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Here you will find articles on all issues concerning healthy eating, nutrition and well being. Have a read...

Is that Gluten- Free?

Many people become confused when talking about coeliac disease and being gluten-free, hopefully this article will help you to understand a bit more about what it all means. Basically coeliac disease ‘is a condition which affects the small bowel, damaging the lining and preventing absorption of food nutrients…’ Dietitians Association Australia. Therefore this means that an immune reaction to gluten (proteins in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats) causes the inflammation and damage to the small bowel.

This damage means that nutrients from food are poorly absorbed into the body, causing for deficiencies in certain nutrients.  When a coeliac patients stops eating gluten their immune reaction subsides resulting in the small bowel healing and their symptoms recovering. People that suffer from coeliac disease are likely to suffer from symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, anemia, diarrhea or anaemia. It is because of this that people with the disease must avoid gluten for the rest of their lives. Coeliac disease currently affects one in every hundred people.

To detect whether or not someone has coeliac disease a screening blood test with their GP will show if the disease is likely to be present however, a small bowel biopsy performed by a Gastroenterologistis necessary to accurately diagnose coeliac disease.

So where can we find gluten? In large amounts gluten in found in wheat, triticale, barley and rye. In smaller amounts gluten is found in oats and ingredients that are made from the previously mentioned foods. This may seem like a large chunk of the grains that an average person would usually consume. But do not worry as there are other alternative such as buckwheat, quinoa, soy, rice, maize/corn, millet, amaranth and sorghum. As well as this other foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, meat, fish, milk, cheese, fruit and vegetables are all gluten-free in their natural form.

Now it is time to go and choose the right foods and making sure that your diet is well-balanced. But sometimes this can be very difficult without professional help. It is essential that people with coeliac disease consult an Accredited Practising Dietitian to gain can help when identify the different types of foods to avoid in their diets whilst still enjoying  a varied and nutritious diet. Find yourself a dietitian near you at http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/find-an-apd/.

 

Why not try Dairy-Free?

There are many reasons why you might want to try going dairy free. Many people have numerous health and ethical reasons to avoid dairy products. Research has found that those who have quit from eating dairy they have had reduced symptoms of chronic congestion, digestive problems, ear infections and acne. But don’t just go out and be dairy-free as all people need to make sure that they read up on dairy-free eating and also ensure that they speak with a medical professional. Dairy is an important part of any balanced diet and alternatives need to be introduced into your diet. Many people not only avoid dairy in their diets because of health reasons but also because they are opposed to the production of dairy products for ethical reasons. Many cows are known to be kept in factory farms in cramped conditions. For this reason some people have decided to eliminate dairy. This is similar to ethical reasons for people to stop eating meat because of inhuman slaughter processes.

For many people the idea of going dairy-free is a daunting idea. But don’t worry you can ease yourself into this process. The key to going dairy-free is not just by cutting out all the dairy-free products that you eat but rather swap them for dairy alternatives.

It’s time to start your dairy-free diet. Here are 5 great tips to get you started:

 

1.       Learn what ingredients contain dairy when reading food labels

This can be very frustrating process as it is very often that dairy foods can be ‘hidden’ in other products. It is best that when first trying a dairy-free diet that you purchase products that are labelled ‘Vegan’ as it is certain that no dairy product will be present. I suggest this as some products that are labelled ‘lactose-free’ will still contain dairy and even some products that are labelled ‘non-dairy’ may contain milk proteins or other dairy originating products. Don’t worry about the products that you are going to buy as you will soon learn the products that you can eat and the ones that ou like. Once you know these stick with them.

 

2.       Now it is time to stock your pantry full

It is a really good idea to keep all your staple dairy-free products stocked up in your fridge and pantry. This creates for a really easy meal if you need to cook in a hurry.

 

3.       Have a go at new recipes today

It is a really good idea to trial some of your own recipes that are dairy-free or even try some of mine! Have a go today. You will be surprised at how many recipes are available that are now available a there is an increasing population of people who are now on a dairy-free diet.

 

4.       Ease yourself into this new diet

It is really important that you ease yourself into this new diet of yours. Start by only changing one dairy product at a time and then gradually increase on this.

