Nutrition

About Nutrition

Nutrition is eating the right kind of food from birth to old age so you can grow properly and be healthy. Good nutrition can decrease the risks for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Program Goals and Objectives

• The NITHA Nutritionist provides support in the area of nutrition programming and initiatives that are evidence-based and culturally appropriate for the Partnership
• The NITHA Nutritionist is an active member of the Healthy Eating Team for the Northern Healthy Communities Partnership
• The members of the Healthy Eating Team are working hard to increase the awareness of and access to nutritious foods by supporting initiatives which reduce economic, geographic, knowledge and social barriers to healthy eating
• The members of the Healthy Eating Team continually advocate for nutrition policies that promote the health of Northern Saskatchewan residents

For contact information, please visit our staff page.

Vitamin C

• Is a very important nutrient for your body
• It is needed for growth and development
• It is needed to help heal wounds
• It is crucial for the prevention of scurvy
• It is important for the absorption of iron, which is necessary for making red blood cells
• The body can not store or produce it so it must be obtained from food

 How to preserve the Vit C content in foods

• Vitamin C is a highly sensitive nutrient that reacts to air, water, and heat.
• Eat fruits and vegetables as raw as possible to maximize the retention of vitamin C.
• Steaming retains more nutrients than boiling, so if cooking is required, stick to steaming.
• Stir-frying or rapid sautéing are also useful because prolonged cooking may significantly decrease the amount of vitamin C in foods.
• Boiling may reduce the quality of vitamin C by up to 33%.
• Thawing and freezing vegetables over a long period can also lead to loss of vitamin C.
• Cooking vegetables for 20 to 30 minutes at a stretch can result in the loss of nearly half the nutrients. If you boil vegetables, most of the nutrients are lost in water so, consume the liquid if you can in soup, gravies and sauces.
• Reheating and canning decrease vitamin C content by two-thirds.

The following Vitamin C rich plants to be used with caution & knowledge/understanding of their medicinal properties:

These plants are not recommended for children and while pregnant and lactating. They may act like medicine in your body.

• Fireweed
• Muskeg/Labrador tea- large quantities can be toxic
• Spruce needles
• Stinging nettle
• Yarrow