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Will coffee dehydrate you?
Will coffee dehydrate you? If you are concerned about the detrimental effects of coffee on your hydration status, this article is for you. Definitions How much caffeine is in coffee? The amount of caffeine in coffee drinks is highly variable. For example, the following have been found to affect how much caffeine is in brewed coffee: species (i.e. Robusta vs Arabica), temperature of brewing water, coffee to water ratio, volume of coffee drink, origin of coffee beans and method of growing, among other factors (4). The table below shows some averages based on Australian data (5): However, actual values in your coffee can be all over the place. For example,…
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5 ways to eat more protein
Many people struggle to eat enough protein, for example athletes and older adults. Below are 5 ways to eat more protein without necessarily adding volume or energy to your meals. 1. Choose higher protein versions of the same food These days you can find high protein yoghurt, milk, cereal, bread, wraps, pasta, etc. Hence, the easiest way of increasing your protein intake is to choose a higher protein version of the same foods you are already eating. On this topic, many people choose plant-based dairy food substitutes (e.g. milk, yoghurt) without realising that most contain less protein than the dairy-based option. 2. Increase the protein portion size This is the…
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Pros and cons of meal plans
Meal plans can be really useful for some people – if they follow them. However, they can also have some limitations. What are some pros and cons of meal plans? Pros A well-designed meal plan can provide the following benefits: Eliminate decision fatigue Some people find it difficult or tedious to plan what to cook. Following a meal plan will save the time and mental power you would normally spend making those decisions. Meet your nutritional requirements without doing calculations A meal plan that is customised to your individual requirements will help you meet your targets of total energy, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. Increase food variety Meal plans can…
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How to create an energy deficit
If you have a weight loss goal for health or athletic reasons, you might need to eat less. While eating smaller portions is an option, this post will show you how to create an energy deficit without sacrificing satiety and nutrition. How to create an energy deficit 1. Cook most of your food (or buy low energy pre-made meals) Foods from restaurants and takeaway shops are usually higher in energy than home-cooked meals because they rely on large amounts of energy-dense ingredients mainly for taste purposes. Many of these ingredients are cooking fats and oils, which are very energy dense. Cooking most of your food allows you to control how…
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Optimising vitamin and mineral intake
Optimising vitamin and mineral intake is a bit more complicated than just considering nutrient content in foods. Bioavailability, cooking, processing and seasonality are other important factors to keep in mind. Follow the 10 principles below to improve your vitamin and mineral status. 1. Know your requirements While the Nutrient Reference Values are estimated based on the best evidence that was available at the moment of their development, it is useful to know how much of each micronutrient you need for good health. Your requirements depend on your age, gender and pregnancy/lactation status when applicable. The easiest way of finding out is using the NRV calculator. In “Reference values”, select “Show…
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Mineral overview
If you know minerals are micronutrients that are good for you but struggle to name more than 2 or 3, this mineral overview is for you. In this guide you will find the following information (when applicable or available) for the main minerals: Calcium Sources: dairy foods (e.g. milk, yoghurt, cheese) and in smaller amounts in fish with bones, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables (e.g. kale, spinach), certain nuts, fortified soy beverages and breakfast cereals. Bioavailability: absorption from milk is between 20 and 40%, from vegetables is either in the same range or lower, depending on the vegetable (higher in cruciferous vegetables). Absorption from food can be enhanced by fortification…
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Vitamin overview
If you know vitamins are micronutrients that are good for you but struggle to name more than 2 or 3, this vitamin overview is for you. In this guide you will find the following information (when applicable or available) for all vitamins: Vitamin A Forms: preformed and provitamin A carotenoids (e.g. β-carotene, α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin), which can be converted to vitamin A. Solubility: fat-soluble. Sources: preformed vitamin A is found in animal foods and carotenoids are found in oils, green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach and kale), carrots, fruits (e.g. mango, papaya, orange). The conversion factor of β-carotene to vitamin A depends on the source. Making 1 ug of vitamin A…
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What are micronutrients?
As a dietitian, I always advocate for variety in the diet to increase exposure to micronutrients. But what are micronutrients? Below is a quick overview, more in-depth articles to follow. As seen previously, macronutrients are the “bigger” components of food, namely protein, fat and carbohydrates. Water can be also considered a macronutrient, however it does not contribute any energy. Conversely, alcohol cannot be considered nutritious but does contribute energy. The prefix “macro” comes from the ancient Greek makrós, which means “long”. It is normally used to mean “big” or “large”. Thus, macronutrients are needed in large amounts in the diet (tens or hundreds of grams). The prefix “micro” comes from…
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How much salt is too much?
If you have a heart condition, your doctor has probably told you to limit your salt intake. As it is impossible and undesirable to eliminate salt completely, it is important to know much salt is too much? Sodium vs salt Sodium is a mineral and what we know as salt (the one we use for seasoning our food) is sodium chloride. Therefore, the amount of salt we consume does not equal the amount of sodium we consume. Sodium in food manifests in other forms, not just as the salt that is added for seasoning. Sodium is involved in many processes in the body, including maintenance of plasma volume, acid-base balance,…
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Misreporting dietary intake
Misreporting dietary intake is more common than you think. This becomes an issue when we try to draw health, body composition and/or performance associations based on inaccurate data. The reasons for misreporting vary (not everyone lies on purpose) and does the level of misreporting (i.e. how far off are the reported vs “real” values). However, there are clear trends: for example, most people tend to underreport (say they ate less than they did) than overreport. What is misreporting dietary intake? Misreporting is failing to report with accuracy how much a person ate. Underreporting means reporting less than the actual amount, overreporting means reporting more than the actual amount. In science,…
