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Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The worst hamburgers for your health — and the best ones for your Canada Day BBQ to avoid high sodium and fat
BBQ season is here, and for many Canadians, the chance to soak up more summer by having dinner outside is a key part to making the most of these sweet, sunny days. However, most barbecue fare can be a minefield of sodium. A Health Canada report from 2017 states many Canadian kids and men consume the mineral to potentially health-affecting excess. That includes 72 per cent of children aged four to 13, and a whopping 90 per cent of men between ages 14 and 30. On the other hand, notably, less than half of women in the same age group aren't consuming excess sodium. A small amount of sodium is a necessary part of a balanced diet as the mineral regulates blood pressure, keeps fluids in balance and helps muscle and nerve functioning. But too much is a serious health concern: "The average daily sodium intake of Canadians is currently estimated at 2,760 mg, which is higher than the established goal of 2,300 mg per day," Health Canada shares in that same report, going a long way to explaining the prevalence of high blood pressure in the country. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. The study adds roughly 25 per cent of Canadians over age 20 have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. But it also explains the actual number is likely much higher, given the condition presents no symptoms and develops slowly. If that's not enough to have you put down the salt shaker, how about this: Heart disease and stroke are, respectively, the second and third leading causes of death in Canada after cancer. Most of the excess sodium in the typical Canadian diet is found in salty snacks, condiments, canned soups, frozen entrees like pizza and microwaved meals — and, above all, bakery goods and processed meats. Burgers, sausages, canned meats and deli meats all fall under this last category. That means when it comes time to fire up the grill, those watching their sodium intake can't just reach for any old patty. Here, we're comparing the nutritional label on a variety of popular grocery store favourites. From veggie burgers and imitation meat patties, to your classic chicken and beef burgers, this is everything you need to know about the sodium content in popular pre-made hamburger products you may be eyeing this summer. Pre-formed beef burgers are a barbecue staple. However, these patties are typically full of sodium, with some packages noting a single patty could use up a whopping quarter of your recommended daily value (DV) intake. When it comes to the DV on nutrition labels, five per cent or less is a little, while 15 per cent and above is a lot. President's Choice Thick and Juicy Beef Burgers Sodium: 600 mg, 26% DV Fat: 33 g (includes 15 g saturated + 1.5 g trans), 44% DV No Name Beef Burgers Sodium: 440 mg, 19% DV Fat: 28 g (includes 13 g saturated + 2 g trans), 37% DV Compliments Frozen Traditional Beef Burgers Sodium: 390 mg, 17% DV Fat: 10 g saturated + 1 g trans, 55% DV Montana's Frozen Canadian Angus Beef Burgers Sodium: 570 mg, 25% DV Fat: 11 g saturated + 2 g trans, 65% DV Changing it up with chicken burgers keeps barbecued dinners interesting as summer's heat continues on. These patties also seem to score slightly lower on sodium and fat levels than their beef counterparts. Zabiha Halal Chicken Burgers Sodium: 480 mg, 21% DV Fat: 8 g (includes 2 g saturated), 11% DV Compliments Balance Chicken Burgers Sodium: 330 mg, 14% DV Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Janes Breaded Chicken Burgers Sodium: 410 mg, 18% DV Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Great Value Chicken Burgers Sodium: 300 mg, 13% DV Fat: 11 g (includes 15 g saturated + 0.1 g trans), 15% DV Need a break from the red meats or poultry? Fish burgers are a good alternative when you're thinking of firing up the barbecue. Stick to non-breaded versions to stay on the healthier side. Compliments Wild Pacific Salmon Burgers Sodium: 310 mg, 13% DV Fat: 0.3 saturated, 2% DV President's Choice The Ultimate Atlantic Salmon Burgers Sodium: 420 mg, 18% DV Fat: 10g (includes 1.5 g saturated), 13% DV High Liner Breaded Fish Burgers Sodium: 610 mg, 27% DV Fat: 13g (includes 1 g saturated), 17% DV Janes Beer Battered Fish Burgers Sodium: 410 mg, 18% Fat: 1.5 g saturated, 8% DV Gone are the days of vegetarians getting left out at the cookout: Brands like Impossible, Beyond Meat, Yves and Gardein offer a this-close facsimile of their beef brethren — including the sodium and fat, it seems. Beyond Meat Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 260 mg, 11% DV Fat: 2 g saturated + 0 g trans, 10% DV *Editor's note: Beyond Meat has informed Yahoo Canada they have updated their nutrition information. However, grocery store websites may still showcase previous nutrition data. Impossible Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 370 mg, 16% DV Fat: 8 g saturated, 40% DV Yves The Good Veggie Burgers Sodium: 310 mg, 14% Fat: 0.2 g