Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i Healthy Food Guide

It goes without saying that we at HFG love food! We especially love seeing the fresh produce arriving in store for spring — which has inspired this issue. You’ll find seasonal fruit and veg dotted throughout our recipes this month, including broccoli, cauliflower, leek, spinach, peas and other spring goodies to help lighten your plate and leave winter stodge behind. Spring is also a great time to re-evaluate your pantry and fridge to make sure you have what you need to make lighter, healthier meals. Take a look at our Smart Swaps (p89), our bread vs wraps comparison (p84) and our guide to spreads (p 82) for some ideas. And if food is getting the better of you lately (hey, we all have a lot on our minds right now!)…

Did you know? Fresh strawberries aren’t just a spring delight – growers in Queensland keep Australia supplied from May to October, according to industry body Queensland Strawberries. To try four ways to make the most of these low-kJ health heroes, turn to page 79. 200%  Just a single serve of sweet potato (1 cup) gives you double your daily vitamin A requirements — important for helping you boost your vision. Check out sweet potato recipes at healthyfoodguide.com.au WHAT A CAPER!  A compound found in pickled capers activates proteins important for human brain and heart health, new research shows. The compound quercetin may even be helpful in research to treat diabetes, cardiac arrhythmia and epilepsy. Communications Biology, 2020 3 reasons to quaff kefir Kefir — a fermented milk drink similar in…

What works for one person may not work for another. Learn to read your body for hunger signs – and snack mindfully! Snacking, it‘s often claimed, boosts your energy levels, keeps your metabolism revved up, manages mood and helps you lose weight. But it’s also blamed for ruining your appetite, increasing risk of heart disease, diabetes and weight gain. No wonder so many people are confused! It’s time to go back to basics. You only have to look at supermarket choices to see that snacking is big business. Interestingly, what we choose to eat as a snack — ‘a small amount of food eaten between meals’ — is often age-related. Younger people tend to tuck into everything from lollies to chocolate bars, corn chips and health/muesli bars. Older folk are…

CALCIUM-RICH SNACKS → A tub of yoghurt, or a glass of milk → Tzatziki with crackers or vegies → Almond butter spread on apple or banana slices → Milk & yoghurt-based smoothie, or a hot chocolate → Brazil nuts with dried figs VEGIE-FUL SNACKS → Baby qukes, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, or a carrot → Avocado, beetroot or eggplant dip with vegie sticks → Vegie fritters or a vegie soup → Homemade baked beetroot, sweet potato or kale chips → Edamame FRUITY SNACKS → A piece of fresh seasonal fruit → Berry & frozen banana smoothie → Ice cream made from puréed frozen fruit → Dried fruit → Fruit salad PROTEIN-RICH SNACKS → Roasted chickpeas or other legumes → Hoummos with seedy crackers → An egg → Tin of tuna…

CHOCOLATEY SNACKS The Happy Snack Company Roasted Chickpeas Dark Choc & Raspberry Per pack: 419kJ (100cal), 2.3g protein, 3.0g sat fat, 8.3g carbs, 3.0g sugars, 2.3g fibre Shelby’s Almond Matcha Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Bar Per bar: 663kJ (158cal), 5.6g protein, 2.0g sat fat, 10.6g carbs, 5.8g sugars, 6.0g fibre LIQUID SNACKS Emma & Tom’s Milk Espresso No Added Sugar Per bottle: 660kJ (158cal), 12g protein, 3.2g sat fat, 16.8g sugars, 410mg calcium Oat-ly Oat Milk Chocolate Per serve: 640kJ (152cal), 3g protein, 0.5g sat fat, 18.8g sugars, 300mg calcium YOGHURT Chobani Low Fat Mango Yoghurt Per tub: 618kJ (148cal), 13.1g protein, 1.7g sat fat, 15.6g sugars, 175mg calcium Siggi’s 0.5% Milkfat Yoghurt Vanilla Per tub: 459kJ (110cal), 14.3g protein, 0.3g sat fat, 10.0g sugars, 429mg calcium MUESLI BARS Freedom…

