“You are what you eat,” the famous saying goes. And for celebrity chef and fitness buff Jose Sarasola, eating healthy and thinking healthy start with choosing the right kind of cooking oil.
Sarasola, former Pinoy Fear Factor contestant and boyfriend of Japanese actress Maria Ozawa, shared his expertise in preparing heart-healthy meals during the kickoff leg of Golden Fiesta’s Heart Healthy Camp at Solenad 1 in Nuvali, Laguna, recently.
Sarasola treated the participants of the fun-filled fitness camp with a live cooking demo and food sampling using the heart-healthy Canola Oil by Golden Fiesta, the country’s leading cooking oil brand. The chef-actor showed the eager participants how to prepare simple, hearty meals like Golden Fiesta Lettuce Salad with Guyabano Vinaigrette, Golden Fiesta Bangus Back Fillet and Adobo Kangkong Duo, and Golden Fiesta Japanese Chicken Katsu in Curry Sauce.
“To be healthy, you have to eat healthy, and part of that lifestyle is choosing the right kind of oil. There’s a misconception that all oils are unhealthy—that’s not the case with the heart-healthy and versatile Golden Fiesta Canola Oil, which is not only good for frying but also for making sauces and salad dressings. It does not take rocket science to learn and make healthy meals at home,” Sarasola said.
“To reach the goal that you want in life, you have to really work hard for it. And when it comes to achieving that healthy lifestyle and physically fit body, Golden Fiesta Canola Oil is there to aid you,” he added.
The free-admission fitness camp was warmly received not just by scores of fitness enthusiasts but also by legions of young professionals, including families and groups of friends, who trooped to the Solenad 1-Flex Lot, as early as 6 a.m., to jump-start a heart-healthy life with a fitness regimen.
The morning was made livelier by a Zumba session led by top Zumba and yoga instructor Karen Buenvenida. Participants readily tried out an assortment of fitness routines and activities that were categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advance levels that matched their varying fitness requirements.
Each station was manned by professional coaches and trainers to ensure that participants were carrying out the exercises properly and safely. The workout activities include Pumps! Plyometric Box Jumps; Heart Skips! Low Hurdles; Heart Beats! Agility Ladders; Elastic Heart! Fitness Band; Heart Swing! Kettle Bells; and Heart Waves! Battle Ropes.
Participants also listened to, and engaged in, “Heart Talks” conducted by licensed nutritionist-dietician and fitness specialist Fia Batua.
“We Filipinos can’t say no to fried food, but the good news is Golden Fiesta is promoting simple changes that we can do on a daily basis to improve our overall health. We encourage everyone to start these simple lifestyle changes in your kitchen,” Batua said.
“Canola oil is one of the best and most nutritious oils in the market; it’s even healthier and cheaper than olive oil. Canola oil is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids that are very good for the heart. You can use it for baking, frying, and as dressing,” she added.
\Golden Fiesta Canola Oil is a rich source of cholesterol-reducing phytosterols, an all-natural plant extract that can reduce your body’s cholesterol level by as much as 15 percent. Scientific studies and trials show that consumption of two grams of phytosterols per day has the potential of diminishing one’s risk of developing coronary heart disease.
According to Carl Constantino, category marketing manager at NutriAsia, the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp is the brand’s way of reaching out to Filipino consumers and encouraging them to be more mindful of their food choices and to maintain an active lifestyle despite tight schedules.
“We are very happy that residents of Laguna and even of nearby areas took this opportunity to learn and enjoy new fitness techniques from fitness experts and enthusiasts—all for free,” Constantino enthused.
“Today, our camp participants brought home some useful tips from nutrition and fitness experts and learned how to cook their favorite fried dishes—plus new recipes that they can try at home—using heart-healthy Golden Fiesta Canola Oil.”
After the Nuvali leg, the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp will proceeded to Track 30th at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Eton Centris Walk in Quezon City.