A weighty question

With one in four adults in the UK considered obese, we’re delighted to support this initiative in helping tackle the problem of being overweight. Last week (12-18 January), saw National Obesity Awareness Week, a well-planned programme of events to help children and adults understand more about obesity and how to tackle it. Whether it’s by cooking more healthily, or being more active, the idea is to encourage a positive approach to the problem.

One fun idea for the campaign was a quiz where MPs and school children put their nutrition knowledge to the test. It was organised by the Eat Like A Champ (run by Danone), part of the Change4Life scheme designed to encourage healthy lifestyles among pupils between nine and 10.

So how much do you know about nutrition and healthy eating? Why not take a look at this extract from the quiz and see for yourself (answers at the end).


Eat Like A Champ Quiz

Q1 The Eatwell plate is the UK healthy eating model. How many food groups does the Eatwell plate have?
(a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 5

Q2 Which of these two Eatwell plate food groups are the same size?
(a) Milk and dairy foods group and Meat, fish, eggs, beans group (b) Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta group and the Fruit and vegetables group (c) Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar group and Milk and dairy foods group

Q3 How many portions of fruit and vegetables should we eat each day?
(a) At least 5 portions (b) 2 portions of fruit and 2 portions of vegetables (c) 5 small spoonfuls

Q4 Which one of these should be included in your lunch every day?
(a) a large portion of food high in fat (b) a portion of oily fish (c) a portion of starchy food

Q5 Approximately how much more fat do crinkle cut crisps have compared with baked crisps?
(a) twice as much (b) three times as much (c) four times as much

Q6 Which of the following does not count as 1 of your 5 a day?
(a) a glass of fruit juice (b) a portion of raisins (c) a jacket potato

Q7 How many drinks should a primary school pupil have each day?
(a) 10-12 drinks (b) 6-8 drinks (c) 3-4 drinks

Q8 If you don’t eat regularly, you will probably feel…
(a) healthy and happy (b) tired and hungry (c) focused and energetic

Q9 Which of the following snacks is highest in sugar?
(a) a berry muffin (b) a portion of potato wedges (c) a ring doughnut

Q10 Which of the following do we need to do to be a healthy weight?
(a) eat fruit, vegetables and salad (b) do a lot of sport (c) eat well and be active

Q11 Which of these nutrients is needed for healthy bones?
(a) carbohydrate (b) calcium (c) protein

Q12 Which of these activities would use the most energy if they were carried out for 15 minutes?
(a) swimming (b) cooking (c) football

Answers:
Q1 (c) 5 Q2 (b) Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta group and the Fruit and vegetables group Q3 (a) at least 5 portions Q4 (c) a portion of starchy food: Q5 (c) four times as much Q6 (c) a jacket potato (explanation: potatoes are high in starchy carbohydrate and therefore count as a starchy food such as bread, rice and pasta) Q7 (b) 6-8 drinks Q8 (b) tired and hungry Q9 (a) a berry muffin (explanation: a berry muffin = 16.8g sugar, a portion of potato wedges = 0.5g sugar, a ring doughnut = 9.2g sugar.) Q10 (c) eat well and be active Q11 (b) calcium Q12 (a) swimming

The low-FODMAP diet

Many IBS sufferers and their practitioners swear by the elimination – under guidance – of certain carbs, known as FODMAPS (in the January issue of Healthy Food Guide, we’ve included some IBS-friendly recipes for you to try). If you want to know more about what these foods are and how to steer clear of them, read on…

FODMAPs are certain types of carbohydrates that are not absorbed in the small intestine and are instead passed into the colon. Although they are poorly absorbed by everyone, only some people get IBS symptoms when bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain and constipation occur as the natural bacteria in the colon digest the food.

These FODMAPs (Fermentable oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and polyols) tend to be found in processed foods, artificial sweeteners, wheat products, some vegetables, fruit and pulses and some dairy foods. For example, fructose (a monosaccharide) is the main type of sugar found in fruit juice, fruit and honey; lactose (a disaccharide) is the main type of sugar found in dairy products; and types of sugars called oligosaccharides are found in foods such as cereals, bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes.