 

5.       Stay calm and have fun

This is very self-explanatory…  

Just a note about being dairy-free:

Many people worry about not consuming enough calcium when following a dairy-free diet. But why not try these foods that are also high in calcium:

Whole Food Sources	Serving	Calcium (mg)
Sardines	3 ounces	372
Chinese cabbage, cooked	1/2 cup	239
Spinach, cooked	1/2 cup	230
Rhubarb, cooked	1/2 cup	174
Wild salmon, canned with bones	3 ounces	167
Kale, cooked	1 cup	122
White beans, cooked	1/2 cup	113
Bok choy, cooked	1/2 cup	79
Broccoli, cooked	1 cup	70
Pinto beans, cooked	1/2 cup	45
Red beans, cooked	1/2 cup	41

 Good luck if you have decided to start this new adventure! Have fun discovering a new diet! xx

 

Basic Healthy Cooking Tips

In my last article I wrote to you all about how to stay healthy when eating out, but what about when you are cooking for yourself at home? How can you minimise the amount a saturated fat that you are eating in the way that you cook your food?

First of all you will need some of the right equipment. Here are some basic items that will help make healthy cooking easier:

- Canola/Olive Oil Spray     - A Baking Rack     - A Pasty Brush     - Non stick pans    - Baking Paper

- A Wok and Steamer

 To eat balanced healthy meals everyday it is best that you use low fat methods when cooking your foods. Some of these include: grilling, stir-frying, steaming, poaching, boiling, baking and microwaving. For example if I was presented with a large cut of meat I may decide to use the method of roasting when cooking the meal. This would involve cooking the meat on a rack so that the fat is able to drain off. It is best to cook your vegetables on a separate lined tray with a small spray of olive oil instead of underneath the meat as they would not be able to capture any extra, unnecessary fat. Or even when stir-frying only use a small amount of oil in a non stick wok or pan, or you could even use a small amount of water of stock.

When grilling or barbequing use lean cuts of meat and marinades that you have prepared yourself as many bought marinades have high sodium contents and many additives. When preparing something large like a casserole, soup or a stew you may like to replace some of the meat with extra vegetables or legumes for an extra nutritional value. I am sure that you have often loved adding sour cream to your soups, casseroles or stews but why not, to reduce your fat intake, add a tablespoon of plain yoghurt. You could also try replacing cream with evaporated skim milk. Always use low fat dairy products when cooking!

When making salads do not ruin them by adding lots of creamy dressings and mayonnaise. Why not make your own dressing from olive oil, honey, vinegar, mustard and lemon juice.

Are you the sort of person who believes that all the flavour of a meal comes from the fat that is left on the meat? Do you think that healthy meals are tasteless because they don’t have any fat? Well them you have had a very bad experience and I am sorry for this! T o overcome this add flavour to your meals by using herbs and spices, mustard, garlic and chilli or even make your own marinades, salsa and chutneys. You can have a lot of flavour in a meal without all the fat! I hope this is useful. Try some of these tips next time you go to cook! xx

Healthy Eating and Dining out

Do you find it hard to eating healthy when dining out or ordering takeaway? Are you worried about the amount of fat that you are consuming when eating such foods? Well hopefully some of these tips and tricks will help you when eating out and ordering takeaway. Read on...

1. When ordering pasta try to choose dishes with a vegetable based sauce instead of a creamy one. Ask that butter and cream are not added to any sauces that may be in your dishes.

2. Choose lean meats over meat that has a high amount of fat untrimmed. You could even reduce the level of saturated fat in your meal by removing the fat from meat or taking off the skin from chicken.

3. Select dishes that have many vegetables or salad. Ask for more salad and no fried chips when eating at a bistro.

4. What you may be unaware of is the high level of fat that is contained in garlic or herd breads. Ask for or choose to eat plain, fresh bread instead.

5. When eating seafood dishes make sure that the products are not fried or crumbed, but choose stir-fried or grilled options.

6. Beware of the famous smorgasbord as they can often cause you to over-eat. If your choice is not an option, limit yourself to only first servings.

7. Ask for salad dressings and mayonnaise made from oils such as sunflower, canola, soybeans and olive oils. Ask for the dressings on the side so you can add as much or as little as you like.