Have you been told to skip soy because it contains phytoestrogens? There‘s no need: they behave differently to your own estrogen. Soy intake is associated with decreased breast cancer risk. Early introduction of soy and continued lifelong exposure — as in the case of traditional Asian diets — shows the strongest and most consistent benefits from soy, but soy intake at any time can help give some protection from developing breast cancer. Five studies on breast cancer survival and soy consumption, involving more than 10,000 breast cancer patients, showed those who ate the most soy foods lived substantially longer — and had a significantly lower risk of recurrence — than those who ate less soy foods. However, ingesting high doses of soy — such as those found in refined soy…

PULLED PORK & CORIANDER RICE PAPER ROLLS Serves 4 Cost per serve $6.60 Time to make 25 min ✔dairy free 1 x 350g packet kaleslaw (dressing discarded) ¼ cup Poonsin Vietnamese dipping sauce, plus extra, to serve 12 x 20cm rice paper sheets 1 bunch coriander, broken into sprigs 1 x 560g packet ready-to-pull pork shoulder with barbecue sauce, heated, shredded To serve Coriander leaves Lime wedges 1 Combine kaleslaw and dipping sauce in a bowl. 2 Fill a large shallow heatproof dish with boiling water. Cool for 2 minutes. For each rice paper roll, dip a rice paper sheet briefly into the hot water to soften slightly. Place on a clean work surface. 3 Place 2 sprigs of coriander at centre of rice paper sheet. Top with 2–3 tablespoons…

Monday RISONI WITH PRAWN & ASPARAGUS Serves 4 Cost per serve $4.20 Cooking time ✔diabetes friendly 25 mins 1½ cups risoni 1 leek, chopped 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, chopped 1 cup frozen peas 350g fresh peeled prawns 1 lime, rind finely grated, juiced 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn 50g snow pea sprouts, snipped 1 cup reduced-fat smooth ricotta 1 Cook the risoni in a large pan of boiling water according to the packet direction, or until al dente. 2 Add leek, asparagus, peas and prawns during the last 3–4 minutes of cooking. Drain, return to pan. 3 Add the lime juice and rind and garlic, and season well with salt and cracked black pepper. Toss through mint and sprouts. 4 Divide the mixture between serving…

Raise the bar for healthy treats at work or in your home office CRANBERRY & QUINOA BARS Makes 12 Cost per bar $0.90 Hands-on time 10 min Cooking time 45 min ✔gluten free ✔dairy free PER BAR 745kJ/178calProtein 5.6gTotal Fat 9.3gSat Fat 1.3gCarbs 18.8gSugars 12.7gFibre 2.2gSodium 4.6mgCalcium 24mgIron 2.2mg ½ cup slivered almonds, roughly chopped ½ cup cashews, roughly chopped ½ cup quinoa ½ cup pepitas 1 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons honey 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease and line a 20cm-square slice tin with baking paper. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place almonds, cashews, quinoa and pepitas on prepared tray; bake for 8–10 minutes, or until golden and slightly fragrant. Transfer nut mixture to a large bowl and leave to cool. 2 Place the…

Smart little dinosaurs Boost your kids’ fibre intake with Vetta Smart Dinosaurs — pasta with added oat bran. Per 50g serve: 740kJ (177cal), 6.3g protein, 1.5g sugars, 3.2g fibre, 4mg sodium Boost your prebiotics Vitasoy Prebiotic Almond Milk contains a blend of Australian-grown whole almonds, with prebiotics to boost gut health, and calcium to strengthen bones. Per 250ml serve: 260kJ (63cal), 1.8g protein, 0.5g sat fat, 0.8g sugars, 4.8g fibre, 300mg calcium Love your gut Kfibre helps relieve constipation and fosters friendly gut bacteria. Add it to drinks, baking or cooking. Per 1.5g serve (1 tsp): 14kJ (3cal), <0.1g protein, <0.1g sugars, 1.3g fibre Go nuts for fibre Mayver’s Skin On Peanut Butter packs a whopping 3.3g of fibre into each 20g serving — thanks to those peanut skins! Per…

