-
What is in your poo?
We are all familiar with poo, a.k.a. faeces, excrement or stool. We all know it’s a waste product that comes out of our anuses, it’s generally sausage-shaped and brown in colour. Have you ever stopped to think what is in your poo? And why does it even matter? How much poo? Encyclopaedia Brittanica tells us that the average poo output per adult person is 100 to 250 grams per day (1). Note this number is the average, don’t be concerned if your output one day is zero (i.e. you’re constipated) or over 1 kg. Also, it is interesting to note that lower-income population groups tend to have heavier stools, mainly…
-
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 a small amount of quinine, lemon, and lime” (1) “a carbonated soft drink with a bitter flavour, used as a mixer with gin or other spirits (originally used as a stimulant of appetite and digestion)” (2) In case you’re wondering what is quinine, below are a couple of definitions (3) to satisfy your curiosity: “a…
-
Eating for training and competition
Nobody would think about running 10km as preparation for an Olympic weightlifting meet. You should be polishing off your lifts and throwing in some max days to simulate competition day. This should translate seamlessly to nutrition. However, many athletes overlook their nutrition strategy and show up to competition with no plan. Eating for training and competition require the same amount of thought. If you are planning to participate in any kind of sporting event, from amateur to elite-level competitions, you should have a nutrition strategy in place. This includes non-competitive events such as martial arts gradings. As you will see below, your nutrition strategy is unique to you because it…
-
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 meals. This is why you should know how to meal prep the right way. What is meal prep Meal preparation is basically cooking in bulk, i.e. cooking or putting together a number of meals in advance. The best time is whenever you have a few free hours. For most people, this is during the weekend.…
-
Fructose: Sweet poison?
Fructose is a simple sugar (such as glucose and maltose) that occurs naturally in foods. 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 known to have a low glycaemic index, meaning it does not raise blood sugar as much as glucose. Back in the 1960s, fructose was used to treat diabetes because it does not need insulin to be metabolised (1, 2, 3). That’s good, right? Not so fast! There has been plenty of scientific research on how fructose affects metabolic health. Science seems to…
-
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), where avocados are pretty much a staple. There are several varieties available throughout the year, including Fuerte, Hass, “punta” and “dedo”. However, in the anglo world, Hass seems to be the most common varity. Fruit or vegetable? Even though avocado is botanically a fruit, it’s normally considered a vegetable. This is because it’s low in…
-
Cinnamon and health
The link between cinnamon and health has been recognised for a long time in traditional cultures. Cinnamon is thought to be antimicrobial, antiinflammatory (1, 2, 3, 4), antifungal (1, 2), antioxidant, antidiabetic (1, 2, 4), antimycotic (1) and anticancer (1, 2, 5). Thus, people have been using the spice for multiple purposes, including bad breath (1, 2), colon health (1, 2, 3), coagulation (1) and food preservation (4). What is cinnamon? Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the bark of trees in the Cinnamomum genus (4, 7). Only some of the approximately 250 species in the genus are used as a spice (1, 6, 7). Cinnamomum verum, a.k.a. C. zeylanicum,…
-
Discretionary choices (a.k.a. junk food)
Discretionary choices, discretionary foods, non-core foods, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods are some of the names given to junk food. These are foods that should not represent a large part of a person’s food intake. Nutrient profile These foods typically contain a high amount of saturated fat, added salt, added sugar and/or alcohol (1). As a general rule, processed foods tend to fall into this category. Some of these foods may contain essential nutrients and even health claims in the packaging, but are not necessarily healthy as a whole. The foods In general, most people recognise what a “not so healthy food” is, however it is always useful to have a yes/no…
-
What are cruciferous vegetables and are they healthy?
Cruciferous vegetables (a.k.a. Brassica) are a group of vegetables named for their cross-shaped flowers. They include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli sprouts, Chinese broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collards and kale. (1, 2, 3). All these vegetables contain organic sulphur-containing compounds with a characteristic foul smell (2). These compounds have been investigated for their potential health benefits. Nutrients in cruciferous vegetables Brassica vegetables are rich in antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals (4), including vitamin C, folate, carotenoids and tocopherols (5). They are also the primary dietary source of isothiocyanates and indoles (4), the sulphurous compounds mentioned before. Health benefits Cancer Isothiocyanates have been studied for their ability to inhibit enzymes that affect…
-
Fruit and vegetable intake: Guidelines vs reality
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend an average minimum daily intake of 5 serves of vegetables (including legumes) and 2 serves of fruit to prevent chronic disease. Nutrients in fruits and vegetables Most fruits, vegetables and legumes are good source of carbohydrate (sugar and/or starch) and fibre. They also water and contain micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Most are low in fat with few exceptions (olives, avocados, coconuts). Legumes are a decent source of protein and some contain non-haem iron, which is less bioavailable than haem iron from animal sources. Legumes also contain phytates which act as antioxidants but bind to minerals, affecting their absorption. Cooking and storing methods…