8. Why not suggest sharing a dessert with another person on your table? Try to choose fruit based desserts such as fresh, baked or canned fruit or reduced fat custard, gelato and sorbet.

9. Definitely choose water as your preferred beverage as alcohol provides no important nutrients and adds on the unnecessary kilojoules (energy sources). If you do want to drink alcohol make sure you alternate each drink with a light mineral water or plain water.

10. Avoid fruit juices, even though you may think that it is ‘healthy’, fruit juice has the same amount of kilojoules as a regular beer, so drinking fruit juice when trying to lose weight really will not help.

So there you go, some great tips on be healthy when you are eating out. You can do it! Try these great tips when you are next dining out!

xx

Fight the Fats

I am sure that you thought that all fat was bad and that you should never eat it, right? Fat = Bad? Well to your surprise you are actually wrong. Some fats are very important in our diets as they, unlike other foods are able to provide the body with essential fatty acids that assist the body with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. But this does not mean that you all may go out and eat as much fat as you like because as you have probably guessed there are different types of fat. Some fats are considered good for our health and others not. Eating too much fat can become a problem especially when it is the wrong type of fat!

Saturated, Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Trans fats are the four commonly known main types of fats. They come under two distinct categories:

Saturated/Trans fats are known to increase the levels of bad cholesterol and reduce levels of good cholesterol. This makes them the type of fat that we want to avoid. They are also known to increase the fat/muscle ratio of a person who consumes this in large amounts. In others words Saturated/Trans fats are known to make you FAT.

Particular foods that contain these types of fats include:

Saturated Fat -mainly animal foods such as meat and dairy products, such as butter and chocolate

-palm and coconut oil which can commonly found in biscuits, pastries and takeaway dishes

Trans Fat – are found in foods that contain hydrogenated oils like biscuits, cakes and fried foods

-some margarines contain Trans fats (make sure to check the labels)

-also sometimes meat products

Monounsaturated/Polyunsaturated Fats are known to lower your levels of bad cholesterol. Mono’s are also known to increase good cholesterol and therefore make them a really great choice! So these are the good fats. See I told you that Fat doesn’t always = Bad. In fact, fat can = good.

 Particular foods that contain these types of fats include:

Monounsaturated Fat – olives, peanuts, olive oil, peanut oil, avocado, macadamia nuts and canola oil

Polyunsaturated Fat – found in soybean, sunflower and safflower oil as well as margarines made from these oils. Nuts and oils contain this type of fat also.

Now is the time to reduce your saturated fat intake and increase you intake of Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats. But how can you do this?

Here are a few helpful hints and tips:

1. Replace butter and mayo with avocado, hummus or nut spreads.

2. Avoid takeaway and fried foods.

3. Choose only lean meats and trim all fat away.

4. Eat more fish and legumes.

5. Use cold pressed extra virgin oil in cooking.

6. Make sweet biscuits and cakes only occasional foods.

7. Eat low fat dairy foods and soy products.

8. Replace high fat snacks such as snacks with unsalted nuts and wholegrain crackers.

 

Healthy Vegetarian Eating...Why be a vegetarian?

Vegetarianism, or the avoidance of certain meats, has long been practiced by many communities who lived into old age. Did you know that Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were all confirmed vegetarians? As well as being practiced by many famous masterminds of the past, vegetarianism is practiced by 2-3 per cent of the world’s population and has been built into the philosophy of a few world recognised religions, such as Seventh Day Adventists, Buddhists, Trappist Catholic Monks and Hare Krishna’s.

 Today many people are rejecting meat and turning to vegetarianism due to a concern for the world’s environment, the slaughter of animals or because they believe it will help them to seek optimum health. Many people, even though they may not strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet, are increasingly beginning to choose meatless meals causing a wide variety of restaurants to offer a wider range of meat free choices.