Consuming fizzy drinks, cordial, juice or even flavoured milk can send all the wrong messages to your metabolism and appetite. Up and down! First, there’s the initial energy boost — but then your blood sugar comes crashing back down shortly after, leaving you craving more sugary drinks or foods. The craving cycle has started! Regularly doing this can encourage weight gain, as it’s easier to drink more than to eat more. Your body breaks down the energy (calories) from most drinks much faster than the energy you get from eating healthy foods. Because most drinks are low in fibre, you don’t feel as full afterward compared to when you’ve eaten food. This means you still want to eat or drink more to get that ‘satisfied‘ feeling in your tummy. Compare…

Recipes contain no more than: • 1700kJ per main meal • 800kJ per dessert • 600kJ per side dish • 200kJ per 250ml fluid Recipes contain at least: • 20g protein per main meal • 5g protein per side dish or dessert Recipes contain no more than: • 10g fat per main meal • 4.5g fat per dessert • 3g fat per side dish • 3.5g fat per 250ml fluid Recipes contain at least: • 6g fibre per main meal • 3g fibre per side dish or dessert Recipes contain no more than: • 500mg sodium per main meal or dessert • 200mg sodium per side dish Recipes contain at least 250mg calcium per serve Recipes contain 4.5mg (or more) iron per serve Serves of vegies per serve ✔gluten free…

Waste not! I really enjoyed reading the Garden Kitchen Potted Herbs article in the August issue — it inspired me to use more herbs in my cooking. I am confident in using basil and oregano in my cooking, but always seemed to end up throwing out a lot as I didn’t know how to incorporate it in my meals. This article gave me ideas on how to use the different herbs, and I’m pleased to say that I haven’t thrown out any since! Jade Klaebe Healthy start I love all of the healthy and tasty recipes you feature, but I especially loved the Brekkie Chia Puddings in the September issue. I normally don’t think too much about healthy breakfast options in the mornings just after I’ve woken up, but these…

Easy Gluten Free Helen Tzouganatos ($39.99, Plum/Pan Macmillan Australia) You’ll find gluten-free pizza, pasta and breads in this 100–recipe book, along with soups, salads, hearty mains, desserts, information on how to use various gluten-free flours, and a guide to cooking grains and seeds. Pantry tips too. The Heart Health Guide Catherine Itsiopoulos ($34.99, Macmillan Australia) Using up-to-the-minute research, Dr Itsiopoulos helps readers counter heart disease with lots of practical, everyday advice and 80 recipes featuring the heart-friendly Mediterranean diet, plus detailed meal plans to make it work. The CSIRO Low-Carb Diabetes Diet & Lifestyle Solution Grant Brinkworth & Pennie Taylor ($36.99, Pan Macmillan Australia) The latest in CSIRO’s low-carb series helps those at risk of, or living with, type 2 diabetes, but its recipes, pantry guides and exercise plans will…

PROS → They prevent you getting ravenous and overeating at your next meal → Snacks can help you meet your fruit, vegie and calcium requirements → They can help keep your blood sugar levels stable, also benefiting mood and energy levels → Snacks can boost your brain power CONS → Unhealthy choices can undo your health with unwanted sat fat, sugar, salt and kilojoules → Mindless snacking can cause you to eat more than you need and promote weight gain → Constant snacking may lead to overeating and weight gain → Certain snacks can make you hungrier…

