Share This:

Features in the press and media by Shaistha Zaheeruddin:

If you would like to arrange an interview or need help with a media feature please contact us directly by email.

ramussenRamussen College, School of Education: 8 Proven Tips on How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy
December 21, 2015

“Let your child decide what and how much they would like to eat from the foods offered,” recommends Shaistha Zaheeruddin, registered dietician and founder of Modest Nutrition counseling services.

It’s easy to hand over a baggie of fish crackers to a whiny child, but it’s not the best strategy for developing healthy eating habits. While many kids do need snacks between meals, they should be scheduled, according to Zaheeruddin.

“When kids know they won’t get food until the next snack or mealtime, they will be more likely to fill up on foods at the table while they can,” says Zaheeruddin.

“It takes about 8 to 15 tries for a child to like a new food – so don’t give up,” Zaheeruddin says.

“Forcing will create life-long aversions to those foods and can interfere with a child’s awareness of his own internal cues to hunger and satiety,” Zaheeruddin says.

Huffington Post Canada: 13 Meals Dietitians Would Order At Freshii
August 17, 2015

Huffingtonpost3Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Oatmeal

“This is one of the lowest sodium containing dishes on the menu. I would choose this for the low saturated and trans fats, cholesterol sodium and sugar. You get a relatively good source of fibre and some protein, which makes a satisfying breakfast.”

Buffalo Wrap (Sauce Included)

“This wrap is too energy dense for one meal, so I would recommend splitting this into two meals or sharing with a friend. The amount of sodium is more than half of your total day’s quota of 1500 mg of sodium per day. Skip the ranch dressing for balsamic vinegar to reduce the saturated fat and sodium content. I would choose this meal because it is a good source of fibre and protein for lower calories.”

Spinach Breakfast Egg Pocket

“This breakfast egg pocket is nutrient dense and has a good source of protein. Ask for low fat cheese to reduce the saturated fat content and have them prepare it ‘lightly salted.’ Do not use a salt shaker — if you need flavour, add black pepper or other seasoning. You can pair this with a slice of whole wheat bread and water with lime slice. I would stay away from the smoothies, they have as much calories as an entree.”

Huffington Post Canada: Fermented Food Benefits: 9 Reasons to Add them to Your Diet
July 17, 2015

Fermented foods

You may already be eating loads of fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi and soy products, and there’s good reason you should continue doing so.

Fermented foods have been around for centuries and many cultures, from Asia to Africa, have been using this preservation technique to increase shelf life, flavour and texture of certain foods, says Shaistha Zaheeruddin, a registered dietitian and founder of Modest Nutrition in Milton, Ont …Continue Reading

Organic Authority: Busting 3 Myths about Lactose Intolerance
July 15, 2015

Lactose Intolerance

Shaistha Zaheeruddin is a registered dietitian, accredited in both U.S. and Canada, and currently practicing as a consulting dietitian and owner of Modest Nutrition, in Toronto. She explains the connection between undigested lactose being present in the colon and these unfortunate side effects.

“Lactose tends to draw water towards itself in the colon, which results in loose stools,” she says. “The lactose that is not digested is food for the intestinal bacteria, when the bacteria digests the lactose it produces volatile fatty acids and gases, which result in flatulence. When too much gas is produced in the intestine it triggers cramps in the abdomen.”

…Continue Reading

Huffington Post Canada: 10 Ways Hemp Seeds Could Benefit Your Life
July 2, 2015

Huffingtonpost2

“Being a source of all essential amino acids and fatty acids, and an array of vitamins and minerals makes hemp seed a nutrient dense, complete nutrition-packed seed,” says Shaistha Zaheeruddin, registered dietitian and founder of Modest Nutrition in Milton. “This seed is comparable to many healthy nuts and seeds (like walnuts, flax, chia seeds) with a lot of promise [for long term health benefits].”

Read about the 10 benefits of consuming hemp seeds and hemp seed oil, by Shaistha Zaheeruddin here.

Huffington Post Canada: What Dietitians Would Eat At Swiss Chalet
June 13, 2015

slide_417876_5319384_compressed

Tuscan Tomato Linguine With Shrimp:

“Eat only half of the serving. This is a huge serving with lots of carbohydrates. Have the other half packed to-go, and see if you can have that requested while ordering. You can also share it with someone else. Also, hold on the garlic bread, or have one piece if you must.”

slide_417876_5319436_compressedSweet Heat Chicken Salad:

Make this dish as an entree instead of relying on a chicken dinner, sauce and fries. For the dressing, Zaheeruddin suggests keeping it as a side instead of drenching your chicken with it.

LowPurineDiets.com: Top 3 Gout Foods To Avoid
February 23, 2015

gout2

1- Alcohol – individuals with gout may choose to abstain from alcohol completely or limit the amounts. Particularly beer and hard liquor (but not wine) are linked to increased uric acid, new gout and gout attacks. Beer has been particularly implicated because it contains both ethanol and purines.

2- Sugary Drinks – limit the intake of foods with “added sugars”, especially high fructose corn syrup (also labelled as glucose/fructose or glucose-fructose syrup), which are found in juices, and soft drinks. These increase uric acid levels and the the risk of gout.

3- Too much meat and seafood – Limit the number of servings of meat, fish and poultry to 2-3 per day. One serving is 75 g (2 ½ oz) or the size of your palm. Higher meat and seafood intakes may increase uric acid levels because of their higher purine content.

SheKnows.com: Does Extreme Weight Loss set a Bad Example for Kids?
February 6, 2014

parenting2

“She lost a very significant amount, almost 60 percent of her body weight in about 4 to 5 months, which can be a concern clinically,” says registered dietician Shaistha Zaheeruddin. “The ideal way to lose weight would be a gradual 1 to 2 pound loss per week.”

AllParenting.com: Is the Paleo Diet Safe?
September 1, 2013

Paleo

“Registered dietitian Shaistha Zaheeruddin has concerns about eliminating grains from the diet. “A lack of whole grain eliminates the necessary fiber needed for reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes,” she says.”

“It may be necessary to modify the diet by eating grass-fed meat, wild caught fish and organic produce,” says Zaheeruddin. “Remember to supplement any diet with daily physical activity for results in weight loss and disease prevention.”

“The diet is hard to sustain considering our lifestyle and acquired palate, thus it is better to consider a more liberal, balanced diet with high fiber, more fruits and vegetables, dairy and whole grains,” says Zaheeruddin.

Examiner.com: Cooking Matters–ending the myth of junk food as cheap food
October 9, 2011

cookingmatters

“The class takes part in the dish preparation by slicing the chicken, mixing the coating ingredients, and immersing the meat in the coating. While the chicken cooks in the home’s kitchen, nutritionist Shaistha talks about the importance of protein, and how the body needs a certain amount of good fat each day to better absorb vitamins. Examples of foods that provide protein and good fats are given, as well as tips for how to determine good food choices. After the talk, the chicken is ready and the class gets to taste the fruit of their earlier efforts.”

Checkout our Upcoming Events or Newsletters!

Comments

comments

%d bloggers like this: