Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Healthy Food Guide

As we head towards the shortest day of the year, warm, sunny days feel more and more like a distant memory. Particularly if, like me, you live in a region that had a poor excuse for a summer anyway. Rather than lament the fact I feel cheated of my yearly quota of sunshine and beach swims, I’ve decided to fully embrace the good things about winter. Think coming indoors to a cosy fire, a warming dinner and a soothing drink after a rugged-up walk in the elements. These little comforts are what make life joyful. This issue we’ve included hearty and delicious slow-cooker recipes to make coming home to a hot meal even easier for you (p38) — the ultimate cheering convenience food! We’ve also thought about ways to make…

24% How much lower the risk of heart disease was in women who followed a Mediterranean diet, according to a recent study. A Med-style diet includes lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, moderate intake of fish and meat and minimal processed foods and sugary treats. Too easy! Heart Journal STRETCH IT It’s never too late to work on your strength. Yoga could be used to help prevent frailty in older adults, international researchers say. A recent study found the gentle form of exercise improved walking speed and body strength and endurance. Annals of Internal Medicine “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs but, rather, will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”Thomas Edison SLEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY Having trouble sticking to…

ANYTHING FROM THE ONION FAMILY Think shallots, leeks and garlic as well as onions and spring onion. They are a good source of fructo-oligosaccharides — or FOS for short. That’s a prebiotic fibre that remains undigested until it hits the large intestine, where it encourages the growth and activity of ‘good’ bacteria. LEGUMES As well as providing a slightly different form of prebiotic fibre called galactooligosaccharides, legumes also contain resistant starch. That’s a fibre-like substance which promotes the production of a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate. PISTACHIOS As well as delivering a hit of insoluble fibre, pistachios also work as a prebiotic. In one study, people who ate some every day had noticeably higher levels of beneficial butyrate-producing gut bacteria after just 19 days. Don't forget water — staying hydrated…

CUSTARD APPLES Apple of my eye Now the cooler months are here, you’ll see more of these spiky green fruits on shelves. With creamy flavour and a texture similar to but silkier than ripe pears, custard apples are well worth adding to your shopping trolley. FIBRE-FILLED Just 100g of custard apple contains 2.5g of gut-loving fibre. That’s around 10 per cent of your entire day’s needs. VITAMIN C BOOST You’ll get almost all of your daily vitamin C requirements in 100g of custard apple. Vitamin C is important for immune function and iron absorption. SMART SNACK There’s just 326kJ (78cal) in 100g of custard apple, making them a light n’ lovely snack when you’re feeling peckish between meals. TROPICAL TANG Custard apples have a unique flavour profile — they’re the…

Healthy Food Guide (HFG) magazine is your complete guide to healthy eating. Our recipes use easy-to-find, affordable ingredients. Cook with HFG and you’ll always enjoy a nutritious meal. You can trust our advice. All our health information is supported by solid scientific evidence, not media fanfare. We smooth out any confusion caused by ‘pseudoscientists’. We give unbiased opinions and are not affiliated with any food manufacturers. All branded food in HFG has been approved by our dietitians. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. Dietitians review all our articles so they’re always accurate with up-to-date information. A full list of references is also available on request. Every recipe in Healthy Food Guide is healthy Our recipe writers work with qualified dietitians to develop all our meals. A nutritional analysis is provided for…

Karen Fittall is a health writer who contributes to leading Australian wellness publications, brands and programs. Mind food: we chew over the fascinating link betwwen brain and gut When was the last time you had a happy meal? We don’t mean the type that comes in a colourful cardboard box decorated with golden arches — we mean a meal that does good things for your mood. It’s a genuine thing: what we eat has a surprising impact on our mental health, and there has been a lot of research done on that relationship. Among the most interesting findings include several studies showing that healthy whole-food diets have a protective effect against depression. One explanation for this is that the gut has its own nervous system. Called the enteric…

BEST OF comfort food comfort food MONDAY Chicken pot pies $AVER Serves 4 ✔diabetes friendly 30 mins 500g chicken breast fillets, cut into 2.5cm pieces1 tablespoon plain flour1 cup reduced-salt chicken stock2 tablespoons light cooking cream500g frozen mixed vegetables, partially thawed1 sheet frozen reduced-fat puff pastry, just thawed 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 2 Add chicken to pan and cook until browned. Add flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Add cream and vegies; stir to combine. 3 Divide chicken mixture among 4 x 1¼–cup capacity pie dishes and place on a large baking tray. Cut…

GUT GOODNESS Boost the gut-loving goodness of your morning or afternoon tea with ... FIBRE The indigestible part of fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains that keeps you regular, and helps balance blood sugars and reduce cholesterol. Resistant starch is a type of fibre that helps keep the lining of your digestive tract healthy. Find it in whole grains, legumes and under-ripe bananas. PROBIOTICS Friendly bacteria that, when consumed in the right quantities, can have a beneficial impact on the body. Probiotics can be found in products like yoghurt or kombucha. PREBIOTICS are food for probiotics. You’ll find them in a variety of fruit and veg, whole grains and nuts. Grabbing a healthy nibble will help keep those afternoon cravings at bay 1 Pear & nut butter…