saturated, 3% DV Gardein Suprême Plant-Based Burgers Sodium: 420 mg, 18% DV Fat: 9 saturated + 0.1 g trans, 44% DV Burger patties composed of vegetables, beans, grains and seasonings are an old-school vegetarian staple. Typically, these burgers are top-tier in healthiness regarding sodium and fat levels. Dr. Prager's California-Style Veggie Burgers Sodium: 250 mg, 10% DV Fat: 0 g saturated Big Mountain The Original Veggie Burgers Sodium: 135 mg, 6% DV Fat: 2 g saturated, 10% DV President's Choice Chickpea and Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers Sodium: 590 mg, 26% Fat: 9 g (including 1g saturated), 12% DV Wholly Veggie The Big Griller Veggie Burgers Sodium: 250 mg, 11% DV Fat: 0.5 g saturated, 5% DV Another potential sodium minefield standing between you and a barbecue meal that meets your dietary needs are burger buns. Some buns, it seems, might have as much salt as the patties they're clasped around. Some buns from the D'Italiano brand have 16 per cent of your daily sodium allotment per bun. That means a burger with one of these buns could have as high as half your daily intake, depending on the variety of patty inside — and that's before you've put cheese or ketchup on it. Wonderbread white buns, meanwhile, clock in at 10 per cent of your daily sodium needs — as do Compliments brand brioche buns. Villaggio's Toscana buns have 12 per cent of your daily sodium allowance, while Dempster's hamburger buns clock in at 10 per cent. Even though it tastes sweet, ketchup packs a sodium punch. At 50 grams — or about four tablespoon's worth — you're being delivered 18.5 per cent of your daily sodium recommendation. Mustard and relish aren't off the hook, either: According to the USDA, the average yellow mustard has 23.5 per cent of your daily sodium in a comparable amount. On the other hand, relish hovers around 16.5 per cent of your sodium needs for about four tablespoons. Adding cheese? One slice of Kraft Singles has 12 per cent of your sodium allowance, while Ziggy's brand cheddar slices offer seven per cent. It's possible that building the perfect burger could cost an entire day's worth of sodium intake if you're not careful. But simple swaps — like reaching for unprocessed cheese, going light on the condiments and checking the nutrition facts on the buns — can keep things in check, as will occasionally choosing patties made from chicken, fish and vegetables in place of beef. Get ready to light the grill!
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's hantavirus cases spark calls to eradicate rat infestations
A string of hantavirus-linked cases reported in Indonesia has sparked fears that the potentially lethal virus could be spreading undetected, with health experts citing widespread rodent exposure and poor sanitation as major risks that could lead to a further spike. Advertisement Eight cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), one of the diseases caused by the hantavirus, have been confirmed across four provinces – Yogyakarta, West Java, East Nusa Tenggara and North Sulawesi – as of June 19, according to a statement released by the health ministry on Saturday. All patients infected with HFRS have since recovered. While there is no need for public alarm at this stage, health experts recommend strengthening disease surveillance and ramping up public education efforts, noting that the virus could be silently spreading in high-risk areas. What is hantavirus? According to the Indonesian health ministry, hantavirus-linked diseases are transmitted by animals. 'This disease is transmitted through direct contact with rodents, and based on existing research, there has been no human-to-human transmission.' HFRS, the disease detected in Indonesia, primarily affects the kidneys and has been reported elsewhere in Asia and Europe. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), the other common disease caused by the virus, affects the lungs and is more prevalent in the Americas. HPS recently hit the headlines when it was reported that Betsy Arakawa, the wife of the late Hollywood actor Gene Hackman, had succumbed to the disease after she was found dead alongside her husband at the American couple's home in New Mexico in February this year. The hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was in the news recently following the death of Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in Februay. Photo: Shutterstock It was believed that the couple's home had been infested with rats and rat droppings after police found rodent nests on the property.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Slimming group wins top UK award thanks to Port Glasgow 'boy done good'
A Port Glasgow slimming group has won a prestigious UK award at a glittering ceremony. A PORT slimming consultant has won a prestigious UK award at a glittering ceremony. International Convention Centre in Birmingham. Joe Glancy's local group were crowned Slimming World's Group of the Year 2025 at the big bash in Birmingham - beating off competition from more than 11,500 groups and 4,000 consultants across the UK and Ireland. The group's members, who meet every Saturday at St Mary's Episcopal Church in Port Glasgow, have lost more than 400 stone between them this year. (Image: Slimming World UK) (Image: Slimming World UK) (Image: Slimming World UK) Joe, 51, said: "It is such big deal. When I heard Port Glasgow being called, I nearly died. "And then having to make a speech to 1,000 people was very emotional. As far as I am aware I was the first ever Scottish winner. "A lot of Scottish consultants were there wearing their kilts and waving the Saltire. It was a great atmosphere." Contributed Contributed Joe, of West Woodside Avenue, is no stranger to awards, also collecting the the group's prestigious gold award for the third year running. The dad-of-two started with 13 members, and the group now has around 250. For more information visit Joe also enjoyed an all-expenses holidays to Athens with his wife Elaine in May as part of the nomination for Group of the Year. He said: "I can't express how grateful I am. The trip included a trip to the Pantheon and Acropolis, Greek dancing and cooking lessons, a visit to the Olympic Stadium and the Temple of Poseidon, finished off with a cruise on the Aegean Sea with the best consultants in the company. "To follow this up with winning UK Group of the Year against 4,000 consultants in the UK and over 7,500 groups and having to do a speech to over 1000 people - bearing in mind this is in oor wee Port - is testament to the incredible members, my friends, that come to me every Saturday morning. "I love them all so much and am proud to help in whatever way I can." OTHER NEWS: Newark Trusts launches one-off grants to groups to improve premises 'Uninhabitable' Greenock flat to become holiday let after 'significant' renovation Caring brother is scaling highest peaks in UK after his sister's battle with sepsis The Port Glasgow Group were awarded the title based on the group's outstanding quality in a number of key areas. This included members' incredible weight-loss success, the vibrant and inclusive atmosphere of the group, members' success from their very first week, close friendships and the consultants' ability to encourage and motivate the group. On average, the Port Glasgow group's members average first week weight loss is over 4lbs with some members losing as much as 11 or 12 lbs in their first week. Joe, lost 5 stone with Slimming World himself before becoming a self-employed consultant, alongside his full time job in EE, achieving his target weight after the premature passing of his dear friend. Joe said 'I'm absolutely over the moon that we've won. Every member in our group is an absolute star as well as my friends. "They have worked so hard to transform their own lives while cheering on and supporting their fellow members, "Real friendships have been formed, and I am so lucky they trust me to help - especially listening to my terrible patter every Saturday morning! 'I truly believe I have the best, most rewarding, role in the world and having our incredible group recognised with this award makes it even more special." Joe also says there is no quick fix to weight loss but that support is there for anyone who is on weight-loss medication. Joe said: 'There's so much buzz at the moment about weight loss drugs, but the truth is there's no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight and, most importantly, keeping it off. "It requires real change, to build long term healthy habits and understand and change your relationship with food. "My members know that it's possible to lose weight – and maintain that weight loss – without these injections, and their incredible transformations inside and out, right from their very first week, are proof of that. "However, we also understand the appeal of interventions like weight loss jabs when you're absolutely desperate to lose weight, so we'd never judge anyone for taking them. "Everyone is welcome to get support at our group. 'It's the support we provide at Slimming World that sets us apart. We focus on equipping members with lifelong tools and support to lose weight and keep it off. "With every milestone reached, you see their confidence grow and their lives change along with their clothes size." Joe's Port Glasgow Slimming World group, which is also the biggest in the UK, takes place every Saturday, with sessions at 7.30am, 9am and 10.30am. For more information contact Joe on 07944340609
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Cheeky 12pm habit Aussies need to stop
A recent study has shown that napping during certain hours of the day could be associated with an increased risk of death. According to the research published in the journal Sleep, data from wearable activity trackers showed that nap duration and timing were related to increased all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults. Specifically, naps taken around the middle of the day were linked to a higher risk of death. This development brings scientists closer to understanding whether certain napping habits should raise concerns about a person's health. 'Our study fills a gap in knowledge by showing that not just whether someone naps, but how long, how variable, and when they nap during the day may be meaningful indicators of future health risk,' said lead study author Chenlu Gao, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told Health. 'Past studies have relied on self-reported nap habits, which are subject to recall bias.' Study links naps with mortality According to Mrs Gao, numerous studies have explored the link between night-time sleep and mortality. However, she and her colleagues have 'long been interested in understanding daytime napping and its impact on health'. 'We saw a critical need to investigate whether objectively assessed napping behaviours are associated with longevity,' she explained. The team analysed data from 86,565 non-shift working adults, aged 43 to 79 (with an average of 63), who were part of the UK Biobank, a comprehensive biomedical database. Fifty-seven per cent of these participants were women. They wore a device that tracked their rest and activity levels for seven days, with napping defined as any sleep occurring between 9am and 7pm. During the 11-year follow-up period, 5819 of the study participants had died. Researchers identified a higher risk of death associated with three factors: longer naps, greater day-to-day variability in nap length, and more naps around noon and early afternoon. These associations remained true even after adjusting for factors such as body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, and overnight sleep duration. While the study established a correlation between different napping habits and mortality, it is crucial to note that it did not prove that napping causes an increased risk of death. It is also uncertain whether these findings apply to the general population. Why might napping be linked to mortality? Currently, as there is no definitive evidence that naps directly cause increased mortality, sleep experts are examining the research for clues — and some suggest that the underlying reasons for napping may be more relevant. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea or medical conditions that drain energy, like heart disease, could actually be the underlying cause of the nap-mortality connection. The study did attempt to account for lifestyle factors, but it remains difficult to control for undiagnosed medical conditions. Other experts propose that long, irregular midday naps could influence health by disrupting circadian rhythms, which are the body's internal sleep-wake cycles. This disruption could affect various factors that influence mortality, such as inflammation, metabolism, and cardiovascular health. Should we nap? If you feel the need to nap, experts recommend aiming for less than 30 minutes, as this allows you to feel refreshed and energised without experiencing grogginess. Napping earlier in the day can also help prevent your nap from interfering with your ability to sleep at night. If you find yourself napping more frequently or for longer periods, you should consult your doctor.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's hantavirus outbreak sparks calls to eradicate rat infestations
A string of hantavirus-linked cases reported in Indonesia has sparked fears that the potentially lethal virus could be spreading undetected, with health experts citing widespread rodent exposure and poor sanitation as major risks that could lead to a further spike. Advertisement Eight cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), one of the diseases caused by the hantavirus, have been confirmed across four provinces – Yogyakarta, West Java, East Nusa Tenggara and North Sulawesi – as of June 19, according to a statement released by the health ministry on Saturday. All patients infected with HFRS have since recovered. While there is no need for public alarm at this stage, health experts recommend strengthening disease surveillance and ramping up public education efforts, noting that the virus could be silently spreading in high-risk areas. What is hantavirus? According to the Indonesian health ministry, hantavirus-linked diseases are transmitted by animals. 'This disease is transmitted through direct contact with rodents, and based on existing research, there has been no human-to-human transmission.' HFRS, the disease detected in Indonesia, primarily affects the kidneys and has been reported elsewhere in Asia and Europe. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), the other common disease caused by the virus, affects the lungs and is more prevalent in the Americas. HPS recently hit the headlines when it was reported that Betsy Arakawa, the wife of the late Hollywood actor Gene Hackman, had succumbed to the disease after she was found dead alongside her husband at the American couple's home in New Mexico in February this year. The hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was in the news recently following the death of Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in Februay. Photo: Shutterstock It was believed that the couple's home had been infested with rats and rat droppings after police found rodent nests on the property.
