Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2025 i Healthy Food Guide

At Healthy Food Guide we know all too well the harms of diet culture. It’s one of the reasons we limit our focus on weight loss, and instead try to empower people to make sustainable dietary changes that benefit all aspects of their health. But the reality is that some people are trying to lose weight, and often for valid health reasons. Instead of ignoring this reality, we try to provide science-backed guidance on healthy weight management. That’s why in this issue we’re tackling medicated weight loss. We feel it’s better for people to get trustworthy information to base their health decisions on, so they don’t need to resort to anecdotes from ‘wellness’ influencers or celebrities. Weight-loss medications like Wegovy exist. Whether or not a person should try them is a discussion…

50% How much The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to see prices on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks increased by 2035 through health taxes. The global initiative is designed to curb chronic diseases and generate critical public revenue, as health systems come under enormous strain from rising noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), shrinking development aid and growing public debt. The consumption of tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks is fuelling the NCD epidemic, WHO claim. FOOD LABEL RETHINK Food labelling is out of step with healthy diet recommendations and could be improved by including nutrient release rates, some experts say. Measuring foods‘ protein, carbs or fat is not enough to judge nutritional value, they claim, and some less healthy foods have similar compositions to healthier wholefood options. NatureFood DIVERTING DIVERTICULITIS HIGH FIBRE, LOW…

1 Start your day with 30 minutes of exercise. Research suggests this can make it easier to cope with stressful events you encounter during the day, thanks to the way physical activity alters networks in the brain that regulate emotions, for an extended period. 2 Spend time in nature. According to a US study, just 10 minutes of green time a day is enough to reduce the impact of mental stress. And don’t worry if you don’t have a forest or nature reserve nearby – simply sitting on a patch of grass or under a tree will do the trick. 3 Meditate for a few minutes. Results of an Australian study show that using a meditation app not only reduces stress levels, it only takes 10 minutes of meditation a…

Pistachio-crusted salmon Serves 2 Prep 15 mins Cook 11 mins ✓ dairy free 2 salmon portions (about 110g each)1 teaspoon honey1 lemon, juice1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 teaspoon garlic powder40g pistachios, finely choppedSalt and black pepper 1 Pat the salmon portions dry using paper towels and place them in the air fryer basket. Bake for 6 minutes at 190°C. 2 In a bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder and chopped pistachios. Season with salt and pepper. 3 Once the salmon is cooked, spread the mixture on top of the portions and cook for a further 5 minutes in the air fryer. Cook’s tip Include a serving of wholegrain couscous or brown rice and plenty of vegetables, to create a well-rounded and nutritious meal. PER SERVE 1650kJ/395calsProtein 27gTotal fat…

9 PROS AND CONS OF WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS, P16 Hayashi D et al. 2023. What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity. Nutrients. 15(22):4809. Keel PK et al. 2019. Examining weight suppression as a transdiagnostic factor influencing illness trajectory in bulimic eating disorders. Physiol Behav. 2019:112565. Wu H et al. 2025. Trajectory of the body weight after drug discontinuation in the treatment of anti-obesity medications. BMC Med. 23:398. Cleveland Clinic. GLP-1 Agonists. Available at my.clevelandclinic.org Healthify NZ. Wegovy. Available at healthify.nz Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. Obesity. Available at health. govt.nz Medsafe. Wegovy Injection. Available at medsafe.govt.nz MotherToBaby. 2023. Semaglutide. Available at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov RACGP. Examining the pros and cons of semaglutide. Available at racgp.org.au Scimex. On stopping weight loss drugs, many patients find they regain…

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. 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. 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’. 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…

If you find eating some foods makes you sleep badly, you’re not alone — and there may be a physical cause for your bad dreams. Researchers questioned more than 1000 students about the quality of their sleep, eating habits and any perceived link between the two, and found a strong association between nightmares and lactose intolerance – potentially because gas or stomach pain affects people’s dreams. “Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,” said Dr Tore Nielsen of Université de Montréal, lead author of the research article. “These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!” he said. Front. Psychol…

Tom yum with tempeh $AVER Serves 4 Time to make 25 mins ✓ vegetarian ✓ vegan 2 stalks lemongrass, thick ends removed1 tablespoon rice bran oil250g tempeh, thinly sliced1 onion, peeled, diced4 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated4 kaffir lime leaves3 cups reduced-salt vegetable stock (we used Massel)1 red chilli, finely sliced4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped¼ cup lime juice4 medium zucchini/courgettes, spiralisedFresh coriander, torn, lime wedges andspring onion, sliced, to garnish 1 Using the heel of your hand and the flat of your knife, smash lemongrass stalks to release their flavour. In a large, heavy-based pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add tempeh and lemongrass and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until browned. Remove tempeh and set aside. Add onion, garlic, ginger and kaffir…

