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Product review: Carman’s Super Seed & Grain crackers
Carman’s Super Seed & Grain crackers have been a favourite healthy snack in my household for a while. Because they are gluten-free, vegan, low in FODMAPs and carbohydrates, they are a great alternative for a variety of people. Carman’s Super Seed & Grain crackers Each box contains a re-sealable plastic container with 21 crackers. The suggested serving size is 27g or 7 crackers. The currently available flavours are Rosemary & Sea Salt, Pepita & Poppy Seed, Seven Seeds & Cracked Pepper. As mentioned at the top, these crackers are gluten-free, vegan and low-carb. They are also certified low FODMAP by Monash University which means one serve of the crackers is…
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How to improve body composition
As seen previously, improving body composition can confer a competitive advantage to some athletes. Hence the interest of athletes and coaches on how to improve body composition. In general, improving body composition means decreasing fat mass and increasing fat-free mass or muscle mass (a.k.a. lean body mass). Besides training protocols and periodisation, there are nutrition approaches that can achieve a favourable change. How to improve body composition Body composition can be improved using a variety of nutrition approaches. Broadly speaking, they can be categorised as dietary manipulation (e.g. tweaking energy intake or macronutrient levels) and supplementation. Note that not all research in this area is done on athletes. Some studies…
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Recipe: Teriyaki-glazed salmon with corn and broccoli
This teriyaki-glazed salmon with corn and broccoli is an easy and healthy meal you can have ready in less than thirty minutes. This dish is packed with protein and omega-3 healthy fats from the salmon and fibre from the vegetables. Salmon also contains vitamin D, among other nutrients. The teriyaki glaze has only 2 ingredients: soy sauce and mirin, which are available in major supermarkets and Asian grocers. I use gluten-free tamari, but any soy sauce will do. I served this dish with cooked basmati rice. Feel free to use a lower carbohydrate substitute (such as cauliflower rice or konjac rice).
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Product review: YoPRO frozen dessert
YoPRO frozen dessert is a high protein treat with no added sugar from the makers of my favourite high protein yoghurt. YoPRO frozen dessert YoPRO frozen dessert comes in packs of 4 individually wrapped items in the “ice cream in a stick” format. Each serve contains 540 ml of frozen goodness, 105-109 kilocalories (depending on the flavour), 10 grams of protein, no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. You can find them in the frozen section of Coles supermarkets. The current available flavours are: Mint Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Berries & Cream, and Chocolate Mocha. Ingredients Below are the ingredients lists for a couple of flavours. Note that despite YoPRO is…
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How to eat more vegetables
According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, adults should eat about 5 serves of vegetables for good health (1). However, only 7.5% of the adult population manage to meet their recommended target (2). Part of the problem is that some people don’t like vegetables, but it’s also true that many people don’t know how to eat more vegetables. How many serves of vegetables For most of the population from the age of 9, the recommended number of serves is around 5 serves per day. This varies based on gender (males need more) and life stage (pregnant and lactating women need more). Likewise, more active individuals, such as athletes, need more. The…
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Body composition in sport
Body composition in sport receives much attention from athletes and everyone in their teams, from coaches to dietitians. This is because certain levels of body mass and fat levels are regarded as important for performance and/or aesthetics. What is body composition? Generally speaking, body composition refers to the relative amount of different tissues in the body. Most of the time, the main focus is body fat content. However, it is well known that other tissues such as bone and muscle are also important for athletic performance. For example, muscle is essential for generating power (1). Body composition in sport Body composition is important in those sports known as weight sensitive.…
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Recipe: Roast pumpkin and lentil salad with lemon and sumac labneh
Roast pumpkin and lentil salad with lemon and sumac labneh is a healthy and filling vegetarian meal to have for lunch or dinner. It can also be served as part of a shared meal. What is labneh? It is a Middle Eastern strained yoghurt that is often used in savoury applications, e.g. as a dip. Its consistency is in between Greek yoghurt and cream cheese. This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian. It can be made vegan by omitting the eggs and using plant-based yoghurt or cheese instead of the labneh. This salad is high in fibre and has a decent amount of protein, both of which will keep you satisfied…
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Christmas recipe roundup
Here’s the 2020 edition of my Christmas recipe roundup which might be useful if you’re out of ideas for the festive season. Appetizer 2 ingredient devilled eggs Devilled eggs might be out of fashion but they are a fantastic appetizer/finger food for many reasons. They are easy to make, economical, filling and nutritious. They are naturally free of gluten, dairy and other allergens such as nuts, seafood and soy. No, they are not vegan but they low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Get the recipe here. Easy guacamole Guacamole is super easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. Bonus points: it’s gluten-free, vegan, packed with nutrients and not…
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Setting goals for 2021
2020 has been without a doubt, the most eventful year in our lifetimes. As the year comes to an end, you might wonder if setting goals for 2021 makes sense at all. As always, it depends. SMART Goals I’m sure you’ve heard about SMART goals before. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. For example, let’s say you have put on 30 kg in the past 5 years. “Losing weight” is not an example of a SMART goal. It is relevant but way too generic and not time-bound. Hence, it is difficult to measure and perhaps unachievable. A better wording would be “lose 10 kg by the…
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Recipe: Lazy eggs benny
Lazy eggs benny is one of my go-to favourite brunches. It’s the no-fuss quick and easy version of proper eggs Benedict, hence the name “lazy”. Below are my guidelines to make eggs benny lazy: use soft-boiled eggs instead of poached ones use smoked salmon or ham, which don’t need to be cooked, instead of bacon use mayonnaise instead of hollandaise (it’s easier to make and keeps longer in the fridge) use whatever bread you have in hand, no need to go out of your way to buy English muffins while spinach is the most common vegetable used in eggs Benedict, you can use whatever greens or other vegetables you have…