How the low-FODMAP diet works 
With the help of a dietitian, over a period of eight weeks, FODMAPs are virtually eliminated. If your gut is going to respond to a low-FODMAP diet, this is the period during which IBS symptoms should lessen dramatically or disappear. You then reintroduce FODMAPs one by one – each over a period of three days. From this you can establish those that trigger IBS symptoms and those your body is able to tolerate. It may be that you can tolerate certain amounts of a certain FODMAP, which is useful to know if you’re going out for dinner, or to a friend’s house.

‘One of my clients, for example, now knows she can tolerate some gluten-containing foods occasionally without aggravating her IBS symptoms,’ says registered dietitian and IBS specialist Jennifer Low. ‘This has been useful as her husband’s family eat lots of pasta. But she also knows if she has a wheat-based cereal for breakfast, a sandwich at lunch and pasta for dinner she gets a very painful tummy.’

If you think a low-FODMAP diet may relieve your symptoms, look for a registered dietitian in your area (ask your GP to refer you or visit freelancedietitians.org), who will be able to guide you through the elimination and reintroduction process. It’s very important not to try it without guidance. ‘Many foods contain FODMAPs and you could seriously compromise your health if you try to eliminate these foods without the help of a health practitioner,’ says Jennifer.

Find out more at:
jlnutritionclinic.com
theibsnetwork.org

Which foods contain FODMAPS?

Flours and grains

Barley
Bulgur
Chickpea flour*
Couscous
Durum
Lentil flour*
Multigrain flour
Pea flour*
Rye
Semolina
Soya flour*
Wheat bran
Wheaten cornflour
Wheat flour
Wheatgerm

Cereals

Wheat-based and mixed-grain breakfast cereals
Muesli

Fruits

Apples
Nectarines
Pears
Peaches
Plums

Vegetables

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Garlic
Mushrooms
Onions

Pasta and noodles

Egg noodles
Pasta
Gnocchi

Breads, biscuits and cakes

All biscuits
Bread
Breadcrumbs
Cakes
Croissants
Crumpets
Muffins and pastries containing wheat and rye
Ready-made sourdough breads

Dairy foods and alternatives

Milk
Ice cream
Soft cheeses (in large quantities)
Yogurt

Meat, fish and eggs

Sausages and other processed meats (check for onion and dehydrated vegetable powders)

Nuts and seeds

Pistachios

Spreads, condiments and flavourings

Honey
Shop-bought chutneys
Dressings
Gravies (containing onion)
Relishes and sauces
Stock cubes

Drinks

Fruit juices made with FODMAP fruits (see above)

Fats and oils

Dairy spreads and margarine (in large quantities)


This list should be used only under the guidance of a registered dietitian specialising in IBS management.

*These contain the oligosaccharides GOS and fructans, but in small amounts as part of a recipe do not cause IBS symptoms in most people. You should assess your tolerance under the supervision of a registered dietitian.

Is fruit juice really as bad as cola? HFG reports…

Sugar is currently being touted as public health enemy number one and has rarely been out of the news since campaign group Action on Sugar launched its attack on the white stuff earlier this year. But while limiting trips to the biscuit tin, stopping short of ordering a pud when out for dinner, and avoiding snacking on sweets, chocolate and cake are no-brainers, one area that’s left many of us confused is fruit juice.

Until recently, most of us considered fruit juice to be a healthy drink that helps to boost our vitamin intake and counts as one of our five-a-day. But now fruit juices have come under fire for their sugar content. Indeed, figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey reveal fruit juice provides around 8% of the sugar in our diet – a significant amount. But some anti-sugar campaigners have gone as far as to suggest avoiding drinking fruit juice altogether, claiming a glass of OJ is as bad for our health as a can of cola. But is this really the case?

‘A 330ml can of cola typically contains around 140 calories and 35g sugar – that’s equivalent to almost 9tsp sugar,’ says HFG nutrition consultant Juliette Kellow. ‘In reality, that’s not dissimilar from a 330ml bottle of fresh orange juice, which has around 150 calories and 33g sugar – just ½tsp sugar less. With figures like this, it’s easy to see why some people are confused and think they’d be better off drinking the cola.’