What does my body need? When health is front of mind, thinking how a snack fits into the rest of your day’s intake can be really helpful. Feeling like a biscuit, but realising you haven’t eaten any fruit, may help persuade you to eat fruit instead. Knowing you don’t eat many calcium-containing foods may help you choose calcium-rich snacks such as yoghurt, almonds or dried figs. How did I go? When you ‘check-in’ and reflect on whether the snack you chose worked well for you, it can give you some valuable information for next time. Perhaps you ate too much or too little. Or like Goldilocks, did you get it just right? Self-feedback is a really handy way to help you narrow down future choices. Plan ahead Around 57 per…

My story In 2012 my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was only 41, with two young sons. It came as a massive shock to our family and left me feeling incredibly helpless. So the dietitian in me did the only thing she knew how, researching the link between food and breast cancer risk. I needed to know if there was anything I could do to reduce not only the risk of breast cancer reoccurrence for my sister, but also my own risk of developing it. Happily, my sister made it through, but many others don‘t. In my quest for more knowledge, this is what I learned … DID YOU KNOW? There are many contributing factors that can lead a person to develop cancer. It doesn’t happen overnight —…

“Keeping track of your weight can help you avoid gradual weight creep” For some, jumping on the scales is a daily or weekly ritual. Others haven’t seen a set of scales for years. Some may be scarred by old memories of being weighed in public, with results broadcast to all. So, is it helpful to weigh yourself? And if so, how often should you do it? Q What does the research say? Most studies have investigated the impact of self-weighing when linked with other weight-loss strategies — for example, low-kilojoule diets. These studies conclude that self-weighing is an inexpensive technique that may help with weight loss and maintenance, particularly for many men, who often respond well to structured “weigh-ins”. Only one study so far has investigated the use of self-weighing…

Additives are substances that are added to foods to help keep them fresh, or to enhance flavour, texture or colour. More than 300 food additives are approved for use in Australia, and Collins says the idea that they’re inherently ‘bad’ is false. She says that all additives have to be registered and have their safety verified by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand before they’re approved for use by food companies in Australia. “It’s also important to note that while some additives are artificially made in a lab, others come from natural sources,” Collins says. In fact, substances that are commonly used as additives include vitamin C, lecithin (present in egg yolks), and MSG, which is found naturally in parmesan cheese and tomatoes. Surprisingly, MSG occurring naturally in such foods…

Glutamates A handful of glutamates are regularly used to enhance the flavour of savoury foods. Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is one of the most common ones. Look for the numbers 620–625. Preservatives These stop bugs and germs from spoiling a wide range of processed foods, including processed meats, canned fish dips and marinades. Some frequently used preservatives that may cause problems include benzoates (210–213), nitrates (249–252) and also sulphites (220–225 and 228). Very rarely, parabens such as propylparaben (216) and methylparaben (218), which are also used in a range of food products, may cause an allergic reaction when they are ingested. Food colourings Colourings are used today in everything from confectionary and drinks to sauces, cereals and dairy foods, and both artificial and natural varieties can cause problems. Some commonly…

GARLIC & ROSEMARY CHICKEN TRAY BAKE Serves 4 Cost per serve $5.25 Hands-on time 20 min Cooking time 55 min ✔diabetes friendly ✔gluten free 2 potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced 4 small skinless chicken drumsticks 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1 orange, zest & juiced 2 red onions, cut into wedges 1 cup chopped red capsicum 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 garlic bulb, broken into cloves 2 cups chopped silverbeet 100g feta Freshly ground black pepper 1 Spray a large ovenproof dish with oil and preheat oven to 200°C. Cook potatoes and sweet potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain. 2 Cut several slits in chicken pieces and toss with orange zest. 3 Place…

