The Grocery Store Tour gives you the knowledge and skills you need to choose between foods that promote heart health and those that can increase your risk of heart disease.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause
of death and illness in
© Lowering your cholesterol level by reducing your intake of saturated fat can decrease your risk of developing coronary heart disease by 24%
© Cutting your sodium intake can help treat and prevent high blood pressure, which is associated with 50% of heart disease.
We will help you understand how much of
these nutrients you should have, and use
Additionally, there are foods you can add to your diet to reduce your risk. For example:
© Eating five one-ounce servings of nuts per week is associated with a 35% lowered risk of heart disease events
© Having fish 2-4 times per week is associated with a 31% lowered risk of coronary heart disease.
Join us as we inspect these and more heart-health promoting foods in the grocery store.
The Shop Smart for Your Heart Grocery Store Tour is designed for individuals who want to lower their heart disease risk through healthy eating. The class is led by a registered dietitian from the Cardiac Wellness Institute of Calgary (CWIC).
The class starts with an examination of
Next you will stroll through the aisles and examine various types of foods, practicing your newfound label reading skills. The dietitian will highlight foods throughout the store that can enhance your heart health.
During the label reading session, you will learn to identify heart-healthy foods by:
© Translating ingredient lists
© Interpreting claims such as “low-fat”
© Inspecting the levels of six key nutrients that matter to your heart
Afterwards, you will compare the nutritional values of foods like margarine and butter, bread and cereal, meat, dairy, and frozen foods.
Our dietitian will also show you products in the store that can provide heart-healthy nutrients such as:
© Healthy fats, including omega-3
© Soluble fibre
© Magnesium, potassium, and calcium
“This
was my wake-up call – I need to change.”
“The
most useful thing I learned was how to ‘read’ the package and
understand the labels.”
“Very
knowledgeable instructor, and encourages lots of class participation.”
“I got basic, important information that I should have known years ago.”
The fee for the tour is $25, or $40 for couples. Alberta Health and Wellness does not cover this service, but some private insurance plans may.
Participants can register by calling CWIC at (403) 571-6950. Pre-payment is required as onsite registration is not available. Cancellation must be made 24 hours in advance for a full refund.