A varied and well balanced vegetarian diet can provide all of the nutrients required for good health including many benefits that are associated with eating a vegetarian diet. On average vegetarians are considered to:

- have lower levels of ‘bad’ LDL-cholesterol

- are less likely to suffer heart disease

- are less likely to suffer from a variety of cancer

- have lower blood pressure

- weigh less

- have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes

Yet these benefits have been concluded as vegetarians often smoke less than the average person, drink less alcohol, drink little or no caffeine and engage in regular physical activity. Generally vegetarians have a concern for their health and well being and therefore make such decisions. To ensure that the nutritional needs are met for a vegetarian it is important for them to enjoy a variety of foods from each of the main food groups:

1.  Bread and Cereals – Offering energy (carbohydrates), B Vitamins, Fibre and Protein

2. Fruit and Vegetables – Offering Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Energy (carbohydrates) and Fibre

3. Milk and Dairy Foods – Offering Calcium, Vitamins A and D, Protein and B Vitamins

4. Meat and Meat Alternatives – Offering Protein, Iron, B Vitamins and Zinc

5. Fats – Offering Fat soluble vitamins A, D and E and Energy

Yet as obviously indicated, Vegetarians cut out meat from their diets and furthermore some remove other important food groups such as dairy products. There are five commonly recognised types of vegetarians that are listed below:

Vegans: Avoid all types of foods that come from and animal origin. They survive of products that are plant based and so rely on pulses, grains, vegetables, nuts and fruits.

Lacto-vegetarians: Include dairy products in their diet but no meats or other animal products.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians: Avoid all meat types yet still consume dairy products and eggs (When completing the vegetarian challenge I was a Lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

Semi-vegetarians: Eat dairy foods and eggs plus the occasional meal with a white meat such as fish or chicken. This type of vegetarianism is growing increasingly popular amongst teenage girls.

Fruitarians: Only consume fruit and nuts. This diet is too limited and poses many health detriments.

As there are many types of vegetarian eating, nutrients that may be low in a vegetarian’s diet vary depending on foods included. For example a vegetarian that is following a strict vegan diet will lack Vitamin B12, Protein, Iron, Zinc and Calcium. Zinc is particularly important for wound healing, maintaining your immune system, growth, vision and protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Pretty important right?? To increase a vegan’s zinc consumption they must try to include seeds, nuts, legumes regularly as well as wholegrain breads and cereals. Calcium is also essential for bones and teeth strength and is also important with blood clotting and muscle and nerve development. The average male or female require 800mg of calcium daily and can be found in dairy alternatives such as soy products as well as some dried fruits, nuts and dark leafy vegetables.

To find out more about vegetarian eating and nutrition tips have a flick through:

‘Nutrition for LIFE’ by Catherine Saxelby

Thanks for reading!

Please feel free to ask any question that you may have!

Kate

xx

Low GI? ...What’s a GI?

You may have heard about the Glycemic Index once or twice during food tech or PDH classes, but what does it really mean? How important is it for your health and well being? It really is very simple. The Glycemic Index is a scientific ranking of how the foods we eat affect our blood sugar levels in the 2 or 3 hours after eating. This index is measured out of 100:

0-55 = Low-GI    56-69 = Moderate-GI    70-100 = High-GI

So why care? Well, it is scientifically proven that foods with a High GI (70-100) break down quickly during digestion, release blood sugar rapidly into the bloodstream, and cause marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. This simply means that the sugars in the product are released really quickly into your body and don’t last through the day. This is not good! Whereas foods that have a Low GI (0-55) break down slowly during digestion, release blood sugar gradually into the bloodstream, and keep blood sugar levels steady. This means that Low GI meals leave you feeling fuller for longer, ease food cravings and provide you with greater and more sustained energy levels. Low GI meals are perfect for us teenagers as they sustain our bodies during the day and are a great way to kick start the morning. How many of you are very familiar with the hunger of 10:00am? Low GI meals are also great if you find yourself feeling lethargic or losing concentration during class or sport training.

Low GI Diets can have many great health benefits as they:

• Control and stabilise your blood sugar levels
• Improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin
• Lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
• Lower your risk of heart disease
• Improve your energy levels and general wellbeing

So, to get started, here are a few easy Low GI snacks that you can try today! Make sure to be avoiding High GI foods. Remember we want to be sustaining our bodies through long school, work or university mornings.

LOW GI FOODS	HIGH GI FOODS
A small handful of natural mixed nuts and dried fruit	Salted, roasted peanuts and other nuts
A small bowl of freshly popped popcorn	Potato chips
Wholegrain pita chips topped with hummus	Biscuits and crackers
Yoghurt topped with muesli	Ice-cream
Fresh cut vegetables	Lollies and sweets

Kate
xx