SNACKING MADE HEALTHY! Antle MC, et al. 2001. Adenosine and caffeine modulate circadian rhythms in the Syrian hamster. Neuroreport. 12(13): 2901–2905. Australian Food News. 2015. Potato chips maintains No. 1 ranking as Australia’s favourite snack (Roy Morgan). Available at: www.ausfoodnews.com.auAccessed June 2020. Chagoya de Sánchez, V. 1995. Circadian variations of adenosine and of its metabolism. Could adenosine be a molecular oscillator for circadian rhythms? Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 73(3): 339–355. Klok MD, et al. 2007. The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obes Rev. 8(1): 21–34. Northeast, RC et al. 2020. Eat, sleep, repeat: the role of the circadian system in balancing sleep–wake control with metabolic need. Current Opinion in Physiology. 15: 183–191. FOOD AND BREAST CANCER Antonia…

How sweet it is! Science has supported Indigenous wisdom by identifying a rare, healthy sugar in Aussie stingless bee honey not found in any other food. University of Queensland’s Mary Fletcher says stingless bee honey was long thought to be good for diabetes — “and now we know why. Having a lower GI means the ‘trehalulose’ sugar takes longer to be absorbed into the bloodstream, so there’s not a spike in glucose that you get from other sugars.” So keep an eye out for stingless bee honey products incorporating trehalulose sugar — though be prepared to pay about what you would for Manuka honey. But … it doesn’t cause tooth decay!…

‘Non-hungry’ eating is one of the biggest contributors to weight gain Q Do I need to snack? Snacking can definitely help to manage energy levels, mood and concentration, and boost nutrient targets, but only if you know whether you really need to snack or not. The best way to do this is to tune in to your body’s hunger signals. To do this start by asking Right now, how hungry are you? Many people eat whether they’re hungry or not. They eat because they think it’s ‘time’, or the food has been put in front of them, or because they saw or smelt something tempting. Many of us often also eat due to stress or boredom. Yet hunger, and only hunger, ought to dictate when it’s time to eat a…

FILL UP ON VEGIES... DON’T FORGET FRUIT Packed with vitamins, minerals and cancer-kicking phytonutrients, fruit and vegetables pack a real cancer-defying punch. How do you know you’re doing it right? You’ll have a bright rainbow of colours on your plate at each meal. Each of those colours on your plate is related to specific phytonutrients that play unique roles — such as ‘downregulating‘ cancer pathways or the expression of particular cancers cells. But they only work soon after you eat them, so include fruit and vegetables regularly during your day. EAT YOUR ALLIUMS The immune-boosting allium group of veg includes onions, garlic, shallots and leeks. A French study showed that 12 servings a week of these veg was linked to a 75 per cent drop in breast cancer. MAKE SOME…

For some people, self-weighing could be the key to losing or keeping weight off, while for others, it may do harm. Consider your current life stage, pre-existing health conditions and your mental well-being when you are deciding whether regular weighing is worth it for you. For adults carrying excess weight and who are trying to manage their weight, the answer could be yes: weighing yourself regularly can help you lose more weight initially, and keep it off. However for adolescents — or for those who have experienced disordered eating — it’s best to keep the scales out of sight.…

Here’s what to do... Food-additive sensitivities or intolerances are thought to be one of the drivers behind the significant increase in the popularity of ‘free-from’ foods. These are foods that are free from things that commonly spark dietary reactions, with a 2019 survey estimating the food category to be worth $7.7 billion in Australia. Fortunately, because some additives are much more likely than others to trigger reactions, you can learn what to look for, then start reading ingredients lists and begin choosing the food products that suit your body. Still, Collins says it’s always best to ask for advice from a dietitian if you suspect that you have any kind of food sensitivity or intolerance. Symptoms can be caused by a wide range of unrelated factors, and eliminating some foods…

SMASHED PEA & CORN FRITTERS WITH LIME AVOCADO Serves 4–6 Cost per serve $2.10 Time to make 25 min ✔diabetes friendly ✔gluten free ✔vegetarian 1½ cups frozen peas 1 cup frozen corn kernels ½ cup tapioca flour 2 shallots, finely sliced Small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped Small handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 egg, whisked 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons sea-salt flakes Lime avocado 1 large ripe avocado Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges, to serve 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves 1 To make the fritters, blanch the peas and corn in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain. Place half the peas and corn in a large bowl and set aside. 2 Smash…

