

If time is not on your side you can batch cook and freeze half the cookies or muffins. But, be mindful of your personal habits before doubling a recipe! If you have a lot of time on your hands to cook and you know you struggle with overindulging, then don’t double the recipe as it may be more difficult to manage your portions.

2. Sneak In Some Healthy Ingredients

The second healthy baking tip we want to share is to try and use recipes that have hidden vegetables or beans in it. There are lots of delicious options that allow you to squeeze some extra nutrition into your baking, including:

3. Make Healthy Switch Outs

The last healthy baking tip we want to share is to make some healthy switch outs. By swapping certain ingredients you can make your baking lower in calories and sugar.

Below are some ideas for healthy switch outs:

  • Switch out sugar for swerve or xylitol or simply reduce the sugar serving in the recipe
  • Switch out cow’s milk for unsweetened almond milk
  • Switch out butter for coconut oil
  • Switch out white flour for whole grain flour or almond flour
  • Switch out chocolate chips for Krista stevia sweetened chocolate chips
  • Switch out sour cream for Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
  • Switch out eggs for flax seed
    To do this, add 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed to 3 tbsp of water and allow it to sit for 3-5 minutes. Use the gelled mixture in place of 1 whole egg for an extra kick of fibre to your recipe!

Whatever you decide to bake up next, we hope it is delicious and nutritious!

How To Avoid Unwanted Weight Gain During COVID-19

How To Avoid Unwanted Weight Gain During COVID-19

by | May 19, 2020 | Koru Nutrition Blog

Supporting the Immune System Koru Nutrition

Are you one of the many that are struggling with social isolation weight gain? We get it. You can’t get to the gym, find you are snacking throughout the day, and might be cracking open that bottle of wine when it’s only Tuesday at 3:00pm?

These are unprecedented times, the likes of which we have not seen in our lifetime. People are losing jobs, struggling with managing work and home-schooling the kids, having either no alone time or too much time alone. Increased stress and unhealthy eating habits make your weight on your scales in your bathroom to continue to rise.

At Koru Nutrition we want to offer some strategies to help navigate healthy eating patterns while you’re stuck at home.

 

  1. Intermittent fasting – Intermittent fasting is a great option during social isolation. In essence, intermittent fasting is restricting your eating window during the day. Some folks use a 12 hour window to eat, some stick to an 8 hour window, and some even limit eating to a 4 hour window. Intermittent fasting has been proven to be an effective and healthy way to lose weight. Research shows that it can lower insulin levels and increase growth hormone levels, which assists with fat loss and muscle gain, resulting in weight loss.  It also increases the release of the fat burning hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Plus, short-term fasting may also increase your metabolic rate by 3.6–14%.

The other great thing is that it can help you save time and money. Most people only eat twice a day while intermittent fasting (a brunch or lunch and dinner), so you will be cooking less often and most likely eating less food.

Ideally you need to fast for 16 hours per day before you will start to see the results. Download a fasting app to your phone can help keep you on track. For more information check out our intermittent fasting article.

 

  1. Late night snacking has to go! This is not conducive to intermittent fasting but also doesn’t give your body the time to burn off the extra calories consumed after dinner or late at night. In fact, eating before bed is one of the first strategies we give people that want to gain weight. If you have a typical sleep/wake and work schedule, you’ll want to aim to finish dinner at around 6:00pm and fill up on herbal teas, water or sparkling water after that.
  1. Drink lots of water. Health Canada recommends 2.7 litres of water per day for women and 3.7 litres per day for men. Water helps to metabolize fat as well help you feel full. Often people mistake themselves as hungry when, in fact, they are thirsty. A mere 5% drop in hydration levels can cause 25-30% loss of energy, which might leave you prone to looking for something sweet to give you an energy burst. Mild dehydration can also cause your metabolism to slow down by 3%.

You can keep a water bottle beside you when reading, watching TV, cooking or while working to help encourage regular drinking.

 

  1. Cut out the gluten – refined breads, pastas, baked goods, pizza and the like are void of nutrients and have a tendency to spike blood sugars. When blood sugars surge so too does insulin. Insulin is a hormone which is needed to help push glucose (sugar) from our blood into the cell where it can be used as energy. But if you have too much glucose too quickly to burn as energy, then the insulin will signal your body to package the excess and store it as fat. If you have unstable blood sugar levels you have 3x more difficulty losing weight. 

Gluten is also inflammatory. Many individuals notice improvements, not just in weight loss, but in many areas of their health and wellness when they eliminate gluten, including mood, sleep, digestion, energy levels and reductions in pain.

 

5. Eat Clean Whole Foods – Eating clean whole foods includes fruits, vegetables and sea vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, fish, grass fed meats, eggs, lentils and legumes.

This is the most important step, but often the hardest to do. Whether you are juggling working at home with home-schooling your kids or you’re struggling with your mental health during this period of isolation, it may feel easier to just heat up a frozen pizza than to prepare a well-balanced meal from scratch. But, there are ways to help manage this!


You can save time in in the kitchen and prepare in advance. You may opt to batch cook some one-pot meals like soups or stews. Or you could repurpose foods, for example, making a large chilli one night, then fajitas the next night with the leftovers. If you have one, use your crockpot so you can prep a healthy meal in the morning when you may have higher energy and a delicious meal is waiting for you in the evening.

 

  1. Drink Green Tea – There are so many health benefits to drinking green tea. A study published in the Journal of Obesity Research showed that habitual tea drinkers had an average of 19.6 less body fat, and also had slimmer waists, than people who didn’t drink tea regularly. The majority of these tea drinkers chose green tea.

Green tea contains a type of flavonoid called EGCG, which has not only shown to help burn fat and reduce diet-induced obesity, but also help to keep the weight off afterwards (Obesity Research, June 2005). Plus, this is a great way to help increase your water intake! Simple, inexpensive, and delicious!

 

We understand, these are difficult times. But, by incorporating some of these tips – intermittent fasting, ditching late-night snacking, staying well hydrated, cutting out gluten, eating clean whole foods, and drinking green tea – you’ll help ensure that you aren’t adding the additional challenge of unwanted weight gain to your metaphorical plate.

Stay safe and stay healthy!