February is Heart Month in Canada – a time to focus on heart health and the important role that nutritious food plays in overall well-being. During Heart Month, organizations like the Ottawa Heart Institute and the Heart and Stroke Foundation raise awareness about prevention, early detection and benefits of heart-healthy living.
At the Ottawa Food Bank, Heart Month is also a time to reflect on how access to food connects to health. With over 1 in 4 Ottawa households experiencing food insecurity, it is more important than ever that Ottawa Food Bank remains committed to providing fresh and nutritious foods to the network of member agencies we support across the city.
When people donate dollars to the Ottawa Food Bank, we can purchase a variety of nutritious foods. This includes fresh vegetables and fruit, fresh milk, eggs, chicken, fish, and beef, along with non-perishable staples like canned vegetables, rice, legumes, and canned fish. These basic foods give people the flexibility to prepare meals with not only the flavours that best suit their family and their culture, but also with consideration for any dietary needs they may have.
Heart-healthy eating means choosing more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins, and items lower in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat.
If you plan to donate non-perishable items in an Ottawa Food Bank donation bin, you can help support heart health by choosing foods with nutrition in mind. Taking a moment to look at the Nutrition Facts table can help identify items that support heart–healthy eating.
Look for items that are higher in Fibre, lower in Saturated Fat, Sugar, and Sodium (salt).
The % Daily Value column on the right side of the Nutrition Facts table can help show whether a food has a little or a lot of each of the nutrients listed.
- 0% to 5% is a little
- 6% to 11% is a moderate amount
- 15% or more is a lot
For more information on nutrition labelling and the Nutrition Facts Table, visit Health Canada’s information on Nutrition labelling.
Highly sought after heart-healthy donations could include:
- Canned or dry legumes (chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, etc)
- Cereals with ≥4 g fibre per serving
- Low or no sodium canned vegetables
- Whole oats
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat pasta
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Canned tomatoes and tomato paste
By choosing nutritious donation items or donating funds that allow us to purchase fresh food, you help support heart health across Ottawa. We are grateful for the care and generosity that make this support possible, during Heart Month and all year long.
Recent Comments