MANAGE YOUR PERIMENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS, P16 Australian Menopause Society. Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms. Available at www.menopause.org Bezzant, N. This changes everything. The Honest Guide to menopause & peri. Penguin. 2022. Bpac NZ Better Medicine. Menopausal hormone therapy. Available at www.bpac.org.nz Maltais et al. 2009. Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 9(4): 186-197. R.D Langer. The evidence base for HRT. What can we believe? Climacteric. 20(2): 91-96. R Baber et al. 2016. IMS Recommendations on women’s midlife health and menopause hormone therapy. Climacteric. 19(2): 109-150. Tine Vrist Dam et al. 2021. Transdermal Estrogen Therapy Improves Gains in Skeletal Muscle Mass After 12 Weeks of Resistance Training in Early Postmenopausal Women. Front Physiol. Jan 18; 11:596130. Weill Cornell Medicine. 2021. Imaging Study Reveals Brain Changes During…

Recipes per serve contain no more than: • 1700kJ per main meal • 800kJ per dessert • 600kJ per side dish • 200kJ per 250ml fluid. Recipes per serve have at least: • 20g protein per main meal • 5g protein per side dish or dessert. Recipes per serve 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 per serve have at least: • 6g fibre per main meal • 3g fibre per side dish or dessert. Recipes per serve contain no more than: • 500mg sodium per main meal or dessert • 200mg sodium per side dish. Recipes per serve have at least 250mg calcium. Recipes per serve have 4.5mg…

Q & A I’m in my 70s and have had generally good health, but recently was told I have high blood pressure. I’m now taking medication for this, but is there anything I can do, diet and exercise-wise, to help? What are the foods I should concentrate on at my age? Edith, via email As we age, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and physical activity routine to help manage blood pressure. Foods high in dietary fibre and nutrients like potassium and magnesium have been shown to help lower blood pressure. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts can be beneficial. Calcium-rich dairy-based foods are also helpful in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Opt for three serves of low-fat dairy every day. Excess salt (sodium) in the diet may…

1 Switch (or stick) to a Mediterranean-style diet Research shows this eating pattern not only increases the total gut bacteria, it also supports the growth of varieties that may have mood-boosting qualities. That makes sense — not only is the Mediterranean diet in line with the heavily plant-based one that improved gut-bacteria health in the Deakin University study — it’s packed with the prebiotic fibres that feed your gut’s ‘good’ bacteria. Rich in fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, legumes, herbs and spices, other key components of the Med diet include using olive oil, as well as eating seafood, dairy and poultry in moderation, and red meat only occasionally. 2 Eat a wide variety of plant foods each week Aiming to include 30 different plant foods over a…

Nothing beats a really wholesome soup when it’s cold outside. These days you can find everything from long-life cans through to sachets and freshly made tubs and pouches in the supermarket, but while they‘re the ultimate kitchen convenience, there’s a wide variation in the nutrition content between brands, so it pays to select sensibly. In the soup... There are three main concerns when it comes to soup: THE SODIUM CONTENT Some soups are so salty they provide more than the maximum daily limit of sodium in a single serving. While an occasional salty meal is not going to harm you, too much sodium regularly is a big risk factor for high blood pressure, so look out for soups that contain less than 700mg sodium per serve. PROTEIN AND CARB CONTENT…

Each day’s meal plan gives you… • 8700kJ (about 2080cal) for weight maintenance • Over 40g fibre to support your gut health • Over 100g protein to keep you feeling full • Less than 1700mg sodium with heart health in mind • 2-4 dietitian-approved snacks at home or on the go For more about your individual nutrition needs, turn to p95. MONDAY Breakfast • Banana & chia seed porridge made of ½ cup rolled oats, 1 cup milk, 1 banana, 1 tbs chia seeds & pinch of cinnamon • Regular latte (2600kJ/620cal) Lunch • Eggs & crispbreads 8 wholegrain crispbreads topped with 2 tbs hummus, 1 tomato & a drizzle of oil, served with 2 hard-boiled eggs & 1 cup crudités (2200kJ/530cal) Dinner • Fish cakes with smoky corn ribs…

1 There are measurable changes in brain energy and function that take place in midlife women (p19). 2 Just 100g of custard apple contains around 10 per cent of your daily fibre needs (p80). 3 Hot flushes and night sweats are experienced by close to two thirds of women in perimenopause (p18). 4 Around one in six Australians spends more than five hours on their phone each day (p35). 5 Whole grains are less processed than refined and so contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (p89). 6 You can reap health benefits from gardens simply by spending time and appreciating them. You don’t even have to pick up a spade (p13). 7 There’s close to 1.5kg of bacteria living in your gut (p29). 8 A 2022 study suggests the brain’s…