But it’s not so much fruit juice that’s a problem – it’s the vast serving sizes we tend to have these days, explains Juliette. ‘Unlike cola, which contains sugar and no other nutrients, pure fruit juice can boost our intake of vitamin C and antioxidants. But as is the case with many of the foods and drinks we now consume, we have a tendency to supersize them, which doubles – if not triples – the calories and sugar contents and leaves us with a drink comparable to no-nutrient fizzy drinks.

But while fruit juice provides nutrients, it doesn’t contain the healthy fibre you get from eating the whole fruit. ‘Drinking fruit juice won’t fill you up in the same way as eating fresh fruit will, meaning it’s easy to take in excess calories,’ explains Juliette.

So what should we do about our morning glass of OJ? ‘You can only count 150ml fruit juice as a portion of your five-a-day – anything more than this does not count,’ says Dr Susan Jebb OBE, a nutrition scientist and obesity expert. ‘The fact that juice is only considered to be one portion is intended to signal that a small amount is fine, but since it doesn’t have all the healthy components of intact fruit, it should be consumed in strict moderation. And five-a-day does not include fruit drinks with added sugar.’ In other words, it’s fine to include pure fruit juice as part of your five-a-day – but only in controlled amounts.

‘A 150ml glass of freshly squeezed OJ contains around 65 calories and 3½tsp sugar – roughly the amount that occurs naturally in an orange,’ explains Juliette. ‘So if you stick to that serving size, there’s no reason not to include fruit juice as part of a healthy balanced diet.’

However, Juliette believes the juice industry could do far more to promote this message. ‘I’d like to see a move towards producing individual 150ml cartons or bottles, and watered-down juices for adults that contain just 150ml juice – there are plenty of similar products aimed at children,’ she says, ‘I’d also like to see 150ml given as the typical serving size on nutrition labels for large cartons of juice, rather than the 200ml or 250ml that’s commonly used.’

As for fizzy drinks such as cola, the advice is simple. ‘Swap them for calorie- and sugar-free versions – or better still, water,’ says Juliette. ‘Research shows regular soft drinks provide 15% of the sugar in our diet, rising to a massive 30% in teenagers. Cutting them out is a really easy way to reduce our consumption of sugar and, therefore, empty calories.’

But it’s not just drinks we need to be wary of. According to data from market research company Kantar, presented yesterday at a conference held by The Food & Drink Innovation Network, since sugar hit the headlines sales of chilled fruit juices have dropped among certain consumer groups, but overall sales of biscuits have seen very little change!

Break the diet cycle

Diet is a four-letter word that often spells failure. In the November issue of Healthy Food Guide, our experts explain how you can lose weight for good by breaking free of the vicious cycle of deprivation and disappointment caused by fad diets.

Successful weight loss is all about creating healthy relationships with food and your body. We asked nutritionist Zoe Wilson for her top tips for healthy eating…

1 It’s OK to have an ‘imperfect’ meal or snack

You eat three meals a day, seven days a week – so if one or two of these meals aren’t great, it’s no big deal!

2 Before you eat ask yourself, ‘Am I actually hungry?’

That’s the grumbling, empty tummy hungry — not the ‘I don’t want to sit at my desk anymore’ hungry. If you’re not really hungry, is there something else you could do? Maybe you could step outside for some fresh air or make that phone call you’ve been putting off for a while.

3 Turn off the TV, computer or phone to enjoy food
By eating with distractions such as these you won’t register you’ve had your meal or snack, leaving you wanting more when you don’t need it. Take time out and sit at a table so you can concentrate on what you’re eating.

4 Have what you really want

There’s no point in choosing a yogurt or piece of fruit if you really want a piece of chocolate — you’ll feel cheated! Have that piece of chocolate (but not the whole bar) and savour every moment of it.