RADICCHIO, PEACH AND ASPARAGUS SALAD Serves 4–6 Cost per serve $2 Time to make 20 min ✔gluten free ✔dairy free ✔vegetarian PER SERVE (6 serves) 931kJ/222calProtein 2.0gTotal Fat 19.4gSat Fat 3.0gCarbs 8.1gSugars 7.9gFibre 3.3gSodium 26mgCalcium 25mgIron 0.9mg 2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, halved ½ radicchio, core removed, cut into 3 wedges 4 yellow or white peaches, halved, stones removed 1 handful mint leaves 1 handful basil leaves Dressing ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 large lemon ½ shallot, finely diced 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 Heat a chargrill pan or a barbecue grill plate until smoking hot. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until char lines develop, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the radicchio, then add to the…

Give peas a chance! Three tasty varieties of spring peas — garden, snow and sugar snap — all contain a bonus of fibre and vitamin C, along with vitamin K to support bones. And they’re in season too! Garden peas Nothing beats sweet, juicy peas fresh from their pod — and it doesn’t take long to shell them either. Delicious blanched, you can add fresh mint and olive oil for a quick vegie side. Snow peas The whole snow pea pod is edible, along with the small seeds inside. Snap off the pod tips and pull downwards to remove any tough stringy thread along its side. Lightly cook them, or dip them raw into hoummos or beetroot dip for a crunchy, colourful snack. Sugar snaps Crisp sugar snaps have a…

KILOJOULES BREAD 616kJ (147cal) PITA BREAD 913kJ (217cal) CARBS BREAD 24.1g PITA BREAD 40.1g One pita bread can be equivalent to 3.5 slices of some breads. SATURATED FAT BREAD 0.2g PITA BREAD 0.4g Both the wholemeal bread and pita bread are low in saturated fat. FIBRE BREAD 3.9g PITA BREAD 5.4g Pita bread contains 1.5g more fibre — however pita breads will vary in fibre as will breads. Our favourite high-fibre bread is Burgen. Many wraps contain reduced carbs. Choose a wrap with: ✔ Less than 1g sat fat per 100g ✔ More than 2.5g fibre per wrap ✔ Less than 325g sodium per wrap the bottom line Your choice of bread or wrap will depend on your needs. However, for those watching their weight and blood sugar levels…. Wholemeal…

‘Get into shape with this low-calorie menu’Caroline Trickey, Dietitian Each day’s menu gives you… • About 6400kJ (about 1500cal) for weight loss • At least 30g of fibre to feed those good gut bugs • 2–3 healthy snacks to help keep energy levels up • 100% of your daily vitamin A, C & E needs to keep you well nourished MONDAY Breakfast • Bircher muesli ¹/ ³ cup rolled oats, 1 tsp ground linseeds, ½ cup milk, ½ apple, grated & ½ cup frozen berries. Soak overnight. Top with 1 tbs yoghurt & 6 walnuts • 1 cup tea with milk (1413kJ/336cal total) Lunch • Hoummos, egg & feta salad sandwich 2 slices soy-lin bread, 1½ tbs hoummos, 1 boiled egg, small cube feta & salad (1524kJ/363cal total) Dinner •…

I don’t like seafood — am I missing out on essential nutrients? Can I get the same nutritional benefits elsewhere? Sue, via email A Fish and seafood are highly nutritious. They‘re a good source of protein and vitamins A, B and D, and of important minerals such as selenium, zinc, iodine and iron. They‘re also the main dietary source of long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, which are essential for cardiovascular health, and brain and vision development in infants. If you’re not eating fish but are eating animal foods, it’s easy to get enough protein and vitamins A, B and D from foods like beef, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs and dairy foods. Iodine is a little trickier, but can be obtained from iodised salt, and it occurs in high amounts…