Great globes Cultivated for thousands of years, globe artichokes are the unopened flower buds of a plant belonging to the thistle family, with tightly layered leaves and a tender heart hidden inside. SATISFYING FIBRE Globe artichokes are a nutrient-rich vegetable with several health benefits. They’re a great source of fibre, which supports digestive health and helps you stay full for longer. DNA DEFENDER They also contain folate, a B vitamin essential for cell growth and DNA repair, along with powerful antioxidants like cynarine and silymarin, which may promote liver function and help protect against oxidative stress. UNLOCK THEIR SECRETS Steam or boil the outer leaves until tender, then pull them off and dip in olive oil or vinaigrette, scraping the soft inner flesh with your teeth. The delicious artichoke heart…

Each day’s meal plan gives you… • Around 6700kJ (about 1600cal) for gradual weight loss • More than100% of your daily calcium for strong, healthy teeth and bones • More than 30g of fibre to support a healthy gut and digestive health • An array of colourful fruit and veg for an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants • More than 100g of protein for muscle growth and repair • A variety of whole grains and legumes for fibre and digestive health For more about your individual nutrition needs, turn to p95 MONDAY Breakfast • Tropical fruit salad overnight oats (see healthyfood.com) • Regular skim flat white coffee (1700kJ/400cal) Lunch • Chicken salad pita 80g chicken breast, 100g cottage cheese and mixed salad in a wholemeal pita (1600kJ/380cal) Dinner •…

1 Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in your nervous system (p27). 2 Using wearables like smartwatches not only makes people more likely to start working out, they’re also seven times more likely to still be active after six months (p22). 3 Cortisol is commonly known as the body’s ‘stress hormone’ because levels of it naturally increase when we’re stressed to help with ‘fight or flight’ (p17). 4 Vegans aged over 65 need to take extra care to hit certain nutrient targets, as needs go up with age (p28). 5 Around 90 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes don't hit their recommended physical activity targets (p22). 6 Matcha is a type of green tea powder that’s high in antioxidants and contains L-theanine, an amino acid linked to relaxation…

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 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 (or more) iron. Amount of vegetable serves per recipe serve. $AVER Costs $5 or less per serve ✓ gluten free ✓ dairy free Contains no ingredients that usually contain gluten or dairy, but always check the ingredients you are using.…

Q & A I used to buy a lot of frozen berries but am unsure now due to health warnings about hepatitis A risk. I have looked for brands from countries with safer water for washing, but while they are packaged in NZ or Australia they aren’t grown there. Which berries are safe, or can they be cooked to remove the hepatitis risk? Linda, NZ Navigating food safety can feel confusing, especially when it involves something as wholesome as frozen berries. They are such a convenient and affordable source of antioxidants and fibre – not to mention delicious! While hepatitis A outbreaks linked to frozen berries occurred in Australia (2015 and 2017) and more recently in New Zealand (2022–2023), it’s important to note that the affected berries were imported. Since then,…

❭❭ For some, the idea of being able to take medication to lose weight might seem like a dream come true. Living with obesity and under the looming shadow of a long list of potential chronic health problems (and the accompanying stigma) is a reality for around one in three adults in New Zealand and just shy of that number in Australia. Weight loss isn’t straightforward and many people who want to reach and maintain a healthy weight range struggle, for a variety of valid yet often poorly understood reasons. When celebrity tales of rapid weight loss linked to diabetes drugs started infiltrating our screens and social media feeds we all naturally – albeit a little skeptically – took notice. Diabetes drug Ozempic we learned, was a medication belonging to…

The claim: A cortisol imbalance can cause excess belly fat and a puffy face The verdict: A rare condition called Cushing’s syndrome, where the body is exposed to too much cortisol, commonly causes a rounded face and weight gain around the stomach. Some research also suggests that elevated cortisol levels caused by stress may contribute to weight gain. But while the stomach area may be particularly susceptible, experts stress that where weight gathers is dictated by a complex mix of factors, rather than any single issue. The claim: Taking magnesium, ashwagandha and L-theanine supplements can reduce cortisol levels The verdict: Some research does suggest that some supplements, including magnesium, ashwagandha and L-theanine, may help lower cortisol levels. If you‘re planning to take any supplements, some can interact with medications, so…