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Grapefruit: Good or evil?
Grapefruit is an interesting fruit. People on weight loss diets have been eating it for decades It’s not available year-round, not everybody likes it and some people can’t have it. Is grapefruit good or evil? What is grapefruit? The citrus fruit commonly known as grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), is a natural hybrid between pomelo and orange (1). Nutrients in grapefruit Grapefruit and its juice contains various nutrients, including vitamin A, C and fibre (2). See the table below for the nutritional composition of grapefruit and grapefruit juice (3). As other citrus fruits, grapefruit is rich in flavonoids, which have numerous health benefits (more on this later), including naringin and naringenin (2,…
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5 misconceptions about vegan
These days vegan, a.k.a. plant-based diets are all the rage. Veganism is normally regarded as a morally superior and/or healthier lifestyle. However, there are a number of arguments for it that are not objectively true. Keep reading to clarify these 5 misconceptions about vegan. 1. Vegan = healthy A vegan diet is not inherently a healthy diet. In particular, vegan fake meats, fried foods and confectionery are not healthy at all. 2. Vegan = sustainable All-plant diets are not inherently sustainable. It takes resources to grow wheat, corn and soy, the major components of vegan diets. There is a lot of packaging involved and fuel consumed to get some vegan…
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Product review: Every Body Every Day Gut Performance
I was introduced to Every Body Every Day Gut Performance by a friend and client who has found great relief from digestive issues using this product. This is a supplement designed to improve gut health and, despite its name, it’s not only targeted to the athletic population. Gut Performance The product claims to help balance the gut microbiome, lower the glycaemic index of food, and help with weight loss, bloating, nutrient absorption and gut inflammation. In addition, the beetroot extract is meant to aid with muscle performance. The supplement s gluten free, low FODMAP and does not contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms), artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Ingredients Sugarcane stem…
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How to build a balanced meal
Everyone talks about balance but many people struggle to get it right. Balance is not about eating a salad the day after you binged on pizza, or ordering a diet soft drink alongside a burger with chips. Instead, you should be aiming for balance most of the time. Read on to find out how to build a balanced meal. What is balance In general terms, balance refers to achieving equivalent proportions of the different elements that compose a total. For example, a seesaw is balanced when the 2 people in either side have the same body mass (a.k.a. weight). When talking about food from a culinary perspective, balance refers to…
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To snack or not to snack?
To snack or not to snack? That is the question! Snacks, or mid meals, are not good or evil. When used correctly, they can help you meet your health and performance goals. What is a snack? As a noun, a snack is “a light meal: food eaten between regular meals”. To snack (surprise, surprise) means “to eat a snack” (1). In the nutrition world, we use the term “mid meals” to differentiate snacks from main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). More specifically, in the Commonwealth world we talk about morning tea (the mid meal between breakfast and lunch), afternoon tea (between lunch and dinner) and supper (between dinner and bedtime). The…
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Are all sausages bad for you?
Most people won’t associate sausage sizzle or bangers and mash with healthy food. In fact, many doctors and dietitians tell people to avoid them. But are all sausages bad? What is a sausage? According to the dictionary, a sausage (a.k.a. snag in this part of the World) is “a highly seasoned minced meat (such as pork) usually stuffed in casings of prepared animal intestine” (1). What the World Health Organization says In their Q&A about consumption of meat and cancer, the WHO includes hot dogs and sausages in the processed meat category. They found convincing evidence from epidemiological studies that links processed meat with a small increase in the risk…
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5 misconceptions about gluten
These days gluten is a mainstream word, although there is still a sizeable percentage of the population who don’t know what it is. More concerning, perhaps, is having wrong information about it. Below are 5 misconceptions about gluten that you will probably come across. 1. Gluten-free = healthy This is one of the most common misconception about gluten and comes mainly courtesy of health claims on packaged products. The same “health halo” applies to words such as “organic”, “vegan”, “all natural” and “preservative free”. Bottom line, gluten-free products are not inherently healthy. Exhibit A: Cheese-flavoured snack Ingredients: corn, vegetable oil, rice, milk powder, salt, cheese powder (1.0%), corn starch, flavour…
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Iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia is a common health concern, particularly among females of child-bearing age. However, a person can be deficient in iron and not have anaemia. Conversely, not all anaemia cases are caused by iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency (1). What is iron? Iron is a mineral present in multiple proteins in the human body, such as haemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscles (1, 2, 3). Iron-containing proteins are key for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, generation of energy by mitochondria (1, 3), enzymatic processes (1), immunity and cell signalling (3). Iron metabolism The equation below illustrates what happens with iron in our…
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Are eggs going to kill you?
If you have been paying attention to the media, you might have heard that eggs increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. News outlets have been reporting on the recently published paper Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality (1). But is it true? Are eggs going to kill you? Source of data Researchers looked at data from 6 US cohorts: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, 1989 Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, 1988 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Study, 2013 Framingham Offspring Study (FOS) Study, 1975 Jackson Heart Study (JHS), 2005 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), 2002 As you can expect,…
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Is dairy good for you?
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 is dairy? Dairy products is the name given to milk and products made from milk of animals such as cows, goats and sheep. This includes fermented milk products such as yoghurt, kefir and cheese. While cream, ice cream and butter are technically dairy products, they should not be consumed on a regular basis. Nutrients in…