5 Take note of the ‘sigh moment’
There comes a point, when eating a meal, when our stomach says it’s full – we will often pause and take a deep breath. But many of us miss this cue because there’s still food on our plate. Be mindful of this cue, then put down your knife and fork.

6 Eat slowly!

Try to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal. This gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain it’s full. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, cut your food into smaller pieces and focus on tasting your food.

7 Don’t deprive yourself in social settings

Food is at the centre of many social occasions, and it’s fine to join in. But if you’re not hungry, don’t feel pressured to go to the buffet table or to take that canapé. And in restaurants, order a starter instead of a main or share something with a friend.

8 Leave the table satisfied but not full

There’s a difference between not feeling hungry anymore and feeling stuffed to the brim. Listen to your stomach as you eat and try to finish on a hunger scale of about 7/10 — with 0/10 being starving and 10/10 being full-to-bursting.

9 Pretend you’re a critic

Think about the flavour and texture of each mouthful, and assess how appealing the meal is to your eye. By appreciating the elements of your food you will feel more satisfied.

10 Use smaller crockery and glassware

This makes a smaller portion look bigger, helping you eat less but still feel satisfied. Replace dinner plates with starter-sized plates, and swap 500ml wine glasses with 250ml glasses. 

For more advice on breaking the diet cycle, check out the November issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine.

Get all your five-a-day in one dish!

By Harry Eastwood

This salad is a deconstructed version of ratatouille, which makes for a delicious, fresh and full-flavoured alternative to the traditional vegetable stew. It can be made ahead – and, in fact, tastes even better. It ticks plenty of health boxes as it’s high in fibre and low in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. Most people can enjoy it, as it’s vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. And the best thing about it? One serving counts as a full five portions of your five-a-day.

Ratatouille salad with anchovies and lemon

Serves 4

1 large aubergine, cut into small cubes

2 medium courgettes, topped, tailed and cut into very small cubes

4tbsp olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and finely diced

1 medium yellow pepper, cored and chopped into small cubes

1 medium orange pepper, cored and chopped into small cubes

2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste

3 anchovies, very finely chopped

10 medium ripe tomatoes on the vine

Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon

Handful of basil leaves, torn from the stem

1. Heat a large frying pan until very hot.

2. Toss the aubergine and courgette cubes in the olive oil until evenly coated. Add them to the hot frying pan and cook over a high heat for 5 min, until the edges have turned a golden colour. You may find that you need to do this stage in two batches.

3. Tip the hot vegetables into a large bowl with the onion, peppers, garlic and anchovies. Season generously with pepper, then cover with clingfilm. Set aside for 10 min, while you prepare the tomatoes.

4. Chop the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds and centre with the help of a spoon. Finely chop the flesh, then add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

5. Finally, squeeze the lemon juice over the salad. Set aside (wrapped in clingfilm) for 1 hr in the ambient temperature of your kitchen to let the flavours mingle and develop. Scatter the basil leaves over just before serving and add more pepper if needed. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.

SWAP IN/SWAP OUT

I love the savoury flavour the anchovies bring, but you don’t have to add them – this ratatouille is delicious without. You could include pine nuts if you want the salad to be a little more hearty and reduced-fat feta or mozzarella chunks are lovely thrown in at the last minute, too.

Per serving: 210kcal, 6g protein, 12.8g fat, 2g saturates, 19.2g carbs, 17.1g sugar, 9g fibre, 0.3g salt, 77mg calcium, 2.7mg iron

 

Harry’s supporting our mission to Fight the Fads – Make Every Meal Healthier. To find out why she’s rallying against the fad diet industry, pick up our October issue.

For more substantial salad recipes, check out Harry Eastwood’s A Salad For All Seasons (Bantam Press, £20).

Rethink your drink

By Emer Delaney, British Dietetic Association spokesperson 

We all know that giving children fizzy drinks is never a great idea because they are high in sugar and have very little nutrients. Some contain the equivalent of eight heaped teaspoons of sugar, which can not only contribute to weight gain as they don't make your child feel full, but can also damage their teeth. And now health experts have calculated there's even more sugar in some smoothies and health drinks. While there are no recommendations on the number of sugary drinks that are allowed, parents should limit them as best they can.

