Dairy products and alternatives constitute one of the five food groups in the Australian Dietary Guidelines. “Alternatives” are included in this group because there is an increasing number of people who cannot or choose not to consume foods derived from animal milk. Is dairy good for you? As it’s often the case, it depends. What […]
Category: Nutrition
Product review: Keto Nutrition sports supplements
It’s undeniable that keto (i.e. the ketogenic diet) has gone mainstream. Keto recipes are flooding the internet and keto food products the supermarket shelves. Sports supplements are not an exception, with Keto Nutrition being one of the newest brands in the market dedicated to athletes who choose this nutrition strategy. Disclaimers: I received a sample […]
Is tonic water good for you?
Tonic water is a tricky beverage. It has water in the name, so it must be healthy, right? Is tonic water good for you? Unfortunately, most tonic water has high than soft drinks. This is bad news for people who like gin and tonic, like me. What is tonic water? “a carbonated beverage flavored with […]
Product review: Gluten-free Vegemite
Vegemite is one of the most iconic Australian foods. The spread, made from brewer’s yeast extract, is finally available in a gluten-free version. ‘Pure Vegetable Extract’ was developed in the early 1920s. The product went through a few name changes and a rough start due to the already established popularity of Marmite, the British version. […]
Meal prep the right way
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success” – Alexander Graham Bell. Most people don’t have time to cook a healthy meal every day of the week. Most people don’t have the money to pay someone to cook for them every day. Eating out is not as healthy and/or budget-friendly as making your own […]
Product review: Prepd Hydration
I first heard about Prepd Hydration from the Sports Dietitians Australia newsletter. These performance drinks are certified by HASTA, which means they do not contain any banned substances. These products have been developed in partnership with researchers at Flinders University. The drinks Prepd Hydration drinks come in 2 varieties: Prime and Recover. These are designed […]
Fructose: Sweet poison?
Fructose is a simple sugar (such as glucose and maltose) that occurs naturally in foods. It is a pentose (has 5 carbons). When one molecule of fructose combines with one molecule of glucose, it forms sucrose (a.k.a. table sugar). Years ago, agave syrup was all the rage because it was high in fructose. Fructose is […]
Avocado and health
Avocado, aguacate, palta. All of these words refer to the same fruit – yes, fruit. The avocado (Persea americana) seems to have originated in Mexico (1, 2) and is currently enjoyed in most corners of the world thanks to globalisation. The picture at the top of this article was taken in my hometown (Lima, Perú), […]
Sugary drinks
One of the simplest things you can do to change your health and waistline is avoiding sugary drinks. Liquid calories in general are a bad idea if you are trying to lose weight because they are easy to consume in large quantities. In addition, most drinks sweetened with sugar provide zero to little nutrition. What […]
Book review: Culinary reactions (Simon Quellen Field)
Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry Of Cooking is a book for the scientists who love cooking or the cooks who love science. If you are neither of those, you might find this book frustrating. Consider yourself warned. The author Simon Quellen Field is the CEO of Kinetic MicroScience, a company that designs and sells science […]