13 durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, May 26, 2022 | One of Brock Street Brewing Company's most popular drinks is headed to the LCBO just in time for warmer weather. The Raspberry Lemon Vodka Soda has become a fan favourite and is now rolling out to hundreds of store locations. "The process to get listed to the LCBO is quite a lengthy one," says Mark Woitzik, president of Brock Street Brewing. "It's also incredibly competitive." The company started producing vodka sodas about two years ago. After perfecting the recipe, the drinks were released on the Brock Street Brewing website for home delivery in the middle of the pandemic and "took off like crazy," Woitzik says. Expanding beyond craft beer was both a strategic business move and an effort to offer products that cater to a wider range of customers. The ready-to-drink cocktail category is seeing major growth in Ontario and options like vodka soda are especially popular with millenniels looking for drinks that are low carb and low sugar with lower alcohol. "We still love craft beer, we're a brewery at heart," Woitzik says. "We recognize that younger people like the vodka sodas...we're trying to stick to our core roots by still producing craft beer, but also create interesting new products." The vodka sodas are made in small batches with purified carbonated water, triple distilled vodka and natural flavours. Some current flavour options include Lemon Lime, Peach Mango, Watermelon and Wild Cherry. It's not the only new Brock Street Brewing Company product at the LCBO -- two new brews are available on shelves now, the Craft Light Lager and Pineapple Sour -- while the Lime Light Lager has also been approved for an LCBO listing. Brock Street also recently introduced its own spirits -- there's a Premium Vodka distilled four time and made with local ingredients, while the Contemporary Gin is also distilled four times and "infused with juniper berries, coriander and an assortment of organic botanicals." We want to hear about your favourite places to eat and drink in Durham! Old favourites, hidden gems, new restaurants opening, awesome food trucks. Send your great eats to reporter Jillian Follert at jfollert@durhamregion.com WHITBY BREWERY LANDS ONE OF ITS POPULAR VODKA SODAS ON LCBO SHELVES JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@durhamregion.com FOOD AND DRINK BROCK STREET BREWING MAKES VODKA SODAS IN SMALL BATCHES The Raspberry Lemon Vodka Soda from Brock Street Brewing in Whitby is hitting the shelves of LCBO stores just in time for summer. The local brewery recently launched several new products, including its own vodka and gin. Brock Street Brewing photos BROCK STREET BREWING Website: brockstreetbrewing.com Address: 244 Brock St. S., Whitby Facebook: facebook.com/ brockstreetbrewing Instagram: @brockstreetbrewing Prioritizing heart health is vital when it comes to our overall health and wellness. In Canada, hypertension -- also known as high blood pressure -- affects almost one in four adults, but often goes undetected. The good news is that simple food and lifestyle changes can help lower your risk. This Hypertension Awareness Month, I am sharing a few heart-focused nutrition tips to keep in mind: Choose foods higher in fibre -- Soluble fibre can help lower cholesterol and reduce fat absorption, which is good for heart health. Some food sources with soluble fibre include oat bran, barley, legumes and chia or flax seeds. Insoluble fibre helps to keep us regular and promotes a healthy digestive system. Some food sources include nuts, whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Aim for foods lower in sodium -- Too much sodium in your diet can lead to high blood pressure, so it's important to choose foods lower in sodium when possible. Try adding lemon juice, herbs and spices to add flavour to your meals before reaching for the salt shaker. Processed foods can be a culprit of sodium too. Check the nutrition facts panel for information about the sodium content of your foods. Potassium, calcium and magnesium -- Not eating enough foods containing potassium (bananas, cantaloupe, leafy greens), calcium (yogurt, almonds, edamame), and magnesium (nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes) may contribute to high blood pressure. To make sure you are getting enough of these nutrients, eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of whole foods. Understanding fats -- Despite what many believe, dietary fat plays an important role in the body. In fact, unsaturated fats can help lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise your "good" HDL cholesterol. Nuts and seeds, avocados, plant-based oils and fatty fish are all great sources of unsaturated fats. On the other hand, you should be mindful of how much saturated and trans fats you consume, as research has shown that diets high in these fats are linked to heart disease. Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products such as fatty cuts of meats and higher in fat dairy products, in addition to many processed foods. Do you have questions about eating well for a healthy heart? Reach out to a registered dietitian for more great tips. CRUNCHY APPLE BEET SLAW INGREDIENTS: • 1/4 cup (50 mL) PC® Red Wine Vinegar • 1/4 cup (50 mL) PC® 100 per cent Pure Safflower Oil • 1 small clove garlic, minced • 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar • 1 tsp (5 mL) salt • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper • 1 pkg (340 g) PC® Beet Slaw • 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut in matchsticks • 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced natural almonds • 1/2 cup (125 mL) PC® Tart Montmorency Cherries Whole, sweetened dried fruit • 1/4 cup (50 mL) thinly sliced red onion • 1/3 cup (75 mL) PC® Unsalted Raw Pumpkin Seeds STEPS: • Whisk together vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl. • Combine beet slaw, apples, almonds, cherries, onion and seeds in large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss to combine. • Serve immediately or cover and chill 30 minutes. Jessica Corner is a registered dietitian at Loblaws in Bowmanville. She assists clients by encouraging balanced eating habits with gentle nutrition practices. She is a non-diet based dietitian who advocates for freedom from food restriction. Contact her at jessica.corner@loblaw.ca or 905-442- 8727. DURHAM COLUMNIST WITH NUTRITION TIPS FOR A HEALTHY HEART OPINION HIGHER FIBRE, LOWER SODIUM FOODS BEST, SAYS JESSICA CORNER Jessica Corner offers up a recipe for crunchy apple beet slaw. Loblaws photo JESSICA CORNER Column