Research has shown that children aged four to ten years get 16% of their sugar intake from soft and fizzy drinks and soft drinks were the largest contributor to sugar intake for children aged four to eighteen years.  These are frightening figures because when kids drink too much juice, juice or sport drinks their intake of milk declines and they get too little calcium for their growing teeth and bones.

Whether its fruit juice or fizzy drinks, the source of the sugar doesn't matter as any sugar the body doesn't need will be converted to fat. Also, when children have these drinks on an empty stomach, the body takes in sugar so quickly, insulin spikes and then drops suddenly, leaving them feeling hungry.   50% of UK children are now overweight so limiting these drinks is more important than ever.

So what can parents do? Limit the drinks for special occasions only like parties or holidays; dilute fruit juices with water; try flavoured water or de-caffeinated tea for a change. But the easiest and clearest message for all - milk or water should be a child's only choice.

We need to empower our children to make their own decisions and to teach them that too many fizzy drinks, fruit juice or sweet drinks are bad for their bodies. Change doesn't happen overnight, but we can start making small steps today and make it happen today.

Take a stand against extreme diets

By Melanie Leyshon

 

As you'd imagine, being the editor of Healthy Food Guide magazine, I check the daily newspapers for health breakthroughs. And there's no shortage of stories – some based on reliable scientific evidence, others rely on more flimsy statistics. 

Putting aside the well-researched advances in overcoming cancer, finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, etc, at this time of year, when the beach beckons, many health sections become obsessed with diets – and extreme diets. Yet, despite the growth of the dieting genre – juicing, fasting, no carbs, feeding tubes – we continue to upsize as a nation.

When we read about a diet that promises you'll lose 7lb in a week, it can be tempting to give it a go. 

I’ve taken shortcuts myself. There was the miserable, stinky week of the Cabbage Soup Diet (dire daily doses of soup, fruit and a hellish day of 5 bananas that left me too weak to think), then there was the anxiety-inducing South Beach Diet (I was so shaky after day 6, I made straight for the sandwich shop for a cheese bap).

Now I eat in moderation or semi-moderation and factor in exercise to offset the excess. I’m no Jessica Ennis, but even I’ve found a mix of running, cycling and yoga works. It's helped me maintain a healthy weight and BMI, which my recent NHS Health Check confirmed.

Health professionals, such as British Dietetic Association (BDA) registered dietitians, know it’s not necessary to go to such extremes to lose weight. Doing so can mess with your metabolism and compromise your health, as you may miss out on vital nutrients. What’s more it’s almost impossible to stick to restrictive diets that cut out food groups, or expect you to exist on under 1,400 calories a day - so any weight loss achieved is short lived.

That’s why at Healthy Food Guide magazine we decided to launch our mission to Fight the Fads: Make Every Meal Healthier, which has gained the backing of the BDA, Diabetes UK and the British Nutrition Foundation.

Our aim is to encourage both women and men to eat healthily every day instead of resorting to extreme, yo-yo dieting. Healthy Food Guide magazine is the only dedicated food magazine with a panel of health and diet professionals (qualified dietitians, not self-styled nutrition therapists), registered fitness experts and fully-trained recipe consultants. They bring their expert know-how to our fully referenced features – we don’t print facts that can’t be substantiated.

In our September issue (which comes out tomorrow), our nutrition consultant, registered dietitian Juliette Kellow, has put together a visual guide to portion sizes (no scales required) that will help you reduce your calorie intake without missing out on any of your favourite foods. We also have 46 taste-tested and nutritionist approved recipes, including slimmed down versions of your favourites, such as steak and chips and chicken kiev – that are full of flavour, but easy on your waistline. Plus, we’ve investigated the claims surrounding cancer and diet, to bring you the latest scientifically supported advice about what to eat to help reduce your risk. 

Pick up your copy of Healthy Food Guide magazine in larger supermarkets, Boots, WH Smiths or M&S; download a digital edition or purchase a subscription.